Study of woman who have completed chemo

plabadie
plabadie Member Posts: 6
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Dear Survivors,
LOOKING FOR WOMAN WHO HAVE COMPLETED CHEMOTHERAPY FOR BREAST CANCER!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am a oncology nurse practitioner masters student at the Univ. of South Florida. My thesis is on women who have undergone adjuvant chemotherapy for a diagnosis of breast cancer. The study is evaluating muscle and joint pain that some women experience after completing chemotherapy (up to one year after chemo)and correlating this to their menopausal status. Pain is not a criteria to participate in the study, since I want a cross section of women to avoid any bias. I became interested in this phenomena after my sister was diagnosised at age 39 with breast cancer. She is now 7 years out and cancer free. Although, she still has complaints of muscle and joint pain that she didn't experience prior to chemo. In my oncology practice, I have witnessed this in other ladies. There isn't a lot of literature or studies out there and I hope that my study will shed some light on this important area. If anything, to inform ladies of the potential and perhaps reassure them that if this happens to them it is most likely not the cancer. Anytime you experience pain after a diagnosis of cancer it is natural to think it is cancer that has moved to other areas of the body. Please give me feedback and if you can participate in the study it only requires signing a consent, answering a short questionnaire, and providing some demographic information about yourself. Exclusionary criteria would be if you had ever been diagnosised with breast cancer before this experience, metastatic disease (other then lymph node involvement) such as liver, lung, or bone, greater then a stage IIIa breast cancer, previous history of chemotherapy or rheumatioid arthritis or a autoimmune disease, completed chemo more then a year ago. You can email me at plabadie@hsc.usf.edu or call (813)431-6182.
Congratulations to all survivors and particularly to those who have recently finished chemo. You did it!!

Comments

  • bullfrog13
    bullfrog13 Member Posts: 213
    you said a mouth full.. i'd be glad to help you.
    jerilynfrog13@yahoo.com
  • plabadie
    plabadie Member Posts: 6

    you said a mouth full.. i'd be glad to help you.
    jerilynfrog13@yahoo.com

    I want to thank those who have so graciously emailed me and shared some of their stories. This is what inspires me to do the work I do each day. I learn more from my patient's experiences then reading about it in a text. I want to share this information with other practitioners, so that they in turn can help women through this experience. You all teach me what real courage is every day! Thanks again survivors!
  • Valentinebambino
    Valentinebambino Member Posts: 1
    I've been done with treatment

    I've been done with treatment chemo and radiation for over a year now and have developed severely achy joints in knees , elbows wrists hands ankles feet. I take tomoxfin. I just want pain to go away. My hot flashes are horrible. I take gabepetine and clondine for those and am now also trying black cohosh. I have had pain shot and it lasted a few days and just dulled the pain. My oncologist took me off tomoxifen for a month to see if that was problem and it didn't change pain. I take a high does of advil or  dexisi . it helps at times but the pain never total goes away. I would like some relief. My thyroid is enlarged and am going thru tests now and my blood pressure is high and am on medicine for it again too. At 44,I feel 104. I sailed thru chemo and radiation with few side effects and little problems. Gained 40-50 lbs instead of lost weight. I am a pretty active person with teenagers , pets and grandchild to tend to. I'm frustrated with what to do. My primary care nurse has been the most helpful and diligent in helping to fix this!! Any suggestions is appreciated. I have read vitamin d helps and magnetic braces things help. Tommy copper was suggested. .. Glad  I'm not alone in this.

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member

    I've been done with treatment

    I've been done with treatment chemo and radiation for over a year now and have developed severely achy joints in knees , elbows wrists hands ankles feet. I take tomoxfin. I just want pain to go away. My hot flashes are horrible. I take gabepetine and clondine for those and am now also trying black cohosh. I have had pain shot and it lasted a few days and just dulled the pain. My oncologist took me off tomoxifen for a month to see if that was problem and it didn't change pain. I take a high does of advil or  dexisi . it helps at times but the pain never total goes away. I would like some relief. My thyroid is enlarged and am going thru tests now and my blood pressure is high and am on medicine for it again too. At 44,I feel 104. I sailed thru chemo and radiation with few side effects and little problems. Gained 40-50 lbs instead of lost weight. I am a pretty active person with teenagers , pets and grandchild to tend to. I'm frustrated with what to do. My primary care nurse has been the most helpful and diligent in helping to fix this!! Any suggestions is appreciated. I have read vitamin d helps and magnetic braces things help. Tommy copper was suggested. .. Glad  I'm not alone in this.

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