Charlie Horse??? Rib Pain......Night Sweats...... Back injection Thursday.. :)
This past week I have started getting "Charlie Horses" in my left leg. The first one I got woke me up from a sound sleep and I sat up gasping for breath and screaming. It was horrible!!! The pain was in the lower left leg.... in the front. It was actually making my toes bend toward my shin...with constant severe pressure and it would not stop. I was screaming and crying and begging my husband to make it stop. He got a cold wet towel and wrapped it around my leg and made me stand on it and apply pressure to try to flatten the foot. It finally stopped. Then my leg from the knee down was numb and I could not walk on it cause I could not feel it. THAT WAS FREAKY!!!! I have no idea what causes this kind of thing. Do you? I started getting another one a few days later in that same spot but I immediately stood on my foot and stopped it from taking on a mind of its own. Last night I got a mild Charlie Horse in upper back left leg.... but it quickly went away. Please chime in and share if any of you had or have any of this similar stuff. This is all new to me.
I have been waking up in the middle of the night soaking wet....hair drenched....clothes wet. I have been thru the menopause thing 2 years ago and only had minimal nite sweats. So whats up with that???
Most of you know I have been going thru this "broken bone" syndrome.... or whatever you wanna call it. I am scheduled Thursday afternoon to get the "cement" injections to fix fractured T7, T8, hairline wedge between the two, and a vertebre that shrank in half. Outcome is suppose to be good so I am excited about that.
I slammed my car door into my right rib area a few weeks ago and I don't know if I broke anything or just bruised. I have been eating Oxycodone like candy...faithfully every 4 hours...around the clock...and now I find myself counting down the minutes until my next dose as it seems the pain is getting worse. I almost went to ER last night cause all I could do was cry. It just seems to me that after 2 weeks I should be seeing SOME kind of improvement... but it is worse. Hubby says thats because I am NOT taking it easy. I fish EVERY day and he says that movement could be irratating it. It does not hurt when I cast out but later on it seems like it catches up with me. I finally called Onc this morning and asked if this was normal. He agreed with my husband and said bruised ribs take a LONG time to heal. BUT.... he did send me in to get some x-rays just in case its something else....which he doubts. Should get those results tomorrow. Man..... I am praying its NOTHING else!!!
Anyway...thats my update. Appreciate any comments from ya'll. Take care
Jennie
Comments
-
Menopause is not a short
Menopause is not a short term thing. Some women have symptoms for 10 years or even the rest of their life. Chemo finishes very quickly what our body would have done slowly. I'm not talking about cessation of bleeding, I mean the full blown start to end of menopause. You also said you lost a lot of weight. Fat makes a form of estrogen. Weight loss means less of that pseudo-estrogen. I wouldn't worry about the night sweats. I have them, too.
The Charlie Horse sounds like the leg cramps that can be caused by either calcium or potassium defiency. OUCH is right! I had them during pregnancy and also had painful legs when I was a bit dehydrated. You spent a lot of time in the sun fishing and mentioned drinking a few beers. Both the sun and beer dehydrates you. Might be that. Low B vitamins can cause leg cramps. Many medicines and diabetes can cause leg cramps. Best thing to do is POINT the toes and massage out the cramp.
Ribs take a LONG time to heal. Hubby broke a couple playing in the Men's Senior Baseball League a number of years back and they hurt for months and months!0 -
Yes
I've had leg cramps or charlie horses before but not since cancer dx. I used to work very hard and rapid paced on a concrete floor. Started having calf and foot cramps. My boss was an ex-college football quarterback ( Auburn ) and he told me to eat more salt. Told me to put some in my hand and lick it. That's what he said football players used to do. It worked for me but I'm suspecting that might not be what is going on w/you.Glad you had more x-rays.
The second thing though...I have had same thing going on for the past few weeks. I am 3 yrs post menopause and my ovaries were taken out with my colon surgery. I have what I call the freezing to death one minute, burning up the next minute syndrome. It isn't exactly like the night sweats & hot flashes that I had with menopause, plus I am on HRT so shouldn't be having this stuff.I was thinking that the chemo is seeping out of my pores causing this.
