Any recommendations for leg soreness?

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Kompressor
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2012 7:54 pm
Location: Texas

Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby Kompressor » Tue May 01, 2012 10:00 pm

I'm just two FOLFOX tx's into treatment so far. The side effects come and go. Severe constipation has been my worst so far, but I think I may be getting a handle on it. I've read that lower-body soreness can also be a side effect. My legs are killing me. Can't relax them. I'm sure some of it comes from the numerous power squats I've been doing in the bathroom, but that cannot be the sole source of my pain. I don't want to take any more pain pills than I'm already taking, as a matter of fact the hydrocodone does almost nothing for my leg pain although it is effective at relieving my pain elsewhere. My only other thought (as far as medication goes) is maybe a muscle relaxer, but to be honest, when I've taken them in the past (years ago) they seemed to offer little relief. I'll ask my ONC about it next week, but he seems to just give me a script for anything and everything. I'd like to go in with maybe a recommendation or two. Can anyone help?

FWIW, I do usually spend at least a couple hours a day in hot baths, with and without Epsom.
33 Male
3 Colon Resections over 6 years
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
Feb 2012 DX Stage IV CC with peritoneal mets
Start FOLFOX 04.11.12
Stop chemo after 4 treatments due to complications
Cytoreduction, HIPEC, colectomy, ileostomy scheduled for July 6

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waw4
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Location: Durham, NC

Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby waw4 » Tue May 01, 2012 10:34 pm

Wish I could help but I haven't heard of leg pain being a side effect of FOLFOX, nor did I experience it.

Maybe others have some familiarity with this.
Bill's Colonoscopy 6/29/10; Dx Stage I or II
Surgery 7/15/10; Dx Stage III,15/32 lymph nodes
FOLFOX4 start 9/14/10; end 1/20/11 (9 tx)
2021 dx MSH6 Lynch Syndrome positive
(as are my brother, sister & son, but not daughter)
Grateful for 2nd Chance NED time!

edgellc
Posts: 375
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Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby edgellc » Tue May 01, 2012 11:35 pm

Kompressor wrote:I'm sure some of it comes from the numerous power squats I've been doing in the bathroom,
FWIW, I do usually spend at least a couple hours a day in hot baths, with and without Epsom.


Last week i was doing power squats, i had to do about 6 sets of 40 pushes :shock: , seems to be a popular exercise around here :roll: . I got some relief sitting in the hot tub for a few hours with the jets pointing at the backs of my legs. wish i could be more help... :(
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SkiFletch
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Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby SkiFletch » Wed May 02, 2012 12:09 am

Is it leg pain or muscle cramps? Are your legs swollen at all? If it's cramps, that's a neurological side effect of Oxaliplatin, most often made worse by a low-potassium condition, although sometimes also magnesium and calcium. Might be worth looking up some foods that are high in potassium (there are more and better ones than bananas) and try eating some of those to see what happens. There's also always BB's old friend pickle juice
11/13/09 5cm Stage IV 9/25 lymph nodes w/2cm peritoneal met at 29 YoA
12/15/09 LA right hemi-colectomy
6/16/10 Folfox FINISHED
8/10/10 Prophylactic HIPEC
10/9/10 got Married :D
Still NED and living life to the fullest

"Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life."

Kompressor
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2012 7:54 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby Kompressor » Wed May 02, 2012 1:25 am

It's not cramps, it's like Restless Leg Syndrome x10. They are sore and almost impossible to relax. When I lay down, I unconsciously cross my ankles and "flex" my legs. There is no swelling. I'll look into the potassium angle and ask my doc. Thank you for the input guys.

On a related note, my butt muscles feel bruised, like I rode a horse into town. A friend told me its because I lost 20 pounds rather quickly. Sounds kind of silly, but I guess it could be true.
33 Male
3 Colon Resections over 6 years
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
Feb 2012 DX Stage IV CC with peritoneal mets
Start FOLFOX 04.11.12
Stop chemo after 4 treatments due to complications
Cytoreduction, HIPEC, colectomy, ileostomy scheduled for July 6

SkiFletch
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Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby SkiFletch » Wed May 02, 2012 8:43 am

Muscle twitching and cramps are both oxali side effects. MOST folks experience just mild calf cramps/spasms if anything at all, though a few people like yourself suffer more significantly from that symptom. Try eating some foods to bump up your potassium and see what happens :)
11/13/09 5cm Stage IV 9/25 lymph nodes w/2cm peritoneal met at 29 YoA
12/15/09 LA right hemi-colectomy
6/16/10 Folfox FINISHED
8/10/10 Prophylactic HIPEC
10/9/10 got Married :D
Still NED and living life to the fullest

"Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life."

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juliej
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Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby juliej » Wed May 02, 2012 10:04 am

Fletch is right. Oxaliplatin causes muscle stiffness, twitching, and cramps. Try drinking a couple of electrolyte drinks. That's what helped me. They contain potassium, magnesium, sodium, etc. and can help correct an oxaliplatin-induced electrolyte imbalance.
Stage IVb, liver/lung mets 8/4/2010
Xelox+Avastin 8/18/10 to 10/21/2011
LAR, liver resec, HAI pump 11/2011
Adjuvant Irinotecan + FUDR
Double lung surgery + ileo reversal 2/2012
Adjuvant FUDR + Xeloda
VATS rt. lung 12/2012 - benign granuloma!
VATS left lung 11/2013
NED 11/22/13 to 12/18/2019, CEA<1

scottyg
Posts: 135
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Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby scottyg » Wed May 02, 2012 10:48 pm

I have been having the same problem lately. I have not had any chemo since the beginning of March just before surgery. I brought it up with the Doc last week. He prescribed Ferrous Sulfate. Iron pills. I am pretty happy so far. It felt like I needed to go run or climb Mt Everest. Just crazy it would hit me at night before bed. I am still ramping up to the amount they want me to take there are some side effects I have not seen any yet. Talk to your Doc. Hope this helps.
DX Nov 11
Stage 4
6 Folfox + Avastin Dec 11 - Feb 12
Surgery March 15 Took part of Colon and Part of Liver
Folfox + Avastin May 12 - July 12
NED!!! Yippee!!!!

