Finger Cramps

[OldGolfer]

On 22.5mg predict for several weeks now. Three or four days ago fingers on both hands started cramping up regularly. Not really painful but just annoying enough to make me wonder how long this will last and will it get worse?

[SheffieldJane]

My fingers used to cramp and actually get stuck for a while, then click and free themselves. I was midway through 4 years of PMR, this symptom has disappeared. Very ouch!

[Devoid]

Hi mine would lock in strange positions , no problem since under 10 mg . No pain with it just had to wait for it to pass before trying to use them!

[granofthewest]

My cramps were always in my legs at night. Advice from members was to take magnesium supplement which I have been doing for past two months and this has helped considerably.

[Rokerman]

Have just started with this - only now, when I’m down to very small Pred doses. Worse when I’ve been gripping something such as a phone. Particularly bad when waking in the morning. It usually goes after an hour or so but it is pretty painful - and definitely makes me feel old....! Can you still grip the club..?!

[Stifffingers]

Maybe it’s the time of year?

Me too .... terrible cramping!

[Megams]

~The day of appointment with Rheumie my L hand/fingers cramped terribly - thought it was mini stroke as hand was painfully twisted + seemed maligned.

I take magnesium orally, rub cream into legs + an oil magnesium so not as if I am not absorbing enough one would think??

When sharing this episode with Rheumie his comment was "not enough magnesium" - we obviously require a bit more some days the others ~

[OldGolfer]

Thanks for the shared experiences. One of the best things about this forum is that it actually makes one feel “normal” when weird things happen! Devoid says “lock in strange positions” - exactly right. And Rockerman, I haven’t tried golf lately but don’t expect it to be a problem because I’m able to bend them back and work it out without much pain.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Like Rokerman the worst for me was holding a phone - had to unwrap my fingers from round it to swap hands as it also affected my biceps. This was pre-pred so for me it was PMR induced. Magnesium supplements helped me a lot - pred makes you lose magnesium through the kidneys so it needs topping up. It is the first thing any GP here in the middle of Europe will ask if you complain of muscle cramps - have you tried Mg++? Every supermarket stocks a range.

[nuigini]

100 mg of magnesium has worked for me for years, before and after PMR. When I first started on prednisone the doctor I had was of the opinion that supplements were a waste of money. Clearly he didn't know about the depletion of magnesium caused by prednisone. I stopped taking them for a while and the cramps returned worse than ever in hands, feet, legs... A few days back on magnesium and I was fine.

[arvine]

thanks for your reply, but my fingers, on hand that had surgery, actually are painful, and hurt on bending, swollen, quite sure this is arthritis, and really only became like this after surgery, along with tight glutes, hamstrings, elbow , so am going to try the CBD oil, have heard some people get relief with that, and my condition seems to be worsening, on 5 mg pred, for mos now, and mornings are worse, can hardly hobble around,