GREAT Advice for Leg Cramps

[nygirl7]

Well I thought when treatment ended and I was SVR the leg cramps would end...but nope still get those foot cramps and charlie horses.  I finally had to break down and go to a specialist.

Well he told me to take a glass of Tonic Water every night.  It contains "quinine" and it should help and then go to physical therapy.  Iv'e been too busy for the PT but I started drinking that tonic water.

You know what - not ONE toe cramp or charlie horse since I did it!

I just keep the bottle by my bed and chug it down before I go to sleep and it WORKS.

Best $25 copay I ever spent in my life.

Thought it could help you guys too!

deb

[Magnum]

Thanks for the advice. I too have been tormented by this...

Magnum

[jdwithhcv]

Thanks, foot cramps at night are torture!  I'll try that.

[nygirl7]

Magnumbo -

I'm hoping it ain't no coicendence but I've had them all of my life and it's the first week I havent so I'm thinking it has to be related somehow?

I hope to God it works!

[annieCinMD]

Really weird, but I haven't had one of these since I started TX. I had 'em before it, and nothing else will bring you out of a deep sleep like one of those mothers. I'll keep the tonic water in mind in case I start getting them again. Thanks!

[GSDgirl]

My husband drinks tonic water quite often at the first sign of cramping and it does work.  I used to buy him homeopathic quinine pills but they took them off the shelves for some reason.

Denise

[franke566]

Would it hurt to put a little Gin in that tonic?  Maybe thats why I never got leg cramps-I thought it was the Gin-it numbs everything else, but I guess it was the tonic.

[GSDgirl]

frank, hahah!  I wouldn't know, hubby doesn't really drink unless it is 300.00 a bottle scotch............YUCK

[nygirl7]

Annie mine stopped during treatment too - then they came back.....I hope that you have better luck, I really do they just are horrible - but again one more night no leg cramps at all after drinking down that tonic!  :)

[annieCinMD]

Put a little lemon or lime in it if you think it tastes bad. I used to put a whole lot of top shelf gin in it (along with lemon or lime), but that's no longer an option. lol!

[Kathy73]

I've been taking tonic for leg cramps and restless leg for over a year. The Polar Diet tonic doesn't have the carbs. My mother used to take the quinine pills for the same thing but the doctor had her stop because of possible kidney damage. I hate the taste of tonic but when my legs are acting up I choke it down!

[evangelin]

I have looked at this before because my husband has leg cramps to but he also has cirrhosis so I check things out before giving him new things.  They have some cases of hepatoxicity caused from quinine.  Maybe they were taking way too much,I don't know, but at least with my husbands case, I can't take the chanse so he will have to suffer the leg cramps.  If you google quinine, there is lots of information.  Tonic water does have much less quinine than the supplements had.  The supplements have apparently been banned by FDA.  Here is one short article about it:
How Safe Is Tonic Water?

Newspaper Columns, Herb & Home Remedy Q&A April 21, 2009

Q. I have been drinking a liter or two of tonic water a week for nearly 25 years. Now I'm reading about risks associated with quinine. How much is too much? How much quinine is in tonic? What are the side effects? Should I stop drinking tonic water?

A. Quinine has been used medicinally to ward off malaria since the 17th century. The normal dose to treat malaria is 648 mg every eight hours for a week. A glass of tonic has roughly 20 mg, so you can see that there is a big difference.

Some people are so susceptible to serious side effects from quinine that they must avoid even the small amount in tonic water. For them, quinine may cause life-threatening heart rhythm disturbances, severe skin reactions and several blood-related complications. That is why the FDA banned quinine for treating leg cramps.

Since you have not experienced any complications for 25 years, it is unlikely that you need to give up tonic. A glass or two daily should not cause you problems.

[merryBe]

I've been having big issues with this..not during tx but now that I'm done.

this is a very informative site

http://www.medicinenet.com/muscle_cramps/article.htm

In my case, my potassium was low and I am withdrawing from ativan.
The potassium may have been made low by the metforim I was placed on, not sure, but it does effect some vitamins and minerals from absorbing as well, notably B12.
I switched to Bytetta from metformin, and slowed down my tapering of ativan, and also ate lots of high potassium foods.
Of course, low calcium and magnesium can also cause lots of leg cramps.

Any number of anti-anxiety drugs cause muscle cramps when withdrawing.
Of course we know also liver disease itself can cause this.

Check out that site, I like that it covered all the major causes, and types of cramps as well.

mb

[GoofyDad]

I seem to recall an issue with quinine and low platelets. Suggest anyone with the low platelets google and read before chugging too much of the tonic water.