leg cramps

I have been on Tamoxifen since January 2010.. I have experienced horrible leg cramps in the back of my legs and also cramps which bend my legs in half.  Unbelievable pain. My onco has prescribed Magnesium 400 mg. three times a day which is by prescription.. I take my vitamins, calcium and D3.  I drink about 8 glasses of fluid a day, which helps and do calf stretching exercises. I drink tonic water which has a bit of quinine in it.  All of this and I still get the cramps early in the morning before I get out of bed.  I tried using a heating pad, which really didnt help.And yes, I get that fluttering feeling in my legs.  It is definitely from the Tamoxifen as I never had such cramps before going on it.  All one can do is what I am doing and hang in there unless you want to switch from Tamox to another medication.  I will stay on the Tamox as the others have worse side affects.  I also get night sweats which I never had before.  I wear very cool nightgowns. Many times I wake up soaked and have to change nighties.  No fun, but that pill while torturing us, is saving our lives.

Hello to everyone,I`m glad to read all the discussion abbout leg cramps.Also on Tamoxifen for 5 years i am in my fifth month now,first two month`s was ok,onley headace.From the third  month i has experience leg cramps,so with my next visit with my oncon i tell him all abbout this leg cramps,but in the meantime i dit get me some caltrate tabs.i was fine until i start walking in the morning drink a lot of fluid and eat bananas but still get leg cramps.yesterday was one of the worst cramps that i have experience.At three in the morning was waking  up with this cramps in both legs it was so hurting,because later on i could not walk.so i phoned my oncon went for blood test my GP give me some Magnesium&Zinc tabs,and drink a lot of Tonic water it helps my legs feel better this morning.Oh! of cause the bananas to.i Know that Tamoxifen is the best,but how will we keep up for 5yr withe the cramps.

For me, taking tamoxifen in the morning instead of the evening, staying hydrated(esp with mineral water)  and taking vitamin D ( as well as a mulit-vitamin) has helped.  Vitamin D is a vitamin you have to be careful with, so I would check with your oncologist before taking.  I am not sure why this has helped me, but the leg cramps are now much fewer.   

Thanks y’all! I am going to try all of this tomorrow I am 42 and have been on Tam for almost a month. Like many of you, the fluttering and tightness in the back of my leg is also keeping me up. That is my only complaint but it did worry me that it was a blood clot. Started the tart cherry juice and tried the coconut water however definitely can’t drink it by itself. Recommendations? Also, I was thinking I was deficient so can someone please tell me a list of supplements to try again? Thankful that this and being a little hot are my main side effects. I will be praying for each of you! We can do this girls!

Finally...FINALLY I've found what works for me. I stumbled onto a product called Theraworx. It's a topical solution applied to your leg to relieve a cramp. It worked OK for me, but it meant I was already awake and in agony before I could use it. The product has a lot of magnesium.

So I bought a magnesium citrate supplement at Costco and started taking 500 mg every night. Bingo. I haven't had a nocturnal leg cramp since.

When my leg is in full cramp mode, flexing it the other direction can help, IF--I can figure out how to do it, anatomically (how do you stretch the muscle that runs from the outside of your knee to the front of your ankle?!), and if the muscles on the flexed side don't respond by going into cramp themselves. Last summer was simply miserable. Every night I was jerked awake multiple times and had to get up and dance around in agony for 20 minutes or so. Internet sources are worthless for information on how to prevent nocturnal leg cramps. I'm incredulous--and thrilled--that a cheap, over-the-counter magnesium supplement has made such a difference for me.

I take magnesium glycinate chelate because it is billed as non-laxative. That is super important given that I am already managing diarrhea from neratinib. I have to say that since my post I have had some hints of cramps, but much less severe than before. So we’ll see.

Magnesium Oxide vs magnesium glycinate. For me the oxide worked better for my leg cramps, and the glycinate made me feel more relaxed at bedtime, but did nothing for the leg cramps. Since tamoxifen gives me insomnia this is a dilemma!