Muscle/Joint aches and pains

Hope4LRC
Hope4LRC Member Posts: 9
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I finished 12 treatments of folfox August 2. Have pretty constant numbness and tingling in my hands and feet. Taking B complex and magnesium/calcium. Have accepted this will take a while to resolve itself. 

However I seem to have muscle and joint aches and pains like I've not had before and they only started in the past month or so. It is difficult to get comfortable to be able to sleep.  My shoulders get achy for no apparent reason. There is even some discomfort when I have to yawn or have hiccups. 

I was having pretty bad pain in my lower back but was able to start exercising again this week and that seems to have helped. 

Haven't found many posts on this topic so thought I would ask. Talked to nurse at onc  office but she was unsure. 

Comments

  • Phil64
    Phil64 Member Posts: 838 Member
    edited October 2017 #2
    Good question. I think there

    Good question. I think there is a connection between treatments and joint/muscle soarness/pain. I think I had increased arthritis like issues after my treatment. However it had been some time since my treatments and I still have the arthritis issues. The neuropathy in my hands is gone but I think the neuropathy in my feet is permanent.

     

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #3
    Food

    I have experienced the same joint pains since my chemo and radiation. I do know the radiation messed with my hips, but I have pain in knee, shoulders, elbows and finger joints; and radiation didn't touch those points. 

    What I have found across the years is that certain foods aggrivate the joint pain. I have not been tested, but have carried out my own food tests, and thus, I am starting to see patterns that will hopefully lead me to a cutting out (down) on trigger foods. 

    This is just an idea for you to think about. I am not saying that food is your problem. We all react differently to treatment, and we all come out of it with some kind of long-lasting side effects. 

    As for the neuropathy. As I type to you (its 6:27 am), my fingers are numb and tingly. My neuropathy in my hands is always worse in the early mornings. The numbness in my feet is fairly mild now, but always there. I am four years out from treatment. 

    I will suggest trying a food diary. But I would certainly be talking to your Doctors. I didn't find my Oncologist much help, or my Rad Onc. They are all about the treatment. But your PCP (GP depending which country you are in) should be able to help. 

    Tru

  • Snuge65
    Snuge65 Member Posts: 1
    #4
    Pain

    My last treatment of folfox was 09/08/09 and I still have severe problems to this day.  I was being treated for colon rectal cancer.  The severe neuropathy has never gone away and I’m so tired of hearing the doctors say it will.  Besides that I have nerve damage, fibromyalgia, RA, chronic fatigue, memory lose and an auto immune disease all caused by the chemo. I was scheduled for 12 treatments but was only given 5 since on the 5th treatment it paralyzed me.  It took 48 hours before I was able to walk again but my life has never been the same since.  The only good news is that I am cancer free.  Has anyone else had such results from the folfox?

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #5
    Snuge65 said:

    Pain

    My last treatment of folfox was 09/08/09 and I still have severe problems to this day.  I was being treated for colon rectal cancer.  The severe neuropathy has never gone away and I’m so tired of hearing the doctors say it will.  Besides that I have nerve damage, fibromyalgia, RA, chronic fatigue, memory lose and an auto immune disease all caused by the chemo. I was scheduled for 12 treatments but was only given 5 since on the 5th treatment it paralyzed me.  It took 48 hours before I was able to walk again but my life has never been the same since.  The only good news is that I am cancer free.  Has anyone else had such results from the folfox?

    So different

    I have several long-term side effects from the FOLFOX and several from Radiation.  Neuroptahy is one of them from FOLFOX and I don't care what the Oncologist says, I know it is not going to get any better than it is now. 

    Anyway, I figure every one of us is left with some kind, or several kinds of side effects, though they may all be slightly different for different people. I have not come across anyone, yet, that has a white coating on their tongue. I had uncontrolled Thursh in the mouth, during FOLFOX and though they tell me the Thrush has gone, my tongue is white and furry. 

    Welcome to the forum. 

    Tru

  • Norajeane
    Norajeane Member Posts: 1
    #6
    New to the forum

    I'm new to the forum. I found this by googling hip pain after colorectal cancer.  Your posts are like I'm typing them myself. Wow! So it's not just me that has all of these aches and pains. Hip pain is horrible on a daily basis. I did 4. Months of chemo followed by 5 1/2 weeks of radiation. I still have neuropathy on the very tips of my fingers and on both bottoms of my feet. Now these aches and pains have kicked in. But, everybody loves to tell me hey, you're cancer free!! In other words deal with it..... just glad to see others out there and nice to meet y'all! 

    Nora 

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