Hope things get better for you.That much pain is horrible!
-Pat0 -
It's Eric's Turn to Watch You, LOL:)
Hey, Jen
You gotta' stop swinging from the chandaliers:)
Sounds like good advice given here. I get the night sweats alot from time to time.
Mostly it's when I'm in the hospital after surgery and then when I'm home for a few months after a surgery. Sometimes a full body sweat - and a head sweat.
Pillow soaked through on both sides, like a sponge and if it's on the body, then the sheets are just wet and uncomfortable...torso just drenched.
I stopped worrying about it - must be some kind of dreamin' going on.
You should take it easier for a spell - you gotta' lot of time now, right?
Just goofin' with you - Craig0 -
Menopause
Gosh I don't have the cancer but boy do I remember waking up just sweating bullets. It was awful. While on HRT no problem but when I stopped the HRT, hit like a ton of bricks. Eventually, it goes away but if it continues, your doc can give you something for it but it is my understanding that now they will only do it short term. The only good thing about menopause is you dont' have to worry about getting pregnant anymore, guys love that.
On occasion I get the leg cramp, all the way to the toes, if you can stand it, rub the leg muscle and the muscle will stop constricting.
Thats all I got.
Tina0 -
Wow Jenny...geotina said:Menopause
Gosh I don't have the cancer but boy do I remember waking up just sweating bullets. It was awful. While on HRT no problem but when I stopped the HRT, hit like a ton of bricks. Eventually, it goes away but if it continues, your doc can give you something for it but it is my understanding that now they will only do it short term. The only good thing about menopause is you dont' have to worry about getting pregnant anymore, guys love that.
On occasion I get the leg cramp, all the way to the toes, if you can stand it, rub the leg muscle and the muscle will stop constricting.
Thats all I got.
Tina
...I don't think I could chime in much on what's happening to you, I still get the night sweats from the chemo, but jeeez, nothing like Craigs, mine's not as much where I'm getting soaked in sweat, I just feel a lil wet around the neck and torso, I use to laugh at all those deodarant commercials when I was a teen where you see all these girls just sweating through their shirts, especially in their cleavage area, and armpits, they'd be so sweaty, I thought they were lying, people didn't get that wet, took me awhile till I got to High School and had to get changed in the locker rooms, and saw for myself..."Yes, they sweat as bad as animals, and smell like animals" so now I believed it! LOL!
I used to get Charlie Horses alot, and I heard that you should walk it out, always walk it out, I know it hurts, but they did go away when I walked. But once I started chemo, I have not had ONE Charlie Horse! Isn't that strange? I used to get them at least once a month. It's only if I slept in a weird position as well, you have to watch what position you lay in at times, or else you wake up with certain aches and pains. I know it's hard becaause who knows how to end up sleeping right when you're sleeping, and not thinking of how to end up in a good position lol...
I didn't know menopause could go on for years, so I may be going through it was well, and not even know it. ALL I know is...I don't miss my period
Hope you start feeling better girl, I would ask about the Charlie Horse probably though!and get that checked out!
Hugsss!
~Donna0 -
Lady Didianetavegia said:Menopause is not a short
Menopause is not a short term thing. Some women have symptoms for 10 years or even the rest of their life. Chemo finishes very quickly what our body would have done slowly. I'm not talking about cessation of bleeding, I mean the full blown start to end of menopause. You also said you lost a lot of weight. Fat makes a form of estrogen. Weight loss means less of that pseudo-estrogen. I wouldn't worry about the night sweats. I have them, too.
The Charlie Horse sounds like the leg cramps that can be caused by either calcium or potassium defiency. OUCH is right! I had them during pregnancy and also had painful legs when I was a bit dehydrated. You spent a lot of time in the sun fishing and mentioned drinking a few beers. Both the sun and beer dehydrates you. Might be that. Low B vitamins can cause leg cramps. Many medicines and diabetes can cause leg cramps. Best thing to do is POINT the toes and massage out the cramp.
