Leg cramps

Posted , 12 users are following.

Hello everyone. I was diagnosed with PMR 4 weeks ago. My rheumatologist put me on 20 mg of prednisone for 4 weeks, reducing to 15 mg , then to 5 mg until I return for my next visit in April. Last night I had severe leg cramps, Not just in the calves, but my entire leg. I have never had this before. Is this a side effect of the Prednisone? Before being diagnosed, I was in severe pain with major stiffness in pretty much all my joints. Very difficult to get out of bed and walk in the mornings. I just thought it was old age. I have always been a fairly active woman, and considered myself a young 67. But by the time I was 68, I felt I had aged 10 years. After 1 week on the prednisone I felt like a new woman. I don't feel quite as good now as I did 3 weeks ago, and will start reducing my dosage today. Is that normal? The information on this site has been so helpful. Thanks in advance for any information you my have on this matter.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Posted

    I have PRM and GCA my dr ordered me to take 550 mg potassium daily with my pred. I have done so and only had leg cramps once in 6 years of treatment.

  • Posted

    Hi Collen, I used to get cramps but i have been taking Magnesium for the last 5months and have only had it once since, do try it. Good Luck

  • Edited

    The first thing to try for the cramp is magnesium - pred makes you lose more magnesium through the urine. I'd be wary of taking more potassium without having had blood tests and medical advice.- too much potassium is dangerous. But you can increase the amount you eat of foods with plenty of potassium such as:

    Bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew, apricots, grapefruit (some dried fruits, such as prunes, raisins, and dates, are also high in potassium)

    Cooked spinach.

    Cooked broccoli.

    Potatoes.

    Sweet potatoes.

    Mushrooms.

    Peas.

    Cucumbers

    Because you felt so much better did you try to go back to normal activity levels? The pred has cured nothing - it just relieves the inflammation caused by the underlying autoimmune disorder that causes it and that leaves the actual illness chugging along in the background, attacking the muscles and leaving them intolerant of acute exercise. If you do too much you will develop DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness, as if you had done far too much exercise, and it will take much longer than usual to resolve.

    • Edited

      Thanks. I started taking magnesium today. And yes, I did go back to my original activity level. My shoulders and knees are more painful than 3 weeks ago. I felt so good that I did not think about still having the disease and the prednisone is really just keeping it under better control. I will have to be more mindful if that.

    • Posted

      It is a mistake almost everyone makes at some point! You will get the hang of it eventually.

  • Edited

    This is not an answer for the cramps but an answer concerning the reduction. I speak from experience. Reducing by 5 mg at a time is risky as the PMR will flare right up again. I started by reducing 2.5 mg then by 1 mg and both times when I hit the 12 to 10 mg mark my pain returned.

    I am now reducing by .5 mg via DSNS and am at almost 10 mg without pain. Also I split the dose to half in the morning and half at night as I found taking it all in the morning did no work as each morning I was very stiff and sore until about noon.

    Hope this helps you to be more successful.

    good luck.

    I am in my second year of PMR and hope to keep reducing as I am now. (71 year old male)

    • Posted

      @alebeau is right. please don't taper that fast. you will feel old again real fast

  • Posted

    I agree with the others, most likely caused by a mineral deficiency.

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