<p>second the need to rule out deep vein thrombosis especially since you are relatively new to BC which put you at increased risk for clots.</p>
<p>I’m a little freaked about the idea of DVT! Just read symptoms and have been short of breath after just climbing stairs etc lately…thought it was from my allergies/adult asthma & planned to see doc about that too. Falling apart in my (not so old) age.</p>
<p>It happened to me so much in the last 3 years. I was told it’s from magnesium and potassium low levels as well as B-12. (You’re right, NYsmile). Either take sublingual B-12 tablets, or, even better, start getting B-12 injections in your Doctor’s office once a month. Since I started doing that, no more cramps. Also, the nurses said that some type of Quinine water or club soda also helps too. Good luck, hope it goes way fast.</p>
<p>I second Magnetron’s and bookreader’s suggestion of lack of calcium as a potential culprit. I had horrible leg cramps years ago and my doc recommended Tums. Did the trick for me.</p>
<p>You could eat a banana each day for added potassium and keep Tums around to munch during the day. There would likely be no adverse effects even if it didn’t help with the cramps.</p>
<p>Drink two ozs. of pickle juice. Really.</p>
<p>^^^^^^Couldn’t she just eat a pickle? No way I could drink just the juice.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It’s more fun to just drink the juice 
They actually sell pickle juice in 12oz bottles specifically for drinking…</p>
<p>I’ve had trouble with muscle cramps but nothing like what the OP describes. Yikes.</p>
<p>Things that have helped were hydration, and calcium and magnesium supplements.</p>
<p>It would be great if Tums gave you quick relief during an attack. Another thing you might consider trying is a homeopathic remedy called Mag phos. Whether or not you believe in homeopathy, sometimes its remedies provide quick and almost miraculous relief…even to small children and animals who don’t know the meaning of “placebo.”</p>
<p>MomLive & coskat–I think you may have truly saved my life–
THANK YOU! doc sent me straight to ER and now I’m in hospital. Have DVT, pretty severe (though I actually still feel fine, except for sore leg). On blood thinners now. They said I could’ve easily died and that it almost certainly was from the BC pills as I have no other risk factors whatsoever.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone else, too, for the ideas–it all helped me realize maybe I wasn’t having a typical charlie horse & pushed me to find a doc to see faster. My reg doc wasn’t avail til Friday and the doc’s office didn’t seem to think it was urgent…but it sure was! Glad I insisted someone see me…</p>
<p>Scary stuff! Ladies on birth control, take heed. My gyn told me risk was very low, I was on lowest dose & just to regulate crazy perimenopause issues. SO NOT WORTH IT. Remember, bio-identical or birth control, added estrogen puts you at risk for blood clots.</p>
<p>THANK YOU!</p>
<p>Wow, I’m glad you’re ok. That is pretty scary.</p>
<p>Wow. Glad you are OK and it certainly is a lesson for others.</p>
<p>Holy Moly! So glad you got this checked!</p>
<p>To the OP: I’m so glad you are on the right treatment!</p>
<p>To everyone else: is there a hormonal birth control that does not carry the risk of blood clots?</p>
<p>I didn’t know that BC has a blood clot risk.</p>
<p>Oh IUMom Im so glad you got quick medical attention. This is truly a very life threatening issue when undetected/treated and BC is a major risk. Thank God you pushed to get seen. Wishing you a quick recovery!</p>
<p>[FDA</a> orders blood clot risks be added to some birth control labels - NY Daily News](<a href=“Health News - New York Daily News”>FDA orders blood clot risks be added to some birth control labels )</p>
<p>bookreader I believe all hormonal BC does carry a risk some more then others, see above link and google the topic for more specifics. Some women/young girls do die from PE’s, it is a risk. very scary</p>
<p>Sorry to hear about your ordeal - get well soon. DVT are also much more common in people who have antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, an autoimmune disorder. I am sure they tested for this, but if it wasn’t mentioned specifically, I would ask. BC can increase the risk even more if this underlying condition is present. </p>
<p>[Antiphospholipid</a> syndrome - MayoClinic.com](<a href=“http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antiphospholipid-syndrome/DS00921]Antiphospholipid”>Antiphospholipid syndrome - Symptoms & causes - Mayo Clinic)</p>
<p>Glad you had it checked out.</p>
<p>The reason I recognized it might be DVT is because about 12 weeks ago I had major surgery and was sent home with instructions to watch for it. So naturally I developed some minor cramping in one of my legs while I was home for six weeks with nothing to do but worry (plus they put me on an estrogen patch).</p>
<p>So I started googling DVT and the one thing I noticed is virtually everyone who actually had a DVT said they had swelling and pain so bad it was hard to walk. Mine never got real painful nor did I have swelling and it never lasted long. I’m pretty sure it was related to the sciatica I have in that leg but I did learn a lot about DVT.</p>
<p>Hope you are feeling well soon. I understand it can be very painful.</p>
<p>I know someone who did go to the doctor because she had leg pain and swelling. Never saw her PCP; the PA diagnosed it as sciatica and sent her for physical therapy. </p>
<p>Long story short, a week later the story wasn’t making sense to me, I pushed her spouse to have her return to doc, the PA sent her to orthopedist who called 911 and sent her to the ER. (PA no longer a PA) She was diagnosed with DVTs in both thighs, caused by massive fibroids pushing on her blood vessels. Very very serious. Hysterectomy, surgery for blood clots, compression stockings forever, blood thinners etc etc.</p>