Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) Support Group

My husband is not getting charlie horses (so far) but he has every other side effect from Gleevec. Sorry that is happening i know they are painful.

I get painful cramps in my arches. If your charlie horses are muscle cramps, that is a common side effect of Gleevec. I have found that drinking at least 12-20 oz of quinine water (tonic water) a day helps to prevent the cramping. Others have reported that potassium also helps.

Thanks! I do get muscle cramps but these are actually charlie horses! They are terrible. I see a natural pathic doctor who told me to drink coconut water it has a lot of potassium in it. I will try your quinine too. Thanks for the info.

I tried using the quinine water, but was unable to stomach it in the quantities needed to help. I get leg cramps at night, and I have found the best thing to do is get up immediately and walk around. Sometimes they are severe enough to where I have to hold on to something to walk, but even then, just putting weight on the leg helps quicker. Try a heating pad afterwards too.

Samantha, those charlie horse pains in the feet and legs are horrible, I know! And, they are fairly common with Gleevec. The advice from our support group works---stretching, potassium, quinine and lots of water. I've done them all! I also drink warm milk, eat a half banana, and drink water before bed. Yes, I have to get up and pee during the night, but I'd rather awaken for that than the terrible pain in my legs! Let us know what works for you! Hugs!

I have had the worst cramps I have ever imagined in my life. I have had cramps in places I didn't even know you could get cramps. Hands and fingers, feet, calfs and the worst is the thigh. Thigh cramps top it. They were coming and going but it seems to come in spurts. I will cramps a lot then not for a few days. Watch the potassium to much can be risky for the heart. My potassium levels have always been fine but yet I still get horrible cramps. Good luck. I walk or stand and rub or hit and sometimes cry cuz they hurt.

I am getting charile horses in my feet, they happen when I am lying down, if I stand up it helps them go away. They do not last to long I can usually make them go away.

Good luck

Hello all,
When I was onglivec, now on dasatinib, I would get cramps in all parts of legs, & hands. I found that taking a calcium each day helped to relieve the frequency of the cramps, but they would not go for good.
I have now been on dasatinib for 3 weeks & no noticable side effects yet, long may it continue.
good luck to all
Bob