The past couple days, I've been experiencing an inordinate amount of Very Painful cramping/"Charlie horses" in my calves, feet, and now, today, my abdomen! it seems to happen at the slightest shift in my positions and is Excruciating for a few seconds! I'm in the process of a taper ( from 15 to 13 over the past 4 days ( is this too quick?) has anyone else experienced this and if so, what did you do. thanks Lynda
You know I will tell you it is probably too much at one time - 1mg more often is easier and gets you to the same place. And try magnesium foot baths (Epsom salts) or supplements for a start.
Eileen…are you recommending I should go to 14mg?
are the magnesium supplements specifically recommended for cramping?
Hi lynda62707
Yes, i had dreadful cramping mostly in my calves the pain was excrutiating! I couldn’t get my legs normal for quite sometime, the cramps happened mostly in bed…OUCH!! Had to get out and try and move around put my feet in warm to hot water it would eventually subside. Had cramping a lot whilst taking pred.
Yes, i think your tapering a bit too quickly hun, 15mg - 13mg over 4 days is pushing the boat out. Go back up by 1mg and stay there for 2 weeks and see how you go. Then try again. Take it slow lynda. I now your desperate to get off the pred, as was i, but more haste less speed. Be patient and you will get there…
HI Lynda 62707
I too have problems with leg, foot, and ankle cramping, mostly at night when I’ve been in bed a few hours. What I’ve found to be extremely helpful is to drink tonic water. the Fever Tree ( UK) is excellent. the shop brand ones tend to be more dilute and i seem to have to drink more to get the same effect. the good thing about sipping tonic water when you go out is that at least you don’t feel like a whimp!!! A you have gathered its the quinine in the drink that helps to alleviate the cramps.
Hi Freda, That’s because tonic water has some quinine in it.; quinine has been banned in US because someone once had some side effects! Although tonic water does have some. Also, drinking a lot of fluids during the day can help prevent cramps.
hmmmm…interesting freda.
I’ll try the tonic water. ..that seems fairly benign and I’m willing to try just about anything at this point!
Because pred has some negative effect on our electrolytes (and I guess calcium and magnesium are among them) it’s possible you do need more magnesium. So the Epsom salts help with that. You absorb the magnesium through your skin, avoiding having to take another pill.
Please read the Healthline article about quinine. It can have some unpleasant side effects although I don’t know if you’d ever get enough from a soft drink.
Cramps are often due to low magnesium levels. Pred makes us lose more magnesium than normal through the kidneys so we easily get low. Here in central Europe if you go to the doctor complaining of cramps the first thing they will ask is if you have tried magnesium supplements - every supermarket sells them. If that doesn’t work they will investigate further. It all depends on your diet - if you don’t eat the right sort of food you need it as supplements. And you can’t overdose on magnesium - it acts as a laxative. If you try to take too much you will know!
And yes - don’t try to do 2mg at a time since you know you are sensitive to reducing. Go back to 14mg - and hopefully that is enough. If not, 15mg and start over again.
Hi lynda62707
Eileen is correct…i take magnesium supplements now and have not had any cramping for a very long time. Start taking it…it’s good for your health overall (google)…
thanks Eileen…I did go back to 14 today, so we’ll see how that works for awhile.
thanks for the “heads up” in too much magnesium!
Being that I’ve got Crohns, I certainly DON’T need any intestinal upsets!
I have had the odd bouts of this since pred, in my feet, mainly around my ankles and lower legs. Excruciating pain, that goes on and on. Walking, standing, trying to stretch etc…I could not find any way of relieving it, but then I discovered heat stops it almost instantly. I use a wheat bag or hot water bottle as hot as I can stand. The muscles relax instantly…it is a weird feeling.
I have been told that my magnesium level is good. I am confused as always 
hi flutterbie…Confused seems to be the word of the day (or in my case, the past 7mo !)…ran ALOT of errands today and was reminded of when I was pregnant and felt my daughter moving…except, it WAS abdomen muscles spasming and going NUTS!!
Sorry Fellows…don’t mean to gross ya out!..however, that’s a really good description ( other than it was painful)…
ahhhh…another glorious day
hey yo!
i had one excruciating leg spasm a few months ago. knew that low K might be an issue. i spent a few nights recently in ICU… pulmonary embolism. big ol’ ugly saddle one, and I’m blessed to still be here.
as much as i loved my doctors and nurses, ive been going over my discharge paperwork: didnt know i had heart failure (forgone conclusion perhaps?) or “hypokalemia”. WTF is that?
SO thanks to y’all, I’m on my own scavenger hunt. just trying to put a few pieces together :-(.
best to you, Lynda!!
lol Megan…are you in the US?..sounds like a US sense of humor!
I too, had Congestive heart failure (not sure if that’s the same as yours).
Mine was lung related (??)…was in icu for 3da on an intubater…didn’t know if I’d survive. I FOOLED 'EM!!
Man, the longer I’m on this forum, the more I’m realizing what a “hot mess” I am!!
All of this has hit (pmr included) over the past 7-9mo!
YIKES…
Thanks Megan. Mention of K has just rung 2 different bells with me that I had totally forgotten about. I have been a boderline bleeder for many years. Drs were going to look into the cause 30+ years ago, but never did. K is a possible reason.
the more i learn here, the more frustrating and angry i become… im a middle aged woman with two kidos in college and one in 7th grade::
and am now dealing with the most challenging health issues!
yikes…am i whinning like an AMERICAN:
sorry, my sense of humor isnt for everyone..: just keeps the momma sane.
i cant lose it im front of my family:-)
so thankful for all of you!
Hypokalaemia is low potassium - hypo = low, kalium is the latin word for potassium