hand leg and feed cramps - pmr GDA

[dragonrider]

Anyone out there suffering from cramps... Had cramps i feet and loer legs today for 0ver 30mins - previously had hand cramps .

[HeronNS]

This might be caused by low magnesium. Sometimes when we take extra calcium our calcium/magnesium balance is upset. You could either take a supplement, although some people find this hard on the digestion, or enjoy Epsom salt baths or even foot baths, as the magnesium is absorbed through the skin. I think there are even magnesium supplements you can spray on the skin although I haven't tried that.

[sennetta in reply to HeronNS]

I use a transdermal magnesium spray and find it excellent. It can be used to sooth local muscle pain to good effect. I also take an oral dose every day

[Grants148]

I have numb and very stiff legs,it feels like a piece of thick tight elastic pulling tight from my toes to above and around my knees.

[piglette in reply to Grants148]

I have that problem, I thought it was just me. As you say from my toes and under my foot to just above the knees. Just like my legs are wrapped up in something. I would love to know what is causing it. It started after I had been taking pred for a while.

[Grants148]

Thank you piglette,that does sound just like my leg problem,and l get swelling above my knees which seems to make them feel even worse .Heron has mentioned low magnesium,l shall try some Epsom salts and see if that helps,Thankyou for that advice Heron.

[piglette in reply to Grants148]

One problem I do have, if I get a bruise on my leg a blister can develop, it has happened three time now and it is bad enough to need a nurse to dress it. The first one was so bad I had to have a general anaesthetic to clean it up. I have had district nurses in since last October and am now visiting the surgery instead. It is quite debilitating.

[Grants148]

That sounds awful piglette,it has not happened to me yet,it must be very painful,especially as it takes so long to heal.lt sounds like it may be caused by steroids,as they are known to cause thinning of the skin.l hope it heals very soon.

[piglette in reply to Grants148]

I was surmising why it happened with the nurse today. It seems to be a bruise and thin skin from the steroids, this was just a guess though, I am not sure if the padded legs have anything to do with it or not.

[Rimmy]

It is worthwhile knowing that Pred itself can cause muscle spasms and cramps (ie 'steroid induced myopathy') even in people who have not been taking it long term - some seem to react more quickly than others - this is more generally a problem for people taking it longer term though - that is nasty muscle cramps, pain especially lower limbs and also sometimes tendonitis and weakness of muscles. Some describe the myopathy as a feeling of wearing tight gloves or even numbness. Others have mentioned electrolytes and they can matter - but this is actually a 'different' kind of cramping - the type that goes away after a few minutes at most - which is not almost 'continuous' at times. I'd talk about this with your doctor as you need to be sure of the 'causes'.

Best wishes

Rimmy

[Jemsea]

Yes, I get the foot and calf cramps in the middle of the night only. Had them quite badly last night and had to keep getting up. Generally, it seems to happen after I've had a long, sociable day. Used to get them now and again before Pred, so can't blame that. I also take magnesium supplements, and have done so before PMR and Pred. but seems to have made no difference to my cramp. Some of my non-PMR friends also get it, so does my husband. Maybe something to do with circulation, I've never bothered to find out, painful as it can be.

[Rimmy in reply to Jemsea]

Yes the ones at night are terrible as it messes up your sleep. As i said in my other post on this thread - if they don't go on too long they are likely to be the 'usual' cramps people get where a muscle spasms but if you stretch it and walk a bit it mostly abates within a few seconds - maybe up to a few minutes at most. But if they go on for ages and happen regularly then possibly they could be to do with myopathy caused by Pred. You sound like you have had longer term problems with them pre-Pred so no doubt you can tell the 'difference'.

[Jemsea in reply to Rimmy]

I do have poor circulation and I've always put it down to that. i also remember Raphael Nadal when being interviewed on TV after a gruelling tennis match (can't remember which country) went down on his hands and knees with cramp. I doubt whether he's on Pred!!! I personally don't think mine are due to Pred. because I've been having cramps on and off for many years. But other people's could be, I'm no expert I'm afraid.

[Jemsea]

PS Used to get it as a small child too. My father had to get up and massage my legs. I think in those days it was called growing pains. I do, however, have a poor circulation.

[kate24]

D3 K2 (not K1) calcium and magnesium work together.

D3 isnt a vitamin, since we make that for ourselves (sunshine acting on skin),

it works like a steroid hormone, and is a vital part of our immune system.

Ideally we would get all 4 from sunshine and food but most if us dont in uk,

so a supplement is considered sensible.

I actually overtoxed on D3, my GP knew it was important to test,

sunshine is watersoluble but not the supplement,

so now I take a lower dose and also take K2 and Mg and my

blood test shows D3 optimal level. The Mg definitely works for leg cramps.

It relaxes muscles (including heart, used in a cardiac emergency)

but you should read about Mg from the leading expert in Mg

(she won a british award for ork on atrial fibrillation)

I am trying the ionic liquid now (but another cheaper brand), since the other

forms of Mg (apart from threonate) act like a laxative on me,

and this liquid seems ok so far. It tastes like rat poison so I put half a cap

in a bottle of water, which I can sip all day, and I read you can add it to a bath.

Magnesium also cures insomnia, and lots more.

But read the precautionary advice first. Or buy the book.

drcarolyndean.com/2012/10/w...

[Jemsea in reply to kate24]

I believe every word she says, mostly about calcium. Never in my life would I take calcium supplement. Sufficient calcium can be obtained from diet, plus calcium is almost always added to something or other you might be eating. If taking calcium, one should also take magnesium. I originally began taking magnesium for A.F. I have also found it to help with anxiety. The magnesium I take hasn't yet caused diarrhea. I take NutriAdvanced Mega Mag Muscleze. This also has other vitamins and minerals included. Again it's not cheap, but I take it daily and feel it is beneficial to me. It does have 17.09 mg calcium phosphate included, along with many other things like B12, B1, B6, B3, Taurine, Malic Acid and two or three other popular supps. No, I'm not selling the stuff - it was introduced to me by a nutritionist.

[piglette in reply to Jemsea]

I have been prescribed vit D and calcium as I am on steroids and a side effect of steroids is loss of bone density, also apparently I need vit D to absorb the calcium properly. I normally will not take supplements unless there is a very good reason for it. My vit D reading was 26 so close to deficient.

[Jemsea in reply to piglette]

Yes, I agree with the Vit.D - I also take, Vit.D+K2, but for myself personally I would never take calcium supplements. I understand that for many of you this would be necessary.

[Suffererc]

Yes, but only in my fingers and toes. My symptoms tho are not as severe all round as many of you thank goodness