Not good news about hip

and prayers, always! Hopefully is nothing to be concerned about. It never ends, does it?

Good thoughts being sent your way.

Lin

   The irony of cancer is that we were probably going to get these other problems ,it is just that the cancer and related treatment has hastened their onset by many many years. The way I feel I am a 64 year old man in the body of an eighty year old. The first point I will make to you is that arthritis drugs,most but not all,can make chemo seem tame. The second point and it is a very important one , arthritis drugs for the most part are designed to stop the progression of the disease. They will not decrease the pain of existing damage. Drugs like the non steroidal anti inflammatories will help with the pain but as always there will be a price to pay, in this case it is stomach upsets and gi tract damage. They are also very harsh on kidneys as were your chemo and colonoscopy preps. I personally would go for the new hip now rather than later. Why ? Because constant pain destroys you body and soul. I had existing auto immune problems prior to cancer. Most were undiagnosed. The worst pain wise is ankylosing spondylitis. Several of my lower vertebrae have fracured then fused togeather. Unfortunately the fusion is not bone but gristle which is weaker than bone and apt to fracture easily. Short of replacing my lower spine with metal bridgework there are few options. I have severe peripheral neuropathy of the feet legs and hands though I never had platinum based chemo. I also have severe psoriatic arthritis ,another auto-immune disease. The last problem and the one most likely to kill me is my kidneys. I have an auto immune disease of unknowm type and cause that is making my kidneys leak up to seven grams of protein a day,there is no cure for any of my auto immune diseases, only treatment. Given that my kidneys are the worst of my problems thae are treating them with the big guns and expect the lesser problems to be slowed down as collateral damage. I am taking 75 mg of cyclosporine twice a day. It is enhanced with 240 mg of diltiazem daily. This drug allows more cyclosprine to be absorbed at a lower dose. Back to pain. Sometimes we make life so much harder than it need be because we perceive certain treatments as un acceptable. I take opiates,I never thought I would. I am glad I do. I take a drug called Targin. It is an opiate ,oxycodone combine with an opiate antagonist,naloxone. An unusual combitanion. What it means is that I get pain relief ,not high. It does not matter how much targin I take I will not get high, the naloxone prevents it. The naloxone is supposed to prevent opiate induced constripation. It does not seem to work for most people. What I do is that everytime I take a targin I take two dulcolax . The targin puts the bowels motility to sleep the dulcolax wakes it up. After each meal I take a sachet of mocicol. a bit like scope prep but less nasty. It has solved my problems I never get over level three or four pain and I can sleep ok at night. You can see that life becomes a bit complicated but cancer made life complicated, the stuff I do and take at least makes it livable . Good luck Kim you can talk over some of the treatments and comments I have made with your doctor and make your own choices just trying to give you some practical choices . Hugs Ron. 

Sorry about the hip and the pain. Yes, let's hope the MRI shows this to be not cancer related. Consider the hip replacement, my mother is very happy with hers. Fingers crossed here for a positive outcome.

Sending out prayers, good vibes and thoughts.

That this new obstacle be skillfully analyzed and a path to overcome become crystal clear in the very near future. 

Sincere blessings to you Kim.

Hi Kim,

I'm on the side of getting the hips replaced as soon as possible to reduce or even remove the pain permanently.  Back in 1999 (and I’m sure treatment has come a long way since), my 83 yr old aunt fell and broke both hips.  She underwent a complete hip replacement, and was only in the hospital for four days of recovery – but she was up and moving around by the second day!  She continued to improve once she got home and had no pain at all, just a little sore for a few weeks.  But she was up and moving around just fine after the operation.  Just my two cents worth…

Take care,

Cynthia 

Sending lotsa prayers and hugs.  You've been strong before but am feeling your pain.  just a bugger buy know where all with ya. Lotsa luv Sue

Hi Kim, 

So sorry to hear of this new development, but as stated ... at least it is only related to cancer and NOT cancer!  This is gonna be another one of those tough decisions that is very personal to each, however, I have also heard fantastic reports from all who have undergone replacement within the past few years.  I believe the surgery has come a long way and is extremly beneficial.  There is also something to say for getting there while the getting is good. 

Hi Kim -

I'm sorry to hear about your hip.  But please don't go on with pain and avoid a replacement.

I had my left hip replaced in 2008 and it's the best thing I ever did for myself.  Up and slowly walking the next day (with a walker).  Surgery on Tuesday - home Friday afternoon.  Difficult to do things for the first 3 weeks - needed occasional pain meds the first week.  I started driving after 2 weeks  - it was my left hip.  By 6 weeks I had left the cain behind.

I know how horrible bone on bone hip pain is and it all goes away with surgery.  Please at least consult with an ortho.  It is of course your decision, but hip replacement is life chainging surgery.

Take care,

Betsy

Annabelle41415 said:

Thanks to All

I've seen so names on here that haven't been here in awhile and thank you for posting.  My hip seems to be getting worse day by day and I'm going in on Sunday the 21st to have an MRI and back to the doctor on the 23rd to get the report.  I'm not able to hardly make it up our stairs anymore.  Heck to making love because spreading that leg out is not going to happen and don't ask me to run down the basement for croutons in the storage room.  My life has changed so much in the last two months it is unbelieveable.  Every step is a pain and every day is me wanting relief.  I'm doing nothing but just trying to get day by day and I'm thinking it has to be worse that what they thought because of the pain I'm in. This MRI can't come soon enough because I'm to the point where I'm not able to move and I'm rembering SteveD where he had his whole hip removed and all that and I'm so scared of more major problems.  Please still keep me in prayer for no cancer in the hip in MRI. 

Hugs! Kim

Hi Kim,

you have been on my mind for awhile now. In my prayers also. Positive thinking is sometimes very hard to do. But I try to stay optimistic. An MRI is a great idea then at least you know what is going on. Just a few more days, hang in there. I hope they can give you something for the pain.

hugs, Marjan

I am sending love, prayers, and many good thoughts your way.  It doesn't seem fair that you should have to deal with this in addition to everything else you have been through.  Please know you are being thought of.