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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.

02-27-2008, 11:59 PM	#7
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	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. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.