Any suggestions for aches and pains?

pains
I finished chemo in Dec 2010. I don't have an answer, but I too am experiencing alot of joint pain, especially in my shoulders. It makes it hard to even find a position to sleep and constantly wakes me up.
I am hoping with each passing day it gets better, besides that I feel good and am getting
my stamina back.
Vicki

lulu1010 said:

kikz
I take Ultram (tramadol). It is a non-narcotic. Usually I take at least one every morning and sometimes at nite. Occasionally after chemo I may slip in a Percocet. Before my diagnosis, Ultram did little if anything for my pain but I have been very pleased with it now.

Water is your best medicine?
Just curious if you are a good "water drinker"?

I read this book called "Your Body's Many Cries for Water" written by a doctor who was a political prisoner. The other prisoners knew he was a doctor and came to him with various complaints of pain: chest pain, muscle pain, headache, back pain, heartburn, etc.

The doctor had no medicine to prescribe but recommended that each one of the prison "patients" drink more water. Lo and behold! There was a dramatic reduction in everyone's pain!

I am NOT a good water drinker by nature but I have noticed that when I am chronically dehydrated, I stop feeling thirsty--and when I make a BIG effort to drink more water, I notice that my thirst returns. And I get fewer headaches when I am well-hydrated.

I just watch the color of my urine--if it starts looking amber or dark colored, I up my water intake (how unscientific is that?). I know it is possible to overdo a good thing and become water intoxicated so see what you doctor has to say about this.

Just wanted to share something harmless that might help since I feel bad for anyone who is suffering.

Stiff and sore
I have the same pains...mostly in the hips and knees, and mostly on my right side. I think doing Tai Chi would really help, but I cannot find an instructor near enough to my home. I do drink water constantly,walk every day, and work out ever second day, but most days I'm in pretty bad shape. Last night I decided to soak in the tub. The rude awakening came when I realized that getting down into the tub was pretty difficult...it was ALMOST funny. I wonder if these pains will diminish as we're further out from chemo. I hope so. Then again, it keeps me from vacuuming under the couch very often!

kikz said:

I just received a reply
from my oncologist which I'm not very happy about. She suggested I try Aleve but said maybe I should consult with my primary because it could be arthritis. Huh? What about all the chemo? Did I suddenly get arthritis in so many areas of my body? I think this was my oncologist's way of saying I need to contact my primary and not her unless it is cancer related. Funny, I thought this was. I feel butt hurt right now, but I guess I'll get over it.

Karen

your reply
My onc said exactly the same thing! It seemed as if he had no reason to think my pain had anything to do with treatment or cancer. I did have plenty of hip pain before dx, but I was never so stiff and sore as I am now. I was really relieved to read that others are experiencing the same thing. It worries me a bit though to have such inflammation b/c I think there's some evidence linking inflammation and cancer. When it gets really bad, or I'm too tired/busy to cope, I take a couple of ibuprofen which seem to take the edge off.

Elarsen said:

Medical Marijuana
Well, this might be a little controversial for some of you, but my wife has tremendous success with the medical marijuana she was given. She uses a vaporizer, she does not smoke it, and she takes a few puffs before going to bed. It really helps with the pain and keeps her asleep. For those of you that think that is too radical, keep in mind that Paxlitaxel is a purely plant based chemo. made from the Pacific Yew tree. So why would it be so strange to think that another plant could help? It does great for mild nausea as well and gets her off the constipating pills she was given quicker. We are at one of the top three academic hospitals and they suggested it and boy are we glad they did. Obviously, this could have implications for your work, though. She is a stay at home mom.

My wife does not want to take all the addictive drugs, like Percoset, because she does not like the way they make her feel in her head.

I don't think medical marijuana is available in many states.
I'd love to try this, but I don't think there is any such thing as legal medical marijuana in Pennsylvania. If I'm wrong someone PLEASE correct me. (& let me know where I can sign up!!)

kikz said:

I know
medical marijuana is available here in California. No doctor has ever suggested it to me. I guess I could bring it up but would feel kind of weird like they might think I'm a pothead. If these pains get worse I might ask about it. It was also never mentioned when I had a hard time with chemo.

Karen

Marinol--like medical marijuana
The prescription medicine called Marinol might work for pain relief and to improve appetite. I have not tried it but I know it should be available in any state.

LaundryQueen said:

Water is your best medicine?
Just curious if you are a good "water drinker"?

I read this book called "Your Body's Many Cries for Water" written by a doctor who was a political prisoner. The other prisoners knew he was a doctor and came to him with various complaints of pain: chest pain, muscle pain, headache, back pain, heartburn, etc.

The doctor had no medicine to prescribe but recommended that each one of the prison "patients" drink more water. Lo and behold! There was a dramatic reduction in everyone's pain!

I am NOT a good water drinker by nature but I have noticed that when I am chronically dehydrated, I stop feeling thirsty--and when I make a BIG effort to drink more water, I notice that my thirst returns. And I get fewer headaches when I am well-hydrated.

