Cramping in hands, does anyone else experience this?

I did develop cramping in hands, feet and ankles shortly after starting on Pred. A few months down the track I still get them, but not as frequently or severly. I do take magnesium and drink more water and have learned how to relax and try and ignore them.  As pred goes down I hope the cramps will totally disappear.

Dear Elijo. Slow down. Be kind to yourdelf. I was diagnosed with GCA some moons ago and they then found I also had PMR I was on 60mg of prednisone, I felt great so much energy, trouble was I was heading for a fall but no-one told me what would happen. When you start to reduce the dose you then feel you can't cope and you soon run out of energy become lathagic and depressed. If you want to get over this and it's going to take a long time, take it easy. Rest often, be kind to yourself, have a mid-day nap, try not to do to much. Wish some-one had told me before I wore myself out and got so depressed. please take note of my warning you will find that things will be easier for you Good luck xx

i was diagosed with temporal arteritis which is GCA inflation in the sides of the head. I was started on 60mg 6 weeks ago. The pain was gone in a couple of days and I will be reducing down to 30 on Monday. You mention hand cramps I started having them when I hit 45mg Pred are known for leaching calcium magnesiem and potasium out of your body these can lead to a inbalance in your electrolytes. I have been take vitamin suupplements to help. it seems to work some of the time but the more I use my hands especially in cold it gets worse. hope you have a good week at 30. My doc wants me to do 2 weeks at 25 followed by 2 weeks at 20 and then start 2 gms reduction instead of 5. hope you have a good week      

Hi Mariane Canada

Finially diagnosis September 25 after agonizing pain throughout the summer. First on 15 mg for 1 week then up to 20mg to get it totally under control. I just started my first reduction just over 10% from 20mg to 17.5 over a 7 week period of a gradual introduction. I find if any stress my pmr can flair.

My pmr started in my finger that gives you the bird or finger. We would joke that it was early arthritis. I also got it in 1 toe that would bring me to my knees. This was on top of my legs and shoulders.

This is a great site and do listen when they say pace yourself. I was extremly active swimming up to 4-5 hrs daily just prior now i swim 1hour daily non stop, much reduced. You overdo you will know the next day.

Take your vitamins, most people take their prednisone early morning so it kicks in and some of us including me split my dose morning and night. I take 5mg of my 17.5 at supper. I find by 4to430 pains come back in my right arm and shoulder so this helps.

Take care. Mariane

I was splitting my dose and while a lot of the pain was much reduced I still had extremely painful wrists that made it impossible do much of anything.   I then switched to a single dose and found the wrist pain much reduced but mornings were absolute hell, I could hardly move until lunchtime when the prednisone started kicking.   Got sick of that real quick so I went back to splitting.   I think a lot of my problem is pacing myself, just can't seem grasp this idea, I go out in the shed with the intention of an hours work, next think I know it's 4 hours later.   I think I need an automatic off switch!