'Lower back pain' is it chemo side effects ?

Hi Bill,

I've been meaning to answer your post but I keep forgetting. I have lower back pain, when I was dx in July '11, I didn't have any pain. My pain started 4 or 5 months after my dx and it got really bad when I started treatment. The first time I had Rituxan about 5 minutes into the treatment I had a severe reaction to the medicine. The nurse had to stop the treatment because the pain I felt was just to much to handle. The pain was in my sacrum area, I personally think its the cancer that causes my pain but the doc doesn't agree. Around Nov I was feeling great had no pain but around Feb I started getting the pain again. Will never be sure of what's causing my pain, hope your pain gets better. You said that you had the pain because of the neupogen shots, I haven't had to get those, on the contrary my wbc continue to rise even after Rituxan treatment. Take care and sending you lots of positive energy.

Sincerely,

Liz

Bill_NC said:

I checked with my Onc.

My Dr said I can take anything to relieve the pain - No restriction - I have been taken baby aspirin daily as a regiment even on the chemo days. Maybe it got to do with the type of chemo. Mine is ABVD.

Bill,

The morning after my first neulasta shot, I was almost unable to move for about a day due to area of my broken back and collapsed disks (I had been crushed in a car accident yeasrs before), and the doc later cut my neulasta dose in half. The half-dose never hurt very much.  My oncologist wrote a perscription for loritab before I ever began chemo, and two loritabs were the only thing that kept me able to function, although I had severe arthritis before starting chemo, and my situation was probably worse than most peoples'. I felt like I had the flu the whole time I was on chemo (six months). I do not know if it was the Rituxan causing the muscle pain, or one of the drugs in abvd, since two of those drugs routinely also cause flu-like muscle pain. Or, it might have been some combination. There is really no way to know.

Long before I got cancer, my orthopedic doctor had authorized me to take 8 Motrin a day, but that did not do much good.  As I said, my body was a wreck (no pun intended) before I even started with cancer-related pain. Before you know it, your 12 cycles will be over, and this nightmare will be behind you.  You look like a strong young fellow, maybe a college football player or something.  Your relative youth will help you get through this with fewer side-effects.

Bless your treatment,

max

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laurs said:

okey...

Went through chemo and rad a while ago.  One thing to keep in mind is that the nursing staff and doctors aren't going through what you are going through.  They can say anything they want, it does not make them you.  I had one constantly tell me that my sore throat and not being able to swallow (except for minimal liquids) was normal, for over a week.  My sisters were there with me during this time period.  One was an RN, the other studied biochemistry.  I ended up in the ER, I had regurgitated my own blood from my stomach lining. I had sores in my mouth, throat etc.....they even gave me a look through the other end to see how far it had gotten.  I was there for two or three weeks.  Trust yourself, no one is going to know how you feel besides yourself, quite normally.  Strangest thing about that, it's been over 20 years in remission.  I have remembered things from childhood and I don't think I would have had my sisters there with me.  Trust yourself........trust how you feel.  If your doctor/nurse says anything you don't agree with, go elsewhere.  You have to take care of you.  Sounds mean?  Not really.  Helps with that best of luck statement....Make sure you feel all right with yourself.  It's kind of spiritual in a way, along with learning about yourself....

 

Well said Laurs and a reminder for us all - thanks.

Neulasta usually gives me pain for at least 3-5 days. Feels like I have been in a bar fight or something. Horrid back and joint pain. I hope your feeling much better!