Muscle spasms?

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hello again. I was wondering if any if you experience spasms and/or cramping as part of PMR.

I feel lots of involuntary movements under the skin, plus daily leg cramping, particularly the calf.

Thanks.

2

Yes,I  get cramping in the feet. I did not suffer from this before PMR and pred so do not know if maybe it is just a side effect of the pred. I am sure you will receive a few replies which may help. My spasms also appear to be in the shoulder blades.

Regards,

Barbara

3

At 15-20 mg of prednisone, most definitely.  They went away as I tapered under 15mg

4

Ah thanks Barbara. I've been having them before pred along with pins & needles / numbness. Just wondered if it's typical of PMR as doc doesn't seem to know.

I've not had probs with shoulder blades though..mine all seems to be below the waist !

5

Thanks Daniel. I had them along time before pred so must be me!

6

When I got PMR, before being diagnosed and on medication, my whole body would go into spasms, particulary leg muscles.  Usually during the night.  It got better with pred, but it did not go away completely. I don't remember how long it took before that stopped, but it was more then a month or so.  Now I only get them when I overdo something ( usually yard work). 

Also, cramps can be because of lack of magnesium and/or inbalance between calcium and magnesium.  For this, the best is to get tested next time you do blood work. Hope that helps...

7

I was told that using magnesium citrate would help my cramps. Ever since I started using them the cramps in my feet that I've been getting have completely gone away.

8

Hi SARS, yes I've had leg spasms, then they stop for a while, then they return, then they'd stop, so on an so forth. At the moment they have stopped and a burning sensation in my shins have replaced them!

Andrea xx

9

Ah now that makes sense. I have a vit D deficiency. Am I right in thinking we need it to produce calcium?

10

Thanks, useful to know..I see I need to invest in even more supplements!

11

Hi Andrea, is the burning sensation in the morning? I've been experiencing this too but subsides after steroids taken.

12

Hi Sars,

It can happen at any time really, I can't put it down to anything specific!

Andrea x

13

If you are on pred you may be deficient in magnesium - and that is a common cause of muscle cramp. Try supplements and see if that helps. If it doesn't - check with your doctor. (That is what you'd be told to do by a doctor here when I live).

14

Ooops - forgot to say, I also had foot cramps with PMR no pred. My middle toes would bend down until I stood ona cold floor! Drove me mad at times but it would come and go. My hands used to cramp to when holding something for long.

15

Hi Sars77

I too had cramps in my feet and it went up to my shins my ankles would turn inwards with it. The pain was awful, i started on pred they improved but when I do my long shifts 13 hours or so I get the money back, so have started the magnesium supplement with a long shift and it seems to help. Not sure if it's coincidence or if it really helps.

Good luck with finding your happy medium.

16

lol it should say I get them back!!!

17

Thanks Eileen. I'm learning alot about taking supplements & vitamin deficiencies etc. Although retaining the information is another thing, does PMR affect memory loss? I'm a walking wreck lol .

18

Thanks Adette. I don't envy you with the 13 hr shifts, I gave mine up recently, the pain & exhaustion were diabilitating 😪😫.

Magnesium is now on my shopping list!!

19

Most autoimmune illnesses cause brain fog - I can remember reading the same paragraph 4 or 5 times and STILL not having a clue what it said! And then pred can cause brain fog for some people too - my memory is back to what it was though. It does improve - honestly.

20

I retire next April, and have had phased returns at work, but yes it's very tiring and debilitating I agree. 

Take care