Anybody else try physical therapy?

EZLiving66

I've gone through four sessions of physical therapy.  The first one was just testing to see where I am now compared to where I was before chemo.  Needless to say, I'm worse.  

But, after each session, I feel worse!!  Now I'm having problems with my left knee that was just fine before I started the PT.  After yesterday's session, I alternated between heat and cold all night and took a couple of Advil.  Around one this morning I woke up, my knee was killing me and I had the dry heaves.  We usually have a bigger lunch and a light supper so it wasn't like I had eaten too much either.  I was up a couple of times and finally around three thirty I took a whole Percoset - I hadn't had to use that for at least a month.

My physical therapist is having me tested for a cognitive problem.  When I was so sick from the chemo, my GP thought I might have had a mini stoke and now my physical therapist thinks so too.  My left side is a lot weaker than my right side and she said my gait looks like the gait of a stoke patient.  I drag my left foot when I walk.  I also get dizzy if I try to lay on my left side.

Before this d*mn cancer I could write with both hands.  It's somewhat difficult to write with my right hand (I used a magic marker to address my christmas cards) but it's getting better as my fingers become less numb.  But I can hardly hold a pen with my left hand.  The left side of my face was also numb for quite a while.  It's better now but it still doesn't feel like the right side of my face.  The earliest they could get me in for a full evaluation is in two weeks.  I'm going to talk to my physical therapist next week about my knee pain and see if we can change some of the exercises or get a brace for that knee.  I do NOT want to have to have surgery on my knee!!

When will this end???  I just want my life back 

Love,

Eldri

Unknown

Hugs for you

I can't say anything to make it better, sorry.  I hope that you didn't suffer a stroke, but it's a possability.  I have only had physical therapy for problems not related to chemo or neuropathy.  In most cases, it helped, not hurt, but I never got any relief from my sciatica type pain.  It's possible that you could still have nerve problems, and I really don't think PT can help the pain.  What it can do is strenghten your legs, but if it's hurting your knee, then no it's not helping.  I have read that chemo can worsen joint arthritis, I know my knees are hurting now, but I'm still "technically" doing chemo.  Also, when I hurt, I feel sick to my stomach, could that be a reason for feeling sick?  Wish I could help.  Hugs Nancy

EZLiving66

unknown said:

Hugs for you

I can't say anything to make it better, sorry.  I hope that you didn't suffer a stroke, but it's a possability.  I have only had physical therapy for problems not related to chemo or neuropathy.  In most cases, it helped, not hurt, but I never got any relief from my sciatica type pain.  It's possible that you could still have nerve problems, and I really don't think PT can help the pain.  What it can do is strenghten your legs, but if it's hurting your knee, then no it's not helping.  I have read that chemo can worsen joint arthritis, I know my knees are hurting now, but I'm still "technically" doing chemo.  Also, when I hurt, I feel sick to my stomach, could that be a reason for feeling sick?  Wish I could help.  Hugs Nancy

Thanks, Nancy, for the hug!

Thanks, Nancy, for the hug!  I think I expected once the treatment was over things would get better quickly and I could get on with my life.  It's like I take one step forward, then two steps back.  And, always in the back of my mind is..... if, and/or when, the cancer is going to come back.  Even last night when I was having those pains I was thinking what if it's already spread to my stomach?  What if it's spread to my brain and that's why I'm so unsteady on my feet?  A person could drive themselves crazy and I know I have to stop but at 2 a.m., it's hard to push those thoughts out of your mind.

Love,

Eldri

EZLiving66

Ok, forget all my

Ok, forget all my complaining.  I just went back and read what some of these young women are going through and I need to get over feeling sorry for myself.  Pity party is over!!  Onward and upward for this old lady!

