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Muscle Cramp and Spasms

Posted , 9 users are following.

andrea93419
andrea93419

Hi All

I think I mentioned this a while back.

I've been taking a magnesium supplement, but I'm still getting cramp in my Achilles' tendon area and my feet! I feel it's getting worse, it's only happened since I've gone under 5mg of prednisolone, I'm currently on 3mg. My general symptoms of PMR are sort of under control, if I overdo it I suffer for a few days, but if I'm a 'good girl' I'm fine!!

Has anyone else got the same problem with cramp and muscle spasm like this??

Many thanks

Andrea XX

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • karen48559
    karen48559 andrea93419

    Posted

    Hi

    I get spasm in my wrists, predominantly around the base of the thumb area. Comes on when doing mundane things like wringing out a dishcloth or picking up a heavy pan. The pain can last a few days to a week after the spasm. I've noticed they have returned after getting below 7mg. Currently on an alternate daily dose of 6 and 5mg I too take Magnesium.

    • andrea93419
      andrea93419 karen48559

      Posted

      Thanks Karen, I'm seeing the rheumatologist tomorrow so I'll mention it to him!! If I have any more information I'll let you know!

      Andrea xx

    • karen48559
      karen48559 andrea93419

      Posted

      Thank you Andrea. I don't see a rheumy. My gp and I manage it between us. I like it that way but don't often go to see him as he's a bit of a rule book guy. He'd probably tell me if it isn't hips and shoulders then it's nothing to do with pmr.

    • andrea93419
      andrea93419 karen48559

      Posted

      Hi Karen, I saw my rheumatologist this morning, he said I'm probably low in potassium and I have to eat a banana every day and see how that helps the cramps! So I'll give it a try!

      Andrea xx

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga andrea93419

      Posted

      I wonder why doctors say to eat bananas, only suggeston, when there are other foods which have more and could give some variety.  Like sweet potatoes or even yoghurt!

      Sadly I've had to reconsider avocadoes as a suggestion at least for those of us who get avocadoes from Mexico.  Apparently they grow best in the same habitat as the monarch butterly winters in.  As the butterfly has already suffered greatly from US agricultural practises and habitat loss everywhere I guess avocadoes will no longer be a staple in our house.  sad  

      If your avocadoes come from elsewhere, as they probably do other than North America, they are one of the highest sources of potassium.  Bananas are good but they do get boring after a while.

    • EileenH
      EileenH Anhaga

      Posted

      Dried apricots I was told too, but the bananas thing is almost certainly the way athletes use them - and they come in a really handy package! But if you look - every list is a bit different, except for bananas! Tomatoes it seems - so I must be fine!!!!
  • adette01750
    adette01750 andrea93419

    Posted

    Hi Andrea, yes I get cramps even though I take magnesium, although it seems less prolonged when it happens.

    I read it could be due to dehydration so drink hot water instead of other drinks.

    My GP wanted to try quinine tablets but I don't want to do it as taking so much, like pred, Vit D magnesium etc .

    It seems manageable this way for me although not completely gone, also keeping my feet warmer helps with extra socks.

    Hope this helps in some way take care!!!

    • andrea93419
      andrea93419 adette01750

      Posted

      Hi Adette,

      Strangly enough I was wondering if I'm drinking enough water??

      I will up my water intake and drop a few coffee's, thanks for your advice.

      Andrea. Xx

    • EileenH
      EileenH andrea93419

      Posted

      It really doesn't matter what you drink providing there isn't too much sugar or caffeine! As long as it is fluids you can drink tea, coffee, whatever. It's an old wives tale that tea and coffee don't count as they are diuretics - so is water (and it says so on bottled water in most countries!). All that happens if you drink coffee is that you pee the extra out faster, but overall, it will be the same.

    • kate85294
      kate85294 andrea93419

      Posted

      Hi all

      I was reading your discussion and thought to ask you my question. smile

      Is it possible to have little PMR or GCA? If yes how do do the doctors threat it? What are the symptomps?

      I'm 38 years old. Ive been suffering from the left left side pain and spasms. The problem began with extrem stress and got worse during the years to the point that I should be massaging my whole left side in order to function. I've done all the blood works realated to inflamtion and all were normal. I am truly confused beacuse I don't know what is the problem. Is it the muscle that tense up and causes all over of left side pain? Or is it the nerve pinching that causes this pain? Or is it PMR or GCA?

      The pain effects my neck on the left side and the upper left side jaw, inner ear, left upper side of my scull and straight goes to my eye. It causes sever skull skin sensevity that I can not even touch my hair in that part. It makes my left eye painful, itchy, and burning. It also effects my left eye when I first wake up or sit up from lying position to see dark black circle that goes away after 20 minutes siting up.

      The pain doesn't stop there it travels all over left side it makes the left side of my throth painful from inside and outside. Then goes down to my left arm and hand. Then left breast and down to my leg and foot. I've explained and showed it's paths to my doctor but he couldn't tell me what I was suffering from.

      I've saw five diffrent nerologysts and none could tell me what is wrong.

      They all left me with this mysterious pain. The thing that worries me is my left eye. I'm afraied to lose vision over this problem even thought the optometrist couldn't find anything as well. Then the left side of my head worries me as well. I keep thinking what if there is a artery blockage that cause this.

      Few mounths ago I did a brain MRI as well for the headach and it was normal. But the pain is still there. Sometimes it makes me to grab and pull part of my hair on the left side ro release the Pain.

      So guys do you have any ideas?

    • EileenH
      EileenH kate85294

      Posted

      You are very young to be considered for PMR or GCA - that isn't saying it doesn't happen but you would have some trouble convincing most rheumatologists. It is an illness that rarely appears in under 50s.  What you describe though doesn't fit with PMR - it is almost always bilateral muscle pain stiffness - and GCA is also rather different from the symptoms you have described in other posts. If you have had an MRI they would have noticed inflammation and if it has been going n as long as you say there would be some signs the optometrist could see.

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga kate85294

      Posted

      Could be one of a number of things.  If it is muscle spasms they can be relieved by techniques physiotherapists use, including "dry needling" - google it.  If it is something neurological, like trigeminal neuralgia, I would have thought your doctor would have thought of that.  Certainly if it's something which is interfering with your life then your gp should make sure the proper invetigations are done and referrals made if necessary.  Sometimes the doctors, however, are a bit blinkered and they don't see what's really in front of their noses, and which could be something quite simple to resolve.  And the patient suffers.  

      Best wishes.

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy adette01750

      Posted

      I have been given quinine sulphate tablets, they really are magic. I only take them when I get cramps and they seem to work pretty fast. My mother always thought they were great too, as she had bad cramps. My grandmother used to have a tomato on the bedside table and saturate it with salt, and my grandfather used to walk on marble. 
  • amkoffee
    amkoffee andrea93419

    Posted

    Everyone here is talking about taking magnisium for muscle cramps and I take it just because on all the PMR support groups say too. But when I was pregnant many years ago and suffered from leg cramps my ob/gyn suggested calcium for the leg cramps. So you might want to try upping your calcium in take and see if that helps those cramps in your foot. Worth a try.
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