Muscle Cramps Due To Dexamethasone

On 3/19/2008 Anna9563 wrote:

Hi, My Dad has MM. He's had it for almost 10 years. Lately he's been having bad cramps due to taking Dexamethasone. For any of you that have taken Dexamethasone what have you found that worked for you that helped you deal with the cramps? Any help would be appreciated. Or helped lessen them? Your friend, Anna

Dear Anna,

My husband has muscle cramps in his fingers (of all places!) on the days he takes dex.  Doctor gave him flexeril -10 mg -1 tablet 3 times a day for back spasams.  It also helps with muscle cramps.  He tried one tablet a while back when the cramps were really bad and it helped.  Don't know if this will help, but you can speak with your doctor.  Good Luck!

Jan ( we've been there WBT)

 Try adding a 500 mg capsule each day on the dex as it helps keep the potassium in the cell. I just read up on it and it does increase kidney/renal output, and therefore loss of salt. this inbalances the cell and hence cramps so even a little sea salt may help. I personally suffered way too many sypmtoms with dex as I have an inability to keep potassium in my cells so it was just too exhausting for me to continue taking it. Hope this helps. mms

On 3/19/2008 Anna9563 wrote:

Hi, My Dad has MM. He's had it for almost 10 years. Lately he's been having bad cramps due to taking Dexamethasone. For any of you that have taken Dexamethasone what have you found that worked for you that helped you deal with the cramps? Any help would be appreciated. Or helped lessen them?

Your friend,

Anna

Hi Anna ~~

I use to get cramps but I have found that uping my intake of quinine makes all the difference.  Schewepps drink company makes "Indian Tonic Water" which is just like soda water except that it has a small amount of quinine in the water.  Apparently it was made for people who were working in tropical countries where malaryia was a problem -- they would often have a gin and tonic after work and the quinine in the tonic helped to keep the cramps at bay.  When I heard this I thought I'd give it a go and yes, I found that it was great!  Inexpensive, tasty, and easy to use - especially during summer!  I drink it plain with just a couple of ice cubes in the glass -- put in a slice of lime and its really quite pretty as well!!  Good luck -- you can get quinine tablets from the heathfood stores, but using it as a tonic is much nicer!!  Best wishes Anna, Cath

From Anna,

 Hi Jan, Dad gets the hand cramps to. The other night though he was cramping all over his body.  Thanks for the suggestion.  Glad I found this board. How long has your husband had MM?  How did they find his?  How old is he?  Dad was 3 days from his 55th birthday when they found his. He was having nose bleeds.  Only found one or 2 others with nose bleeds as a symptom.  He was in stages 3 & 4 when they found it.

 Your friend,

 Anna

From Anna,

Hi MMsurvivor, Thanks for the tip on the Sea Salt.  How much do you take of it?  What was the 500 capusale's you mentioned.  The Dex?  The Dex is what he and I think is causing the cramps.  

 Your friend,

Anna

From Anna,

Hi Poppy/Cath, Thanks for the suggestion of the drink. Also about the Quinine tablets. Dad remembered he had some of them from his cancer Dr. We can't remember what they were given to him for.  How long have you had MM?  How did they find yours?  May I ask how old you were? Dad started having nose bleeds.  Only a few people I've heard of had nose bleeds as a symptom.  He was in stages 3 and 4 when they finally said he had MM.  It was 3 days before his 55th birthday.

 Your friend,

Anna 

From Anna,

Hi all, Any other ideas besides these I will take if you have them.  I'm looking for all the options I can find to help get Dad some relief.  He was hurting all over Tuesday night and I felt so bad for him.  Something that he does use is that warm heat rub stuff that smells like Methal. (Sp?).

Your friend,

Anna 

On 3/20/2008 Anna9563 wrote:

From Anna,

 Hi Jan, Dad gets the hand cramps to. The other night though he was cramping all over his body.  Thanks for the suggestion.  Glad I found this board. How long has your husband had MM?  How did they find his?  How old is he?  Dad was 3 days from his 55th birthday when they found his. He was having nose bleeds.  Only found one or 2 others with nose bleeds as a symptom.  He was in stages 3 & 4 when they found it.

 Your friend,

 Anna

Dear Anna,

The doctors found his myeloma in June of 2007, when he was 57 years old.  I believe his first symptoms started in January of 07 when he had a bad headache and being on blood thinners, I took him in to be checked.  They ran the usual blood work (CBC & a protime) and did a CT scan of the brain to check for bleeding in the brain.  CT was normal but, hemoglobin was in the low normal range.  In April his nose started bleeding while he was driving, so I had him get to the nearest hospital.  The lab work there showed a drop in hemoglobin from 12.6 in January to 10.3.  Got the nose bleed stopped and he came home to see our regular doc who thought the nose bleed may have caused the drop and gave him iron to take.  Nothing more was done until June when he ended up in the hospital with headaches again and the hemoglobin had dropped more.  Tests showed that he probably had myeloma.   

As you said before, I, too, am glad I found this message board.  What wonderful people they all are.  Their help and suggestions have gotten me through this process so far and answered many of my questions.  What works for one person may not work for another but, at least we are all coming up with options and ideas to talk to doctors about.  When I come up blank as to what to do, these folks on the message board point me in the right direction.  God bless them all!

Jan (WBT)