Tamoxifen and Leg Cramps~ what have you done about it???? OUCH!!!!

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Comments

  • mgm42
    mgm42 Member Posts: 491 Member
    Sher43009 said:

    Bump up
    Bumped up for MGM42

    Hope this helps.
    Sher

    Thanks.
    Thank you so much. Hugs, Marilynn
  • Sher43009
    Sher43009 Member Posts: 602 Member
    mgm42 said:

    STAR Trial
    The STAR trial was just completed, which compared the Evista type drug (raxofeine ??? sp) and tamoxifen. Onocology researchers were SURPRISED to find that leg cramping was a side effect of tamoxifen and at the number of women who complained of severe leg and foot cramping. Duh. All they needed to do was read these boards. My info comes from a news article on breastcancer.org. I, too, have these cramps throughout my body. Been on tamox for 13 months. They just started in full force about 6 weeks ago. I'm going to try diet tonic water with a bit of fruit juice at night, the soap in the bed thing, massage, accupuncture, an electric blanket to keep my legs warm at night, and spliting my dose to 10mg in the AM and 10 mg at night. At this point I will try anything. If something works, I'll gladly post it. Hugs, Marilynn

    Another bump up
    Another bump up
  • sausageroll
    sausageroll Member Posts: 415
    Sher43009 said:

    Another bump up
    Another bump up

    Thank you
    I had not seen this thread earlier..but thank you Chen.

    I am on Femara and the leg cramps started after about 2 weeks. Then my hair fell out ...again! I too asked my oncologist about these side effects and she too poo pooed it. However her nurse practioner talked to me before I left and said she had seen these side effects with other patients.

    Thanks for all the info ladies. I'm definitely going to try the soap and the tonice water. My podiatrist said to drink water during the night too.

    Glad to hear you are feeling good Chen. I know what you mean about waiting for the other shoe to drop. take care. Pat
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member

    Thank you
    I had not seen this thread earlier..but thank you Chen.

    I am on Femara and the leg cramps started after about 2 weeks. Then my hair fell out ...again! I too asked my oncologist about these side effects and she too poo pooed it. However her nurse practioner talked to me before I left and said she had seen these side effects with other patients.

    Thanks for all the info ladies. I'm definitely going to try the soap and the tonice water. My podiatrist said to drink water during the night too.

    Glad to hear you are feeling good Chen. I know what you mean about waiting for the other shoe to drop. take care. Pat

    bumping up for laurissa!!!!
    bumping up for laurissa!!!! hope this helps.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    carkris said:

    bumping up for laurissa!!!!
    bumping up for laurissa!!!! hope this helps.

    bump so Laurissa can see it

    bump so Laurissa can see it
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    Bumping up for Laurissa.

    Bumping up for Laurissa.
  • taleena
    taleena Member Posts: 1,612 Member
    Chen... I've been getting
    Chen... I've been getting them pretty bad for the last three months (since I stopped the Zoladex, Femara combo) and went on the Tamoxifen... I agree they do interfer with the quality... you can't get a good night sleep... I find myself up and walking around at least 3 to 4 times a night... I have found that if I eat a bananna to help replace some of the potassium it seems to help... If I don't eat a bananna I'm walking in the middle of the night trying to walk off the leg cramps... ugh! My onco shrugged it off too... but I didn't have this issue until I started the tamox.

    Good luck ... Hugs

    ~T
  • samsarah
    samsarah Member Posts: 1
    Leg cramps
    Hi - also suffering from cramps in legs at night and sometimes in the day.

    Will try the soap thing.

    Does anyone have a bubbly twitchy feeling in their legs?

    Thanks for all the great advice.
  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 Member Posts: 950
    samsarah said:

    Leg cramps
    Hi - also suffering from cramps in legs at night and sometimes in the day.

    Will try the soap thing.

    Does anyone have a bubbly twitchy feeling in their legs?

    Thanks for all the great advice.