I just watch the color of my urine--if it starts looking amber or dark colored, I up my water intake (how unscientific is that?). I know it is possible to overdo a good thing and become water intoxicated so see what you doctor has to say about this.

Just wanted to share something harmless that might help since I feel bad for anyone who is suffering.

I never drink enough water
and everyone is always telling me to up my intake. My aches and pains are getting just horrible........ thanks for this reminder/I'm going to make a effort starting today to not only increase my intake, but to keep a log and see if I might be able to reduce these pains( and maybe help my cronic constipation also?). My mantra for today will be... coffee is NOT water
(((HUGS))) Maria

pattysoo said:

Med. marijuana
I think it's a good idea to try to find some mj that you know was grown without chemicals. Just like all agricultural practices, some growers use pretty lousy pesticides, etc to keep their plants free from pests. I really think the vaporizer is the tool to use. I have read that marinol is slow and inefficient in the system. Inhaling does the job really quickly. Check out this link to Science News magazine from this past June. It's a real eye opener. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/59872/title/Not_just_a_high

new article I read today made me think of this thread:
Russell Portenoy, MD: My Approach to Pain Management for Cancer Patients
OncologySTAT Editorial Team. 2011 Mar 4, Interview by L Scott Zoeller
Russell K. Portenoy, MD, is Chairman, Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care, Beth Israel Hospital; Chief Medical Officer, MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care; and Professor of Neurology and Anesthesiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

OncologySTAT: What is the current thinking on prevention and management of therapy-induced neuropathy?

Dr. Portenoy: There is no accepted therapy to prevent chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. Patients who have neuropathic pain related to polyneuropathy should have access to aggressive pain management. In the setting of acute pain, or chronic pain associated with active cancer, opioid therapy is a mainstay. If opioids are not adequate, or if the patient is not a candidate for first-line opioid therapy, a variety of so-called adjuvant analgesics have been used specifically for neuropathic pain.

The most commonly used are the gabapentinoids, which comprise two drugs—gabapentin and pregabalin—that have the same mode of action but that can work differently in individual patients. It is important for oncologists to know how to dose these drugs, because underdosing is associated with a lower likelihood of success.

The second main group of agents that is used for neuropathic pain are the analgesic antidepressants. If a patient has a comorbid depression, one of the analgesic antidepressants should be used before the gabapentinoid. Certainly, for those patients who do not respond adequately to gabapentinoids, a trial of one or more of the analgesic antidepressants should be tried. The most effective antidepressants used for pain are the serotonin–norepinephrine-reuptake inhibitors, such as duloxetine, or the tricyclic antidepressants; the secondary amine tricyclic drugs, such as desipramine, are generally better tolerated and are tried first.

If patients do not respond to the gabapentinoids or the analgesic antidepressants, there still are many agents in a variety of different classes that could be tried for the neuropathic pain. Most commonly used drugs are other anticonvulsants. These drugs have different modes of action. The evidence for efficacy in neuropathy is limited, and they are typically selected empirically, based on the experience of the clinician and limited efficacy information.

Other drugs that might be considered include the cannabinoid agents, and there are new cannabinoids that are being developed that have established efficacy in cancer pain. Other drugs include alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, such as tizanidine or clonidine, the GABA agonist baclofen, and the NMDA receptor antagonists, such as memantine. These drugs, as well as others, can be tried sequentially in an effort to optimize the balance between analgesia and side effects that is gained with the opioid drug.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OncologySTAT: How often do you think oncologists are using mind–body therapy, and should they be using it more frequently than they are?

Dr. Portenoy: It is well known that patients with cancer commonly access complementary and alternative medicine approaches, sometimes known generically as integrative therapies, either in an effort to manage the cancer itself or in an effort to manage symptoms. Patients with pain frequently seek out these strategies. It is important for oncologists to understand this very heterogeneous group of treatments, and to note that some actually have very good evidence of efficacy. This is particularly true of the mind–body therapies, considered mainstream therapies by those who treat pain or who do palliative care. Treatments such as biofeedback, medical hypnosis, guided imagery, and relaxation therapies have been shown over and over again in controlled trials to produce symptom control, enhance self-efficacy, and to have a positive effect on mood.

Oncologists should be able to make the referrals necessary so that appropriate patients can access mind–body therapy. In addition, some of these therapies are relatively simple to teach, and oncologists might actually choose to incorporate them into their own practices, providing the patient with some written materials and instructions. For example, specific relaxation techniques might be taught in the office and used during an event like chemotherapy or during times of increased pain.

Other complementary and alternative medicine strategies have much less evidence, and may not be endorsed by allopathic physicians because of concerns about safety. If there is no concern about safety, however, and the patient chooses to seek a treatment that has no evidence of efficacy, the oncologist may be best served by providing support to the patient, providing honest answers to questions about the treatment, but also supporting the patient if he or she decides that the therapy is one to pursue.