I began getting cramps about 3 or 4 months after starting chemo. Usually in my calves and feet. I wrote it off as normal and tolerated it. It didn't happen very often.

lately within the last month, I get these "violent" cramps in my calves and upper thighs. These cramps would wake me up in the middle of the night and last a good hour. It would take about a day for the dull ache that is left behind to go away. I also would get cramps in my hands and my feet but those don't last very long and I am able to "fix" them by straightening out my hands and feet.

I asked my Doctor about this and he looked at my blood work and found that I am boarder line anemic. He said that is a part of the chemo and prescribed me some iron pills to try to boost my red blood cells.

If anyone out there has been experiencing these symptoms, please let me know what you did to alleviate the pain.

-I had similar symptoms, and found out, when in the hospital, that I was potassium deficient. They put me on a pill form of potassium during my stay, but told me that when I went home, to eat a banana every day, and I should be fine.

So maybe you are low in potassium.

-Go to the health food store and buy a bottle of B1 100 mg. capsules, not tablets. I like Solaray, but any brand would do. Take one capsule as soon as the cramping starts. If the cramps don't go away within 10 minutes take another one.

I had the cramping along with bloating, chest pains and shortness of breath. After spending a fortune on EKG's, stress tests, etc. that made me look like a fool, I decided to check some vitamin books and came across all the symptoms I mentioned as a B1 deficiency.

My husband works outside a lot and gets the cramps often. He also takes the B1 to get rid of the cramps as do other friends of ours. Anything that depletes your system like too much caffeine, stress, chemo, age, alcohol, etc. will affect your depletion of nutrients. Anyway, it's cheap, can't hurt, and it works.