Muscle twitching/cramping?

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urmysunshine17
urmysunshine17 Member Posts: 15
edited August 2018 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

Day 4 of round 4/6 of chemo. I’m on Docetaxel, carboplatin, herceptin, and perjeta. I’ve been getting muscle twitches on/off since round 2 of chemo. Usually in the same spots: right tricep, right thumb, right eyelid, left quadriceps, left calf. I’ve mentioned them to the oncology nurse practitioner (can’t seems to make my schedule work well with my oncology md at the moment with her being away for some teaching thing at some hospital) who doesn’t seem to know exactly why they are occurring. Thought it was an electrolyte imbalance as I’ve been battling low levels of potassium and magnesium, but those levels are normal now. There’s no other signs of neuropathy like pain, numbness, tingling.... anyone else experience annoying muscle twitching? What has you’re oncologist told you?

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited August 2018

    Both your chemo drugs - Taxotere and Carboplatin - have muscle twitching as side effects. I experienced this and it subsided gradually after I stopped the chemo and moved to just the targeted therapy only. Not sure there is any remedy except time.

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  • oxygen18
    oxygen18 Member Posts: 164
    edited August 2018

    urmysunshine,

    AFAIK, chemo induced peripheral neuropathy could affect any nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord--including motor nerves.

    I had similar symptoms, I asked if they could be due to minor electrolyte imbalance, and the MO did not seem keen on that explanation. Recommendations were to stay hydrated and take a B vitamin supplement, one that includes all B vitamins, and of course not in crazy doses, I took half tablet daily of the 100%. Also a magnesium supplement. I was also offered gabapentin, which I did not try.

    For leg cramps, I found stretching exercises more helpful than anything else, and that was a remedy I had to figure out on my own. In my case, I found that non excessive streching worked best, and I did it especially upon awakening, ie the time when I was most likely to experience a cramp. Never had another one.

    You might ask your provider whether Mg and or B complex would be advisable, and in what doses, for you.

    Best wishes.

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  • urmysunshine17
    urmysunshine17 Member Posts: 15
    edited August 2018

    thank you both for responding! I am already taking a b complex as I was told peripheral neuropathy was a potential side effect. When I think about peripheral neuropathy I think of pain, pins and needles, or numbness in the distal extremities, not random muscle twitches throughout my body. But since muscles are controlled by nerves.... It makes sense

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  • Lilsuzq
    Lilsuzq Member Posts: 32
    edited August 2018

    Hi there,

    Yes I experienced the same thing. I even had muscle twitching in my stomach - especially at night when I was trying to sleep. It would often keep me awake. I did not have Perjeta until after I finished chemo. The twitches started getting more noticeable around treatment number 5 (some in 4 but not bad). They gradually subsided when I was finished with chemo. I asked my MO about it and he did not have a lot of patients experiencing this...

    Good luck to you and hope you are well.

    Sue

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  • DATNY
    DATNY Member Posts: 358
    edited August 2018

    I had this too, but also had diffuse muscle twitching for years before that. During chemo they become more intense. It is the ratio between sodium and potassium. Check their levels in the pre-treatment blood work and compare with their levels now. If the ratio is not the same adjust accordingly your diet.

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