Has anyone experienced calf cramps after being on ADT for a while?

[Pianodude]

I get terrible cramps in the early morning at least once a week.

[Seasid]

And vitamin C.

[Seasid]

Sometimes i also experiencing something similar like you mainly after eating salty food. I believe it is to do with dehydration, but I don't really know except that I am having this very painful cramps in my leg muscle only after eating salty food (i love spicy Korean noodles) before going to bed. Try to avoid eating salty food before bedtime. Hope it helps.

[Seasid in reply to Seasid]

About salt: onemedical.com/blog/eat-wel...

[Kaliber]

I’ve been on adt ( Lupron Xtandi Zometa) for 44 months and the last 30 months ( at least ) , I’m a cramp factory. Mostly mid rib cage down …… especially my calf’s , lower back and upper back. My cramps don’t last long but can be frequent and aren’t nearly as severe as before adt cramps, perhaps characterized better like pains than cramps From what I’ve seen on the group , leg cramps are kinda a regular thing in some people sensitive to their adt treatment. Might be associated with loss of T as well.

❤️❤️❤️

I’m not a doctor … this is my own personal experience, yours may vary ….. as always , contact your medical team if you have side effects that are concerning , alarming or debilitating.

[Hidden in reply to Kaliber]

Cramp factory! Haha 😂 I’ve been there done that. All part of the fun hombre mio ! 😳

[Kaliber in reply to Hidden]

No kidding …. Yayahahahaya yayahahahaya ❤️❤️❤️

[Tall_Allen]

Many older people get those cramps. Staying hydrated and some low dose magnesium supplements may help (not too much - it can act as a laxative). My best friend uses a topical magnesium gel before going to sleep.

[Hidden in reply to Tall_Allen]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[CAMPSOUPS]

This is totally anecdotal and wasn't related from a Dr.My wife was experiencing many years ago and it was speculated her potassium was low so she started eating 2 or 3 bananas' a day and within a couple days her calf cramps resolved.

After a month or so she backed off eating so many bananas' and maybe has a couple times a month nowdays.

Of course this could have been coincidental.

Low potassium is a side effect of dehydration but can be present without dehydration depending.

When I get cramps and wonder what the cause I come up with a long list of possibilities.

[Schwah in reply to CAMPSOUPS]

I don’t get cramps but my potassium got very low (3.1). Prednisone and Zytega do that. I now take potassium supplements daily. Up to 3.5.

Schwah

[j-o-h-n in reply to CAMPSOUPS]

With or without the skin?

Good Luck, Good Health and Good humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 04/23/2022 11:13 PM DST

[Hidden]

I had every kind of muscle pain and cramp with Lupron and tak -700. Dehydration is one of the main culprits to cramps. Lots of spring water no matter what. I hated Lupron so much I chopped the boys . 😳 Be well dude! 🎹🎹🎹🎹🎼

[Kaliber in reply to Hidden]

I went to get some spring water …but it was too expensive. I had to settle with early summer water instead….. it was way more affordable.

😁😁😁😁😂😂😂❤️❤️❤️

[Heilung18-Gesund]

In addition to the above measures, muscle stretches may help some. TB

[ARIES29]

My leg cramps at night are mainly due to Dehydration because drinking water gets me up all night. Eat bananas & taking Magnesium Glycinate capsules works for me.Muscle stretches also help.

[redbank]

there may also be a potential for DVT's, Check with the Doctor.

[Hidden]

ADT can mess with your electrolytes. Does your MO have any ideas? A CMP blood test might show an electrolyte imbalance. I had low sodium and was getting cramps. I started salting my food and my MO told me not to overhydrate -> no more cramps. I doubt it will always be sodium though so I would talk to my MO and have the CMP test (comprehensive metabolic panel - a very standard blood test).

[London441]

I like many of us have bladder issues etc from treatments which cause us to get up frequently to pee at night, resulting in habitual lack of hydration to try to beat it back. Diet can play a role I guess, but for me the combination plenty of movement, adequate hydration and stretching of the calves, ankles and feet helps most.

[rosatt1]

I am on ADT get up about 3 or 4 times a night to pee and have to be careful not to stretch my legs otherwise I get calf muscle cramp but pain goes away fairly quickly.

[HopingForTheBest1]

I have been taking cancer rehab physical therapy called Revital program. I do a lot of calf stretching in a slant board, which I also purchased on Amazon to use at home. It definitely helps.

[Pianodude]

Thanks for all the information gentlemen. I had a cramp in the muscle along the front of my shin that lasted for 7-8 minutes and was just excruciating. I am going to talk with my MO and ask him to check my electrolytes and mineral concentration on my next blood draw. And I am going to go bananas... 😜

[EdinBmore]

Yes, to calf cramps towards the end of Lupron treatment. Occurred for about a wk, every morning. Painful. Lasted about 3-5 mins. Btw, it was at the same time as knee joint pain and a "trigger finger" stuck in place. Doc suggested turmeric. Probably coincidental but seemed to help.

