Sciatia and Charlie Horses

curlypie1

If you've experienced sciatia during your pregnancy, I'm curious how many of you also had charlie horses (leg muscle spasms). I thought I was in the free and clear of both of these issues this pregnancy but they reared their ugly heads last week. I talked to my doc about mineral and calcium deficiencies causing the spasms but she claims there is no relation and they are not quite sure what causes them.

I think the spasms must be related to the sciatia since I only started getting them when that horrible hip pain started. I need some relief and am grasping at straws to figure out what I can do to get some rest. I'm not sure I ever fell asleep last night. My leg muscles move by themselves all night long and I'm on pins and needles waiting for another charlie horse to wake me up screaming (please tell me I'm not the only one who does this...those suckers hurt!) Anyone have anything that helped?

KristenBtobe

You poor thing. My midwife said to eat a banana and some peanut butter before bed to help with the cramps. Are you sleeping with anything between your legs? That helped my sciatica this time around. Also I sit on a yoga ball at my desk, it alleviated some of the sciatica.

Lyons_in_2007

Ugh! - I suffered with sciatica pain during my pregnancy with Jacob.  It was pure misery; and I'm hoping beyond hope that I escape that agony this time around.  I agree with Kristen about the body pillow helping, at night.  Other than that, I wasn't able to find much relief (although, admittedly, I didn't have too many related charlie horses like you are describing).  Hang in there!

curlypie1

KristenBtobe:

. Are you sleeping with anything between your legs? That helped my sciatica this time around. Also I sit on a yoga ball at my desk, it alleviated some of the sciatica.

I have slept in every way, shape, sort possible...except on my head. I might be trying that tonight.

I've been meaning to try that yoga ball thing, but the pain doesn't happen until I'm laying down for the night.

kel716

Ugh... yes...  I was grateful for very little acid reflux at the end (I only had it the week BEFORE my BFP and the last 3 days of my pregnancy), but this was probably my worst pregnancy symptom.

Here's what I found... if I sat for too long in the same position, it was worse.  I did some different stretches, and this seemed to help (maybe JLPT can chime in on this...).  Anyway, I would put my feet up via the recliner so my legs were stretched out and point my toes towards me.  I would do this a few times and it seemed to help.  I'd stand on my tip toes (holding on to something) and that too seemed to help. I upped my banana intake to 2 a day.  Potassium does help charlie horses... at least in my experience.  I also would twist my back so that I would stretch my sciatic nerve.  That too seemed to help. 

GL... like I said, this was my least favorite pregnancy issue at the end... 

identicaltwins2be

Ditto everyone else but also wanted to add that I found if I drank more water I had less charlie horses.  And you are right, those things hurt!  I hope you get some relief soon!

Chels0504

I've woken up screaming in pain from charlie horses, too.  I was afraid to go to sleep for a while after the first one b/c I didn't want to feel it EVER again! Now, I stretch my calf muscles before I get into bed each night and anytime I feel the slight hint of a charlie horse I flex my feet (like try to bend your feet towards your knees, DO NOT point them in the opposite direction.)  I haven't gotten one since I started doing that. 

l.m.k.

I have both, and they are killing me! I try to stretch my back a lot in the evening by getting down on all 4s, then down on my elbows with my butt up in the air, and just stretch for a while. My doctor said it will take the pressure off the sciatic nerve. I use a lumbar pillow (aka 3 pieces of folded up gym clothing) on my chair at work. I sleep with a pillow behind my back on my right side and a boppy curved pillow under my lower back and right hip and butt cheek. It is much better than sleeping all the way on my left side.

I can't seem to do anything to relieve the charlie horses in the middle of the night, though. They are awful! And no amount of water I drink before bed seems to help.