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

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

sausageroll said:

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

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

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

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 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

 

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

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)

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?