Pain after chemo

beccabtown · January 2017

I'm a little over a month out from my last chemo treatment. For the past couple of weeks I've had intense pain in my legs and abdomen at night and early in the morning. It seems to be a combination of leg pain and constipation; the pain moves around and comes and goes. Once I'm able to clear my bowels in the morning it largely subsides, although I do have various kinds of leg pain throughout the day. It doesn't happen every night. I'm taking Tylenol and Ibuprofen for the pain; Ibuprofen works better, but I don't want to take it all the time because I'm concerned about intestinal bleeding and I've been anemic recently. I take Miralax in the evening and/or morning.

I'm also having pain and numbness on the soles of my feet, again worse than what I had during chemo.

So I guess this is the post-chemo neuropathy everyone is always talking about. I have a call in to my doctor.

Have others had the bowel issues in addition to leg and foot pain? What worked best for either issue?

I read that neuropathy usually peaks about three months after chemo.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Lou Ann M · January 2017

So sorry that you are still having all these problems

i use a stool softener all the time and add Decolace or Myralax if it gets really bad. I had no signs of Neuropathy until ablout 6 weeks after I finished front line treatment. My oncologist told me just a few weeks ago that mine would probably never go away. I have had much Taxol. Gabapentin and Lorazapam do help with it. I usually walk around with bare feet on a cold floor before I go to bed and that seems to help, I also sleep with a pillow next to the bottom of my feet. I do hope yours go away sooner than later.

Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

joannewtta · January 2017

Neuropathy is a real challenge

I started developing the neuropathy by the second or third chemo and am left with fairly severe pain from it. I tried Lyrica and that was a disaster for me. Stopped it cold turkey which is a no no but could not put one more tablet in my body. Gabapentin helps; I take it twice a day, 400mg. Prescription says three times a day but I usualy forget afternoon. It helps but for me heat is the cure I have a heated throw from Costco that I keep handy and then a bedwarmer for my feet at night. Some women fing cold helps them. NOT ME! By Tuesday night I will be dipping my toes in warm sand in Mexico. Can hardly wait. That is a couple of weeks that my husband won't have to here me moan and groan about my feet

I'm really glad your now post treatment. We sometimes refer to it as learning to live with the "new normal".

Bladder probems are persistant and have not got better. Im three years out of treatment; 18 chemos, carbo and taxol. For the long plane ride I'm going to use the Poise bladder thingies that help leaking. They really work I just don't want to use very often. Uncomfortabe coming out but I used one the day of my grandaughters wedding and didn't have to worry.

Take care and I hope you continue to improve and get some relief from the pain.

Joanne

TeddyandBears_Mom · January 2017

I don't have the stomach

I don't have the stomach issues but I did have the same pain in my legs and feet that you described. I'm happy to say that mine is mostly resolved now. Not 100% but it is very mild. It took me almost a full year post chemo to get to this point. Mine would get better then come back a bit stronger off and on for months. It has leveled out now and I believe it will stay that way. Things will get better! Hang in there.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

beccabtown · January 2017

Thanks, everyone. This is

Thanks, everyone. This is helpful if not altogether reassuring.

Cindi, what treatments did you use?

Soup52 · January 2017

Yes, Becca unfortunately I

Yes, Becca unfortunately I have bowel problems too and have been told that it may be my new normal, too. It is frustratinG I have used stool softeners and use miralax if it has been very bad. My doctor says to use medimusual, but I'm not a fan of it so I've tried fiber gummies. Nothing unfortunately has been fool proof. I also take probiotics and have yogurt at least once a day. I am going to discuss all of this on Monday when I go to my oncologist. I'm thinking of seeing a gastroenterologist, too. I'm really not due for another colonoscopy until 2019, but I worry what if the cancer has gone there? I too have neuropathy in my feet and a little in one leg. I like heat the best and wear socks most of the time. Mine are not super painful but more numb and tingly. I'm sorry that I probably am not being very hopeful. Misery loves company I guess.

Editgrl · January 2017

Stomach/Abdominal Problems

I had stomach and abdominal pain after chemo for a couple of months. They had pretty much diminished after the second month post-chemo, but then I came down with a kidney infection and was put on Cipro. That brought back all of the stomach issues and more. It was another two months before that began to go away. I still have occasional pains, especially if I don't eat on time.

beccabtown · January 2017

Soup52 said:
Yes, Becca unfortunately I
Yes, Becca unfortunately I have bowel problems too and have been told that it may be my new normal, too. It is frustratinG I have used stool softeners and use miralax if it has been very bad. My doctor says to use medimusual, but I'm not a fan of it so I've tried fiber gummies. Nothing unfortunately has been fool proof. I also take probiotics and have yogurt at least once a day. I am going to discuss all of this on Monday when I go to my oncologist. I'm thinking of seeing a gastroenterologist, too. I'm really not due for another colonoscopy until 2019, but I worry what if the cancer has gone there? I too have neuropathy in my feet and a little in one leg. I like heat the best and wear socks most of the time. Mine are not super painful but more numb and tingly. I'm sorry that I probably am not being very hopeful. Misery loves company I guess.

I worry about a recurrence in

I worry about a recurrence in the colon, too. You can probably make a case for getting a colonoscopy this year given the links between uterine and colon cancer. This is the year to do that, since they are fully covered now but that is not likely to survive repeal of the ACA.

MAbound · January 2017

Hi

So nice to hear how you're doing post treatment, but sorry that you are having abdominal and neuropathy issues. My neuropathy re-intensified a bit towards then end of radiation. For me, cold has always helped and heat made it much, much worse. Go figure. It seems to be getting better though. I keep taking 3,000 mcg B12 sublingual daily and maybe that has helped. I know the shots I had during chemo really helped a lot.

