Has anybody got leg pain from 5-FU?

Fight for my love
Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi everybody.My hubby is on his first round of chemo and radiation before sugery,the first couple days of this week,he was ok,but since the night before last night,he couldn't sleep well,he got pain in his legs and he feels like he did 20 or 30 miles hiking,but that was more pain than sore, finally he couldn't tolerate anymore,he took Tylenol,then finally he fell asleep.My question is : has anybody ever had the same problem with 5-FU,if you have,how did you solve the problem?and was it ok to take Tylenol?We also called the doctor's office,they didn't give us a clear answer.So we would like to listen to your opinions,lots of thanks to you.

Comments

  • qwe
    qwe Member Posts: 124
    #2
    I was on 5-FU no leg
    I was on 5-FU no leg problems is your hubby on cholesterol medicines or
    other medicines then chemo if so maybe he should call his primary Dr.
    Hope he gets better let us know.Oh I know cholesterol meds will cause
    leg cramps after taken over a period of time cause I had to change my meds
    2 X's
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #3
    Joint issues
    I have severe hip joint pain, and occasional knee pains that my oncologist says is brought on by 5FU. It is always worse the week after chemo (which happens to be this week!) No pain killer touches it...and I am allergic to the Nsaids. Doc says it should gradually get better now that I am finished with chemo.If it doesn't get better, he will test for arthritis.

    Many hugs, Vicki
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #4
    5FU
    It was so long ago that I was on that med I don't remember. I don't think I did. I do know that I can barely get out of bed some mornings because I ache so much. I'm only 51. Once my daily meds kick in it's not so bad.
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    #5
    qwe said:

    I was on 5-FU no leg
    I was on 5-FU no leg problems is your hubby on cholesterol medicines or
    other medicines then chemo if so maybe he should call his primary Dr.
    Hope he gets better let us know.Oh I know cholesterol meds will cause
    leg cramps after taken over a period of time cause I had to change my meds
    2 X's

    qwe,thanks a lot for your
    qwe,thanks a lot for your reply.My hubby does take cholesterol medicine,but the oncologist said all the oral medications that he is taking now doesn't conflict with the chemo 5-FU.But before the chemo,my hubby never got any pain from the cholesterol medicine.I guess we can't always believe what the doctors tell us,we'd better do more research and pay more attention by ourself.Thank you very much,qwe.
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    #6
    PhillieG said:

    5FU
    It was so long ago that I was on that med I don't remember. I don't think I did. I do know that I can barely get out of bed some mornings because I ache so much. I'm only 51. Once my daily meds kick in it's not so bad.

    Thank you very much,Vichi
    Thank you very much,Vichi and Phil.My hubby's pain only happened in the night,once he gets up in the morning,the pain disappeared.Anyway we will keep an eye on his problem,I am hoping he will get better the next couple of days because the nurse just came to unhook him for the weekend.Thanks a lot,you guys have a good weekend.
  • daydreamer110761
    daydreamer110761 Member Posts: 487 Member
    #7
    Fight for my love said:

    Thank you very much,Vichi
    Thank you very much,Vichi and Phil.My hubby's pain only happened in the night,once he gets up in the morning,the pain disappeared.Anyway we will keep an eye on his problem,I am hoping he will get better the next couple of days because the nurse just came to unhook him for the weekend.Thanks a lot,you guys have a good weekend.

    yes i did
    and nothing touched it. Finally got the doc to give me vicodn, worked and helped me sleep.
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    #8
    daydreamer110761 said:

    yes i did
    and nothing touched it. Finally got the doc to give me vicodn, worked and helped me sleep.

    Thank you daydreamer,thanks
    Thank you daydreamer,thanks a lot for your reply,have a good weekend.
  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    #9
    5FU leg pain
    Oh yeah. It started around the 4th round for me and got progressively worse. Along with the neuropathy, it actually worsened for a while after treatment ended, but then gradually abated. It has never gone away entirely--still get days where the long bones hurt (and we won't even get into joint issues...) At first the pain was so bad that they gave me dilaudid, but that is highly addictive. I have since switched to Tramadol and use it as needed. If he can stay away from the narcotics it would be good. A lot of the time narcotics don't actually remove the pain; they just make you not care (LOL!) I'm afraid these strong chemicals that save our lives leave us with potent reminders of their presence. However, I'm just happy to be here, and take each day as it comes. Give your hubby my best and tell him that this, too, is part of the journey.

    Hugs,
    Kirsten
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    #10
    kmygil said:

    5FU leg pain
    Oh yeah. It started around the 4th round for me and got progressively worse. Along with the neuropathy, it actually worsened for a while after treatment ended, but then gradually abated. It has never gone away entirely--still get days where the long bones hurt (and we won't even get into joint issues...) At first the pain was so bad that they gave me dilaudid, but that is highly addictive. I have since switched to Tramadol and use it as needed. If he can stay away from the narcotics it would be good. A lot of the time narcotics don't actually remove the pain; they just make you not care (LOL!) I'm afraid these strong chemicals that save our lives leave us with potent reminders of their presence. However, I'm just happy to be here, and take each day as it comes. Give your hubby my best and tell him that this, too, is part of the journey.

    Hugs,
    Kirsten

    Lots of thanks to
    Lots of thanks to you,Kirsten.Yesterday the nurse came to unhook my hubby,so the pain didn't come back until early morning about 4Am,it's strange.The last couple of night the pain happened during the night,now he got unhooked,the pain came in the morning.I guess the pain doesn't care when it wants to come.Anyway my hubby feels a little better to get unhooked and we are glad the first round chemo and radiation are done,my hubby still got another five weeks to go.Thank you very much for your reply,Kirsten.I aprreciate.
  • serrana
    serrana Member Posts: 163 Member
    #11
    Fight for my love said:

    Lots of thanks to
    Lots of thanks to you,Kirsten.Yesterday the nurse came to unhook my hubby,so the pain didn't come back until early morning about 4Am,it's strange.The last couple of night the pain happened during the night,now he got unhooked,the pain came in the morning.I guess the pain doesn't care when it wants to come.Anyway my hubby feels a little better to get unhooked and we are glad the first round chemo and radiation are done,my hubby still got another five weeks to go.Thank you very much for your reply,Kirsten.I aprreciate.

    leg/joint pain
    Acupuncture took my joint pain totally away in 3 treatments, couldn't even walk before I had the treatments. Awesome.
    Serrana
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    #12
    serrana said:

    leg/joint pain
    Acupuncture took my joint pain totally away in 3 treatments, couldn't even walk before I had the treatments. Awesome.
    Serrana

    Serrana,thank you very much
    Serrana,thank you very much for the information you provided.I will let my hubby know.Thanks a lot.
  • lesvanb
    lesvanb Member Posts: 905
    #13
    Body pains
    Acupuncture also has worked in keeping me relatively pain free during treatments, especially effective before and after surgery. My joint/leg pain/ache increased after ending my last chemo treatment. I take ibuprofen (had liver surgery so stay away from tylenol) before I go to bed which helps me get to and stay asleep. The pain in the back of my calves has woken me up on occasion.

    Leslie
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    #14
    lesvanb said:

    Body pains
    Acupuncture also has worked in keeping me relatively pain free during treatments, especially effective before and after surgery. My joint/leg pain/ache increased after ending my last chemo treatment. I take ibuprofen (had liver surgery so stay away from tylenol) before I go to bed which helps me get to and stay asleep. The pain in the back of my calves has woken me up on occasion.

    Leslie

    Thank you very much,Leslie.I
    Thank you very much,Leslie.I will let my hubby know Acupuncture is an option too.I appreciate your answer.Thank you.

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