POST RADIATION PROBLEMS HIP AND PELVIC BONE DAMAGE

I know that our friend, Alyse, on this board has undergone a hip replacement post-treatment for anal cancer.  Perhaps she will see your post and chime in.

My experience has been with limited flexibility and tightness in my hips.  I have no problem running, but abduction/adduction of hips is limited.  Hip issues seem to be common after pelvic radiation, so we are not alone.  Many people have gottem improvement with yoga, so I hope that will work for you!

lizgino,  i had such severe pain from hip thru thigh after tx for about 6 months then it lessened...also my rad. docs said that sacral insufficency fractures are very common for radiation to pelvis ,,,,, lower spine is affected also...osteoporosis is common after this tx... i do have that....try to strengthen your back muscles...  i would guess that hip replacements might be common (mostly later on in life) due to this radiation....  keep moving to try to lesson pain.....   get checked for osteoporosis also.... sephie

I'm from the colorectal board but I've found that anal and rectal can have some common ground, due to the locations of our tumors being down so low originally.

Yes, I've also had severe hip and back pain...my radiation treatments (for these areas) go back nearly 9-years now...they have always been horrible....but I've found that the condition has begun to worsen the past couple of years.

Any type of hard work or just plain bending wears me out and the pain can be intense...most of the time I ignore it...a couple of times I had to take a Tramadol because the throbbing was so bad.

My lower back suffers where they beamed me...and I now have AVASCULAR NECROSIS, which in short, means I've suffered alot of damage to both hips due to lack of blood flow to the joint.  Over time, this results in the death of the joint.  The only remedy for that solution appears to be a hip replacement.  My condition has returned to 'stable' since I wrapped up my last treatment, so I'm treating it very gingerly and pick and choose the activities I participate in

Just bending to tie my shoelaces seems like an Olympic event, LOL!

I try and stretch some to prevent becoming more rigid...treadmills are hard to walk on now...but I found that an elliptical trainer felt pretty good - it allowed me the flexibility for what seemed like a normal range of motion without the intense pain....so I'm going to be incorporating that going forward for as long as I can.

Hip replacement will at some point come into play for me, I'm sure.  I'm about to go to 52 in a month or so, and I'm going to delay that as long as possible....I've missed alot of time at work over the years with cancer and don't want to address this unti I have to.  Most doctors recommend not having to start doing replacements at such a young age, because you'd run through a few pairs.....along with associated recovery time and cost of course.

Two of the leading causes for Avascular Necrosis are:  (1) Radiation   (2) Chemo

So, I'm convinced that is more than a coincidence. 

One of the things I've found about living so long with cancer is what the don't tell you upfront in the brochures you find in the waiting room lobby.....they don't tell you what to expect if you do survive it.

Having made it nearly 9-years, I don't have to tell you that this is a lifetime in the cancer world.  And sometimes, you can get so far out, that you meet or beat everyone's prognostications and/or expectations....

I've always said we have to trade Tomorrow for Today in this fight - and we have to be able to live with the consequences of the decisions that we make - and that are made for us.  I'm sure that is in the fine print of one of pamphlets:)

My concern going forward (is/has been/will be) what reprucussions are still to come if I continue to log the years?  What changes will my body reveal from the fallout of the many treatment choices I've done?

But, we just do the best we can. 

You've been given some great advice on this topic....radiation is always a lightning rod for me....I've done it in my lung too, but that's another story for another time:)

Congratulations on your success and best wishes on your recovery!

-Craig

Sundanceh said:

Hi Liz:)

I'm from the colorectal board but I've found that anal and rectal can have some common ground, due to the locations of our tumors being down so low originally.

Yes, I've also had severe hip and back pain...my radiation treatments (for these areas) go back nearly 9-years now...they have always been horrible....but I've found that the condition has begun to worsen the past couple of years.

Any type of hard work or just plain bending wears me out and the pain can be intense...most of the time I ignore it...a couple of times I had to take a Tramadol because the throbbing was so bad.

