Pain months after treatment

kkcrayton
kkcrayton Member Posts: 2
in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1

Hi, last August I was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin Lymphoma and I completed 5 months of chemo at the end of January and completed  17 rounds of Radiation the middle of March. I have a lot of body pain/muscular pain and body aches. Right now my lower back and spine really hurt. I can’t help but always think my cancer is back. Is anyone else having body pain? Is this normal and something I just have to live with? I can handle it if I know it’s to be expected after treatment. I go for my 3 mos scan at the end of this month. 

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  • kkcrayton
    kkcrayton Member Posts: 2
    edited June 2018 #2
    Oops typo, I had chemo for 6

    Oops typo, I had chemo for 6 mos. 

  • PBL
    PBL Member Posts: 366 Member
    #3
    A few hypotheses

    Hello kkcrayton,

    I am not sure how common it is for lymphoma patients to experience such generalized pain post-treatment - I cannot say I have seen many references to it, so I assume it is not all that widespread. I personally have a pain issue as well, so what I write will reflect my experience.

    There are many aspects to what you say, and I suppose that makes this issue difficult to deal with for the sufferer as well as for doctors.

    - the constant preoccupation with relapse is often referred to as "noise". I believe it must result from the traumatic experience of being handed a cancer diagnosis and undergoing harsh treatments;

    - the treatments can cause neuropathy, and that is more or less reversible. Some patients will recover, while others will have to keep dealing with pain, numbness, etc. on a daily basis;

    - being very ill and bedridden for several months will cause muscle wasting. As anyone who has resumed physical activity after a long period away from the gym will tell you, it's not easy to whip yourself back into shape...

    Whatever the cause(s) of the pain you are experiencing, you need to inform your hematologist. S/He is in the best position to find out what is going on and how to best help you through it. The hematologist may refer you to a pain specialist, or you could ask for a referral.

    The point is, there is no need for you to suffer silently. All sorts of approaches can be tried until you find the most appropriate solution.

    Hope this helps.

    PBL

     

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