long term side effects?

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kangatoo
kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hiya all. I am curious to know if any of you have/or have had the following problems. In the last 2 months I have been getting incredible pain from my shoulder joints(both shoulders) and it is especially painfull in the mornings. It also often wakes me at night. Ok..it may well be unrelated to cancer or to the after effects of chemo(might be just age...lol!), but I just thought I would put it too you all for comment. The pain radiates down both arms and seems to be joint or bone orientated as it does not feel to me like anything to do with muscle pain. Of course I will ask my gp at my next appointment but would like your input.
Thanks all, Ross and Jen

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  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    #2
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    Ross -

    According to my onc, 5FU and Leukovorin can cause arthritis. I have it in my hands now as a result of chemo. Perhaps that's the answer. It's ironic, but according to my onc, that's how they found out Celebrex (a drug for arthritis) inhibits colorectal cancer recurrence.



    or maybe you're just getting OLD!



    or maybe you're just lifting too many pints before bed!


    Or maybe Jen needs to not "play" so rough!!

    Cheers, mate

    - SB
  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #3
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    Hi,

    My husband is having pain also. His pain is in the bottom of his feet (both feet). He works in a factory and has to wear steel toed shoes. He had experienced occassional minor pain in his feet before cancer. However, this pain is extreme and makes walking very difficult in any shoe.

    The intense pain started during the second round of treatment. We told onc and he said that it is most likely arthritis. He suggested inserts for shoes. That seemed to help some.

    Hubby recently had PET scan and received good report. (Now I can stop thinking about bone cancer.)

    Betty
  • JKendall
    JKendall Member Posts: 186
    #4
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    Hey Ross. Jerri has pain in her shoulders also. Didn't have it before chemo. Mere coincidence?

    Now if the pain were in her neck or butt, it could be caused by...well, we know what the wives always blame it on!

    Take care buddy.

    Jimmy
  • KFalvey
    KFalvey Member Posts: 118 Member
    #5
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    Hi Ross,
    I finished folfox on Sept.10th and about 3 week after started having muscle and joint pains in both arms, hands,legs and feet. My fingers are stiff and thumbs feel like I sprained them. Feet feel like they've been inflated. Muscles in my legs ache after walking, then stiffen up soon after stopping. I thought it was just from the neuropathy that also got much worse after finishing chemo. I'm really hoping it will go away soon. It bothers me when I'm sleeping also. I go for a checkup on the 30th. If I find out any helpful information, I'll post it.
    Here's hoping we all feel better soon!!
    Kandy
  • tkd3g
    tkd3g Member Posts: 767
    #6
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    Hey Kanga Man,

    Gees, I was starting to believe it was in my head. I've been complaining ( to anyone who'll listen!) that I feel terribly old all the time. I think everyone of my joints hurt. I've had "trigger finger" in both my thumbs. I get these weird pains on the outer part of my feet.

    Oh there was a day, not too long ago when I was flying thru the air doing jumping kicks and flying kicks in my martial arts. Now, I can't even touch my toes. Sucks.

    I'm gonna check into that arthritis info, George. Hadn't heard that, but it fits.

    Best to you , my friend. GOod luck with the doc. ( when I mentioned my aches and pains to the oncologist, he said it wasn't the chemo. Oh gee, I wonder what it was then? Sometimes, I wonder about these "professionals".)

    Barb/ Elaine :)
  • nanuk
    nanuk Member Posts: 1,358 Member
    #7
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    Kanga: is it an aching or shooting pain? Constant or intermittent?
    pain is always a scary thing to a cancer patient..I've had constant severe butt pain for the past 3 months which aches instead of shoots, & knee & back pain, but no shoulder pain. So far all tests negative for cancer, and the cause is undetermined.
    wearing pain patches to control the pain & presently going in for CT and PET; MRI didn't show anything either. I think it's late effects of chemo/radiation.
    Bud
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #8
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    nanuk said:

