Hi: I just read everyones comments on leg cramps. I have been on Gleevec for 8 years, and I still get the foot and hand cramps. I have to jump up and walk it out, or keep shaking my hands till they uncramp. I was in a store, and trying to write out a check. My hands just cramped up and all my fingers were twisted. The woman must have thought that I was weird, but I told her its something that happens all the time. I just live with it, and I am so glad it never happened to me well driving, or I would just pull over and wait for the cramps to subside I guess. My husband drinks tonic water in ice tea. He has a job where he is on his legs constantly, and he said it gives him relief when he gets the cramps in his legs. I do not like the taste of it, even mixed with something. Suzzie
--- On Sun, 11/23/08, Vivi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: Vivi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [CMLHope] Re: Cramps - arms & leg To: "CMLHope" <[email protected]> Date: Sunday, November 23, 2008, 12:38 PM I am interested in all the experiences people have had in addressing the problem of leg and hand/finger cramping. I've posted about this before since I had terrible leg cramps during the first two years on Gleevec. Then my husband, bless him, who is a pharmacist, remembered an older drug that used to be prescribed for leg cramps and he had our internest write a scrip for it: Pletal, or its generic form, Cilostazol. Within a couple of weeks, the leg cramps were gone. I told my oncologist about this and she is writing Cilostazol for her patients with bad leg and hand cramps. The only problem is, the drug does not work for everyone: About a third of the people who try it see no improvement. But it's worth a try if the cramping is really bad. BTW, the Italians are correct, the quick rush of steam under pressure releases less by-products of coffee than the slower perk or drip methods. As for being lactose-intolerant...that's a huge problem in the general population which is why so much Lactaid or other enzyme blockers of that sort are sold. My husband's entire family suffers from lactose intolerance and the amount of enzyme blockers they consume is incredible. Vivi On Nov 23, 11:23 am, "Patrick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Bobbie, > One thing that occurs to me. You might want to avoid going "cold turkey" on caffeine. I know I had terrible headaches when I quit that I could only get rid of by, you guessed it, sipping a Coke until it stopped. > I seem to recall but can't document that some hospitals have amended their "no fluids" policy the morning of surgery to allow a cup of coffee for regular drinkers since a study determined that caffeine withdrawal was extending many patients post-op hospitalization! > And just to confuse things, here's a study examining using caffeine to treat muscle pain > http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-DB=ustory&-Format=d.html&-lay=a&st... > Patrick > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Renee Taylor > To: [email protected] > Sent: Saturday, November 22, 2008 2:57 PM > Subject: [CMLHope] Re: Cramps - arms & leg > > Wow this is a very enlightening series of emails. I have terrible cramps in my legs, arms, hands, feet, and sides. I am a regular coffee/tea/Dr Pepper drinker. I also have terrible diarrhea ~worse since I began Gleevec about 4 years ago~ which has been linked with a Diary Allergy. I have had a problem with low potassium and blood calcium levels which I thought might have caused the cramps, but I didn't notice any improvement in the cramps after having a potassium infusion and/or taking calcium supplements. I think I may try giving up caffeine. If it stops the cramps, it will be worth the sacrifice. > > Thanks for sharing your experiences! > Bobbie- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ [CMLHope] A support group of http://cmlhope.com ------------------------------------------------- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CMLHope" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/CMLHope -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
