Claw hand

[SouthHams]

Was diagnosed a month ago with PMR, had a level of 1.91 and started on 15mg. Good improvement and level now 1.81, pred reduced to 12 yesterday. Over the last 24 hours my right hand has been cramping up into a claw which is painful and lasts a few minutes and has been coming back on and off in bouts. Is this a symptom of PMR or the pred?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

I get that occasionally- pre, during and post GCA, so I don’t associate it with the illness or the Pred necessarily.

Could be you need a magnesium supplement. HeronNS is very “up”on supplements, so hopefully she’ll be along with some advice.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I used to get cramps in the bottom of my thumb like that - magnesium seemed to help. It was pre-pred so could well have been the PMR. But pred makes us lose more magnesium through the kidneys - making the muscles a bit on the low side.

"had a level of 1.91" - level of what? And what is the normal range for whatever it is?

[SouthHams in reply to PMRpro]

Sorry, it's plasma viscosity, my doctor would like to get it below 1.7

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SouthHams]

Yes, thought that was what you meant! It is just a different method of showing inflammation is present. It is supposed to be more reliable than ESR but is not available in many labs. I'd have said he should have left you at 15mg until he got his desired result - 6 weeks at the starting dose is normal practice. But at least it is going in the right direction. Good luck.

[Soraya_PMR]

I had crampy fingers, mostly while driving during the month prior to diagnosis. A banana a day seemed to help. (contains magnesium and potassium).

[sondya]

Snap! Me too. Had cramps before but never a claw hand - until I was on prednisone. Pretty ghastly - as you say, only lasts a few minutes. I take magnesium.

[SouthHams in reply to sondya]

Thanks for the comments, I have started taking magnesium as suggested so will see how it goes. Nothing in the last 24 hours. That's another tablet to add to the ever increasing bunch! At least I know it's nothing to be concerned about, thank you all.

[Sandy1947]

I had pains in my wrist in August which went away. Now stiffness in fingers on right hand. It improves as the day goes on. I take 500mg of magnesium a day with my new fist full of supplements, Tumeric capsules, K2, cod liver oil tablets and Vit. D.

Is there a recommended dose for magnesium with PMR?

[cdenoncourt]

I’ve often read that the recommended dose for magnesium is half the dose of calcium supplements you take. I find that if I’m taking 1000mg. of calcium for my osteoporosis then 500 mg of magnesium is too much laxative effect for my digestive tract. However, soaking in a bath with a cup of Epsom salts gives me absorption through the skin and bypasses the digestive problem.

[Soraya_PMR]

There was me feeling clever! No cramps now I thought. Til I decided to do some writing. I’m learning Polish, thought I’d revise numbers and write out 1-100. Only got as far as czterdzieści jeden (41) when cramp seized my little finger and that side of my hand. Now my shoulder is saying “You can forget that bloomin’ malarkey!” Oh well, the brain muscle wasn’t working anyway 🙄

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Gives me cramp just looking at it!!!!

[SheffieldJane in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Now you are just showing off Soraya!

Seriously impressive! No Pred head here doctor!