    Kanga: is it an aching or shooting pain? Constant or intermittent?
    pain is always a scary thing to a cancer patient..I've had constant severe butt pain for the past 3 months which aches instead of shoots, & knee & back pain, but no shoulder pain. So far all tests negative for cancer, and the cause is undetermined.
    wearing pain patches to control the pain & presently going in for CT and PET; MRI didn't show anything either. I think it's late effects of chemo/radiation.
    Bud

    Thanks guys n gals...metinks that there is treachery afoot, especially reading about all the similar pains here. I suspect that if one specialist says it is chemo related and another says it is not...then they are all telling lies!
    Sponger...the pain feels like it is in the shoulder joint but also radiates as a dull ache down both arms. The hands are fine except the two fingers next to my thumb on the right hand. In the morning they are all cramped up and I find it hard to hold anything(keep yah smart comments to yahself Bob...lol!) The two joints at the base of those fingers(knuckles) hurt like hell. Yup, probably arthritis!
    Bud....constant throbbing! But it does seem to settle down if I go do some activity that uses my arms and hands. Geeez...there I go again. If I keep talking here all you guys are gunn have a field day talking about my private life...lol!
    Betty, Jimmi, Kandy.....somehow I think that coincidence is not likely..there are too many here that have reported the same sorts of pain after chemo. Kinda like give us a med to help one ilness and get addled with the ilness caused by the remedy..and on it goes. Still...better than the alternative I guess.
    Hiya Barb...great to know that someone is working. I tell Jen I work all tha time keeping her safe, sound, n fed. After she comes home from work I am in big trouble if the housework is not done!!....lol!
    Touch yer toes??....easy...sit on floor n touch 'em....he!he!
    huggs to all, Ross n Jen
  • optimist
    optimist Member Posts: 51
    #9
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    I just spent the day at the hospital because I complained of shoulder pain. It was very intense at first, but now I feel a sharp pain in my right shoulder and back only when I inhale deeply.I went to my dr for my normal weekly chemo. My dr felt that shoulder pain is new to me and since erbitux can cause lung problems, I should go to the hospital and get a lung xray and ct. My lungs were fine. However, I know that I have mets to my liver and abdomen so I'm nervous that one of those grew. I'll probably get a new ct soon. I'm waiting for the dr to call me and tell me what to do.
  • eweb
    eweb Member Posts: 14
    #10
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    Hi,
    I had a similar thing following 5-fu/leu and was also told that it was not a side-effect. My aches and pains were in my limbs. The blood work for arthritis came back negative and by sheer chance I came across an ailment called "fibromyalgia". It affects the muscles, ligaments and tendons and its cause is unknown. For about 8 months I had small attacks that lasted a few days. I have not had symptoms for about 6 months, so maybe it does resolve itself over time. There is a lot of information on the internet about it. Hope this helps.
    Ellen
  • sherylsv
    sherylsv Member Posts: 1
    #11
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    long term side effects

    My cancer treatment ended 1 year ago (rectal cancer) but I am having abdominal pain with bloating, pressure under my breastbone which radiates up my back.  Thought it diverticulitis and eliminating nuts & seeds helped.  Also too much dairy creates similar problems and went to lactose-free products.  Still the pain which stops bowel function for at least 24-36 hours and when it resumes, it is watery diarrhea.  Stomach growls sound like a "mad tiger "is in there.  Anyone else have digestion issues?

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #12
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    sherylsv said:

    long term side effects

    My cancer treatment ended 1 year ago (rectal cancer) but I am having abdominal pain with bloating, pressure under my breastbone which radiates up my back.  Thought it diverticulitis and eliminating nuts & seeds helped.  Also too much dairy creates similar problems and went to lactose-free products.  Still the pain which stops bowel function for at least 24-36 hours and when it resumes, it is watery diarrhea.  Stomach growls sound like a "mad tiger "is in there.  Anyone else have digestion issues?

    Hello and welcome to the forum

    This is a very old post, 12 years, and those who have posted here no longer post (or live, as the case sadly, may be). 

    May I suggest you start your very own thread on the forum home page. Here is the link. We would love to respond to your question there.  

    Here is the link https://csn.cancer.org/forum/128

    Tru

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