Cramp in leg while having heavy periods

[Honeyroar]

Does anyone else get this?

I guess I'm peri. I'm nearly 50, my periods are getting shorter with very heavy intermittent floods for the first couple of days (one minute nothing, the next it feels like it's almost spurting out, almost like a pulse). Sorry if tmi.

But I also seem to be getting incredible cramp in one of my thighs at night, to the extent I can barely weight bear, and it seems to be on days where I've had heavy flows.

Just wondering if it's a lack of iron or something?

I am 37 (so maybe not connected to the menopause) and get this every month on day one of my period which is always really heavy.

It is really really painful and always in my left thigh, it happens during the day though not in bed. I have to keep rubbing/patting it to ease the pain.

Will follow with interest (sorry not very helpful)

me too.
I'm on HRT with a bleed every few weeks and get this pain in left thigh. I have to lie down till it passes- usually around 1 hr on day 1.

I think it's (from reading up on it) period pain caused by the release of prostoglandins.

Treatment is prescription meds, or meds for period pain that contain Tranexamic acid , or plain old ibuprofen.

I find taking pain killers at the very first sign of bleeding helps rather than waiting for the crampy feeling to kick in.

I'll preface this by saying I'm NOT a dr. Could it be the heavy period is lowering your iron and making you anaemic. Symptoms are cramp /muscle spasms, palpitations etc...

Sorry meant to say that my gp told me to take iron to help with the symptoms - I heavy periods

Thanks everyone. It's my left thigh too, how strange, wonder if there's a reason for that.

I find heat on it helps a lot. Putting a hot water bottle against it seems to unclench the muscle. Last night I couldn't even get upstairs to get the hot water bottle and I had to fill a plastic milk bottle with hot water and hold it against it until it calmed down.

Try magnesium spray OP, it’s brilliant for this kind of cramp.

I get it in my calf muscle. Magnesium spray and magnesium flakes in the bath really make a difference

That's interesting.

I'd be amazed if I was ever anaemic. We have untreated well water and there's a lot of iron in it generally.

Yep I get this, used to have terrible periods

I was put on tranexamic acid and something else, can't remember what it's called now

I’m 35 and I’ve been getting thigh pains for the last few periods; they arrive around ten days before. Sorry, no help. I just rub them and take painkillers. I also get headaches, sore boobs, eat everything and anything and cry a lot. Such fun!

Seconding Magnesium.

I get terrible leg cramps and find that regular Magnesium tablets keep them under control.

If it was low iron, we'd get cramps/ pain all the time (the body uses iron to build up the womb lining all the time- you're not losing blood and iron just on the day it comes away.)

If you google period pain, feeling pain down the thighs is listed- it's a known symptom. I'd describe mine more as 'heavy/ weak legs' where I feel the stuffing's been knocked out of them and an annoying ache.