My lower back suffers where they beamed me...and I now have AVASCULAR NECROSIS, which in short, means I've suffered alot of damage to both hips due to lack of blood flow to the joint.  Over time, this results in the death of the joint.  The only remedy for that solution appears to be a hip replacement.  My condition has returned to 'stable' since I wrapped up my last treatment, so I'm treating it very gingerly and pick and choose the activities I participate in

Just bending to tie my shoelaces seems like an Olympic event, LOL!

I try and stretch some to prevent becoming more rigid...treadmills are hard to walk on now...but I found that an elliptical trainer felt pretty good - it allowed me the flexibility for what seemed like a normal range of motion without the intense pain....so I'm going to be incorporating that going forward for as long as I can.

Hip replacement will at some point come into play for me, I'm sure.  I'm about to go to 52 in a month or so, and I'm going to delay that as long as possible....I've missed alot of time at work over the years with cancer and don't want to address this unti I have to.  Most doctors recommend not having to start doing replacements at such a young age, because you'd run through a few pairs.....along with associated recovery time and cost of course.

Two of the leading causes for Avascular Necrosis are:  (1) Radiation   (2) Chemo

So, I'm convinced that is more than a coincidence. 

One of the things I've found about living so long with cancer is what the don't tell you upfront in the brochures you find in the waiting room lobby.....they don't tell you what to expect if you do survive it.

Having made it nearly 9-years, I don't have to tell you that this is a lifetime in the cancer world.  And sometimes, you can get so far out, that you meet or beat everyone's prognostications and/or expectations....

I've always said we have to trade Tomorrow for Today in this fight - and we have to be able to live with the consequences of the decisions that we make - and that are made for us.  I'm sure that is in the fine print of one of pamphlets:)

My concern going forward (is/has been/will be) what reprucussions are still to come if I continue to log the years?  What changes will my body reveal from the fallout of the many treatment choices I've done?

But, we just do the best we can. 

You've been given some great advice on this topic....radiation is always a lightning rod for me....I've done it in my lung too, but that's another story for another time:)

Congratulations on your success and best wishes on your recovery!

-Craig

 

Sundanceh - I just saw your very thoughtful post..... You are so right, hardly any information is given to cancer patients about what to expect after treatment. Dr's seem to draw a blank when you ask them about post-treatment side effects as if they've never heard of them before....... yet when I go on this forum, it seems almost everyone has very similiar side effects after radiation to the pelvis..... Congratulations on making it nearly 9 years!! I always like hearing about long-term survivors!!! Gives us all hope and encouragement!

z810840b said:

hip pain

Hi Martha-i haven't been on in a long time...But i did notice The Hip  pain question. I wanted to say Hello to you too.Im doing well...The new hip works great..I am playing golf 3xs a week and am very active all around.I definitely stiffen in my pelvic area and have intermitten trouble with sciatica.I have started to go for massages and they seem to help alot.All in all..i am very lucky and feel almost normal...I hope you are doing well martha...its 5 years NED aug 14th.xxxooo...hugs..alyse

I am so glad to hear from you!  Wow, it sounds like you're doing great--so happy to hear that!  Your timing couldn't have been better, as I had some hip pain over the weekend.  I think it was from too much yard work last week, when I stood for too long.  It's feeling better now.  I was back to running yesterday.  Today, I'm off to see my med onc to get the results of Monday's CT scan, so wish me luck!

I will certainly be thinking of you as you near that 5-year mark!  Mine will be on Sept. 9th.  I wish we could celebrate together!  It doesn't seem possible that it's been 5 years for me--how about you?  If we continue to do as well as we've done already, we're going to be around for a long, long time!  Take good care, my friend!  Love and Hugs!

Im a "newbie" and I'm about a week away from starting my chemo and radiation for Stage 3B anal cancer. I had a hip replacement about 17 years ago. Does anyone know what or if there are side effects " down the road" ? 

