Muscle fatigue?

[sheydreams]

I experience muscle fatigue in my arms worse than in my legs. Does anybody else experience this? Everything I read talks about lower body being affected. I do have problems with anemia, but had iron infusions about 6 weeks ago. My arm muscles ache so bad in the middle of an activity that I have to let them go limp for a minute so I can accomplish what I'm doing. It can make simple tasks not so simple, like washing my hair. Just wanted to hear if others experience this and if you've done anything that's helped.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

Hi,

Not sure why you are having this and I am not sure that it is related to kidney function, other than the anemia. I find that when I do something with my arms for a prolonged period of time, I can become fatigued in the arm. But honestly, its because of lack of use of those muscles and not doing exercise with them and building up strength.

Do your hands get cold or tingly? If so, speak to your doctor to see if there is a circulation issue.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

[sheydreams in reply to Bassetmommer]

No problems with my hands getting cold or tingly. I'm starting to wonder if it's a weird side affect from one of the medications I'm taking, because it started around that time. Though it did get better after my first round of iron infusions, but at that time my hemoglobin was very low. I will have to do some reading. Thank you for responding, at least I now know it's not something normal for somebody with ckd.

[Hidden in reply to sheydreams]

I take Feosol Iron 65mg as recommended by my physician to fight anemia. If you are thinking it could be medicine related try using drugs.com to help you find any side effects like what you are experiencing. I mentioned the phosphorous because this summer I did a lot of hiking and bike riding and had a couple of days of issues with muscle weakness and cramps and such and a call to my doctor and they questioned my phosphorous levels. I had labs done while traveling and while slightly elevated they didn't think it was phosphorous related but stated it could be if it continued. I took a couple of days off from my hiking and biking and the muscle issues went away. On retesting my labs show my phosphorous went down to within normal range. This was about 4 weeks later.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador in reply to sheydreams]

Medications can be so tricky. I had a reaction to a BP med that the doctor swore was not possible. He did not want to take me off of it, but I did anyways ( which can be dangerous but I was already on another BP.) I could not catch my breath when I did the slightest exertion. I wanted oxygen just coming up the same stairs I had been climbing the last 18 years. The reaction went away immediately when I stopped. Funny thing it was supposed to help my BP and it did not. Instead it went up from the fluids I was retaining. BTW, I no longer see that doctor.

Let us know what you found out and if you want, tell us the medication and see if anyone else had an issue.

[Hidden]

It has been a while since you posted here so I'm not sure of where you are with your CKD so let me ask, "Where are you with your phosphorous levels?" I ask because of the effect of excessive levels of phosphorous can cause muscle problems for people with CKD. I've attached a link below to a lay article on this subject. Not sure if it will apply directly to you but I thought it good to offer it as a possible option. Good luck.

merckmanuals.com/home/hormo...

[sheydreams in reply to Hidden]

I believe my phosphorus was 4.2 last time, about to have labs done again so we will see. But I'm beginning to wonder if it's not related to medication. I just know I never had this problem until the discovery of low functioning kidneys, high blood pressure and I began taking a handful of prescribed pills.

[sheydreams]

Just saw the nephrologist, she said it is due to low iron. She says I need to have more iron infusions because the last set I had in October raised the saturation from 11% to 12. She seemed a little perplexed about that. But she wasn't surprised that I suffer muscle fatigue. Thought I would let you know 😊

[JimVanHorn]

I have kidney disease and my creatinin is 4.5 and I am in stage 5. I was weak and had 5 iron infusions with no change in my hemoglobin level of 9.4. I was given Procrit injections of 20,000 units every 3 or 4 weeks. This drug is a synthetic kidney hormone of Erythropoetin that tells your Red Blood Cells (RBC) to mature and be released into the blood stream from your bone marrow. I go to an anemia clinic for the injections and now I have energy and my hemoglobin levels are 11.6. My Vit D3 levels were very low and the "storage" of Vit D3 was wiped out. So I take a prescription of VitD3 50,000 units once a week for 13 weeks to build up the storage (on prescription). My Vit B 12 was low and I took 2000 units under the tongue and this helped my energy as well. My oxygen was low because I snore and have sleep apnea and I am using a CPAP machine when I sleep. All of these things helped me with low energy. I wish you well hope you feel better soon.