Ribs take a LONG time to heal. Hubby broke a couple playing in the Men's Senior Baseball League a number of years back and they hurt for months and months!
I thought after 2 years of NO MORE SYMPTOMS that the menopause was gone. You mean it could come back and haunt me ANY time for the rest of my life???? So if I go 10 years with no symptoms..and then have nite sweats.... I am considered BACK in menopause mode?????? So basically.... you are NEVER done with menopause until you are dead???? LOL.... well, that sucks a big one~!
Jennie0 -
Hey PatJaylo969 said:Yes
I've had leg cramps or charlie horses before but not since cancer dx. I used to work very hard and rapid paced on a concrete floor. Started having calf and foot cramps. My boss was an ex-college football quarterback ( Auburn ) and he told me to eat more salt. Told me to put some in my hand and lick it. That's what he said football players used to do. It worked for me but I'm suspecting that might not be what is going on w/you.Glad you had more x-rays.
The second thing though...I have had same thing going on for the past few weeks. I am 3 yrs post menopause and my ovaries were taken out with my colon surgery. I have what I call the freezing to death one minute, burning up the next minute syndrome. It isn't exactly like the night sweats & hot flashes that I had with menopause, plus I am on HRT so shouldn't be having this stuff.I was thinking that the chemo is seeping out of my pores causing this.
Hope things get better for you.That much pain is horrible!
-Pat
That is so weird that you mentioned the salt theory. That day of the 1st cramps.... I had ate a big bag of sunflower seeds. I was thinking maybe THAT had started something because my ankles had edema. Thanks for your words Pat.......... YOU take care girl
Jennie0 -
Lumbo what?????Kerry S said:Lumbosacral plexopathy
Jennie,
I had bad leg pain only at night during chemo/rad. It’s called Lumbosacral plexopathy. From what I read about it, it can show up even years after rad. It is from nerve damage.
Kerry
wow Kerry......... never heard of that but I learn something new every day! I have never had rad. thanks so much for your input. I sure appreciate it.
Jennie0 -
Hey Craig!Sundanceh said:It's Eric's Turn to Watch You, LOL:)
Hey, Jen
You gotta' stop swinging from the chandaliers:)
Sounds like good advice given here. I get the night sweats alot from time to time.
Mostly it's when I'm in the hospital after surgery and then when I'm home for a few months after a surgery. Sometimes a full body sweat - and a head sweat.
Pillow soaked through on both sides, like a sponge and if it's on the body, then the sheets are just wet and uncomfortable...torso just drenched.
I stopped worrying about it - must be some kind of dreamin' going on.
You should take it easier for a spell - you gotta' lot of time now, right?
Just goofin' with you - Craig
Eric is sluffin off..... it IS his turn....ERIC????? dude??? I am just HAPPY to have you BOTH on my team!!!
Craig...you sure you ain't going thru menopause??? LOL..... and what is that "some kind of dreamin' going on"????????? Dude...... you be having WET dreams??....LOL.... aint nutin wrong with that!
I have been taking it easy after I did that to my ribs. Until my bod gets back to "normal".....whatever that is... I am walking around like a 90 year old woman!!
Take care sweetheart!
Jen0 -
Hey Tina!!geotina said:Menopause
Gosh I don't have the cancer but boy do I remember waking up just sweating bullets. It was awful. While on HRT no problem but when I stopped the HRT, hit like a ton of bricks. Eventually, it goes away but if it continues, your doc can give you something for it but it is my understanding that now they will only do it short term. The only good thing about menopause is you dont' have to worry about getting pregnant anymore, guys love that.
On occasion I get the leg cramp, all the way to the toes, if you can stand it, rub the leg muscle and the muscle will stop constricting.
Thats all I got.
