Feet Cramping

tdonnelly · 02-27-2008, 07:45 PM

At night my feet keep cramping, what is causing this? I have had neuropathy; numbness in the pads of my feet and in my toes since Taxol but never this painful cramping. Is there any supplement or remedy for this? Thanks.
Tamara
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma 10/2006 HER2+
Lumpectomy
A/C - 4 cycles
Taxol - 4 cycles
Herceptin - 36 of 52
Radiation - 28 treatments

Esther · 02-27-2008, 08:00 PM

Tamara:

Have your potassium levels checked, low potassium levels can cause cramps and a simple potassium supplement would take care of it.

Bill · 02-27-2008, 08:10 PM

Hi Tamara! Not sure if this will help, but some cramping is caused by dehydration or low potassium levels. If you drink any beverages containing caffeine, that doesn't count as hydration. I'm sorry I can't help more, because I don't know about the specifics of certain chemos., but, maybe one of those hot-water foot-bath massage units might help before bedtime. Maybe you could soak your feet in one at the edge of your bed while you read for a few minutes, while sipping from a nice warm mug of chamomaille? sp? tea, then towel your feet dry and rub your favorite lotion or oil into your feet. Maybe that would help. Love, Bill

Bev · 02-27-2008, 09:28 PM

Try bananas, really, BB

goops · 02-27-2008, 09:47 PM

Cramping can also be caused by not getting enough calicium. I used to have terrible cramping in my feet and in my case it went away when I quite using Splenda (Sucralose).

http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritio...s/splenda.aspx

Catherine · 02-27-2008, 11:18 PM

I had some cramping in my legs. And my treatments were very similar to yours. Lots of water and yes potassium. Mine eventually subsided. 2 months after Herceptin, they are totatally gone. Cramping was worse during and after Taxol if I remember correctly. But still had a little during Herceptin.

Lots of water and try to take a walk every day.

Hugs, Catherine

StephN · 02-27-2008, 11:59 PM

It is not only to do with potassium. The drugs DO have a bad effect on your deep tendon reflexes. Taxol is well known for that.

I take a magnesium/potassium supplement, which helps. I still get cramps after having so many Taxol treatments and now on Herceptin for life .

Soaking in a bath will help as well as massaging with a good oil or even some cream for sore joints and muscle pain. The cramps would hit me even while driving and I would have to pull over and take my shoe off or get out and walk off the cramp.

In time they will improve or go away.

Sheila · 02-28-2008, 05:25 AM

Try bananas and or orange juice to up your potassium levels, if you are on B/P pills or diuretics, this could be the reason as both can cause a loss of potassium...it could also be the Taxol like Steph said...my calves of my legs hurt bad at night...I've been on the Taxol 9 mos.'

PinkGirl · 02-28-2008, 08:19 AM

I also had this problem while on Taxol - especially
at night while trying to sleep. My family doc. suggested
calcium/magnesium and eating a banana and an orange
every day. It gradually improved when I finished Taxol
and now I am fine - it never happens now. Good luck
with this.

sassy · 02-28-2008, 08:38 PM

I had the same problem on Taxol. Orange juice and bananas do help potasium levels. Gently stretching/flexing feet up and down also helped me.