    Glad you bumped this up
    I've been on Tamox for over a year with no problems until this extreme heat. Last weekend I was outside doing some heavy lifting in 90 degree heat. Later every muscle and joint in my body was screaming! I had charlie horses in my thighs for gosh sake! I ate a banana, hydrated, and took a muscle relaxer. Something in that combo worked.
    Dee
  • ladybroc
    ladybroc Member Posts: 2
    cahjah75 said:

    My mother
    swears by the soap but I didn't have any luck with it. I had it under my sheet for more than a year. No relief): I've been having toe, foot and leg cramps almost daily for almost a year and I haven't even started chemo yet, let alone Tamoxifen! My rheumatologist told me to drink a glass of tonic water at night before bed, which I've been doing for the past 9 months. Some of my cramps are so bad I have to get out of bed and bang my foot on the hardwood floor. I've actually cried sometimes the pain was that intense. I get the cramps in the middle of the night usually and sometimes while I'm driving! I eat bananas occasionally but around 9 months ago I stopped drinking milk with my dinner. My naturapathic dr told me to drink whole milk and not skim so I just stopped. Maybe that's my problem. If you're all suggesting that chemo and or Tamoxifen can worsen it I'm in serious trouble. If you think of any other remedies tell me:)
    Char

    LEG CRAMPS FROM TAMOXIFEN
    Hi--I have been on tamoxifen since May 2011 and have severe leg camps almost every night.
    I , too tried the soap under the sheet trick-it worked for awhile and then didn't. I eat at least 1/2 a banana every day but do not drink milk!! I had a scan and have no blood clots, thank Goodness!! Any other ideas our there???? ANNE
  • TKMomma
    TKMomma Member Posts: 54
    Chucks
    Started tomaxafin about a month ago. Very painful chuck last thursday, two on Tuesday night and three Wednesday night. Starting to be afraid to go to bed. trying to make sure aI have enough pottassium and water from dehydrading. Just a thought ..... get night sweats and since sweating out possible pottassium maybe that's what brings it on. Don't know will ask my doctor when I see him in Sept. Find this interesting so keep thoughts coming. All I have to say is OUCH !!!!!
  • Gzie
    Gzie Member Posts: 1
    Tamoxifen and Leg Cramps~ keep legs warm
    I'm on tamoxifen almost 5 years now. I found that if my legs were in any way cold, I would get cramping. At night, I wear thick sweat pants and warm socks and keep my legs covered with a down comforter. Sometimes use a heating pad. It's odd because I don't feel cold, and even if the room temp is warm, unless my legs are covered up and not exposed to the air, I will get cramps. (I also take a calcium supplement, Citrical+vitamin D. Without vitamin D, your body cannot absorb the calcium.)
  • srreed1981
    srreed1981 Member Posts: 1
    tamoxifen and leg cramps

    I was having foot camps in both feet, leg cramps, and charley horses; day or night.  Be careful, because one night I jumped out of bed on the cramping leg and it did not "work"!  I fell flat on my bottom.  I eat a banana a day and it did not help.  I tried tonic water and coconut water.

    I asked my oncologist about it and he said to try magnesium supplements.  I forgot to ask the mg amount, so I bought 500mg and started taking one at dinner every evening.  Amazing results.  I did not have a cramp for two weeks.  I have them occasionally now, but the occurrence has been cut by probably 75%.  I mainly have strange foot cramps; nothing I do helps, except to find some hot water to soak them in!

    I eat foods that should supply magnesium to my body, but for whatever reason, maybe I am deficit.

    Try it and see if it works!!

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    Terrible, painful seems like

    Terrible, painful seems like they last forever............always at night...

     

    Dr says it has nothing to do with Tamoxifen...I question that...i have 6mths left on tamoxifen-I am not sure how long it will stay in my system-but I will take not if I DO not have the cramps..

     

    Denise

  • LBConant
    LBConant Member Posts: 2
    Tamoxifen and Leg Cramps

    I too have serious leg cramps, toe and feet cramps.  I have experienced Charlie horses before but, nothing that can compare with them since I started the tamoxifen.   My dr.  also made me feel there is no connection.  I eat banana 's, and lots of avocado.  I know that my potassium level is ok.   Has anyone found any thing that eases the occurrence of muscle cramping?  I sure would love to know....theses things are excruciating...

    All suggestions appreciated.