Kompressor
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2012 7:54 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby Kompressor » Sat May 05, 2012 4:53 pm

It may be too soon to tell, but I added an iron supplement since your post Scotty and the pain/restlessness has subsided substantially. I'm hoping that was the culprit and it has been so easily fixed. Thank you.
33 Male
3 Colon Resections over 6 years
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
Feb 2012 DX Stage IV CC with peritoneal mets
Start FOLFOX 04.11.12
Stop chemo after 4 treatments due to complications
Cytoreduction, HIPEC, colectomy, ileostomy scheduled for July 6

justin case
Posts: 4269
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Location: Katy, Texas

Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby justin case » Sat May 05, 2012 5:07 pm

I'm sorry Kompressor, I didn't see this post earlier. All through chemo and radiation, I have had tremendous soreness in my left leg, during and after my normal work routine. I wrote it off to neuropathy. I changed oncs, and she started giving me iron infusions, on my second treatment. I feel much better, although I'm still not up to the proper iron levels. You would think with all the blood they draw, the old onc might have mentioned something. His answer was poor circulation and surgery :roll:
Michael
7/11 diagnosed Stage 2 colon and rectal cancer
chemo/rad
lar/temp ilio
Reversal & port removal
21 round of chemo Folfox 9tx, 5fu 12 tx
Last treatment July 2012

Kompressor
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2012 7:54 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby Kompressor » Thu May 17, 2012 6:47 am

I wanted to take the time to update this thread. Thank you to everyone who replied with advice. I can now confidently say it was iron deficiency. After following the suggestions here, I talked to my onc about the pain and mentioned that iron had been successful for other Colon Clubbers. (I'm sure doctors don't like it when people try to self-diagnose or "self-prescribe", but my Dr. has a lot of respect for this forum, he recommended it to me on my fist visit.) Anyways, he told me to stop taking iron supplements and added Venofer (iron sucrose injection) to my chemo and within two days, all the leg soreness/restlessness is gone, completely.

If someone else comes along and is suffering this side effect, I highly recommend talking to your doctor about adding the Venofer. Its made this horrible process a bit more bearable for me. Thanks again for the input.
33 Male
3 Colon Resections over 6 years
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
Feb 2012 DX Stage IV CC with peritoneal mets
Start FOLFOX 04.11.12
Stop chemo after 4 treatments due to complications
Cytoreduction, HIPEC, colectomy, ileostomy scheduled for July 6

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handicap18
Posts: 441
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 8:26 pm
Facebook Username: kyle.gendron
Location: Burlington, MA

Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby handicap18 » Thu May 17, 2012 8:07 am

Vitamin C helps the body better absorb iron. So eating more vitamin C will also be beneficial. Apples, oranges, Strawberries, honey dew melon, Grapefruit, watermelon, broccoli, Tomatoes, green peppers and baked potato with the skin (which also has iron) are all high sources of vitamin C. Eating or juicing them are better than getting it from bottled juice from the store.

I had that very uncomfortable feeling in my legs a few days after my first treatment. I'd get out of bed each morning for a few days and my legs felt like I just ran a marathon or I just finished working a 12 hour day. Weak and unstable.

Once I started getting a good supply of micronutrients and getting some exercise it went away.

Glad to hear your feeling better!!!
Kyle. Male: 44
dx stage 4 RC w/mets to liver & lungs 3/29/12 - CEA 2937
1st of 15 FOLFOX 4/16/12
9/24 11 tx - CEA 12.9 10/4 CT scan - no lesions in lungs.
12/10 Rectal tumor removed
5/20/13 1st of 16 FOLFIRI
2/3/14 1st Cetuximab

justin case
Posts: 4269
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Location: Katy, Texas

Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby justin case » Thu May 17, 2012 6:01 pm

I've been on the venofor for 4 weeks. I talked with my onc yesterday, and the low iron levels, is attributed to the 5FU. As that's all I'm getting right now, besides the leukovorin, it must be so. Thanks for updating Kompressor, I didn't think I was imagining less trouble with my leg, but it sure helps to know someone else benifitted also!
Regards,
Michael
7/11 diagnosed Stage 2 colon and rectal cancer
chemo/rad
lar/temp ilio
Reversal & port removal
21 round of chemo Folfox 9tx, 5fu 12 tx
Last treatment July 2012

simon031003
Posts: 553
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:17 pm
Location: Central Texas

Re: Any recommendations for leg soreness?

Postby simon031003 » Thu May 17, 2012 10:12 pm

Wow this describes my husband's problem to a T. All the way to the sore butt muscle. We are going to call onc and get him to run a test on his iron levels.
Michelle wife of Esteban
T3N1M0 12/31/10
Folfox 2/22/11
9/19/2011 confirmed cancerous lymph nodes via biopsy; started FOLFIRI with Avastian turned into FOLFIRI with Ebritux now FOLFIRI w Vectibux 12/12 mets to liver and pancreas
2/17/13 resting in Heaven


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