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Quinine used to be the med of "choice" for leg cramps but is no longer
recommended.

I am not a PD patient (my father had Pd; my brother has it) but have
suffered from severe leg cramps for years.  While on vacation I took
some Q-vel for cramps.  When I got home I went to the doctor.  My
blood test showed my platelet count was approx. 7,000.  Normal is
between 250,000 and 300,000.  After a transfusion my blood count
returned to normal much quicker than expected.  But the cause was not
determined.  They told me to watch for a particular skin condition.
If it ever happened in the future to go to the doctor immediately
since I would be highly prone to hemorrhage ---- a life threatening
condition.

About three years later I noted that symptom one day.  My bloodtest
again showed a very, very low platelet count.  After the hematologist
studied my history he determined I was allergic to quinine.  I had
taken a single quinine pill just the day before.  My platelets
returned to normal without a transfusion.

My only solution is to avoid quinine in any form including tonic
(quinine) water.

It is interesting that while in Vietnam I had been given quinine
tablets regularly as an antimalarial with no apparent side effects.

I have tried to do some research on quinine and have come up virtually
empty except for numerous warnings.  There are references that
indicate quinine appears naturally in some common food items.  I have
been unable to find a complete listing of natural food sources of
quinine, or medicinal products, or supplements that contain quinine.
I have tried contacting the FDA and have, as yet, been unsuccessful.

If any of you "search experts" can find a source of this information
it would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!

I would suggest caution in using quinine and ONLY on a doctor's
recommendation.

Paul