Hand cramps

[Whamo]

My vascular surgeon told me I might get painful hand cramps and fingers from the new fistula in my left arm.  A nurse told me to contract my hand muscles to counteract the pain.  Has anyone else experienced this type of thing?  I do get the cramps, and not just at the last 10 minutes of my treatment, but off and on, day or night.  They are annoying at best, and painful at their worst.

[Cordelia]

I used to get hand cramps a few months ago. They're still using my cath. I have no idea whether or not I'll have the same problem during treatment when my fistula finally gets used.

[Riki]

The most I've ever had was my hand going to sleep when the pump speed wasset too high.  I've only had cramps once, in my hand, but that was because of a mistake made by one of the nurses when they were putting my numbers into the machine.  She set my goal at 3.8kgs, when it should have been 2.8kgs, and no one noticed until I cramped.  At that point, they'd taken off 3.2kgs.  My limit is 3kgs

[sullidog]

I only had handcramps pre-d

[boswife]

hubbys hand gets real tweeked out with mild cramping.  Not the kind of pain as when he gets in his legs, but just twisted.  It seems to be an on and off thing for him.  Im guessing when we figure he needs to reach a new dry weight. 

[Riverwhispering]

What causes the hand cramps? anyone know?

[Riki]

What causes the hand cramps? anyone know?

Too much fluid removal.  It can cause any kind of muscle cramp, not just hand cramps.  I also find that I get hand cramps when I haven't taken enough calcium, but I think that might be another thing all together. I have a finger that comes out of joint when my phosphorus is too high, and I actually have to put it back in the joint.  It's really painful, but as long as I keep taking calcium, it doesn't happen.

[KarenInWA]

When I was on D, I would get the random hand cramp while driving. It usually happened when I had a passenger, and I'd freak them out with my sudden movement to deal with it. Never had that before D, and haven't had it since my transplant. It was annoying.

Now I find myself getting pins and needles in my fistula arm when I sleep. I have an upper arm fistula, just above the bend. Not sure what to think of it...

KarenInWA

[Riki]

Now I find myself getting pins and needles in my fistula arm when I sleep. I have an upper arm fistula, just above the bend. Not sure what to think of it...

I get that too.  I'm not sure what to make of it.  I make a point of not sleeping on it, I've actually trained myself to not sleep on that side.  I'll wake up, on my right side (fistula is upper arm, left) and both arms will be asleep.  I'll have to roll onto my back and wiggle my fingers to get the feeling back

[Riverwhispering]

Ya know..... I use that heated glove when I sleep mostly because my fingers turn purple sometimes from being too cold cause of the Steal syndrome but I did also notice the numbness and tingling feeling has stopped ever since I started using it when I sleep.

[gothiclovemonkey]

admittedly did NOT read everyones post here, so forgive me... but
i have them all the time, in my hand mostly, but even elsewhere. no clue why, and my dr never listens so i doubt i ever find out why...
i find that massaging my hand makes it feel better, after the initial pain lol moving it about, just like u would a charlie horse!
good luck!

[big777bill]

 I used to get terrible hand cramps before I had my liver transplant. Back then I was on a high dosage of lasix for fluid removal. The cramps would be bad in my hands but they would show up anywhere in my body. The ones I got in my thighs were the worst. Since I had fistula surgery last month the hand cramps are back but only in the left where the fistula is.

[cassandra]

I am sorry already for just mentioning that, yes I do get cramps when I am too dry, but also when I don't have enough 'bicarbonate' in me. Some phosphatebinders inhibit absorbsion of bicarbonate in the tummy/body, so I always increase the bicarbonate on the machine when I get connected. Up till now, I have had no cramps during D, and only occasionally in between.