Cramps

[Kty_Bee]

Hello all, 2.26am and I'm awake again!!! I have become a complete insomniac whether in pain or not. So quick update and a question. I had a steroid injection on my last visit to my clinic. It has helped greatly with the pain and I am able to do so much more.😊😊 However I'm back to getting what I can only describe as cramps in my fingers and toes. They will suddenly spasm and it's really painful to prise them back. Does anyone else experience this . It's really freaky and quite embarrassing if anyone else sees.

[Kty_Bee]

OK and as I'm still awake, I'm also getting terrible night sweats. I end up with soaking wet hair. This happens a lot during the day too and I just pour with sweat. So I've just described myself as a sweating blob with claw like hands. Nice😂😂😂😂

[Jeanslmn in reply to Kty_Bee]

I thought maybe just me got these terrible sweats I know this doesn't help you but at least it's good to know it's normal effect

[helenlw7 in reply to Kty_Bee]

I get terrible sweats too - mainly from my head.its very embarrassing! I used to get cramp every night in my calves. I saw my GP, he said it was a symptom of RA and prescribed quinine. The cramps have decreased. However I now ger very painful cramps that go from near my hip to my inner thigh, and also spasms in my feet! Is there end to this terrible disease!

[mary4444 in reply to helenlw7]

cramps very painfull rhumy told me to buy indian tonic water because that has quinine in it so i drink a glass before bed and it really works but make sure its indian one physio also told me about that quinine tabs work also but didnt want to take more pills xx

[Hidden in reply to helenlw7]

Hi Helen - Funny - mine prescribed quinine too, but I can't get it without drinking tonic - I don't do Splenda and I don't do sugar... No help there

[mary4444 in reply to Kty_Bee]

what painkillers are u on i was told it was my painkillers causing the hot sweats i take tramadol its when they are wearing off so what i do now take two in the morning and one about 8.30pm and it is working for me no hot sweats xx

[Kty_Bee in reply to mary4444]

Hi Mary,

I take naproxen and currently have a steroid depot on board. I have been getting these sweats on and off for months prior to my diagnosis. I just assumed it was the menopause. Apparently I'm post menopause.

I'm glad you have found a solutionx

[mary4444 in reply to Kty_Bee]

hi toadhall 16 was at the hosp yesterday and we were discussing painkillers i asked about naproxen and could i go on them heard they very good and they are inflamatary as well as pain killers but doc said no good for me as i need to take them every day tramadol got no inflamatary in them lol dont know if he was fobbing me off how often do u take yours was on salfalazine but they didnt agree with me hope u keeping well xx

[Kty_Bee in reply to mary4444]

Hi Mary

I hope your visit to hospital was just routine and nothing too serious. I only take the naproxin as and when. I try to avoid it if I can. X

[mary4444 in reply to Kty_Bee]

toadhall hi nothing serious at hosp just showing me x rays of my back i allready knew what had happened thats good thinking about the naproxine i am same as u less pills the better this cold spell dosnt help gets in the bones hope u r doing ok xx

[Hidden in reply to Kty_Bee]

Yeah - the sweating is pretty common with RA and with several of the medications too, as is the insomnia. I get the cramps occasionally, but in my case came to the conclusion that I was probably eating too much sugar - so not much help there. I would call your GP before they get worse... I hope you got some sleep

[Jay-bird in reply to Kty_Bee]

I get the sweats too. My rheumie has suggested I see my GP about HRT to resolve the problem. (She specialises in women's health issues.) I am seeing her tomorrow and will let you know what she has to say. I think the picture of RA is getting bigger and some of these less common problems are coming to light. I also have very marbled skin which is apparently RA-related but not very common. I had never thought much about it; it was just the way I was made as far as I was concerned but my rheumie pointed it out to me once when he was doing an examination of each of my joints individually. So, I guess there are still a lot of aspects of RA that still need to be addressed. I don't know if this has helped? Jay-bird

[Kty_Bee in reply to Jay-bird]

Thank you Jay-bird. It all helpsx

[Downtime]

Hi, you have my sympathy. I get cramps all the time, mainly in my feet and the backs of my thighs and calves. It's incredibly painful. Seems to be a symptom of R A . Though it now appears I have PSA. I have always been séronégative.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Downtime]

I'm exactly the same - sero negative inflammatory arthritis and I get the most unbelievably painful leg cramps. They are so bad I've actually got to get out of bed and stand to straighten my feet up, then in the morning the muscles are still painful.

