PMR for nearly 1 year, currently on 10 mg pred - last night I was awakened with the worst Charley Horse I've ever had in my life, in a place I've never had one. My inner thigh muscle was pulling itself tighter and tigher, into a cramp so bad I thought I would have to call 911. it was hard to find a position to stretch it out in. I happened to have a can of Sprite zero next to my bed, and drank some of that thinking it was dehydration. After a few minutes of holding my entire leg up perpendicular to my body (thank God I can still do this), it went away.
Have any of you had this kind of thing happen? I've had the calf muscles seize up, and drunk water or OJ (for the potassium) to try and relieve it, but this is the first time I've had this kind of insane thigh pain. Could this be B12 or Iron deficiency or something caused by the pred?
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Sorry no advice but perhaps try magnesium supplements or Epsom Salt bath? Just wanted to say had to google Charley Horse-brilliant term for cramp/muscle spasm.
I do hope it’s a one off -very painful and disconcerting.
I can sort-of relate. In my early PMR / high-dosage Pred days, I frequently had eye-watering calf muscle cramps at night (always the left one). Apparently not dangerous but nasty all the same. No idea about how or why, possibly something to do with the Preds? All I can say is the cramps passed as I reduced the Preds.
That said, I'm sure the forum Aunties will be along soon with their expert take on this topic.
I have also experienced those excruciating cramps, calves, inner thighs, feet, even shins (both at the same time). So bad, they have brought me to my knees literally, as well as tears. My solution, and I swear by it: one tablespoon of Apple cider vinegar. Count to 60, and cramp is gone. I even travel with the vinegar so I am prepared at all times. I once had to creep around the kitchen of an inn, in the middle of the night just to find the vinegar. Hope this helps. Linda
I have been plagued by horrible muscle cramps for nearly 20 years due to fibromyalgia. It did get worse when I was diagnosed with GCA/PMR. I take 400mg of magnesium with breakfast and dinner. I do not have that problem now. I hope it helps.
I have had hip to heel cramp up ,Intense ,I ended up putting the shower on it and just running it in desperation it happened a couple of times .Its never happened again thank goodness .No idea why. I do have cramps but nothing on this scale .I did find the running warm (hottish) water helped .I left the plug in the bath .So my heels were in the warm .
Mmm .. wife and me both get this in varing degrees of something similar, but explain it as cramp. Treating it is a different matter. As for me, almost to a tee, this was how my version of PMA started. Couldn`t walk, anything to do with movement of the left hip/ thigh muscle was painful. Successfully treated with steriods.
I had to read this to find out what charley horse was! I have suffered from cramps in my calves and feet so now take magnesium at night which seems to help
Are you in U.K.? My surgery have now stopped prescribing quinine sulfate sadly, I know it is now banned in the States as well for human consumption. I found it absolutely brilliant for cramp.
With tonic water you need to drink gallons as the amount of quinine in a bottle is so small unfortunately. The amount of quinine in tonic water has been reduced it seems. Possibly because of the recent scare about taking it. I have just read the book The Fever Tree about the history of quinine. Quite fascinating.
I’ve had some nasty Charlie-horses and would blame dehydration or electrolyte (especially potassium) imbalance, as you thought. And I’ll look into magnesium supplements as others mentioned, but caution of getting too much. I think best to obtain thru diet (same for potassium).
Quinine is banned in the USA except for use as an antimalarial drug due to risk of serious side effects or death.
This won’t help a thigh cramp, but can prevent calf cramps. Don’t point your toes down when stretching. I only flex feet up toward shins. This also helps prevent plantar fasciitis flare-ups, if you do it frequently.
And yes, probably massage is the only way to stop an inner thigh spasm, or trying to walk it off. They are painful!
I get quinine in small amounts regularly by drinking Indian tonic water here in the UK. I also take a magnesium supplement and I have all but cured my cramps.If you don't want to risk too much magnesium orally then you can take regular baths in Epsom salts and the body will absorb what it needs from the bath water; told to me by a health food specialist
Hi Schmuppy. I have not had a thigh cramp, but have had MANY other excruciating leg and foot cramps (even before being on prednisone). The things I've found to be most helpful are taking daily Calcium Magnesium supplements - the ones I take require 3 pills per day. I take two in the morning and one before going to bed. I also have a stash of "immediate release" chewable magnesium tablets by my bed, along with a bottle of Highland's Homeopathic Leg Cramp tablets. They work within 2 minutes (which still seems like an eternity). I have also tried ACV to no success. I just end up with a mouth that's puckered from the vinegar, which makes it hard to go back to sleep. Best of luck finding a good way to manage the cramping. I know it's miserable!
I've lived in London for @ 35 years and I have not heard that expression in that long. In England we just call it leg cramp. Ha. Charley Horse is such a great term. I am only on 1 mg pred and lately in the evening I get cramps in my feet - toes stretch out funny and also my legs. Weird. I just try to walk alot every day and wear the right shoes. Magnesium is probably the answer.
I’ve had brutal inner thigh cramps a few times in my nearly three years with pmr. The pain woke me up and was so intense it scared me. I was able to get out of bed and walk it off each time. My rheum told me to take daily magnesium.
Magnesium Citrate is supposed to absorb better than other forms so that’s what I use. It’s not as common on the shelves here in the US as Magnesium Oxide but I found a citrate form after poking around in a few stores. 400mg/day.
Magnesium is magnesium - the theory is that the various salts (oxide, citrate, carbonate etc) are significant for other purposes.
Hi schmuppy. I too get really painful cramps, usually in left in calf. It doesn't go into spasms more like symptoms you have, muscle is rigid and feels like it's being stretched fit to split. It also makes my toes curl up!! I try to put leg on floor. and either push down onto toes/feet or try and stand up. It happened last night, first time in ages but I've not been taking magnesium tablets recently - took one this morning though! Didn't help I had two cats sleeping on bed at the time, one got caterpaulted off with offending leg as I tried to move it. I'm down to 10mg pred daily now and it's much better than when I was on 16mg. This pmr journey really tests us. Try the magnesium it may help you.
The Washington Post in 1907, started that “charley horse” was used in reference to pitcher Charley “Old Hoss” Radbourne who suffered from cramps will playing in games during the 1880s. That’s where Charley horse came about.
Thank you guys so, so much for all the amazing advice! I have started taking daily magnesium and potassium, remembering to drink more water, and added banana and OJ back into my daily diet. So far so good! I didn't realize the pred was leaching so much of those minerals out of my system. Bless everyone on this forum - I don't know what I'd do without you all. Healing vibes for all of us. OXOXOXO
I know how 'awful' this can be. I injured my Achilles tendon a few weeks ago (better now) and around then had terrible nocturnal cramps for 2 weeks every night (3 hours on end) before they stopped. Nothing worked at the time and even the strong painkillers given by my GP didn't help - only jumping in a hot bath. I only did these nocturnal dips as the cramps lasted so long and no change of position, stretching or anything else gave any relief. Our muscles and tendons are affected by Pred - in fact it is the 'micro-architecture' which changes and being prone to cramps seems to be related to that - at least from what I have read. Supplements are unlikely to 'fix' this problem although people do talk lots about them - but that is the kind of cramping which is almost 'normal' cf with the extreme versions 'we' have had.
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