A common complaint of endometriosis patients — right after “Who ate my CBD chocolate?” — is leg pain. I have it and it’s no fun.

It starts at the top of my right thigh, travels to my knee, and carries on until it reaches my ankle with a sharp tug before landing at my foot. The pain is akin to bolts of electricity. It gives me such strong spasms that anyone sitting next to me will look at me funny.

My leg pain tends to happen in the late afternoon and early evening. That is why I’m in bed early on a Friday night, when I want to put on my sparkling boots and leg it (see what I did there?) to my local drag queen show. 

My right leg is the true saboteur of my social life. Lately, it is a source of daily pain. Most of the time I curse her —  with such a strong presence, I’m pretty sure my leg is a “she.” Other times, I remind myself that I am lucky to have her, and take a kinder approach, trying anything and everything to ease the pain.

These are approaches that have worked:

Acupuncture

Being covered in needles did little to alleviate my painful periods or heavy bleeding. But my leg pain disappeared immediately. Unfortunately, I had to give up acupuncture because it was pricey. As a penniless writer, it was out of my budget. Two weeks after I stopped the treatment, the pain came back with a vengeance. 

Exercise

During my somewhat bumpy — but ultimately successful — marathon training, my leg pain went MIA. There were no spasms and no daily discomfort. I am not sure whether it was the regular jogging, or that I was stretching my limbs through yoga several times a week. I am doing none of those things now (bad, bad Jess!) and my leg pain has become a daily occurrence.

Magnesium

I’ve taken myriad supplements since my endometriosis diagnosis. Magnesium has made the biggest difference in my quality of life. It is an anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxer. I was including it in my diet through almonds and flax seeds, but I couldn’t eat all of the magnesium-rich foods because of dietary restrictions.

I bought magnesium supplements of the highest absorption, from a brand that recommended up to three pills daily. Swallowing one pill two hours before the pain would typically strike did nothing. But when I took two, there was no pain, discomfort, electric shocks, or spasms. It’s been a game-changer.

My leg pain is life-limiting. When it strikes, I can barely do anything other than go to bed and cry myself to sleep watching “Mad Men” reruns. But it is a symptom I have some power over, which makes a world of difference for someone with control issues like me. 

Do you suffer from leg pain? How you deal with it? Please share your leg woes in the comments below. 

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Note: Endometriosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Endometriosis News or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to endometriosis.