I never had diarrhea during radiation like others have said they had to deal with. All through chemo and radiation my issue has been constipation, constipation, and constipation. I really have to keep at myself to drink, drink, and drink some more or I pay for it the next day. I also visit the bathroom at the least sensation because waiting seems to make it worse, too. It's like I have little to no peristalsis to move things along. It's not as bad as it's been, but probably because I've gotten into such a routine to deal with it. It makes traveling or going out anywhere an issue for me though, so I'm anxious for this to get better. It's hard to be patient for this to happen, though. Hang in there, it's got to get better, even if it's at a glacial pace.

TeddyandBears_Mom · January 2017

beccabtown said:
Thanks, everyone. This is
Thanks, everyone. This is helpful if not altogether reassuring.

Cindi, what treatments did you use?

Becca, treatments for my post

Becca, treatments for my post chemo issues? If that's what you mean, I didn't use anything and still don't.

If you mean for the cancer, I had the standard frontline of carb/taxol and brachy.

Just to give you an idea of my progress - I have spent the last two days loading bricks and laying them down for a pole barn. Boy, have I been tired at the end of the day! But, I can DO it again.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

beccabtown · January 2017

TeddyandBears_Mom said:
Becca, treatments for my post
Becca, treatments for my post chemo issues? If that's what you mean, I didn't use anything and still don't.

If you mean for the cancer, I had the standard frontline of carb/taxol and brachy.

Just to give you an idea of my progress - I have spent the last two days loading bricks and laying them down for a pole barn. Boy, have I been tired at the end of the day! But, I can DO it again.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

Thanks, I was wondering about

Thanks, I was wondering about post-chemo pain treatments.

Good for you!

beccabtown · February 2017

Update on this situation

I got a prescription for Gabapentin this week and it's making a huge difference. I continued to have some excruciating pain for the first few days; the dose they had me on was 1/6 what I took when I had shingles. Have doubled the dose in the past two days (still much lesser than what I took before) and the worst of the pain and tingling have gon away. Still have restless legs and have to lie down every now and then.

Anyway--there is hope!

How long have people taken Gabapentin/Neurontin? Months? Years?

SLS100 · February 2017

gabapetin

i have been taking gabapentin for at least 2 years now. i use it for nightmares along with a combination of other medications my psychiatrist and i have worked out together to improve my sleep and just help me relax. i would recommend the chat room oon this site. it is full of caring and empathetic people who have some answers through experience and sometime just through caring. the site is usually most active in the evenings. i am on pst time but a lot of the people seem to be on cst. in any event, try it and you will likely find some welcome relief. good luck.

TracyGB · February 2017

Pain after treatment

Hi. Glad to hear you are done with chemo and doing ok.

I am one year out from treatment now and have been on all of my meds at least that long. I did have bowel problems for several months after chemo. My doctor recommended a colonoscopy after radiation just to be sure everything was fine. I ended up with fissures in my vagina and bowel walls. my colon is all clear though ! You should ask The doctor about having one for peace of mind.

For the neuropathy and restless legs I take both gabapentin and cymbalta. The combination takes most of the pain away. I still have issues with my feet being numb sensitive to touch and cold so I warm them up a lot. I have also found that massage therapy helps. There is a massage therapist that works with chemo patients in MI that developed a strategy that she said helped bring back feeling. I read her article and have been trying it out to reduce the numbness. It seems to be helping along with stretching exercises to loosen my muscles. I also tried acupuncture which seems to work some as well but I have to pick and choose since everything is so expensive and not covered by insurance.

I have also seen a uro-gyn for urinary issues. She wants me to start vaginal physical therapy to help stregthen those muscles too. I haven't started that yet but will let you know how it goes. I am not going to take the cream she suggested since it has hormones in it. My onocologist I'd it would help things feel better in there but they are more conservative than the UFO-gyn and would not recommend the cream since upsc is a hormonal cancer.

i hope this info is help as suggestions to try if you still need options. Good luck with everything and keep in touch!

Tracy

janaes · February 2017

Becca glad you are starting

Becca glad you are starting to feel better these days. May it continue to improve even more

Soup52 · February 2017

TracyGB said:
Pain after treatment
Hi. Glad to hear you are done with chemo and doing ok.

I am one year out from treatment now and have been on all of my meds at least that long. I did have bowel problems for several months after chemo. My doctor recommended a colonoscopy after radiation just to be sure everything was fine. I ended up with fissures in my vagina and bowel walls. my colon is all clear though ! You should ask The doctor about having one for peace of mind.

For the neuropathy and restless legs I take both gabapentin and cymbalta. The combination takes most of the pain away. I still have issues with my feet being numb sensitive to touch and cold so I warm them up a lot. I have also found that massage therapy helps. There is a massage therapist that works with chemo patients in MI that developed a strategy that she said helped bring back feeling. I read her article and have been trying it out to reduce the numbness. It seems to be helping along with stretching exercises to loosen my muscles. I also tried acupuncture which seems to work some as well but I have to pick and choose since everything is so expensive and not covered by insurance.

I have also seen a uro-gyn for urinary issues. She wants me to start vaginal physical therapy to help stregthen those muscles too. I haven't started that yet but will let you know how it goes. I am not going to take the cream she suggested since it has hormones in it. My onocologist I'd it would help things feel better in there but they are more conservative than the UFO-gyn and would not recommend the cream since upsc is a hormonal cancer.

i hope this info is help as suggestions to try if you still need options. Good luck with everything and keep in touch!

Tracy

My doctor did finally refer

My doctor did finally refer me to a gastroenterologisT I have that appointment in March. I will feel better having seen them and possibly having a colonoscopy. I would think that this specialist will have more ideas about controlling my constipation since it is their area.

Pain after chemo

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