Hello Everyone.....Lately I've been having trouble with severe cramps in my calves and feet. It originally started in my calves and I have no idea why my feet are now involved.
I've been hospitalized with serious matters, each one different, 6 times in the past 8 mos. I don't know if it has anything to do with the drugs I was given in the hosp., or just what.
I know I have problems with electrolyte imbalances and have been working on that. I was told I had too much water during the day (including tea) and was to keep it at 32 ozs. That's not very much liquid in a hot, hot climate. Besides, I'd been doing the larger amount for 40 some years without this occurring. Anyway, the consensus was that I had Autimmune Encephalitis, which also causes seizures ... real humdingers, apparently. I did break my arm by falling 6" thanks to one of them.
OK, my question is this: I was told that sodium was the electrolyte out of balance, so of course I upped that again in spite of having extremely high BP in the late afternoon and evening, and then dropping to an outstandingly low no. in the a.m. It used to be low all the time, but then menopause changed all that.
I'm quite petite, but have put on 24 lbs. thanks for the meds. Any way around this? I have to be on keppra for another year at least. This seems to be the culprit and yes, a diuretic was prescribed. I was doing so well as I have 3 neurological issues, all serious, some involving brain surgery, and spinal cord surgery, tethered cord syndrome and discs problems among them. I don't allow myself to dwell on everything wrong with me; am realistic, but to be honest I couldn't deal with a major surgery again now anyway.
What I would ask from you is your ideas concerning the leg cramps. Needless to say, I'm getting no sleep whatsoever and I'm fighting so many problems. Oh, yes, I now have 5 stents due to a heart that has damage, so there's that also. This is all in one tiny body, but a fierce personality that seems to reach up and fight things off...often without me even knowing it. It's called tenacity. I'm in constant pain and that's probably my biggest complaint after the lack of sleep. I've lived this way for 32+ years and no, I realize there won't be any changes. My neuro has tried me on every sleeping pills and supplement imaginable. I realize that I'll have to live with it, there was damage to the sleep center of the brain prior to my brain surgery, but it seems that everything's ganging up on me at one time. It's too much at times, and in between I'm my usual happy self and nothing really gets me down. I have the support of my husband my daughters, but they have their own lives and I want them to have them. I certainly don't want them showing up at the hospital all the time, wasting their time sitting on the highway and the other spending money for an emergency ticket to Dallas. I did almost die in January when I was admitted, so that was the closes call I've had. The congestive heart failure in April wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but I handled it. I'm fine, recovering but fine. I was told on Monday that I suffer from anemia, which is a laugh to have on top of ME. One wouldn't know if you feel worse in any event. Everything is a big deal, it seems and I'm tired of so much input from my doctors. Bless them, they try to help, but don't realize that help comes in the form of an entire package telling you exactly what to do. They try, and I'm lucky to have them.
Ok, any ideas about the cramps would be most welcome. Thank-you in advance. I hope you're all doing OK and that spring has brought a new round of enthusiasm to your lives. Yours, Lenora.
I've been hospitalized with serious matters, each one different, 6 times in the past 8 mos. I don't know if it has anything to do with the drugs I was given in the hosp., or just what.
I know I have problems with electrolyte imbalances and have been working on that. I was told I had too much water during the day (including tea) and was to keep it at 32 ozs. That's not very much liquid in a hot, hot climate. Besides, I'd been doing the larger amount for 40 some years without this occurring. Anyway, the consensus was that I had Autimmune Encephalitis, which also causes seizures ... real humdingers, apparently. I did break my arm by falling 6" thanks to one of them.
OK, my question is this: I was told that sodium was the electrolyte out of balance, so of course I upped that again in spite of having extremely high BP in the late afternoon and evening, and then dropping to an outstandingly low no. in the a.m. It used to be low all the time, but then menopause changed all that.
I'm quite petite, but have put on 24 lbs. thanks for the meds. Any way around this? I have to be on keppra for another year at least. This seems to be the culprit and yes, a diuretic was prescribed. I was doing so well as I have 3 neurological issues, all serious, some involving brain surgery, and spinal cord surgery, tethered cord syndrome and discs problems among them. I don't allow myself to dwell on everything wrong with me; am realistic, but to be honest I couldn't deal with a major surgery again now anyway.
What I would ask from you is your ideas concerning the leg cramps. Needless to say, I'm getting no sleep whatsoever and I'm fighting so many problems. Oh, yes, I now have 5 stents due to a heart that has damage, so there's that also. This is all in one tiny body, but a fierce personality that seems to reach up and fight things off...often without me even knowing it. It's called tenacity. I'm in constant pain and that's probably my biggest complaint after the lack of sleep. I've lived this way for 32+ years and no, I realize there won't be any changes. My neuro has tried me on every sleeping pills and supplement imaginable. I realize that I'll have to live with it, there was damage to the sleep center of the brain prior to my brain surgery, but it seems that everything's ganging up on me at one time. It's too much at times, and in between I'm my usual happy self and nothing really gets me down. I have the support of my husband my daughters, but they have their own lives and I want them to have them. I certainly don't want them showing up at the hospital all the time, wasting their time sitting on the highway and the other spending money for an emergency ticket to Dallas. I did almost die in January when I was admitted, so that was the closes call I've had. The congestive heart failure in April wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but I handled it. I'm fine, recovering but fine. I was told on Monday that I suffer from anemia, which is a laugh to have on top of ME. One wouldn't know if you feel worse in any event. Everything is a big deal, it seems and I'm tired of so much input from my doctors. Bless them, they try to help, but don't realize that help comes in the form of an entire package telling you exactly what to do. They try, and I'm lucky to have them.
Ok, any ideas about the cramps would be most welcome. Thank-you in advance. I hope you're all doing OK and that spring has brought a new round of enthusiasm to your lives. Yours, Lenora.
