Pain in the femur

Barnaby
Barnaby Member Posts: 33
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I had colorectal cancer and went through all the normal protocol, chemo, radiation, and chemo again.  I have been off chemo since last September (2013).  Have had a sore rectum forever.  Was on a drug called canasa for 42 days - inserted into the rectum at bedtime.  It did help some.  But as long as there is stool in the rectum it hurts.  My next question is last July 2013, I started having right leg pain - mainly in the thigh on the right hand side.  It got progressively worse and by Feb. 2014 I was using a walker full time.  My knee buckles when I try to use the leg as it hurts so much.  I have been to my hip surgeon, my back surgeon, my neurologist, my oncologist and no one seems to know much.  So my family doctor sent me back to physical therapy, and after 12 visits, I was a little stronger but still could not walk.  So my physical therapist sent me to an orthopedic man up in Sarasota at the Kennedy White Orthopedic center and he had an answer immediately.  The radiation and chemo affected the bone surrounding my hip implant on the right side of my body (where the radiation was heaviest).  The bones there are like potato chips.  I had blood work done and am having a bone scan next week (8th of Oct).  He says the implant has to come out and be changed, and I may have an infection in there as well.  There is a slight crack in the implant too.  I am not sure what all will happen.  I definitely need some bone grafting to strengthen.  I am not sure why it took over a year for anyone to diagnosis this, but it has been somewhat painful.  This was not something I thought would happen, but I went on line and starting pulling info up and this definitely can be something that happens after pelvic radiation.  The left side also has a hip implant and that bone is as thick as it should be, no damage at all.  Has anyone experienced anything like this?

Comments

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #2
    Pain

    My hips have been hurting ever since radiation 5 years ago and two weeks ago was told that all my blood vessels died on top of the bone and has now worn away and I'll have to have a complete hip replacement.  Mine too is very hard to walk on and they can see in the MRI where both hip bone areas are dead where the radiation was.  My other hip is now starting to do the same thing.  Just had a bone scan last week because of concern that it might have been cancer but it wasn't.  Go into the surgeon next Tuesday to discuss options.  Back last December my hip looked ok and eight months later it is now bone on bone.  They also noted that there is a fracture in my bone as well.  I'm afraid to walk anymore because I'm concerned that I'll do more damage than already done but we have three flights of stairs in my house and I'm not a sitter so this is so difficult for me.  Hoping you get some answers and wishing you the best.

    Kim

  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #3
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Pain

    My hips have been hurting ever since radiation 5 years ago and two weeks ago was told that all my blood vessels died on top of the bone and has now worn away and I'll have to have a complete hip replacement.  Mine too is very hard to walk on and they can see in the MRI where both hip bone areas are dead where the radiation was.  My other hip is now starting to do the same thing.  Just had a bone scan last week because of concern that it might have been cancer but it wasn't.  Go into the surgeon next Tuesday to discuss options.  Back last December my hip looked ok and eight months later it is now bone on bone.  They also noted that there is a fracture in my bone as well.  I'm afraid to walk anymore because I'm concerned that I'll do more damage than already done but we have three flights of stairs in my house and I'm not a sitter so this is so difficult for me.  Hoping you get some answers and wishing you the best.

    Kim

    I would try to heal by

    I would try to heal by changing diet, at least for a bit. Get toxins out of the body, maybe juice for awhile to ease the pain in the rectum.  I also had hip pain, could not walk up stairs at all,  but it went away.  Hope you get better, both of you  

     

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #4
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Pain

    My hips have been hurting ever since radiation 5 years ago and two weeks ago was told that all my blood vessels died on top of the bone and has now worn away and I'll have to have a complete hip replacement.  Mine too is very hard to walk on and they can see in the MRI where both hip bone areas are dead where the radiation was.  My other hip is now starting to do the same thing.  Just had a bone scan last week because of concern that it might have been cancer but it wasn't.  Go into the surgeon next Tuesday to discuss options.  Back last December my hip looked ok and eight months later it is now bone on bone.  They also noted that there is a fracture in my bone as well.  I'm afraid to walk anymore because I'm concerned that I'll do more damage than already done but we have three flights of stairs in my house and I'm not a sitter so this is so difficult for me.  Hoping you get some answers and wishing you the best.

    Kim

    Diet

    Diet had nothing to do with my situation and I've eaten well all my life.  It is already confirmed that my situation requires a full hip replacement and now the other side is doing the same thing.  My doctor told me it was nothing I did wrong to bring this on.  I'm sure that people on high sugar diets can benefit from a diet change but I'm not one and also don't eat a lot of red meat.  Thank you for your suggestions though as it will help others.

    Kim

  • Barnaby
    Barnaby Member Posts: 33
    #5
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Pain

    My hips have been hurting ever since radiation 5 years ago and two weeks ago was told that all my blood vessels died on top of the bone and has now worn away and I'll have to have a complete hip replacement.  Mine too is very hard to walk on and they can see in the MRI where both hip bone areas are dead where the radiation was.  My other hip is now starting to do the same thing.  Just had a bone scan last week because of concern that it might have been cancer but it wasn't.  Go into the surgeon next Tuesday to discuss options.  Back last December my hip looked ok and eight months later it is now bone on bone.  They also noted that there is a fracture in my bone as well.  I'm afraid to walk anymore because I'm concerned that I'll do more damage than already done but we have three flights of stairs in my house and I'm not a sitter so this is so difficult for me.  Hoping you get some answers and wishing you the best.

    Kim

    Hips

    That is what I am afraid of.  That the other hip will start to decline.  Right now it is okay.  I too eat healthy and do not drink much, basically only when I go out to eat.  I am not sure that radiation every completely leaves our bodies.

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