    Linda

  • jojo2
    jojo2 Member Posts: 28
    leg cramps

    There is a product by Peter Gilliam called Calm that has magnesium and calcium that comes in a powder. It is mixed in water and tastes good. It worked well for me when I had many leg cramps before diagnosis. Now since I'm ordered to take Calcium with Vitamin D to protect my bones I just take a magnesium supplement every other day and increase to daily if I have lots of muscle cramps. I'm on Arimidex and have more problems with spasms in my chest wall if I overdue with lifting things. Like with moving or packing to go to the lake, the cramps over my chest (I had a bilateral mastectomy), are fairly severe. I found a natural product by Hyland that is called Leg Cramps that works great. I dissolve 3-4 under my tongue and get relief. May have to take a few doses.They are available everywhere, I have them stashed everywhere because I can't be without them. Hope something works for you. jojo2

  • kmenurse
    kmenurse Member Posts: 217
    chenheart said:

    My foot/leg are NOT on the
    My foot/leg are NOT on the soap...they are just there..on my side of the bed...one kinda at calf level, and one at the foot, but nothing special. Good luck!

    Chen♥

    CRAMPS!!!! OUCH!  Well this

    CRAMPS!!!! OUCH!  Well this is what works for me.  Have a banana and a glass of water late evening,  the banana supplies potassium and of course water hydrates. Cramps happen when your muscles are a little depleated of both.  Good Luck and God Bless!.... Kathy

    Other foods high in potassium

    Baked Potatoes (With Skin)

    Dark Leafy Greens (Spinach)

    Dried Apricots

    Baked Acorn Squash

    Fish (Salmon) 

    Avocados

    Mushrooms (White)

    White Beans

     

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    kmenurse said:

    CRAMPS!!!! OUCH!  Well this

    CRAMPS!!!! OUCH!  Well this is what works for me.  Have a banana and a glass of water late evening,  the banana supplies potassium and of course water hydrates. Cramps happen when your muscles are a little depleated of both.  Good Luck and God Bless!.... Kathy

    Other foods high in potassium

    Baked Potatoes (With Skin)

    Dark Leafy Greens (Spinach)

    Dried Apricots

    Baked Acorn Squash

    Fish (Salmon) 

    Avocados

    Mushrooms (White)

    White Beans

     

    Some need more than just dietary K

    While it enough for some with low K levels to add more foods that are high in K (potassium) - for some of us it isn't enough.  I eat a LOT of 'green leafy veggies' (collards, kale, turnip, beet, mustard and spinach greens), potatoes with skin on (baked, boiled or mashed) several days a week, at least 3 avocados a week (LOVE then) - not to forget bananas.  Unfortunately though since 1/2 way through 12 weekly Taxol, I've had to take mega doses of K to keep my levels in the 'normal' range.  My body tells me real quick when it is dropping lower so increase it for a day or two.  I never go anywhere I'll be very active, especially in warmer weather, without having a bottle of K in my saddle bags, tackle box. backpack and glove boxes of all our vehicles 'just incase'.

    Winyan -The Power Within

    Susan

  • peanutcat
    peanutcat Member Posts: 104
    leg cramps

    Hi Everyone!!! Mag Ox the supplement works for me. My pmc told me about it. I thought I was getting clots but he said no try Mag Ox.  Potasium I heard is good too. He mentioned eating bananas, but mag Ox worked a lot better.  Ask your doctor everyone.

     

    Let me know what you guys do. OK!!!!!

    HUGS to you all

  • huntbake
    huntbake Member Posts: 2
    Sally5 said:

    My legs too
    Yes, me too. I am at week 4 on tamoxifen and I have not slept through the night. At first, I wasn't sleeping due to my expanders....

    Now, since starting the tamoxifen, I wake up every 2-3 hours and have to stand up.... (I thought I was going crazy). It has become my routine.... I just go get more water and go back to bed. I didn't want to complain.... I am worried about blood clots....

    I am going to try the bananas and see....

    Take care,

    Merry (Sally5)

    leg cramps

    Hello my name is Michelle and omg i just now decided to research my leg cramps on line. Ive been on tamoxifen for 3 years now and just recentley been having the charlie horses at night sooooo bad, the worst pain ever! So it is a side effect from tamoxifen?  I swear this is so miserable i thought something was really wrong with me. I just made appt. w family doc to get tested blood work. so this soap thing works? what a relief to know how many others have had this problem.  are you off the tamoxifen? and does the cramps go away?