 |
 |
On 8/18/98 Lanier Maddux wrote: <<<<. . . .this damn toe cramping hurts, and in the night time when I am trying to get some good quality of sleep. My toes, mostly on the right foot which is the opposite side from the tremor, cramp. tingle, and feel numb. . . . And when I go to the health club and sit in the hot tub, I give toes on both feet a really good stretching, every way that I can bend them, this gives me really good relief, until the middle of the night when the cramping starts up again. . . . . My near had no suggestion for relief other than ibuprofen. . . . . maybe other list members will have some input. . . . >>>> I have the same problem and noticed mine relates to how "on" or "off" I am at the time. During the day if I watch my med regimen closely and stay on as much as possible toe cramps aren't much of a problem. As the evening wears on, however, I get lazy and often forget to take Sinemet when I should. The off that follows brings with it the normal PD symptoms (bradykinesia, freezing, rigidity, etc.) plus toe cramping (which I understand is dystonia). I also get toe cramps in the middle of the night if I miss a dose of Sinemet while sleeping. In both cases the toe cramps subside when a new dose of Sinemet goes to work. It's worth mentioning that I had toe cramping for a couple of years before I recognized it as such. In my case the first joint of the middle three toes on each foot cramp upward and the remaining joints curl downward. Although it feels odd, it's not particularly painful unless I insist on walking. If I do, the result is a double whammy as the first knuckle rubs the inside of the top of my shoe and the toenails dig into the sole. When it first began the cramps were mild and I didn't feel the muscles pulling in my toes. I do quite a bit of walking and on long walks or hikes I'd sometimes get a sore toe, always one of the middle three. Over the next couple of weeks or so the toenail would turn blue and fall off. I bought larger hunting boots and tennis shoes, wore thicker then thinner socks, all to no avail. It wasn't until I began to feel the cramps and notice the first knuckles rubbing the tops of my shoes that I figured out what was going on. Now it's evident---I can watch and feel them start to curl when I go off. By the way, in addition to Sinemet, I find a big bowl of popcorn and a couple of beers along with a good football game or a movie help my cramps considerably. Following the Sinemet with a nap's not bad either. I highly recommend both. Cheers, Bob Bowling 53/10 Overland Park, KS mailto:[log in to unmask]