EdinBaltimore

[DSJo in reply to EdinBmore]

Finally, someone else with knee joint pain and trigger finger! I was thinking I was going bonkers. Worse in the first few weeks after an injection. Cramps too. Any ankle swelling?

[Pianodude in reply to DSJo]

All of the above.

[DSJo in reply to Pianodude]

Sorry to hear that but glad I'm not alone. Did you find the medical profession is in denial about these things, as I did? Finally found a new GP who took it seriously.

I'm wearing a prescribed compression stocking now which helps a lot with the swelling. Kind of sexy looking in a weird way.

[lokibear0803]

Yeah, for me it started shortly after resuming ADT. The slightest contraction of calf muscles, e.g. barely stretching my legs even while I was asleep, caused unbearable interminable cramps. Started taking magnesium powder late afternoon (product named “Calm”), and almost immediately, the cramping stopped…and it hasn’t returned.

One does have to be careful with Mg like this — ramp up slowly on dose to avoid diarrhea. I supplement Calm with Metamucil to balance things out b/w diarrhea and constipation.

[Ranger2019]

Hello, yes I experienced calf cramps in the morning or it woke me up in wee hours. I added 250 mg magnesium daily for two weeks then went to twice a week. No more problems.

[Currumpaw]

Hey Pianodude,

Calcium and magnesium can be low but-- a solution--and I do mean a--solution-- found to be very effective by the NFL --and myself--pickle juice!

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I'm not promoting any brand, but I read that Vlasic was used. I have used the pickling juice of organic pickles. It works and works quickly.

Currumpaw

[dhccpa]

I sometimes get foot cramps while lying in bed. Standing up for a minute seems to make them go away. A once in a while thing, and not sure Lupron is causing.

[binati]

I had cramps before I started ADT. However, they were few and far between. Now they seem to appear in my legs most nights. I also get mild cramps in my chest - as someone else has mentioned. I guess it is owing to having been on ADT for over 30 months. I have stopped now for the past 2 months. Not sure if the cause is low Testosterone in which case these will continue till that rises - if at all in my case. I'm 76 and the chance of getting back T is quite remote. I will try what Nalakrats has mentioned - Ivory Soap bars and some Chelated Magnesium!

[Hidden]

I haven't been on ADT for years but I have problems with cramps. I get hamstring cramps after sitting for long stretches. I stretch my hamstrings every day but I've been neglecting stretching my calves. I now do that. I saw something on the internet (which therefore must be true?) that stretching your calves can help your hamstrings and it should probably help with calf cramps too I'd imagine.

[j-o-h-n]

I get cramps in my pants when I'm twerking......

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 04/23/2022 11:22 PM DST

[Pianodude in reply to j-o-h-n]

I got rocks in my bed. 🥴

[Kaliber in reply to j-o-h-n]

You wish ….. if you tried to “ twerk “ you’d throw your back out.😂😂😂

[j-o-h-n in reply to Kaliber]

Back? I think you meant my front.............

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Sunday 04/24/2022 1:40 PM DST - Orthodox Easter

[Kaliber in reply to j-o-h-n]

Dreamer ….. 😂😂😂😂😂

❤️❤️❤️

[j-o-h-n in reply to Kaliber]

Schemer....😂😂😂😂😂

❤️❤️❤️

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Monday 04/25/2022 9:18 PM DST

[Kaliber in reply to j-o-h-n]

Yayahahahaya yayahahahaya

❤️❤️❤️

[Stoneartist]

Never had leg cramps before - but they started when I went onto Xtandi. Reduced dose to 120mg/day (Onc agreed) and they have gone - no more leg cramps. Some pharma companies are not good at dosage!!!

[Dynamo]

Hi Pianodude.. I used to have bad cramps in the early morning hours.. I don't know why no one has suggested this, but I use a product called "Hyland's Leg Cramps Ointment.. It works wonderfully.. Its a cream & I smear some on the back of my calves when going to bed and I haven't had a cramp since I started using it.. And that has been probably about a year or so..I always order mine from Amazon.. You get 3 tubes of the stuff for like $20 and a tube lasts me a month or so.. Hyland's also has a tablet for the condition but I always just use the cream and have had excellent results with it.. Check it out & give it a try.. Good Luck..

[jjpeabody]

I have those cramps also somewhat regularly but never have associated them with ADT. I believe mine are more likely associated with small but regular use of clonazepam. Do you take anything for anxiety/depression since PCa. I have asked docs for a few years and they suffer from a blank stare with no explanation, no blood results indicated either. Good luck.