Tina
How the heck you doin???? y menopause symptoms DID go away...2 years ago.... but according to Diane..... this is a life long ... til death do you part...type of thing????? Just don't seem right...does it? Thanks for your input Tina..... I always enjoy hearing from you!
Jennie0 -
Hey Donna!!!Shayenne said:Wow Jenny...
...I don't think I could chime in much on what's happening to you, I still get the night sweats from the chemo, but jeeez, nothing like Craigs, mine's not as much where I'm getting soaked in sweat, I just feel a lil wet around the neck and torso, I use to laugh at all those deodarant commercials when I was a teen where you see all these girls just sweating through their shirts, especially in their cleavage area, and armpits, they'd be so sweaty, I thought they were lying, people didn't get that wet, took me awhile till I got to High School and had to get changed in the locker rooms, and saw for myself..."Yes, they sweat as bad as animals, and smell like animals" so now I believed it! LOL!
I used to get Charlie Horses alot, and I heard that you should walk it out, always walk it out, I know it hurts, but they did go away when I walked. But once I started chemo, I have not had ONE Charlie Horse! Isn't that strange? I used to get them at least once a month. It's only if I slept in a weird position as well, you have to watch what position you lay in at times, or else you wake up with certain aches and pains. I know it's hard becaause who knows how to end up sleeping right when you're sleeping, and not thinking of how to end up in a good position lol...
I didn't know menopause could go on for years, so I may be going through it was well, and not even know it. ALL I know is...I don't miss my period
Hope you start feeling better girl, I would ask about the Charlie Horse probably though!and get that checked out!
Hugsss!
~Donna
Thanks for the advice on walking it out. That is actually what I have been doing. It seems if I keep direct pressure on it... it subsides a lot quicker. Man, I sure wish you were going to Palooza girl!! We could have a kicka$$ time.......... You take care!
Jennie0 -
CAN be long term, not WILL be :-Didlehunters said:Hey Tina!!
How the heck you doin???? y menopause symptoms DID go away...2 years ago.... but according to Diane..... this is a life long ... til death do you part...type of thing????? Just don't seem right...does it? Thanks for your input Tina..... I always enjoy hearing from you!
Jennie
The 35 Symptoms of Menopause
This list of common symptoms that occur during perimenopause and menopause was developed from the real-life experiences of hundreds of women. All symptoms were experienced by numerous women and were either cyclical in nature, or responded to treatments (both traditional and alternative) known to address hormonal imbalances.
Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling
Irregular heart beat
Irritability
Mood swings, sudden tears
Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles
Loss of libido
Dry vagina
Crashing fatigue
Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom
Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
Disturbing memory lapses
Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence
Itchy, crawly skin
Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons
Increased tension in muscles
Breast tenderness
Headache change: increase or decrease
Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea
Sudden bouts of bloat
Depression
Exacerbation of existing conditions
Increase in allergies
Weight gain
Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair
Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
Changes in body odor
Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head
Tingling in the extremities
Gum problems, increased bleeding
Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor
Osteoporosis (after several years)
Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier
Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing,' buzzing etc.
http://www.project-aware.org/Experience/symptoms.shtml0 -
Lady Didianetavegia said:CAN be long term, not WILL be :-D
The 35 Symptoms of Menopause
This list of common symptoms that occur during perimenopause and menopause was developed from the real-life experiences of hundreds of women. All symptoms were experienced by numerous women and were either cyclical in nature, or responded to treatments (both traditional and alternative) known to address hormonal imbalances.
Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling
Irregular heart beat
Irritability
Mood swings, sudden tears
Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles
Loss of libido
Dry vagina
Crashing fatigue
Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom
Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
Disturbing memory lapses
Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence
Itchy, crawly skin
Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons
Increased tension in muscles
Breast tenderness
Headache change: increase or decrease
Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea
Sudden bouts of bloat
Depression
Exacerbation of existing conditions
Increase in allergies
Weight gain
Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair
Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
Changes in body odor
Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head
Tingling in the extremities
Gum problems, increased bleeding
Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor
Osteoporosis (after several years)
Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier
Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing,' buzzing etc.
http://www.project-aware.org/Experience/symptoms.shtml
Thank you!........0 -
Hmmmmmzenmonk said:night sweats
I have been getting the night sweats since I was diagnosed with cancer. I still get them. Sometimes worse than others. I think for me the chemo messed up my bodies ability to regulate temps. Or maybe I am having male menopause.