I get them in bed and also if I lie stretched out in the sofa watching tv. Wonder what it is with lying down that does it?

[Simba1992 in reply to Downtime]

Have you tried taking magnesium? Supplementing with magnesium and also Zinc when you have RA is quite important and does help with cramps.

[Kty_Bee in reply to Simba1992]

Thank you Simba I will give it a go x

[Matilda_1922]

Hi I suffer with cramp and get in hands feet calfs and is very painful. I have had cramp for years. I was diagnosed this year seropositive RA so never connected this with RA.

Hope you feel better soon

[Jeanslmn]

This may sound silly but rub the cramp area with white vinegar it works immediatly ,cramps go off then eat a half bag of salted crisps in the evenings

[Em13 in reply to Jeanslmn]

I like the sound of any cure that involves eating crisps!

Thankfully, I don't usually suffer from cramps, but that could be because I take magnesium and eat lots of bananas.

[Matalow]

Yep cramps are a bit of a🐗🐗🐗 .i get them mainly at night and when I have my legs elevated such as at the podiatrist .I recently started getting them in my forearm.my Rhemy says it's not RA but I could have PsA .

At first I thought it was tendon spasms but my Gp say not.Hes checked my potassium levels and calcium and says he carnt find any reason so I'm putting it down to the dreaded RA .regards Mike

Ps I had a spasm free night last night so a much better sleep then normal

[Kty_Bee in reply to Matalow]

Glad you had a better night Mike. I'm learning that so much of what I have thought was "just Me" is down to RA. The list seems endless x

[Jeanslmn]

I use white vinegar to rub in cramp /spasm areas works immediatly my feet spasm too can only wear trainers with shock absorber type soles difficult to find in wide fitting due to swellings though

[Kty_Bee in reply to Jeanslmn]

Thank you for the advice Jeanslmn. Several people have mentioned the vinegar rub. Am willing to try anything x ( within reason !!! )

[premierscfc]

Sorry to hear about your sweats and cramps, I like you have had these symptoms and thanks to my GP the cramps have been treated using Quinine tablets once a day.

Still have the sweats😔

[stbernhard]

Sorry to hear about your cramps, I hope you find away to deal with them and get relief. Try not to feel embarrassed, it's not your fault you get these cramps. Tell people it's your condition that causes them and that you're in pain and much rather not have them. All the very best.

[popsmith1874]

Hi I get cramp and sweats at night and also my fingers lock quite a lot which can be sore , just another side affect we have too put up with having this disease

[NancyMosca]

I do get this on a regular basis. Have you checked your calcium? Also, I get relief by eating mustard. It contains turmeric which helps with the cramps. Also, Tonic which contains quinine. The pain is excruciating and debilitating.

[Kty_Bee in reply to NancyMosca]

Hi Nancy,

I'm drinking gallons of skimmed milk so I don't think it can be calcium. I will talk to my GP about Quinine. My Mum has mentioned turmeric too x

[NancyMosca in reply to Kty_Bee]

Do you have your vitamin D checked?

[Stephenlangtonriley]

Reading all this has made me think more. I suffered with bad sweats about 6 weeks ago, in the end I had the flu as it went to my chest as usual, 3 weeks after having had my flu jab????

I agreed with my GP about lowering my ibuprofen from 3 to 2, it resulted after a month on the lower dose with me suffering swelling in my knuckles in the morning and having spoken with my pharmacist have gone back up to 3, she commented it was a good idea but not at this time of the year :).

Finally, cramps, I have been suffering with them in my calf's most mornings and being flat on my back can do nothing about it, except bellow out in agony :). I told my GP as an aside at the end of my appointment and he asked me if I had the same problem when I walked, I replied yes I had it this morning. He got my to take my shoes and socks off and checked my pulse and foot temperature, he said they were both good and had now referred me to cardio vascular at Kingston, I will let you know what happens. I am somewhat confused, excluding my TIA, my carotoid arteries. after an ultra sound, are exceptionally good for my age, surprising since I am also a smoke and my GP said my pulse and circulation are also very good. So off to the consultant to look further, I will have to look into the tonic idea though, but it has to have a gin in it as well :). Then I will open up the, visitors only, bottle when I get the case of tonics.