Anybody experienced hand /fingers cramps after ta... - PMRGCAuk
Anybody experienced hand /fingers cramps after taking Pred I'm on 60mg/day and has just started having them, fingers lock, co-incidence?.
Hi bluespot,
Yes my right fore finger has a tenancy to lock up at times. Can't say it is specifically related to Pred, as my thumbs used to do it before I started steroids. Probably a combination of Pred, arthritis and the usual culprit "old age"! Just something else to keep us on our toes! Dorset Lady
Hi DorsetLady,
Cannot recall it happening before I started popping the pills, seeing the doc this week so will mention it as you say probably a combination of various things, old age being one of them.
cheers
Bluespot
Hello bluespot
I agree with Dorset Lady - I too had problems with my hands even before Pred. In fact, coinciding with stopping Pred, one of my thumbs started repeatedly locking in the bent position and I would have to click it back into place again. Splints and injections were mentioned but never acted upon! I did, however, resort to wearing a thumb support for a while. A pharmacist at the time said he'd experienced the same thing some years before and it corrected itself in a few months, and that too turned out to be my experience. Not pleasant for you but sadly I'm unable to offer any advice other than the thumb support if it's ever just your thumb that is affected.
Yes, I've had the same problems with my right hand completely locking round the handle of a trowel once, it took ages before I could free it. Like Celtic, my left thumb began to lock in a bent position and I used the sticky bandaging as a 'splint' as it was quite painful when it locked.
The sticky bandaging worked well (sorry, can't remember what it's called but it sticks to itself)
Both problems disappeared after a month or two and I haven't had them since, but of course I am now on a lower dose of Pred.
Hi,
Happen to me yesterday unfortunately it was during dinner and my hands 'locked' on to the knife and fork took some time to finish the meal. I now have a small soft ball that I take turns in holding and gently squeezing we'll see if that helps long term.
cheers
bluespot
Hello Bluespot
Yes I have the same problem. I started on 60mg now I'm on 35mg a day. Never had it before the Preds. My thumb and two fingers occasionally lock around the steering wheel when I'm driving. Although it affects both hands luckily its only one at a time so I can free it with the good hand. My doc says it will diminish as I drop the dose (although I've noticed that he says this about most of my symptoms). I try to massage/exercise my hand before getting in the car and this does help a little.
Hope this helps.
Mine have been doing that for some years - pre-PMR and pred. It mostly happened to my right hand but recently I found my left hand also affected. I have also had leg and feet cramps for quite some time, so thought they were all related.
I had the flare up of finger/hand cramp on Monday after a round of golf so did wonder if that might be a contributing factor, played today and no problem, guess just one of those things, for now.
I was diagnosed with PMR in 2005. Started on 60 pred and now down to 2mg.
I empathise with so many of the contributors to this forum. Regarding the finger-locking I find that practising scales on the piano is beneficial. If no piano available I use the worktop!
Hi bluespot
I am only on 7mg pred a day now but last week I had a couple of days when my left hand went into a cramp unexpectedly. When it happened I had to put the watering can down and massage my hand until the cramp went. It hasn't happened this week so far! Fingers crossed ... oops perhaps not that might set it all off again.
My feet tend to cramp a lot more than my fingers, but my finger joints & wrist joints can be painful. I have had tests for arthritis and nothing. I never had these problems before I was diagnosed with Poly in 2012. Is is the a symptom of the Poly or the Pred?...even my Rheumy is at a loss when all my tests come back negative. Also I can go a few months were everything goes back to normal, then all of a sudden my finger & wrists suddenly become painful again....strange indeed. Usually a bout lasts about a month.
I have also had these cramps or spasms in my hands since starting on Pred, on 23 mg a day now and am sincerely hoping it will lessen ith time. It's horrible when driving but more often happens when either preparing food or spraying plants with water from a spray bottle, must be something to do with finger positioning. Fingers and hands always somewhat sore and stiff though.
Saw the doctor today mentioned the hand/finger cramps but he thought it was more a co-incidence than anything to do with the pred/dosage. .
I also suffered from my thumb in spasm and closing involuntarily and locking for minutes on end till I physically straighten it. This happened quite often when I was on higher dosages of Pred (now on 10mg/day) but I have not had the problem for a while now.
I would say that bearing in mind the number of us on Pred and experiencing this it is a little far-fetched to suggest it's just a coincidence!
I have never been a sufferer of cramp but since taking pred have had several bouts of cramp in my hands. Feels very odd when it happens but a little massage seems to bring normality back! Have just looked at the leaflet that comes with the pred - no mention of cramp! Too much of a coincidence that many of us seem to suffer it.
I was just passing on what the doctor said to me, I have no idea if the Pred is to blame but personally suspect it's more than a co-incidence perhaps along with other factors, age being one. As far as I can remember I never did have any cramps in my fingers post Steroids but did have cramps in my hand specifically the area below the little finger to the side of the palm, that part of the hand use to go into a concave shape massage in that case worked.
Try heat I am on 10mg and can go down 1mg a month, I get bad cramp in my hands, luckily hasn't happened when I am playing bowls, but when at home I put a beamy bag in the microwave and also massage my hand. Hope this helps.
Agree with the beamy bag suggestion I have one and it does give relief that together with hand exercise using my squishy juggling ball.
Big day today reduced my Pred down to 40mg from 60mg I've been told to stay with that for two weeks then, symptoms permitting, another reduction to 20mg.
Hello Bluespot, that is a big drop all at once, is that what you did fron 60 to. 40,I have been told to reduce 1mg per month, I wish you well, and hope the pain stays away - Good Luck to you.
Seemed a big drop to me but that was the recommendation from the rheumatologist I started on the new dosage yesterday, feel OK at present.
I have taken steroids before, but this is the first time I have experienced cramping. My left hand and both feel are cramping really bad. Wondering if anyone knew of any home remedies.
I have done several series of step-downs with Prednisone for Crohn's. I've experienced hand cramps each time. It usually occurs when I try to do tasks involving gripping something between my thumb and forefinger, like a piece of paper. It is annoying and sometimes painful, but goes away quickly if I stop using my hands and relax.
Definitely the steroids! Been on 60 mg daily for a month when I got my first minor cramp in my left hand while playing guitar at a gig! Very brief and minor thankfully. That was 2 weeks ago...just got a more severe cramp, same hand, while cooking. Balling up my fist helped and I will get a soft exercise ball. I think keeping the moving parts moving is the best therapy! Good luck to all.