I find I have to actually wash my pillows (not the slips only) every couple of months due to night sweats. I also cramp up badly at night. I take a magnesium supplement to help with that. I have heard from several survivors over the years that chemo has done dreadful things to their bones as does prednisone. My immune system is currently targetting my shoulders. The left one is fully frozen and the right is starting to freeze. I have to see a specialist on the 4th of may he is going to inject saline and cortisone into my left shoulder joint to rupture the scar tissue and adhesions. It's called saline distension. I hope it works . Hope you get some relef soon. PS never ,never, never give up the fishing ,it will keep you sane and save your life. I feel NO pain when I am fishing,cheers Ron.0 -
Jennieron50 said:Hmmmmm
I find I have to actually wash my pillows (not the slips only) every couple of months due to night sweats. I also cramp up badly at night. I take a magnesium supplement to help with that. I have heard from several survivors over the years that chemo has done dreadful things to their bones as does prednisone. My immune system is currently targetting my shoulders. The left one is fully frozen and the right is starting to freeze. I have to see a specialist on the 4th of may he is going to inject saline and cortisone into my left shoulder joint to rupture the scar tissue and adhesions. It's called saline distension. I hope it works . Hope you get some relef soon. PS never ,never, never give up the fishing ,it will keep you sane and save your life. I feel NO pain when I am fishing,cheers Ron.
I hope it isn't the BIG M. I haven't had hot flashes for a long time and hope they stay gone. Could be Tyroid!!! Anyway I hope you are out of pain soon. I have brusied my ribs and they do take a long long time to heal. And they HURT!!! Let us no how Thursday goes. I agree with Ron never give up fishing. It sounds like you love it. I used to go with my dad. Best to you Paula0 -
don't stop fishinh
Jennie
try tonic water for the leg cramps, it will work,
good luck with the back shot, i hope it works
Winnie0 -
Charlie Horse
Hi Jennie,
I too had charlie horse's the first few times I had chemo and mentioned it to my oncologist. Apparently the chemo wipes out your potassium, so I would eat a banana before going in for chemo and after I got home, and it worked for me, I never had another charlie horse again. They were brutal, the most pain I ever had for one of those. I also had some kind of magnesium drip before my chemo infusion that was supposed to help.
I too had hot flashes, they were really intense for two straight weeks and then stopped, and that was a year ago and I've never had another one.
I also made sure I was really hydrated, I drank a lot of fluids before the infusion so that the chemo would flow in quickly, and did this before blood tests too, the blood just flew into those tubes. I also hydrated a lot afterwards, albeit I had to have luke warm or warm fluids because I was on oxaliplatin and everything was too cold to drink or touch for 10 days.
Keep reading the posts here and other blogs when you have some questions, they helped me immensely, they also helped me with questions for my doctor too.
Good luck
Luda0 -
Hot flashes
I am convinced that chemo has given me hot flashes. I am 67, never had a hot flash in my life. When I worked everyone had the air down to 60 they were all hot, men and women. I had my winter coat on. Sometimes wished I'd get a hot flash just to warm up. Well, got my wish after chemo, sometimes I can feel my body revving up and hot I get. Haven't had a charlie horse yet, but can sense sometimes when I wake up and stretch, that I had better be careful, my legs get quite close to a charly horse. Thanks for the post, now I know I am not the only one. I try to tell everyone, my whole body sometimes feels like I am plugged into a light socket, I tingle all over, like a hot feeling. That is beside the numb/tingling hands/feet which are always that way. BUT alive I ammmmmmmmmm. Chemo is quite the meds. Pat0
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