] a few question about follow up care.

janaes
janaes Member Posts: 799 Member

I have some things I need to talk about.  So I went and saw my primary doctor about two weeks ago.  I talked to her about about my joint pain in my knees that was started about two weeks after my first chemo treatment.  She asked me where It was hurting on my knee and in her office i was feeling that it was on the top of my knee.  So I told her this.  She told me she felt it was artritis.  I told her it came when i was on chemo and never had arthritis before.  She said she didnt know if the chemo agravated the artritis. she still seemed to think it was artritis.  I have looked into this bone pain stuff a little. especially on this site i believe it was under the long turm effects of treatment.  I had never heard of this as arthritis.  I might need to research a little more. 

Was wondering what you guys thought of this? Have you heard of this?

Also was wondering what you guys know about cancer and developing a thryroid that is off.  I have been on thryroid meds since finishing treatments last December (about then).  My numbers are good now but my doctor wants me to stay on them (meds)  for the rest of my life.  I never was tested before cancer but didnt feel I need to either.  I cant remember the side effects of a low thyroid but it bothers me that cancer caused my tyroid to be off and now I have to take this pill forever.  What do you think?  Has this happened to any one?  What is your experience?

Also was wondering if some one could remind me what the scedule is for follow up care with doctors.  I will be comming up my year mark in Noveember of when I finished treatment and was wondering how often I see my doctors after a year (during the second year).

Thank you

With love,

Janae

 

Comments

  • survivingsu
    survivingsu Member Posts: 134 Member
    Thyroid

    Hi Janae,

    I just wanted to share that after treatment I had to go on thyroid meds for life too (hypothyroid).  I had undifferentiated small cell carcinoma 8 years ago.  I was never sure if the throid konking out had anything to do with my cancer or treatment, or aging, etc.  It is a very common issue, especailly after 50. 

     

    I think after treatment schedules depend on your particular cancer and drs.  I was treated with chemo & radiation simultaneously, then surgery, then follow-up chemo.  After treatment I had CT scans every 4 months for a few years that were gradually reduced to 6 months, then yearly, and eventually the cancer specialists gave me the ok to just go to my regular primary care doc for annual check-ups without the need for further scans unless I had symptoms.

    Hope this is helpful to you,

    My very best to you,

    Susan

  • Soup52
    Soup52 Member Posts: 908 Member
    edited June 2017 #3
    I have an arthritic knee, one

    I have an arthritic knee, one I actually had surgery on a number of years ago for a torn meniscus. When I had my first chemo and my side effects surfaced extreme knee pain on both knees was the worst. It was so bad I wasn't sure if I would be able to tolerate further chemos, but I did. I did not have neulasta, so that wasn't the cause of my pain like so many others have had. The pain was never as bad with further chemos. I don't know if this relates to your knee pain or not.  Will probably have knee replacement eventually, but I continue to put it off. I'm one year out from treatment also. I believe I'm going to continue seeing the oncologist every 3 or four months this year.im not sure when I will have another scan, but I'd like to have one. I hate the idea of waiting for symptoms, but I know I have had a lot of radiation so I'm not sure when the dr will ok one or who knows if insurance will approve. I'm not a pessimist, but I find it hard to beliebe that I won't have a reoccurrence since I was 3C with an aggressive type.

  • ncg007
    ncg007 Member Posts: 138 Member
    edited June 2017 #4
    Hi Janae...I too have

    Hi Janae...I too have underactive thyroid and knee pain that developed after treatment.  Was told thyroid was unrelated to cancer and that knee is perhaps arthritis; not sure if I believe this though.  I also ended up with Spinal Stenosis and other issues down my spine from T12(thorac), all Lumbar and down to S1-2(sacrum).  These spinal issues cause severe pain on my left side from my hip down to my foot.  Then on top of that is the Neuropathy.  So its hard to say which of these issues are causing my knee pain.  I was treated with 2 chemo and 28 radiation simultaneously, followed by additional 4 rounds of chemo.  I had my one year in February 2017 and continue to see Onc every 3 months.  Diagnosis was IIIC1, Grade 3.

    i hope you are finding some pain relief.

  • beccabtown
    beccabtown Member Posts: 234
    Hi Janae, Sorry to hear you

    Hi Janae, Sorry to hear you're having trouble with these things. The only thing I know abut thyroid and our cancer is that when my last scan showed a small nodule on my thyroid, my gyn-onc said that she wasn't worried about it "because endometrial cancer doesn't go to the thyroid." But that doesn't mean that other things about treatment can't affect the thyroid.

    I'm having check-ups with my gyn-onc every three months. In between I'll see my other oncologist. I think they plan to do that for two years. I don't think they'll do scans unless my CA-125 goes up.

    I hope you can find something to relieve your leg pain.

  • janaes
    janaes Member Posts: 799 Member
    edited June 2017 #6
    Thanks every one for you

    Thanks every one for you comments.  After reading your comment about your knees i ferther researched and found that others have also been told there joint pain is arthrisis.  I also looked up some off thyroid symptoms which were cold hands and feet and hair lose.  When I think about it I have had cold hands and feet (maybe not so much in the warm months but tended to always have cold hands and feet even after being inside in the winter.  I also at time struggled with hair loss.  It didnt bother me because my hair was so thick that loss of hair qccually was a good thing in some ways.