Restlessness/Leg Aches after chemo?

[kellywin]

Ok, so I am having some difficulty sleeping and in the evenings and early morning (4 or 5 am) my legs ache and I feel like I can't just be still. I was done with chemo in August (my last Oxi infusion was 7/17, finished last round with Xeloda only on 8/20). Has anyone else experienced this? I wasn't sure if it had anything to do with any residual effects from chemo, or could it be something with menopause (since radiation put me into menopause and having a hot flash as I type - damn). I spoke with my Oncologist yesterday while getting the results of my post chemo CT scan results (all clear by the way - yeah!) and he didn't really offer an opinion either way. Anyone else experience this? If so, any ideas on how to make it stop? It's driving me nuts.

[raym]

I did experience restlessness while on FOLFOX...not as much now, but happens from time to time...still on Xeloda though.

[NWgirl]

I find magnesium supplements to be very helpful with the leg/foot aches and cramps I get from time to time.

[teachpdx]

Hi Kelly, I've experienced similar symptoms and it drives me nuts as well. I'm almost one year out from my last chemo and the symptoms are just beginning to subside. They really got bad after exercise. I think between chemo killing off or damaging nerves and muscle atropy/menopause the muscels are all messed up. I didn't take any supplements, but I found that a small dose of Ativan helps me sleep and get past the leg/foot/thigh cramps or shooting pains. Best of luck. I had my reversal in March and I have been trying to exercise as much as possible and lately I'm getting large muscle group soreness like I used to. Never thought sore muscles would make me so happy.

[jens22]

I get similar restless leg which has died down after chemo but still creaps up every now and then. I was given benadry to sleep which made them much worse. 2 things that I know make them go away. I try not to let myself get over tired (Which sometimes means going to bed at 9pm) and I'm also very affected by caffeine. ANy caffiene or chocolate after 4pm will bring on the leg cramps. ( Restless legs)

[tdsamal]

I have had restless leg syndrome for years and have taken meds (Requip)for it that seemed to keep it under control. After my first round of chemo I really noticed a difference in the intensity of my leg pain. During this time we have upped my amount I take 4 fold. It still doesn't keep it under control so the Dr. is switching me to a new drug but my insurance has not yet approved it and probably wont. I do sit in a hot tub before going to bed and that seems to help a little. I am also contemplating doing acupuncture. I would take to your Dr. if it is still keeping you awake.
Tammy

[pog451]

Wow. Another thing I thought I was alone with

I don't have aches but Im six weeks our from Folfox now and Im having a terrible time with insomnia and general restlessness. I generally get woken by my guts somewhere between 1am and 3am and just cant get back to sleep - No specific pains or aches but a general restlessness and inability to sleep. I generally have to go and watch TV for a hour until I can get back to sleep :-/

Sleeping pills help sometimes but not always.

In general, what with the insominia. my digestion being shot to hell and what appears to be an inflamed ulcer at my anastomosis site, Im feeling worse (and have more pain) now, out of treatment, than at any time while I was doing Chemo .

I guess being NED is worth it. If it stays that way.

[Hyfija]

A few months after I had a long embolus in May 2012 and before the discovery of having cancer in January 2013 I suddenly got legs that seemed to have a live their own. When I tried to sleep they moved up and down constantly and it kept me awake. Went to a neurologist who decided to check me into the hospital for a night with complete wiring all over my body. At the end, she still didn’t understand where these movements came from but the diagnoses was “Periodic limb movement disorder”. She gave me Clonazepam, 0,5 mg. It’s muscle relaxant. It works quite good for me.

[Bev G]

I just learned the other day that low ferritin levels can significantly contribute to restless leg syndrome! Who knew?

Bev

[Hyfija]

I just learned the other day that low ferritin levels can significantly contribute to restless leg syndrome! Who knew?

Bev

I didn't know that at the time I had these problems, but I did have severe anemia i.c. iron deficiency before and in the first month cancer was diagnosed. One of the things I learned from a friend who is on chemo, is that chemo also can cause anemia. So there could well be a relation with this condition.

[kellywin]

Thanks everyone for your replies and iput! It's so nice to see that I am not alone (nor are any of you). It's strange because it's almost like what I imagine as restless leg syndrome, but it seems like something else to, just general restlessness...I just can't get comfortable in the evenings on the couch I just seem to always need to change positions or move around. Most of the time my legs are aching. Being over tired is probably part of it as because of the restlessness I am not sleeping well, and as Pog said, many times the old guts play a part here and if it's not the guts it's the hot flashes/night sweats and then once I'm awake I feel restless and can't get comfortable or go back to sleep. Since there's nothing to do at that hour, I end up listing to what's going on outside or staring out our window, our bedroom is on the second floor and looks out onto the street. So the other night I see my neighbors come home at 3:30 in the morning with their kid in tow, I'm thinking why are the neighbors out at 3:30 with a 5 year old, hoping nothing bad has happend with the kid, I check them out on facebook. Hmm, no mention of anything. Now I'm left wondering why they were out at that hour, we're friends enough and on occasion to things together, but of course if I ask, they'll think I'm a freak for spying on them in the middle of the night!