33 replies to this topic

[Tex]

Hi, saw this out on the main page.  Severe cramps in the calves, shins and feet are quite common to transplant patients.  My Mg was always borderline following my transplant but they kept me topped off.  Same with my K.  It could be that the supplements were failing at night but i got my cramps often shortly after having a bag of IV Mg.

Thing is, I'm almost 10 years out and I still have those cramps threaten me occasionally (I mean I can feel things tighten up and it feels like they're about to cramp but they don't_.  So since my body chemistry isn't being battered anymore, there's something else afoot (no pun intended).  I use medical marijuana and noticed my cramps went away shortly after I use it.  I can't say that MMJ will help you but if you live in a state that allows it, you might give it a try.

Blessings

[Melanie]

Aww...hate to think it's the wine, but since it's summertime here in the desert and wine is usually too warm to drink (We drink reds), then now might be a good time to test that theory. I'll not have any for a couple weeks and see what happens.   I also drink a similar nitrate supplement like G2 as well as get out and walk as much as I can. Trying everything...

[Melanie]

Tex, thanks for the tip on MMJ. My state does allow it and I've always been curious about it's benefits, especially in the medical sense rather than the entertainment of my youth.   It was my thought though, that it was only prescribed for people in extreme chronic pain, receiving chemo, eating disorders, and seisures...people with very severe conditions who have no other options for relief. I've seen many specials on how it comes in many varieties...don't think I could handle the old smoking form. Definitely worth checking into. If it's anything like what I remember, I would be so relaxed and could probably sleep through any cramping if my muscles even felt the need. Thanks for the suggestion.

[GerryL]

Wine used to make my fluid retention worse on the Gleevec.

I put my reds in the fridge in summer, I figure it is supposed to be drunk at room temperature in Europe, which is definitely not our summer temperatures in Australia.

[Melanie]

Yes, we put our wine in frig too during summer, although it's a big no-no for reds. But not everywhere can be nice and cool in summer like Europe or the NE and NW of US.   Thinking it might be more Margarita time here.

[jmoorhou]

Can you get a referral to a good Naturopath doctor (it's important to get a good one, you could contact Angie's List or Diamond Certified..), they give infusions for people with chemotherapy issues.  Infusions include minerals, B complex and many more.  Gleevec I know affects potassium, so I take a diuretic that has potassium.

CML is driving me back to MMJ also! 

[jmoorhou]

After three months on Gleevec, my potassium started decreasing.  My primary care doc put me on 25 mg of Spironolactone, which is an old diuretic, it also has potassium and brought my levels up to normal.  It's not much of a diuretic but I'm trying one lemon a day in cooled down boiling water, it's supposed to be a good diuretic and very good before a mean for digestive juices.

[jmoorhou]

You get cramps at night because your muscles cool down.   I had paralytic polio in one leg when I was a kid and would get terrible cramps at night.  Aspirin worked, but it's not so good to take now.

I know I'm repeating myself but if you can afford it, getting a good Naturopathic doctor can really help.  They give infusions depending upon your issue.  There are minerals infusions that sounds like they might help I hope so, I know how bad those cramps are.  I've been trying to get a B12 and B complex shot once a week or two, those help also.

[Melanie]

It's been a couple weeks and thought I would give a little update on the leg cramp issue. They're MUCH better! They're back to being quick and much milder. Haven't come jumping out of bed in excruciating pain like my leg was being twisted and broken in two weeks!  What I've learned is that they were at their worse when I was having a lot of diarrhea (side effect of bosulif tki) and not getting enough of the electrolytes replenished and or when I was trying to stay hydrated and it was just going through me. I now drink a vitamin water enriched with electrolytes every day and added another dose of magnesium at dinner. I also limit my fluid intake after dinner to just enough to control thirst, so I'm not having to use the restroom during the night. This seems to be the right balance for now. Maybe this will help others suffering from terrible cramps. Thanks for everyone's help! Sleeping so much better!

[GerryL]

Great news Melanie.

[jmoorhou]

I could save you a lot of time I got my prescription renewed for MMJ  and used a vaporizer, and it doesn't help!  It's like smoking, and you really can't afford to do that to your lungs.  Edibles don't seem so good either, they are processed by the liver, I'm sure I felt something not good.

[gerry]

Hi Charles Lee,

Welcome to the forum.

[malachite7]

I was started on Gleevec in January and had extremely bad cramps in my feet, legs, and hands at night only to. I was switched to Sprycel a month ago because the Gleevec wasn't working and haven't had any more cramps, although I do have other side effects with the Sprycel - extreme fatigue being the worst.