Hi
I would really recommend taking quinne sulphate tablets, I was getting such bad cramps at night my doc has prescribed quinne sulphate tablets for night time and the cramp has stopped! really good to get a good nights sleep again… I have been on tamoxifen for 2.5 years.
I was on tamoxifen for year and a half and got lower leg cramps at night at least a couple of times a week eating bananas helped. Im now on Arimidex been on for 2 months .I am not getting leg cramps now not getting out of breath either thought how much better I am till the other day my blood shot up dangerously high now taking large dose of blood pressure tablets as well cannot win what ever you take
from Paula
My doctor suggested tonic water or bitter lemon. Both contain quinine.Since I’ve started drinking a glass a day the cramps have stopped. Unfortunatly I can’t stand either drink but it’s worth it.
Yes, but the only thing is, I was told to avoid carbonated drinks, as they leach calcium from the bones, which is not a good thing, especially if you are on an aromatase inhibitor such as Femara, like I am!
Can you buy quinine sulphate tablets over the counter?
Ann x
Just read your posts about tamoxifen and cramps.
I have been on tamoxifen for over 2 years. I suffer from muscle cramp. Someone recommended tonic water with quinine. It works very well for me. I have a glass everyday and dont suffer cramp anymore. If i miss it the cramps come back. Hope this info helps
Something that worked for me was keeping my feet under the duvet at night. To begin with, I’d get lots of hot flushes and would throw all the covers off then I’d go back to sleep and my feet would get cold which seemed to make the cramps worse. So now I throw off the duvet but make sure my feet stay covered up!
I get alot of cramps on tamoxifen so will definately try the bitter lemon !
Hi I posted this elswhere but was directed to post it here. I spoke to the helpline today and she did say that getting leg cramps is also part of menopause due to low levels of oestrogen so that’s something to take into account with taking Tamoxifen and any other oestrogen blocking hormone therapy. Today just got some Gopo (rose hip and Vit C) - my friend says it works for her. Although it was £25 for 200 tablets and you have to take 4 a day so it works out quite expensive… I’ll see how it goes
Here’s what I posted earlier…
Hi there, haven’t been on here for ages but was diagnosed in 2009 (aged 52 and pre-menopausal), Grade 1, ER+/HR negative, lumpectomy and lymph node clearance (1/16), chemo FEC and radio. Was put on Tamoxifen straight after radios and I was suicidal and serious about it. The consultant took me off them for a month and I felt amazingly normal for a change. I then had a menopause test to see if I could take aromatase inhibitors so I tried Letrozole (aching limbs) the Arimidex (aching limbs) the exemethasane spelling!!! (aching limbs) did this over a period of 2 years. I got so I could hardly walk up the stairs and was seriously hobbling. So they thought I should consider Tamoxifen again so with night sweats, leg and hand cramps, hardly sleeping for the last two years I’m really wanting to stop taking it. Now with the latest research to extend this to 10 years I feel desperate to know if different brands of Tamoxifen can affect you differently. On this forum women have been discussing different brands like APS never heard of this one, Wolkhart, Relon which is the one I’m taking now. I really can’t stand this aching any more. I have sent an email to the breast care unit and they said ‘massage can help’, tried that no difference. I walk the dog 3 miles a day to exercise, no difference. Pain killers Ibuprofen slow release, paracetamol, aspirin, no difference. My friend has suggested Gopo rosehip supplement so am waiting to receive that in the post. I am 4 years in can someone give me any suggestions as to what to do, I’m quite afraid to stop taking it. I would like to know from readers if the aching stops when you stop taking it and how long it takes to feel normal again as I need to see light at the end of this tunnel. I hope I put this in the right section…