Mom continues to have pain...

fighting for mom

My Mom was diagnosed 2 years ago this Thanksgiving- t4 adenocarcinoma of sigmoid- stage 2b. Resection followed by 5FU. All scans, colonoscopies clear so far, cea .04, but....she has total body pain and continues to feel terrible. She works full time still for the insurance. I guess it could still be effects of the chemo? I guess in my mind I have to wonder if something else is still lurking and growing. It is hard to put those thoughts out of my head. She refuses to go to the Dr and talk about how she is feeling, get tested, etc. I can only imagine the anxiety it would give her. She and my dad almost didn't go on a 1 week vacation because she was worried she couldn't handle being out and about due to not feeling well.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks,
Susan

AnneCan

Hi Susan
I am sorry to hear your Mom is in pain. This must be a worry for you. If she would go to the doctor, maybe the doctor would help her with the pain & figure out what is causing the pain. It is difficult if she won't agree to go to the doctor. I understand being stressed about seeing the doctor, it is important if she is in so much pain. Does she at least see an oncologist regularly, if so would she at least be willing to talk to him/her? Good luck!

fighting for mom

AnneCan said:

Hi Susan
I am sorry to hear your Mom is in pain. This must be a worry for you. If she would go to the doctor, maybe the doctor would help her with the pain & figure out what is causing the pain. It is difficult if she won't agree to go to the doctor. I understand being stressed about seeing the doctor, it is important if she is in so much pain. Does she at least see an oncologist regularly, if so would she at least be willing to talk to him/her? Good luck!

She sees her oncologist
She sees her oncologist every 3 months for her cea test. The problem being they are strictly going off the numbers- and I am just not convinced that they are always good markers, regardless if they have been good markers along this path. I live 4 hours away and have not gone with her to those aptmts- so I really don't know what she does/doesn't tell the onc. I can't convice her to go. I know she is just so worried that it is back and that is why she is putting it off.

What to do - what to do???
Thanks, Susan

tootsie1

me, too
My colon resection was in Nov. 2007. I was diagnosed Stage 1, so I didn't have chemo, but I've had chronic pain since that time. My pain is mostly located right about the site of the surgery. My doctors all feel it is a combination of IBS (have had that for years) and scar tissue at the site, plus just the nature of the surgery. It can cause your bowels to not operate the same way they did before.

I've been assured my scans are clean, and that I'm okay, but I do wonder sometimes. I'm sure everything is fine with your mom, but I understand your concern.

*hugs*
Gail

cgen521

My mother is the same. she
My mother is the same. she was diagnosed in Feb 00. stage 2a.
Had chemo till Sept. 09 and still does not feel 100%.
she has full body pain too. All her scans and blood work are normal.
Maybe its just her age. she is 66 now. How old is your mom
if you dont mind me asking?

fighting for mom

cgen521 said:

My mother is the same. she
My mother is the same. she was diagnosed in Feb 00. stage 2a.
Had chemo till Sept. 09 and still does not feel 100%.
she has full body pain too. All her scans and blood work are normal.
Maybe its just her age. she is 66 now. How old is your mom
if you dont mind me asking?

Thanks for the replies! My
Thanks for the replies! My Mom is 62. This gives me some reassurance that others have had the same symptoms and ongoing pains. I just wish that she would feel good and be able to do all that she wants.

I know it is hard on my Mom but it also hits my Dad pretty hard as well. It upsets him so much that the surgery and chemo were so hard for her, the results so far have been good--but she still feels so crappy.

Hmmmm.....

Thanks,
Susan

Kathryn_in_MN

Sometimes
Sometimes we blame everything on chemo, or worry that cancer has returned, when there might be something else wrong. I was guilty of that myself this last summer. It turned out a lot of my troubles were my thyroid. (Although I did have a cancer recurrance too - that wasn't causing the issues.)

It would be a good idea for your mother to get a full check-up from her primary physician as well as her regular oncology appointments.