Yep twice! Lucky to be alive. I say if I walk toward the light and don't look back, I will never see that damn shadow of death. I know it is there and will follow me, but walking away isn't a denial, just a recognition of the killer on my tail.
Thanks; I'm convinced it has to do with radiation. I found this about radiation fibrosis... "The ongoing muscle damage, remodeling, and fibrosis in these patients may contribute to muscle excitability and lack of soft tissue elasticity leading to painful spasms. Irradiation has both acute and late effects on the peripheral nerve." I have found that chewing a 300 mg aspirin and drinking a glass of water seems to calm things down for a spell.
Radiation sounds right to me since skin cancer patients receiving multiple radiation treatments (no chemo), experience peripheral nerve damage, resulting in cramps.
I realized this wasn't directed to me, but muscle relaxants don't help mine at all. 600 Ibuprofen usually helps take off the edge.
Earlier this morning, a robin was walking around in the back yard. I mentioned to my husband that the bird must have checked the calendar wrong because it definitely isn't spring. He was all puffed up (the robin, not the husband) and looked cold out there. Later I went out to check on plants and noticed the poor bird was floating in the pool! I got the skimmer net and fished him out; he was quite dead. I started thinking about the report that a bird with "avian flu" had been found in Galveston, about 45 miles from here so I decided to call the county Health Department. Well, that was a waste of time. I got transferred to several different departments; nobody seemed to know what to do with my call. Finally was told they could "give me the number to the University of Houston blah, blah department if I wanted to have the bird tested." Um... what? I laughed and told the goofball that I was putting the bird carcass in the trash. Why the hell would I want to have the bird tested?? It's not like I was planning to cook it or anything. So I went back outside and put the bird into 3 plastic trash bags (using a shovel) and then taped into a cardboard Amazon box. Trash was picked up today and "just in case" I did not want to expose the garbage workers to anything. (Or myself either for that matter.) I dumped a quadruple amount of shock into the pool and we will backwash the filter when the weather warms up again. ♫ The red, red robin went bob, bob, bobin' along. ♪
I don't think reporting such things is worthwhile. Who knows? They might decide to quarantine your house and keep you in isolation.
Beth, Sorry that to hear your still having a problem with cramping. I'm not a doctor but If Aspirin helps makes me think maybe you should take a baby Aspirin everyday. Is it possible Your veins became restricted because of the chemo or radiation? My wife hasn't complained about cramping, but she has Neuropity in her hands. She's constantly dropping stuff. She has no feelings in her hands. I worried that she's going to hurt herself especially when cooking. I was taking a full Aspirin every day, I had to stop because I'm not allowed blood thinners before the biopsy which is in 2 weeks. I don't know if it's related, but my hands, toes, legs have been cramping a lot since I stopped.
Anything is possible but I believe my cramps are from radiation damage. I don't have the cramping all the time, just every month or so. Last time I talked to my sister she told me that when she gets leg cramps (nighttime), she chews an aspirin and drinks a glass of water. I thought what the hell... couldn't hurt to try it. So I did and it worked! I know a lot of aspirin is not good for a person, but maybe I will start taking baby aspirin daily again. Have you tried the home remedies for cramps like pickle juice or a tablespoon of mustard? That stuff works for my "regular" cramps like nighttime charlie horses, etc. So your biopsy is coming up in 2 weeks? I know you'll be glad to have that done and over with. Hopefully you'll get a good result! A lot of people have peripheral neuropathy after chemo. I iced my hands and feet each infusion to try to keep from developing neuropathy, and it worked. The cold constricts blood vessels so the chemo doesn't get into the fingers/toes if they are cold. I'm sorry your wife has to deal with that.
I have also heard of women particularly packing their heads with ice during chemo, believing it would reduce hair loss. I don't know if it works though.