Joint and bone pain

Oh, it's NOT all in your head! I'm now a year out of chemo treatments, and a year into Tamoxifen. I've had incredible joint pain pretty much all the time (there are some days better than others; and when the weather is damp and humid -- it's much worse!). My worst joints seem to be fingers, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders. But, I've also had wrists, jaw, neck, back, toes and feet. That pretty much covers them all, I think. NOT MUCH has been helpful. I use heat, ice, rest, exercise, and have even had some physical therapy for one of my shoulders. I'm guessing that it may be something I'll have to live with. Perhaps it'll get better after I finish the 5 years of Tamoxifen...or, maybe not. We'll see.

I'm sorry you're having trouble. Some people have found relief in arthritis medications, or glucosamine supplements. Although my doctor recommended ibuprofen, even that doesn't help much. So, I'm pretty much learning to live with the chronic pain. Some can handle pain better than others. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. But, even I've had some pretty debilitating days. So, I know what you're going through.

I hope you find some relief. Try swimming in the summer -- the water will be good for you, and the exercise may help with the pain. Just be VERY careful about sun exposure. Those of us who have had chemo need to be very careful about being out in the sun. So, wear sunblock! The warmth of the sun may be helpful for your pain, too. Just be careful as to how long you stay out!

Hope this helps you a little -- even just knowing you're not the only one may be a bit of comfort! I'm hopeful that "this, too, shall pass." Hang in there! ~Barb

Hi, You're not alone when it comes to joint pain. I took my last chemo 3/03 and I still have alot of pain in my joints. It took me awhile to figure out what my problem was. I never had any ache or pains before. I'm not able to take any thing because of stomach problems. So you see you're not alone, just tell your doc. its not in your head. God Bless You.

I had a lot of problems with joint and bone pain during my chemo and after. One thing the chemo nurses suggested was claritin. The bone pain is similar to an 'allergic-type' reaction. Take according to directions - one a day. Walitin (Walgreen's generic) works just as well.