Hello all! Do you have constant shakes? I'm down to 50 mgs a day, but am always - always shaky!

I now have to take xanax to help me sleep @ night and it is driving me crazy!

My neuro wants to taper my meds slowly this time - not like last time, but I still shake all the time - almost to the point of tremors.......

Dr. I said it was roid related, but I was wanting feedback from people who actaully HAVE MG and know what is like.............

Erin

I'm noticing a lot of shaking and muscle twitches recently - I don't know if it is the antibiotics I'm on and what they're doing to my guts or my mestinon may need to be reduced. Antibiotics end today at supper time so I'll wait and make a decision on the Mestinon sometime next week.

Brian

Erin, You must've missed my response to you in a previous post! I was wondering if you had Pred-induced diabetes. It's quite common to have that. You can ask your primary doc to run a blood glucose on you. Diabetes can be dangerous and you should at least check out this possibility right away. I hope it isn't that but it's also not normal to feel shaky all the time. Just don't assume it's a side effect of the drug. And steroids can also induce myopathy but that involves pain more than shakiness.

Annie

Hey Annie! I will definitely call on that - I have been craving a lot of sugar recently..............

In fact, I'll call Monday for more blood work......no need to add diabetes to the equation........

Thank you so much!

Big hugs!
Erin

The pred will also make it very hard to sleep. Good luck with the taper!

I've never had shakes from prednisone. Sorry to hear you have. Yes, you must taper very slowly and deliberately, monitoring all feelings and symptoms that may indicate a problem from a too quick retreat from prednisone.

I have myopathy. Causes fatigue and out-of-breathness, but no pain.

You sound like you have a really interesting story - I'd love to hear it when you have some time......

Erin

Chronic use of steroids can deplete the body of some nutrients and electrolytes:

Calcium
Potassium
Zinc
Magnesium
selenium
folic acid
Vit C
Vit D

Potassium and magnesium are serious, and if you have been using high dose steroids for a while, I'd get them checked.
Some food choices can raise potassium easily... V8 juice, cantaloupe, oranges, bananas, etc. OTC supplements are not an option, they are too low. Also Gatorade is very low--don't be fooled into thinking it is high is potassium. It has 30mg/serving.

Magnesium from nuts and beans or from a supplement.

This might help the "shaking" which may be a sign of low electrolytes.

Potassium tests are available, but magnesium ones often don't show intracellular levels.
I have a magnesium thread:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread1138.html
Many people (up to 70%) have less than the RDA for magnesium daily. So add to that a drug that makes you lose it, then you need to consider it.

I'd recommend Vit D testing too. Many people with chronic illnesses are showing up very low in Vit D.

Hi MrsD,

thanks so much for this, you're right, potassium can be serious, I was called in by my new GP(had just changed, the old one just did the bare minimum) he had done a complete bloodwork and found my potassium to be scarily low. When he said it can effect your heart I realised how serious it can be. He also told me all the other things it can do, one being making your muscles weak, we just looked at each other and laughed, "how do I tell that" I laughed.

So yes if you are on steroids, get these things checked out, because I know being on extra potassium helped. It also helped me realise my wierd cravings, ie wanting to sit and eat heaps of bananas, or half a cauliflower!! weird!