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Leg and foot cramping at night

Posted , 10 users are following.

Mrs.Mac-Canada
Mrs.Mac-Canada

Hello,

Sorry, I know I have read about this but couldn't find the previous posts.

I have been on 10mg of pred for about a month due to a flare trying to reduce from 4mg to 3mg using slow reduction method (had been at 4mg for a few months prior to that) 

i have been having pain in my calfs when I walk. This is new to me because my usual areas to act up were my butt and thighs.  I was thinking maybe the PMR was working it's way down and might be thinking of leaving me😉.

in the past week I have been getting nasty leg and foot cramps during the night.  I seem to remember someone mentioning taking something that helped.  I have also been doing calf stretches to lengthen muscles that had tightened due limping with a sore ankle. Wondering if that might cause it???

I'm also thinking about trying to start reducing my pred to 9mg and look for advice on that as well.  

Thanks, Diana🌸

1 like, 30 replies

30 Replies

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  • MrsO-UK_Surrey
    MrsO-UK_Surrey Mrs.Mac-Canada

    Posted

    Hi Diana

    "Nasty leg and foot cramps".  I so empathise as this night-time problem started for me during my PMR/GCA/steroid days, and, like you, when on the lower doses of steroid.  

    Apparently a good remedy is to take a magnesium supplement.  However, not wanting to take a supplement until finding out whether I had a deficiency or not, I asked the GP for a magnesium blood tests.  She agreed and the result of both my magnesium and potassium levels were normal.  This problem has continued for me even since going into remission and coming off steroids, and just this week for the first time, my leg muscle suddenly cramped in a shop.  I did have a glass of tonic water the other evening  after a painful previous night, and did feel an almost immediate improvement - apparently the quinine it contains helps.

    Your calf stretches are a good idea - one GP recommended I tried those each night before I got into bed.  I must start doing them again.

    I believe if your pain in your calf is only when walking and not when at rest that it isn't anything to be unduly concerned about, just painful!

    "Maybe the PMR was working it's way down and might be thinking of leaving" - now there's a thought!smile 

    • Mrs.Mac-Canada
      Mrs.Mac-Canada MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      Thanks Mrs. O for the info.  I'm sorry to hear you still suffer from this.  There are enough things already that disturb our sweet dreams😴.

      I did read about the quinine for leg cramps and will try a tonic before I go to bed.  

      I'm away from home until May but will see if a local Dr. here in Merida will order the blood work for me to see about the magnesium and potassium levels. 

      Hugs, Diana🌸

  • erika59785
    erika59785 Mrs.Mac-Canada

    Posted

    Mrs. Mac, I have had leg cramps at night, and magnesium (500 mg.) daily with calcium  and Vitamin D has been helping me......and even just magnesium alone without the other would be helpful. 

    I saw a new young female doctor yesterday, and she highly recommended Magnesium to take with PMR.

    She was familiar and knowledgeable about PMR, and I trust that she will be more helpful, because of the repeated flares when on 20 mg prednisone.  She said that my thyroid is swollen, and I could have a B-12 deficiency. She orered blood tests, and I will find out the results within a week.

    • Mrs.Mac-Canada
      Mrs.Mac-Canada erika59785

      Posted

      Hi Erika,

      i do take Calcium with Vit D and minerals including magnesium but I have to admit not on a daily basis.  I made a mistake and bought chewable grape flavoured😛 tablets and they are awful.  Will have to start using them anyway I guess.

      Like Mrs. O suggested I'll try and get bloodwork done just in case my levels are off.

      Are you on Vancouver, Washington?  If so we should keep in touch. I'm in Vancouver, BC so we're practically neighbours😊 I haven't been able to find many fellow PMRers close by. PM me with your email if you'd like to.

      Thanks for the info.

      Hugs, Diana🌸

       

    • erika59785
      erika59785 Mrs.Mac-Canada

      Posted

      Diana, I live in not so pretty Vancouver, WAsad.  My daughter and family live in Vancouver, B.C. close to Commercial Drive.  I will be there for Easter with my son and family.  I LOVE VANCOUVER, BC!  It is so beautiful!  It would be great for us to meet sometime.

      I take Citracal which contains 500 mg of Calcium in 2 fairly small tablets

      (easy to swallow), 80 mg of magnesium, 7.5 mg inc, 1 mg each of Copper and Manganese for easy absorbation. In addition, however, I do take 250-500 mg of Magnesium daily.  I felt it helped heart palpitations which I tend to have, and this could be the cause of the newly diagnosed swollen thyroid gland.

      I have heard of quinine water helping, but I have never tried it.

      All the best, NO leg cramps and sweet dreams! :-) Erika

       

    • erika59785
      erika59785 Mrs.Mac-Canada

      Posted

      Sorry, I forgot 7.5 mg of Zinc together with the 1 mg each of Copper and Manganese.  Brain fog! :-)
    • Mrs.Mac-Canada
      Mrs.Mac-Canada erika59785

      Posted

      Yikes, I've never had levels of all those minerals tested!!  Will have to look into that.  

      Thanks for the info and enjoy your trip to Vancouver for Easter.  We'll still be in Mexico but it would be fun to get together some other time😊.  

      Hugs, Diana🌸

  • gayle42253
    gayle42253 Mrs.Mac-Canada

    Posted

    Just a caution - muscle cramps can be caused by high blood sugar levels as well, which I had as a result of the prednisone.  So just make sure you get that checked too so it's not a problem sneaking up on you.
    • Mrs.Mac-Canada
      Mrs.Mac-Canada gayle42253

      Posted

      Thanks Gayle, 

      Will ask them to include that in the blood work.

      hugs, Diana🌸

  • Pamros
    Pamros Mrs.Mac-Canada

    Posted

    Epsom salts are supposed to be quite good if put in your bath for a soak.
    • Mrs.Mac-Canada
      Mrs.Mac-Canada Pamros

      Posted

      Thanks Pam,

      it is too warm here for a bath right now.  Temperature is between 35 and 37. I do find the warmth good for muscles though.

      hugs, Diana🌸

  • jean39702
    jean39702 Mrs.Mac-Canada

    Posted

    I take, and have taken, 100 mg of magnesium daily to avoid foot and leg cramps pre and post receiving the diagnosis of PMR a year ago.   My magnesium levels are checked regularly are always in the normal range.  Bottom line...added magnesium has not affected my magnesium levels and definitely stops the cramping.

    The impact of magnesium was proven when my medical practitioner advised me to stop magnesium supplements when I started on prednisone.  Within a month the occasional cramps in my feet and calves were back, and I started getting crippling hand cramps.  I went back on the magnesium and the cramping disappeared within a week.

     

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