Back Pain

That is SUCH a bummer- I hate that you are having to take those meds.   I hope they find out something useful as that test doesn't sound in the least bit fun- probably involves laying flat and no moving for a long time?!  That's hard when you are in such pain!

I have been having pain in my right hip and across my lower back.  I thought perhaps it was due to the way they positioned me for that long surgery or something?  Any old injuries flared during the side effects from chemo/neulasta... terrible pain.  I do have a ruptured disk between L4-L5 and hurt my tailbone so figured it might be kicking up old injuries?  I saw my chiropractor and he helped quite a bit but it still aches and burns.  I also get acupuncture.  Both those things keep me from having to take otc meds.  I saw my onc yesterday for my 2nd ck since chemo ended (YAY NED) and she decided to send me to PT.... oh joy!   My own fault for complaining about fatigue, pain and the weight that seems to be packing on from no where!!  I've gained 20 lbs since Oct 19- WHAT IS UP WITH THAT???  I am eating the same as always (all orgainic, lots of water, vegan, no meat, no dairy, no eggs)- not walking as much of course but still- just doesn't make sense.  I think it's lymph fluids but she didn't want to hear about that.

Anyhoo- prayers for you to overcome this and find relief so you can take your trip in comfort and peace.  (((HUGS))) 

PS  I am still suffering from the blurry vision.  Since it's a "thing" I have been waiting for a few months to see if it clears before I go see the eye Dr.

Mrs. Red had moderate to severe back pain consistently since completing frontline treatment (chemo and brachytherapy). Her gyneonc put her through the usual scans and tests and the opinion after ruling out any cancer reoccurrence (thank the lord) is arthritis and some age related degeneration. She did have some back pain before the cancer diagnosis but not as consistant and to this pain level. They had her do some PT but no real improvment. At least she does get relief from stretching and laying down to take pressure off the back. I'm convinced,  my opinion only, that the chemo doesn't cause this stuff but exacerbates any conditions you had before. At least for Mrs. Red it's manageable but still annoying.

Red

Cheese Queen, Just wanted to let you know i had really bad back pain that deceloped dering chemo.  I accually had some after surgery too.  It started getting better after surgery but then during chemo it got really bad.  I could walk but sure didnt want to because of the pain.  My chemo doctor did nothing about my complaints and neither did my gynocoligist.  I went and saw my GP and she ordered a MRI for my whole back.  It was interesting because they didnt find anything seriouly wrong and at first i was a bit upset about that but I will tell you just knowing that there was nothing serioulsy wrong gave me hope to just start small and do little exersizes and work on better posture and with time my back started feeling better.  Today ( three months after chemo my back pain is almost gone.  About 90% better.  I would check it out so you can get some answers.

Love, Janae

Red Corvette said:

Back Pain

Mrs. Red had moderate to severe back pain consistently since completing frontline treatment (chemo and brachytherapy). Her gyneonc put her through the usual scans and tests and the opinion after ruling out any cancer reoccurrence (thank the lord) is arthritis and some age related degeneration. She did have some back pain before the cancer diagnosis but not as consistant and to this pain level. They had her do some PT but no real improvment. At least she does get relief from stretching and laying down to take pressure off the back. I'm convinced,  my opinion only, that the chemo doesn't cause this stuff but exacerbates any conditions you had before. At least for Mrs. Red it's manageable but still annoying.

Red

Good to hear from you.  So glad everything is going reasonably well for Mrs.Red, but hate to hear about the pain issues.  I do agree with you that chemo seems to exacerbate any hurt or injury that you had prior.

Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

I was a big wussy Sunday and missed church. It was below 0 with the wind blowing,  I am very interested in it though and hope to connect this weekend.  Lou Ann

CheeseQueen57 said:

Verdict

Merry Christmas!  Had pelvic  MRI this morning. They don't think it's a bone reoccurrence ( but can't be sure without a biopsy) but I have an insufficiency fracture of the right sacral ala, possibly due to radiation. Let the games begin!  I see orthopedic surgeon on January 6. 

Thank God they don't think it's a reoccurrence. Hopefully the orthopeodist  help relieve the pain.

Isn't it so interesting that they don't want to admit that these treatments do a number on our bodies?   I will have to look up "dead jaw" I've never heard of it.  Is there anything they can do to help with the pain now? 

I'm so sorry you are suffering with another UTI- Glad you are going after a urology consult- maybe they can give you some answers? 

