Anyone else get bad hand and foot cramps ?

[sam29]

My dad has severe emphysema and this has just started .Also do any of you take anything to help clear your plegm ?as my dad is having trouble bringing it up ,he says it feels like its stuck in his throat and is coughing all night.

[rattles]

Dear Sam

If i remember correctly your dad has been on oral steroids, i tend to get bad cramps when i reduce steroids too quickly. Is he on a taper regime of steroids or has he just stopped taking them abruptly? This is one possible scenario for the cramps especially if they are new cramps that have started since the reduction/stopping of oral steroids.

For the mucus you could ask your GP for Carbocisteine capsules to help thin the mucus and make it easier to expel. If he is on home nebulisers, saline nebulas can help sooth irritated airways and help thin mucus too , again ask your GP for a prescription.

Hope that is of some help and very best of luck.

[elian]

Here's a trick I learned from a physiotherapist during a hospital stay in Switzerland: fill something like a small Lucozade bottle half full with water. Using a piece of plastic tubing as a 'straw' blow into the tube as hard as possible for as long as possible (just like children used to!) . Try this for 5 minutes, three or four time a day. It certainly help in loosening the phlegm I had.

I still suffer cramps in my fingers and toes, but find it worse when I've had too much salt in my diet. It really hurts, too, when I try to write anything down. My respiratory nurse recommended Schweppes Indian Tonic Water, but to make sure that I got the one that says on the label "contains quinine".

Good luck in your quest to find some sort of relief for your father.

[sam29]

Thanks everyone ill speak to his doctor tmw about getting him something to help him.He was on 6 steroids a day for 3 weeks .The last 6 days he has been having 1 less everyday so will be off them completely by tmw.The inhalers he uses he has been on along time so i wonder if the cramps would only just appear now? maybe it is the steroid reduction.Im glad he is coming off them as he hasnt been sleeping at all.Hes put on a stone in 10 days with them ,which is good as he had lost so much weight .Ill see if he can manage to do that water trick Elian.His mucus is still thick gree/yellown but his consultant still thinks there is no infection ,yet his nurse thinks he does??very confusing His consultant said antibiotics wont work.

[Hidden]

Yes comes with the territory is the short answer. Getting help with symptoms is part of the illness, usually only take the quinine sulphate when having problems not all the time but your doctor will point out what is best for dad.

[sam29]

Thanks Dott

[Hidden]

I had frequent night time cramps down my shins for a few years and nothing I did made any difference. Then a few months ago I realised they had stopped. Its ages since I had them but I don't have a clue why. Everything is still the same, I take the same meds and eat the same foods as always. I wish I knew the answer so I could pass it on!

[Wiggins]

I get cramp in my feet fairly regularly at night. I saw on TV that Bananas are good for cramp because they contain a lot Potassium. I've been eating them ever since and I don't even like them but I don't get the cramp as often.

[EmmyH]

I used to get dreadful cramp - particularly at night - but now I take potassium tablets (just one a day) as a supplement and rarely have a problem.

I would recommend the carbocisteine and saline as well. I nebulise hypertonic saline every day and then do some breathing excercises that I was taught by the physios when I was in hospital, and cough up all the phlegm. Not particularly nice but it works wonders! Certainly makes breathing easier - and sleeping. So perhaps ask dad's gp to refer him to a physiotherapist?

From personal experience, I think green/yellow phlegm sounds like an infection too. So I agree with the nurse. I wonder why the consultant thinks there is no infection? Perhaps see what your gp thinks - because if there is an infection it should be treated asap.

[sam29]

His cramps seem to have eased which is good ,maybe it was the steroids ? He still has a very bad cough but not getting much up at all now ,when he does its green/yellow still.He said it feels like its in his throat not his lungs.Yes his consultant said he has been on antibiotics and steroids for over 4 weeks now with no change and he doubts that it is an infection.He was very quick and to the point and didnt really want to listen to me .Hoping to get an appointment for a ct scan through soon for him .

[Mulie]

Sam

Have you ever taken a sample of Dad's sputum to the GP for examination? He will send it to be "grown" to see if there is an infection and if so which one, then the correct antibios can be given. Yes, a physio wll give you exercises to do to help bring up the nasty stuff as well as all the other suggestions above.

Night cramps - some of us tend to get these, no rhyme or reason why; get them for a week or so and then they go. As has been said Quinnine sulphate is usually given for that either on prescription or at the chemist. I keep a small supply in the house just in case.

Good luck with Dad

M

[sam29]

Yes a sputum sample has been sent off so just waiting for the results ,not sure how long they take.

[Hidden]

Have both hands a d feet cramps. Questionable as to wether or not it's because l am on steriods SInce Nov. Leaflet in pill box and web site state that u may get cramps. Have bronchilitis and my consultant said changing to another steroid May help. Either way have to stay on those drug's.