Love, 

Eldri

Sandy3185

Eldri you have been through

Eldri you have been through the wringer! No need to apologize, your experience has been pure hell and you have been so upbeat through all of it! Everything that you have gone thru and now a stroke on top of it- Wow! Don't try to push yourself, just take it day by day and let yourself heal. We're all rooting for you. Love and hugs, Sandy

BabyCoach

I can SO relate

dear Eldri!  I want my life back too and I haven't officially lost it yet! Still awaiting path on my removed uterus. But I asked for a photo of it and it looks full of tumors to me. But, I'm afraid we have this life now ... And it belongs to us. 

Im so sorry about your ailments  it's hard to know which ones to pin on Cancer and which we would have experienced anyway  I had both knees replaced at the same time - brutal. Hope yours improve  

CheeseQueen57

EZLiving66 said:

Ok, forget all my

Ok, forget all my complaining.  I just went back and read what some of these young women are going through and I need to get over feeling sorry for myself.  Pity party is over!!  Onward and upward for this old lady!

Love, 

Eldri

We're with you

Dont have anything to say but love and hugs to you Eldri.  You are my inspiration. You are entitled to occasional pity party. Just try not to have them be endless. 

Soup52

I'm so sorry to hear about

I'm so sorry to hear about all the physical problems you are experiencing. It's so unfair and you have all rights to complain! Where else to do it! I hope they can find some therapy to help. Keep your chin up.

TeddyandBears_Mom

Soup52 said:

I'm so sorry to hear about

I'm so sorry to hear about all the physical problems you are experiencing. It's so unfair and you have all rights to complain! Where else to do it! I hope they can find some therapy to help. Keep your chin up.

Eldri, I hope you find some

Eldri, I hope you find some relief soon. And, some answers to all of this would be great for you.

You continue to be an inspiration for all of us. And not one person expects you to be upbeat all of the time. Your body has gone through hell. Please feel free to vent, cry, cuss and celebrate the good days. We are here for each other!

Let us know the results!

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

Editgrl

Oh, Eldri

Oh, Eldri.  I so wish you would get your life back, too.  You have dealt with so much in such a short period of time.  I hope the doctors can find some answers, and more importantly, some remedies for you.  

Chris

Fayard

Hola
Hola,
I did PT for about 6 months. Unfortunately, chemo causes osteoporosis and arthritis The PT worked for me. Keep in mind that excess weight will hurt your knees, so trying to lose weight will not hurt you. It is going to take a while, before you can see any changes. Good luck!

Lou Ann M

EZLiving66 said:

Ok, forget all my

Ok, forget all my complaining.  I just went back and read what some of these young women are going through and I need to get over feeling sorry for myself.  Pity party is over!!  Onward and upward for this old lady!

Love, 

Eldri

You deserve a good pity

You deserve a good pity party.  You have been through a lot.  I was hoping that the PT would help you at the last some.  I did Have OT for awhil last spring for pain and stiffness in my left arm and shoulder.  My therapist was pretty sure that the chemo had caused damage to the nerve sheaths that ran from my shoulder to my fingertips.  Also had some major stiffness in my neck.  She pulled and prodded and manipulated and I do feel a lot better.  Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

EZLiving66

Thank you, my friends, for

Thank you, my friends, for you kind words.  The clinic just called me and are switching my appointment on Monday from the physical therapist to another person to test for cognitive brain damage.  Since I started driving after chemo when my eyes got better, I would go someplace and for a few seconds to a couple of minutes, I would not know where I was and nothing looked familiar.  This scared me but my GP said it could also be stress related from the cancer.  It's been happening less and less but it happened to me again on Monday on my way to therapy.  I came to a place in the road and had to decide if I should go right or straight - I didn't know where I was and I have gone through that intersection by my house for almost 25 years!!!  I went straight and figured I'd just drive up the hill and pull over (when it would first happen, I'd panic) until my brain came back.  Luckily, I had made the right choice; when I go to the hill I knew exactly where I was. 

I know something is wrong.  I could read three different books at one time; now I can hardly keep the plot straight in ONE book and reading is not as pleasurable as it was before cancer. 

I'll let you know how things turn out on Monday.  I wrote everything down and read it back to them since one day I came an hour early for my appointment.

Love,

Eldri