It's so good that you share these things- ie specialists... not many people understand that your gyn/onc is only there for you for the Cancer- they do not want to deal with you on any of the "effects" of the treatments but I know for me I had no idea where to even turn for some of these issues - let alone know that they came from the treatments- it kinda makes you think you are losing your mind or being a hypochondriac but seeing other people actually are having the same concerns helps you to get mobilized and get help- so THANK YOU and everyone else who shares!!!!

Prayers for you as you go forward- sure do hope you can come to a place of homeostasis.  (((HUGS)))

Well, I think you're sending us all to look that one up!

Is there some reason why you are particularly worried about this happening to you when it's a "rare" condition? That seems like it means that it's unlikely to occur.

From what I've gleaned from a quick read, it sounds like the concern comes if you're taking drugs like Fosamax or need dental work that involves the jaw bone during chemo. You're done now, right? Hopefully, you really don't need to add another worry like this to the pile you already have! No point in "borrowing trouble" if you don't need to is my motto!

The worry about radiation induced osteoporosis has been one of my big worries too and a major reason I was trying to talk my way out of pelvic radiation before I finally agreed I really needed to have it. It's done now, so all we can do is deal with the aftermath as it crops up to smack us down. I've noticed my hips feel sore these days since radiation ended. Not terrible, but something new. I'm really hoping it gets better in time instead of worse. The battle just never seems like it's going to end, does it? 

Have you had a recent DEXA scan to determine the current status of your bones?  I know you mentioned that you had osteopenia in the past, but do you know whether it has progressed to osteoporosis?  I wasn't aware that bone density could be determined by MRI, rather than DEXA. 

After I finished radiation in 1999, I had a normal DEXA, but my then primary prescribed Actonel.  His rationale was that I would probably start to lose bone density due to my hysterectomy and radiation.  I didn't take the drug because I thought it was not necessary.  That was before the osteonecrosis of the jaw and spontaneous femoral fracture issues became known.  I've had numerous DEXAs since then, and in one or two I had some slight osteopenia, which improved in more recent DEXAs after I increased my exercise level, calcium, and vitamin D.  This is after I was on prednisone for the better part of a year when I developed eosinophilic pneumonia in 2009.  I saw my primary yesterday and asked him when he thought I needed another DEXA, and he said that because my last one was quite good, I could wait three years. 

In about 2007 I developed hip and groin pain and had an x-ray which showed some osteoarthritis.  I ended up having a number of MRIs that showed what my then orthopedic surgeon (OS) said was a stress fracture of the acetabulum.  I was put on crutches for a number of weeks.  The MRIs improved and I was pain free for the next year or so.  Then the pain returned.  I went back and had more MRIs, which showed what my OS deemed to be a stress fracture of the hip.  I was put on crutches again for a number of weeks.  This time, the pain did not resolve after being on the crutches and/or several rounds of PT.  Ultimately, another OS said that I needed a hip replacement and that he didn't believe that I ever had a stress fracture.  He suspected that what was showing on the MRIs was a stress reaction to the hip arthritis.  I had a hip replacement at Rothman in 2011, and have been fine since.  I now exercise 5 or 6 days a week, including Zumba, step, weight-bearing exercise classes, and yoga. 

I guess the point of my long story is that I don't put a lot of faith in MRI findings as far as bone issues go.  Hopefully, your endocrinologist will order a DEXA, if you haven't recently had one.  Incidentally, I have a friend who is eleven years younger than me who has severe osteoporosis.  She went through menopause by the time she was 40 (she's now 58).  She was on Fosamax for a few years and it wasn't effective.  Her primary then prescribed Prolia, which is a once-every-six-month monoclonal antibody injection.  She's been on that for the better part of two years.  In the interim, she consulted an endocrinologist, who said she would have put my friend on Reclast, a once-a-year intravenous bisphosphonate, rather than Prolia.  However, the endo did not want to switch protocols until after my friend had finished two years of Prolia.  My friend recently had a DEXA scan which did not show any improvement in bone density from the Prolia, so I'm assuming her endo will be switching her to Reclast in the near future.  My friend has not experienced any side effects from any of the bone density drugs up to this point, although she does not have any dental problems.  I, on the other hand, am like you and have had root canals and implants, so I have the same concerns you do about these drugs. 

Good luck with the endocrinologist and urologist.  I know I had lots of specialists for a number of years after I completed EC treatment.  I've managed to significantly reduce the number of specialists over the years and I hope you can do the same!

MoeKay