I woke up with a severe pain in my thigh, it felt like a muscle cramp , excruciating pain.when it subsided, I tried to stretch it and the back of my thigh started to contract.Now it seems that my back and calf muscles are contracting when I try to move, in order to get out of bed.How scarey!
Has anyone experienced this? Could it be related to PMR or prednisone? I managed to get up after the initial cramp and took some magnesium and potassium but now I'm afraid to move a muscle. My whole left leg seems to be waiting to seize up.
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Gaijin
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Hello I experienced this too a month back but I was in 100 degree heat and had not been drinking enough liquids - after 4 days of drinking Gatorade and water the leg cramps subsided / was on 15 mg at the time for PMR .... very painful! Now I'm experiencing severe weakness and pain in my quads - can barely walk at times. Went back up to 12 mg for a time bring to see if that helps . Take it easy - I hope you find relief soon
Hi Gaijin, this past summer, I was waking abruptly with a muscle cramp in back of right calf, and occasionally in back of right thigh. Oddly, never in my Left leg🤔🤔
I knew I wasnt drinking enough water, and figured I was dehydrated...(remember the excessive sweating that is sometimes part of PMR...especially in hot weather...??😰). I starting used the gatorade-type drinks and made it a point to drink 6-8 glasses of water every day , including a glass at night before bedtime. It helped, and the leg cramps have mostly subsided.
Hi Gaijin, like the others, I find dehydration can cause it but another problem I discovered was that due to high dose of calcium, the salt balance can go wrong. I now take magnesium as well. It has helped enormously. The Rheumy says it’s quite common. And yes, I know what you mean when you say you’re waiting for the muscle to cramp again, it’s awful. Hope you get sorted soon.
I'd wonder though if you are having a severe myofascial pain syndrome episode - especially affecting the lower back. I had a similar episode nearly 6 years ago and was actually admitted to hospital to try to relieve it with a fairly draconian method. I have to say it was VERY effective - but unfortunately I had a bad reaction to the i.v. diazepam used as part of it which eventually revealed I had existing atrial fibrillation problems which was what had made it so dramatic.
That sounds scary Gaijin and I see that you've had good advice to follow. That's what I mean about not trusting my body. It will suddenly throw out a bizarre symptom.
My left leg progressively got worse due to nerve damage. It liked to cramp whilst depressing clutch in car. Now drive automatic so you all feel safe on roads.
This may sound weird but when my back spasms and legs seem to lock me in place I found I could walk backwards. Okay I got a few strange looks on the occasions it went at work or in public but who cares if it works. Could just unlock body doing something unexpected to it.
I do have lower back pain, acute at the moment, and I also have some screwed up vertabrae and stenosis but it never bothered me before. So maybe you are right once again, PMRpro, and it's MPS.
I will drink more water, take my magnesium regularly and try walking backwards..and will keep some valium on the nightstand in case I experience that horrible sensation again..I don't trust my body anymore, either, it's being really unpredictable..hahaha..
I have had same and find a product called Hylands cramp helps a lot.... It is cheap and safe.. I take one every couple of hours. They have one for PM also that helps with sleep and cramps... It is homeopathic.
There is also another product called 911 cramp relief or just I'm sorry it's called cramp 911 and it really works for me I just rub it on to the area where I usually get the cramps before I go to sleep and then I get through the night with no cramps I'm sure to be used in the daytime also. If you can't find these products I'd be glad to buy them and ship them to you just let me know.
Wow jwb43 it is so nice of you to offer, I haven't had the time to check yet but Im pretty sure I will find the products on the site I use to buy my supplements...I just hadn't thought of it.
I have what I think is a muscle pull in my left upper thigh. It happened 2 weeks ago and it's still hurts so bad I can't put my full weight on it. I am taking Gabapentin to help with it and I did a prednisone burst as well. So I'm just waiting it out. It may be something you have to do too.
I wanted to add one more thing. If you or anyone else has what it feels like a cramp in your calf and it won't go away you need to go to the emergency room because it could be a blood clot. I had a blood clot and I really thought it was a cramp that just wouldn't go away. I waited several days and finally went to the chiropractor and he's the one who suggested it might be a blood clot. Swelling and redness is also an indication. But I did not have any of that for several days.
About ten years ago, I was walking a couple of blocks from home and had a sudden pain in my thigh...same place where had the contraction the other night.It was so excruciating that I could not walk one step toward the curb to hail a taxi nor walk to my building where I could ask for help.I had no phone or money on me...only my house key in my pocket.I asked several passersby for help but they ignored me ..probably thought I was nuts till finally a woman that had probably seen me around the neighborhood and knew that I was usually normal , agreed to find me a taxi..I told him to take me to the ER, don't remember how I paid him. In the end, an x-ray showed nothing and they sent me home on crutches. The pain subsided in a few days but I never found out what caused that terrible episode.
Now Im thinking it was a severe muscle contraction. This time I was in bed, the pain woke me up and I had visions of Dr.House, who had a kind of " stroke", in the leg and should have had it amputated but didn't, that's why he was always looking for prescription painkillers.
Gabapentin works great for me. I don't take a y pain killers regularly but If I do need something on occasion, I always use gabapentin, for me it's not addicting, does much more than just get rid of nerve pain.
The muscle cramp thing has developed into something else now... I have mini cramps throughout the day in different places on my legs and core area..could this be the MPS that PMRpro talks about? They last a few minutes and go away, only to come back somewhere different.So wierd. I've ordered the cramp medication and will buy some calcium today..I never knew calcium supplements were needed when on steroids..
Thank you, PMRPro..just learned from this article that it could be a sign hyperparathyroidism..my PTH has remained high even after getting my vitamin D to normal levels but my calcium is normal, so the Endocrinologist is trying to rule out something called normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism.Problem is, since having to wait six months between visits to the consultant, could be a couple of years before I get an answer..
This article is great, though..I'm going to put every possible natural remedy they list in it.
Calcium is really needed with the prednisone and I learned on this site to take Vit K2 (MK7) with it...which helps the calcium lay down on the bone. Which I am doing rather than taking the fosomax or the other bone growth meds. I had terrible calf cramps...right before diagnosis with PMR..so I think it was PMR and not the prednisone although I have no idea (so shut up yogabonnie! ). While you are getting those cramp supplements. get the calcium with magnesium and D and the Vit K. And thanks everyone I am also getting the cramp supplements!
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Muscle weakness
Michael
muscle weakness
Unbearable "Charley Horse", Inner Right Thigh
Cramps 
