Mystery of Calf Twitching Reappearing

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usysparawl

Well-known member
I was doing fine until this morning. After a week of no twitching whatsoever, I woke up this morning with a horrific charlie horse cramp in my left leg. It lasted just a couple of minutes. What was scary about it -- it triggered my left calf to start twitching again. Boom, boom, boom.

I remember the only PALS story I ever read (I stumbled on it when searching for calf twitching long ago) was a guy who was having charlie horses (really bad ones) every night in both legs. This guy was pretty advanced and already bedridden with weakness. Then someone on here posted about a guy whose presenting symptom was charlie horses in his calves. (Not sure if they were the nocturnal come and go variety or constant 24/7.) Are charlie horses a symptom of ALS???

I've also noticed that those of you with BFCS say your cramping is not of the charlie horse variety.

And to top things off, my neuro said ALS was characterized by "weakness and pain." (He didn't use the word cramping.)

Now I am really scared.

I do need to mention that I am almost 18 weeks pregnant, and I know nocturnal leg cramps are very common in pregnancy, but I doubt they are accompanied by twitching!!!

HELP!

Peg (who thought she was over the ALS scare until today)
6.5 months twitching
no weakness
clean neuro exam
 
Peg...

Read this article if you can link to it.... You will feel better. Here's a quote: "Many times in pregnancy, a woman may be woken from her sleep with a "charlie horse" in her calf or foot. "



Note... They specifically mention charlie horse and calf which is exactly what you wrote about.

I have 4 young daughters and I used to have the calf cramps when I was pregnant. They weren't too bad for me fortunately.... Thankfully I wasn't twitching at the time or I would have totally lost it!!!

p.s. You are lucky that you only read one PALS story... I feel like over the past 6 months I've read 50 and wish I didn't.
 
I realize pregnancy is a realistic and likely explanation, but it was scary because of the rapid fire twitches that followed. I guess the muscle contraction set off the twitches?

If anyone here has something comforting to say about ALS and cramping, I would appreciate it.

NO ONE on this board has had a charlie horse since they started twitching???

Peg :(
 
Peg,

Chill girl! I have been jolted out of sleep with "charlie horse" cramps many times since my BFS began. You are o.k., and will be o.k. Concentrate on being a good host for that growing baby and stop worrying about als.

Hang in there!

Gary
 
Peg:

Muscle cramps? Part of the package. Even pre-BFS, I'd get the very occasional leg cramp (and especially when PG). But it took several post-BFS cramps before I realized it was likely related to the BFS. I get leg cramps, foot cramps, hand cramps.... Also, I think stuff "goes to sleep" more easily. If I squat to assemble something, my legs and feet feel like they were about to go to sleep, and they may ache and feel pre-crampy.

I know it sounds whiny to talk about feeling PRE-crampy. But there you go.

Recently, Amy (an old hand at twitching) wrote that "time is our friend" when it comes to BFS. Anyone who's been on this board for as many months as we have should feel reassured that this is a "benign" thing that we can work around and perhaps even ignore. I still hope for some miracle cure. (Come on, Gatorade.)

I hope you're feeling a bit reassured, anyway, Peg.

--alyLeoNCali
 
I read that people have on average 4 charlie horse cramps per (month or year, I forget which). It is common to get when pregnant. Also the cramping associated w/als is at least 6 per day or more-nothing like what you have. I get one on my rib cage at least once a month! My father gets them all the time where he screams in agony. Don't worry about infrequent charlie horses as they are normal. A high number of "normal" people cramp at night. You can relieve this by drinking more water.
 
You know, in my pre-twitching days I used to get charlie horses all the time. Never thought twice about them. I hate this twitching stuff. It messes with your mind. Besides, I can't help but think a typical charlie horse is nothing compared to an ALS cramp in severity, duration, etc.

BTW, I've been told to expect more charlies as my pregnancy continues. FUN!

Peg
 
I wanted to post a follow-up to this because something very weird happened. Last night, I woke up with a charlie horse in my right calf that triggered twitching. I found this post and realized I had this happen in my left calf one year ago . . . to the day. WEIRD OR WHAT? I am not longer pregnant, my baby is 6.5 months old now. I am still functioning, so I guess this is just a BFS thing.

Peg
1 year, 6.5 months
twitching
 
I know what you mean about reverting a bit to thinking.....hmmmm. I have been virtually "twitch-free" for about a week, but last week I had some numbness in my hand that lasted a day and then went away. But then, the other night, I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up and went to get up, I got a charlie horse in both calves at the same time that stopped me in my tracks. I worked them out, but my calves have been hurting for a few days now as if I did work them out and that has had me a bit stressed. I walked the mall today and could walk just fine, but they tend to hurt when I walk up and down stairs. Anyone have the aching after a charlie horse? If so, how long does it last....or should I say how long before one should worry? Anyone ever wake up with them in both calves?
 

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