I thought I would post an update with my bicarbonate of soda regime and leg cramps. It is still working, although I have had the odd night (maybe twice a month) when I’ve woken up with cramp. I can usually tell when this is going to happen as the cramps start in the early evening. If that happens I just take the bicarbonate as soon as I feel them starting and also take some bicarb to bed with me and then drink it at night if they start. It works very quickly.
I’ve told my doctor what I’m doing and they at least didin’t say I shouldn’t continue. I was told that one of the common reasons for women wanting to stop tamoxifen treatment was because of leg cramps - certainly I was getting desperate!
I have altered the time I take my tamoxifen, just in case it shouldn’t be taken at the same time as the bicarb.
Anyway the bicarb has revolutionised my sleep and I feel so much better for that!
I hope this is of help. If anyone else tries it and finds that it works for them, please do post a reply.
What is the ratio of bicarbonate to water? I have been on tamoxifen for 5 months and can’t take the leg and foot cramps. My dr is not convinced it’s from tamoxifen.
I have had leg cramps since I have been talking tamoxifen… I’m asleep and it wakes me up like now, I am chatting to you and my toes are curling up…so painful
Out of interest what brand of tamoxifen are you taking at the moment. It’s just that I’ve been monitoring my cramps as I’m the same sometimes I can’t walk and I think I’ve narrowed it down to mylan brand. I also now carry magnesium phosphate tablets as they do really help.
I just started Tamoxifen in June. I have wicked lower leg cramps and my toes curl and it’s painful! Wakes me up from dead sleep! Then it takes a while to get rid of them and it usually happens at night but sometimes out of nowhere during the day! Also occasionally same thing happens in my hands! Never had this before taking that drug! I’m a nurse. One physician said to take Claritin, calcium and magnesium. I just started that so we will see!
I tried the magnesium tablets and spray. I take the magnesium phosphate when I can feel a bad bout coming on and it does work eventually.
The magnesium spray is ok but it’s very oily so it’s putting me off a bit.
The tonic water is due to the quinine in it and it is supposed to help but wasn’t doing anything for me. I spoke to my oncologist who prescribed me actual quinine tablets 200 mg to be taken on a night. Apparently you have to be really careful with them as there are some not nice side effects (something else for us to look forward to). They seem to be helping but are giving me bad tummy cramps in the day.
I have now asked my doctor to change my brand of tamoxifen as I honestly think it’s worse when I have mylan brand. I’ve done a week now on the new brand and 3 weeks on quinine and touch wood I’ve been ok. Although I haven’t taken the quinine for a couple of nights due to the tummy pain.
It would be interesting to see if we’re all getting different brands if it is related or not.
I’ve been on tamoxifen for 6 months now and thought I’d got off quite lightly with regard to side effects but suddenly am now suffering from really horrendous calf and toe cramps during the night - to the point that my legs are still sore the next day! Thank you to everyone contributing to this thread - hopefully some combination of the suggestions will help to ease the problem. :smileyhappy:
I too have been suffering severe leg/toe cramps at through the night and early morning. I have been on tamox since May 2017. I never experienced such cramps before taking the tamox. I spoke to my chiropractor today and he gave me calcium supplements to take before bed. I pray it works!! I think we can all agree we have and are dealing with enough and don’t need the cramping! I’m sorry to hear so many have dealt with this but I’m glad i’m not alone in this!
I too am on Tamoxifen and have leg cramps sometimes both legs from butt to heel and the pain is so bad I can’t move and feel like I’m not going to survive. The only thing that works for me is, I have eliminated all sugar from my diet. When I slip, I get the cramps again. I’m on lots of magnesium and potassium which doesn’t help if I’m eating sugar.
Cramps are deadly I know as I have experienced this several times before. But there’s something which literally gave me relief and they are sea salts. Nyassa is the company which sells the amazing quality of bath salts which can be used for getting rid of muscle cramps. To help you out I am attaching a link to buy bath salts online
I just refilled my tamixifen prescription and the first month the brand/mfr was Mayne, no leg cramps. The refill brand/mfr is Mylan.I just started getting severe leg cramps while sleeping and during the day hip joint pain as well as ovary cramping. Im going to ask for a different brand/manufacturer next refill. I take liquid potassium and pill form magnesium calcium vitamin d and k supplements daily. Doesn’t help with my leg cramps. I will try the tonic water before bed.
I think I have what some of you are referring to. This is what I am experiencing: I have been awoken twice now, with one leg and then the other. The experience was exactly the same with both. My whole leg ached from where it attaches at thigh to body and all the way down. It is a very non-descript pain and if I had to tell someone where the pain is I’d have to say my whole leg. I know what a cramp is and the normally contraction of one; however this pain is escrutiating, like a regular cramp, but I can’t find any particular place or muscle that is cramping. Has anyone else had this. I am thinking it has to be the tamoxifen since I haven’t changed up anything else. I began Tamoxifen in January, in February went on an aromatase inhibitor (that almost made me explode, it felt like), so back on T since March. My first whole leg pain was my right and was about mid June. The one, last night, mid July, was my left leg. The pain is so bad I get nauseated with it. Once I get up and stand on it, it starts diminishing, but it is very scary. Again, I can’t find the cramp or where it is coming from, I just feel the pain of a cramp througout my whole leg. Does this sound like any of you? TIA
Sounds quite extreme - mine was most definately cramp in the calf muscles - if it continues may be worth getting it checked out as it may not be related .
You will need to ask the Gp to state the brand as pharmacist will just give you what they have in! Worth talkinh to Pharmacist first and worth sticking to a brand that you expreience less side effects with. Hope it goes well and you experence less side effects .
I have been on Tamoxifen for about two years now. My leg cramps have been getting worse, and last night’s pain was excrutiating. It started in the front of my right leg, but then quickly became pain in both legs, from halfway below the knee down to my toes. I was afraid to try to walk anywhere because I thought my legs/feet would give out. It eventually went away, but then I was left with full body shakes for about 10 minutes.
My leg pains usually start after I’ve gone to bed, but sometimes they hit in the early evening when I’m stretched out on the couch.
I am going to have to talk to my doctor at my next appointment. If these leg cramps continue, (as well as hot flashes all day/night) I might have to decide if it’s still worth it to continue taking the Tamoxifen.
Has anyone else stopped taking the medicine? Any thoughts about stopping the medicine?