cramps

wifeforlife
wifeforlife Member Posts: 189
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Husband is 2 and 1/2 yrs post treatment. All and all doing very well. Working every day, taking hunting trips, walking 4-5 ties a week, living a good life :) ...eating almost everything he wants (btw...what foods he likes now is completely different than before treatment)...
This post is about a recent development. Throughout the post treatment time he has struggled with cramps in the front of his neck when he tries to chew... he has to wait them out... but recently the cramps are really disfiguring and have moved to the treatment side of his face and neck... he cramps so bad that it pulls his eye closed and indents his check and neck under the jaw bone.. he is having about 60 of these a day... any thoughts???


we have tried more water, and stretching...

thanks for your input... Wife

Comments

  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #2
    cramps/spasms
    I relate in a major way to this. 3 1/2-years out, now, the spasms didn't show for the first year+, but over the past year seem to have grown progressively worse. Really jolted me a couple times at work- it was like I was getting locked in spasm. Typical for it to be on my tx side, but has also hit the other, and is mostly on my neck. Only way I've found to get out of it is to look up to the ceiling and hold it there. Very sorry to hear he's having so many- I usually only have a handful/day. I've mentioned it to my regular Dr, but have not yet stressed to him that something needs to be done. And, I am sorry, but I cannot advise on any possibles that might help your husband, other than maybe meds would help relax the muscles, etc., and might help.

    kcass
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
    Blood Labs
    Has he had any blood labs recently...

    I'm sure a certain percentage, if not entirely is do to rads.

    I know that I occasionally get a cramp in my neck on the side that I had cancer. Nothing as sever as you describe though.

    The reason I mention blood work is low potassium is a cause of cramps at times..banannas help in mild cases.

    Anyways, blood labs should show if it is caused by some low count or something else going on.

    Have you guys communicated with your MD's, maybe there is something that can be done if it's physical, muscle or nerve damage.?

    Hopefully you will find a solution...

    Thoughts and Prayers,
    John
  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #4
    been there, done that....
    with my first rads I had this problem pretty severely. It eventually stopped, maybe five or six years after treatment. These started again at the end of my second rads this last year. For me, and I know for Greg53 as well, doing the warm up exercises for Tai Chi related to neck and shoulders helped a lot. I know they can also do botox injections to the affected muscles, though I didnt have to have this done.

    Pat
  • wifeforlife
    wifeforlife Member Posts: 189
    #5
    longtermsurvivor said:

    been there, done that....
    with my first rads I had this problem pretty severely. It eventually stopped, maybe five or six years after treatment. These started again at the end of my second rads this last year. For me, and I know for Greg53 as well, doing the warm up exercises for Tai Chi related to neck and shoulders helped a lot. I know they can also do botox injections to the affected muscles, though I didnt have to have this done.

    Pat

    thank you
    Once again I want to thank you for responding to my concerns. It seem so wrong,,, but somehow it always makes us feel better when we know we aren't the only ones experiencing the problems we are.. I am not in any way wishing issues on any of you... just being thankful you are there.
    We haven't discussed this with a Dr. yet.. we will. I will try the stretching and potassium. Botox...hmmmmm interesting thought.
    I'll let you know if I learn anything helpful...
    thanks again!!
    Wife
  • Greg53
    Greg53 Member Posts: 849
    #6
    wifeforlife said:

    thank you
    Once again I want to thank you for responding to my concerns. It seem so wrong,,, but somehow it always makes us feel better when we know we aren't the only ones experiencing the problems we are.. I am not in any way wishing issues on any of you... just being thankful you are there.
    We haven't discussed this with a Dr. yet.. we will. I will try the stretching and potassium. Botox...hmmmmm interesting thought.
    I'll let you know if I learn anything helpful...
    thanks again!!
    Wife

    Wife
    Wife,

    Just wanted to say Hi! Sounds like hubby is doing well except for the spasms. Maybe I'll run into him wandering thru the woods. Wow - 60 a day. Had them also, but not that bad. Like Pat mentioned I do the taichi and as long as I do the stretching excercises - no spasms. But I never had that many, maybe only 1 a day. And he doesn't really have to do taichi. The stretching part is what helps (neck and shoulders).

    Best
    Greg

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