severe muscle cramps

Last night my boyfriend who is in advanced stages of hep. C and awaiting a liver transplant came down with severe cramps, what he referred to as "charlie horses", randomly throughout his entire body.  The cramps were extremely, extremely painful, having him almost doubled over at times.  I had originally thought it was just in his legs but he told me this morning that they had also been in his arms, hands, basically any place in his body where there's muscle.  He's had a few leg cramps on and off before this but never anything to this extreme and never in parts of his body other than his legs.  Is this typical for people with advanced HCV and if so, does anybody know what causes it?  Also, what can be done to prevent it or relieve it if it's underway?

[nygirl7]

I just went to a podiatrist for this a few weeks ago.  I successfully treated two years ago for 72 weeks so for me it should have stopped (but I"ve had them ever since I was a kid).

The doctor told me to drink a huge glass of tonic water every night before I go to bed. The quinine in it would perhaps stop the cramps.  You know what - it did.  Totally.

I've also heard that having low potassium can cause them.  so then it's about eating banana's (as silly as that sounds).

They are two remedies that don't cost a lot that you can try in the interim and see if they help at all.

By the way I had what I guess you'd called advanced hepc - stage 3 liver damage and had it for probably 20/25 years and though treatment is rough...you CAN be cured so hang in there.

Tell him have a banana and drink a glass of tonic water - he'll think you are crazy but he just might make it through the night without them!

[franke566]

this topic was on a thread about a week and a half ago and I tried the tonic water nygirl mentioned and it worked for me the same night.

[Isobella]

We would tell our patients to eat bananas and drink orange juice for leg cramps because of the potassium...not sure if he can tolerate OJ GI-wise tho.

[annieCinMD]

I, too, am trying the tonic water after experiencing a calf cramp the other night. I don't get them too often, so probably won't be able to tell how well it works. I used to take a potassium supplement, because I'm don't really eat bananas that much. I have been washing down my night time dose of meds with the tonic water. It comes in diet, too.

[JackABCD]

Magensium Citrate 1000 Mg.
Try that, doesn't really matter the brand.
Also Banan and what nygirl said, but Magnesium Citrate quite proven for that, come in capsules, very safe, take before bed time 1 or 2.

I think that most people here are not waiting for transplant eventhough they have or had an advanced stage of the disease, so for your boyfriend I recommend to ask the hepa before take something, even that I am confident that Banana and Magnesium citrate are safe.

Best wishes for your boyfriend health.