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I've been taking Avodart for BPH for about 6 months.

I'd be interested to know if any man here is also taking Avodart, and has had this apparent side effect: leg cramps after strenuous exercise.

I used to get mild cramps after mondo days, especially on the right side (there are other medical reasons for that bias). I could always exercise and massage out those minor cramps. However, in the last 5 months, I've had some cramps that are absolutely, incredibly debilitating. There is a mild forewarning, but when they hit, my whole leg seems to spasm, sometimes for hours afterward. I can be lying totally quiescent an hour later, and the spasms will come in waves.

If anything, I hydrate more than normal (for me). I get plenty of K in my diet.

Thanks -- I've also seen reports of cramps with exercise.

One trouble is that I don't fit the profile of the typical man taking Avodart -- most are older, more sedentary, and don't (e.g.) try to squeeze in a trailless 6000' elevation gain in a day. So what constitutes a "rare" side effect in the test group may be far more likely with me, or with other men at SP.

Before this, I was given another prostate drug that had a 10% incidence of vertigo and fainting. I had this side effect in the mountains big time, especially at elevation, and passed out on one trip (I was able to keep awake by pinching one arm till I could get back to a flat spot). Before that, I was given another prostate drug that lowered blood pressure as a side effect-- not a problem for most older men, but for me, my blood pressure was so low I was always passing out.

Bump. Surely there are other old farts taking avodart.

MoapaPk wrote:Thanks -- I've also seen reports of cramps with exercise.

One trouble is that I don't fit the profile of the typical man taking Avodart -- most are older, more sedentary, and don't (e.g.) try to squeeze in a trailless 6000' elevation gain in a day. So what constitutes a "rare" side effect in the test group may be far more likely with me, or with other men at SP.

Before this, I was given another prostate drug that had a 10% incidence of vertigo and fainting. I had this side effect in the mountains big time, especially at elevation, and passed out on one trip (I was able to keep awake by pinching one arm till I could get back to a flat spot). Before that, I was given another prostate drug that lowered blood pressure as a side effect-- not a problem for most older men, but for me, my blood pressure was so low I was always passing out.

I don't take any medication, but have had mild BPH symptoms for quite some time now. Have you tried saw palmetto? It might help some without the side effects. I've heard good things about it, but did try it and noticed no difference.

Buz Groshong wrote:I don't take any medication, but have had mild BPH symptoms for quite some time now. Have you tried saw palmetto? It might help some without the side effects. I've heard good things about it, but did try it and noticed no difference.

I haven't; even my internist has suggested saw palmetto. But I'm afraid my inherent skepticism would mask the placebo effect!

MoapaPk wrote:

Buz Groshong wrote:I don't take any medication, but have had mild BPH symptoms for quite some time now. Have you tried saw palmetto? It might help some without the side effects. I've heard good things about it, but did try it and noticed no difference.

I haven't; even my internist has suggested saw palmetto. But I'm afraid my inherent skepticism would mask the placebo effect!

It's not just a placebo effect; legitimate studies have shown it to be effective. Some of the medications available are probably derived from it or are synthetic look-alikes to compounds in it. I'm probably as skeptical as you are.