I am weak in the knees

Punkindo
Punkindo Member Posts: 113
in Breast Cancer #1
It all started during chemo. When I would get the shot the day after chemo, my knees would ache for a week or so and get better. By the time I finished chemo, one of my knees still ached. I figured that it was something that needed a little time. I then took 2 months of radiation. Knee still hurt, but I had other things to worry about such as burnt skin and being tired. After radiation it still didn't get better, in fact is has been getting worse. It aches all of the time, not severe pain, but enough to let you know it is there, plus my knee has progressively gotten weaker and weaker. I can sit on the floor or get up without holding on to something. As long as I am not moving my knee, it is ok. I mean it feels different than my other knee, but not bad. But when I go to move it, it happens. Sometimes when I bend my knee it pops and cracks.. I have an appointment with my family doctor tomorow to check into what might be going on. My cancer Dr. wanted my family Dr to look into it and my family Dr wanted my cancer Dr. to look into it. I went from having a handfull of doctors to consult to having them all try to push me on to someone else..... Frustrating. I really feel whatever is going on with my knee has to do with the shot I got during chemo. I have had no injuries to the knee. Has anyone else had this happen to them??? I will post what the Dr. says tomorow (if I don't get sent to someone else again) in case the information might be of benefit to others.

Comments

  • Pam5
    Pam5 Member Posts: 232
    #2
    Hi - I have some massage
    Hi - I have some massage clients who have chronic knee pain after chemo and sometimes other drugs. You might want to try acupuncture. If your doc, or docs, can't come up with a solution, give it a try - particularly before doing anything radical like surgery.
  • Pam5
    Pam5 Member Posts: 232
    #3
    Hi - I have some massage
    Hi - I have some massage clients who have chronic knee pain after chemo and sometimes other drugs. You might want to try acupuncture. If your doc, or docs, can't come up with a solution, give it a try - particularly before doing anything radical like surgery.
  • Punkindo
    Punkindo Member Posts: 113
    #4
    Pam5 said:

    Hi - I have some massage
    Hi - I have some massage clients who have chronic knee pain after chemo and sometimes other drugs. You might want to try acupuncture. If your doc, or docs, can't come up with a solution, give it a try - particularly before doing anything radical like surgery.

    I will definately keep it in mind
    My dad did acupuncture for something at one time and got a lot of relief. I will definately consider it. Do you know approx. how much it costs??? I will see if my mom knows where my dad went.
    Thanks for the idea!!
  • jamiegww
    jamiegww Member Posts: 384
    #5
    Knee problems
    The pain and the popping and cracking sounds like osteoarthritis. I had it before chemo so I can't blame chemo for my knee pains. I hope you get some answers and relief soon.
  • Vigee
    Vigee Member Posts: 66
    #6
    Yes
    Yes! I just finished my sixth and last chemo and I am experiencing the exact same thing. My Dr is sending me to acupuncture. Let's stay in touch.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #7
    Vigee said:

    Yes
    Yes! I just finished my sixth and last chemo and I am experiencing the exact same thing. My Dr is sending me to acupuncture. Let's stay in touch.

    My knees are very tender i
    My knees are very tender i cant kneel on them at all. My joints ache in general.
  • butterflylvr
    butterflylvr Member Posts: 944
    #8
    carkris said:

    My knees are very tender i
    My knees are very tender i cant kneel on them at all. My joints ache in general.

    My last chemo infusion was
    My last chemo infusion was early January. I can tell my knees aren't the same, it's hard getting up from a sitting position. While grocery shopping, I used to be able to squat down and look at products on the bottom shelf. Oh lordy... that doesn't happen anymore without using one of the upper shelves to boost me back up. My knee joint pain is minimal so I am sticking it out without meds. I just started tamoxifen so if it worsens I have tylenol and osteobiflex on standby. I guess the main reason I posted was so you knew that we all kinda suffer to some extent with joint pain post chemo.

    Hugs,
    Lorrie
  • Punkindo
    Punkindo Member Posts: 113
    #9
    butterflylvr said:

    My last chemo infusion was
    My last chemo infusion was early January. I can tell my knees aren't the same, it's hard getting up from a sitting position. While grocery shopping, I used to be able to squat down and look at products on the bottom shelf. Oh lordy... that doesn't happen anymore without using one of the upper shelves to boost me back up. My knee joint pain is minimal so I am sticking it out without meds. I just started tamoxifen so if it worsens I have tylenol and osteobiflex on standby. I guess the main reason I posted was so you knew that we all kinda suffer to some extent with joint pain post chemo.

    Hugs,
    Lorrie

    The Dr thinks
    ...it is arthritis :(
    I kind of in my heart figured it could be, but hoped that it wasn't.
    She prescribed me a new topical med called Pennsaid. It is an oily form of Diclofenac Sodium for inflammation. I supposed to use it 4 times a day. She also recomended some specific excercises to strenthen the muscles in the hopes that it will make my knee a bit stronger.

    I still want to check out acupuncture though....
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #10
    Not sure
    but I've had arthritis for 10+ years. My left knee is bone on bone and does hurt all the time. I have bone spurs and have had fluid removed several times. I get corticosteroid injections when needed. It might be time for you to see a rheumatologist. I'm on Arimidex since I'm post menopausal. It probably adds to my joint pain.
    Char
  • ms.sunshine
    ms.sunshine Member Posts: 707 Member
    #11
    Punkindo said:

    The Dr thinks
    ...it is arthritis :(
    I kind of in my heart figured it could be, but hoped that it wasn't.
    She prescribed me a new topical med called Pennsaid. It is an oily form of Diclofenac Sodium for inflammation. I supposed to use it 4 times a day. She also recomended some specific excercises to strenthen the muscles in the hopes that it will make my knee a bit stronger.

    I still want to check out acupuncture though....

    Side effect
    Arthritis can be a side effect from chemo, and the Neulasta shot. My flare ups comes and goes. Some days nothing, then all of a sudden all my joints hurt.
  • Megan M
    Megan M Member Posts: 3,000
    #12
    Punkindo said:

    The Dr thinks
    ...it is arthritis :(
    I kind of in my heart figured it could be, but hoped that it wasn't.
    She prescribed me a new topical med called Pennsaid. It is an oily form of Diclofenac Sodium for inflammation. I supposed to use it 4 times a day. She also recomended some specific excercises to strenthen the muscles in the hopes that it will make my knee a bit stronger.

    I still want to check out acupuncture though....

    Have you had a CT scan to
    Have you had a CT scan to see if it is arthritis? If it is, they have different meds that can help you with the pain for it.


    Good luck,

    Megan
  • Punkindo
    Punkindo Member Posts: 113
    #13
    Megan M said:

    Have you had a CT scan to
    Have you had a CT scan to see if it is arthritis? If it is, they have different meds that can help you with the pain for it.


    Good luck,

    Megan

    No CT scan...
    No CT scan, but they did do an xray to make sure that there weren't any other issues..
    They said that the xray was normal...

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