I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer in early 2016.  Underwent radical prostatectomy in March and 39 radiation treatments in October and November of 2016. In July of 2017 I bagan having a difficult time walking as I have a terrible stiffness and pain in both of my hips and a difficult time bending my left knee. MRIs indicated osteoarthritis in both hips and knees and bursitis in left hip. Has anyone experienced similar symptoms post radiation. My Oncologist, Urologist and Radiologist never mentioned this as a possible side effect. I would so much appreciated any feedback on my condition. Much thanks in advance.

jimmytt3 said:

Osteoarthritis

I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer in early 2016.  Underwent radical prostatectomy in March and 39 radiation treatments in October and November of 2016. In July of 2017 I bagan having a difficult time walking as I have a terrible stiffness and pain in both of my hips and a difficult time bending my left knee. MRIs indicated osteoarthritis in both hips and knees and bursitis in left hip. Has anyone experienced similar symptoms post radiation. My Oncologist, Urologist and Radiologist never mentioned this as a possible side effect. I would so much appreciated any feedback on my condition. Much thanks in advance.

I have osteoarthritis in my hips and knees.  I never had these issues until after I went through radiation treatment in 2008.  I am a runner, so this was not good news for me, and the fact that I also found out I have osteoporosis (which I believe is due to the radiation as well), was even worse news.  I am steadily becoming more of a walker than a runner.  However, in 2012, I ran a full marathon, after getting Supartz injections in my left kne, which at that time was the worse of the two.  The injections did help.  I am now experiencing a lot of discomfort on the top of my pelvic bone on the left side and am wondering if my bone has a small crack in it.  I really think radiation does a lot of damage to our bones and joints.  I can no longer sit on the floor with legs crossed, due to limited range of motion in my hips.  I feel your frustration!

jimmytt3 said:

Mp327

Thank you so much for responding. I believe our symptoms are somewhat similar. My flexibility is diminished and I am only able to do a few of the hip stretching exercises my Wife found on the internet. After first experiencing the difficulty in walking I was referred to a spine specialist and my MRIs revealed a herniated disk on my c-4 c-5. I had 2 surgeries to fix that problem, the front in Oct. 2017 and the rear in Feb 2018, but this did nothing to alleviate the pain in my hips.  I am not sure where to turn to but I have an appointment with my Urologist next week and maybe he will have some ideas. My problem is I had my Prostatectomy and radiation treatments done in Michigan and now I have relocated to retire in Las Vegas. I appreciate you taking time out of your day to respond to my dilemma.Thank you so much

I do hope you will find a doctor in Las Vegas who can help you.  Loss of flexibility is a common side effect from pelvic radiation and as we age, it increases pain and our risk of falling.  Some days are worse than others for me, but nothing is like it used to be.  I wish you all the very best.

Msmoxie said:

ORTHOBIONOMY

Hello ... I am familiar with the radiation damage to the muscles through studying all of the professional articles I can get my hands on for this anal cancer.  I was diagnosed in Aug. 2017 and because of the late stage SCC, the location of my tumors on both sphincters, breast cancer, calcifications in my thyroid (and a littany of other problems)... I am not signing up for the chemoradiation they would perform.  I do have more consultations ...one upcoming with Memorial Sloane Kettering... just looking for less toxic, less damaging possibilities to maintain my health and doing everything I can to strengthen my immune system to fight this.  

Anyway... I find amazing results with an LMT that worked at our local VA Hospital for ten years and began specializing in an area known as Orthobionomy... very few people (even chiropracters) are familiar with this discipline... but I can tell you from personal experience that this is amazing / healing therapy.  It is more gentle than chiropractic and if you find a good practitioner of this specialty... you too will be happy that you found them.  My 82 year old Mom also goes to him every three weeks (the chiropracter she went to for twenty years won't touch her anymore because of the results of her bone density tests).  Orthobionomy is so gentle... this is not an issue.  Mom loves the results of the treatment and both of us wish we had the money to hire him full time.

so... just another thing that might help you with your pain and the post-treatment conditions that you are dealing with.

Hardest part is finding one!

Sending you positive and healing energies!

Moxie

Moxie, 

Thank you for responding to my post. I will certainly look into your recommendations.