Pain in my joints after Chemo & Radiation!!!

weazer
weazer Member Posts: 440
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hello my name is Karie other known as Weazer,
I am a tripple negative Breast cancer Survivor,
I had my last treatment of Chemo in July and my last Radiation treatment in September, and have joint pain in my hands wrists and elbows and now really bad in my hip.
I'm going for another bone scan tomorrow and are hoping they dont find anything, this will be my second one, and I read on here that there were others like me that had this problem.
I turned 51 yesterday and love to garden and enjoy the outdoors, I live in Colorado and the spring is apon us, and I'm really starting to get frustrated with my body.
I feel like I'm 75 or more with all my aches and pains.
Anyone else out there feeling like me?
Take care Weazer

Comments

  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    #2
    Sorry to hear you are suffering.
    Weazer,

    Lots of women suffer from that when they are on Arimidex. I'm one of the lucky ones. You are triple negative so I don't know what would have caused that. Maybe it has to do with the type of chemo that was used and going through forced menopause. When estrogen goes way down, lots of things can show up.

    Breastcancer.org has a thread just for triple negative. You might want to post there if you don't get any responses from other triple negative survivors.

    Roseann
  • weazer
    weazer Member Posts: 440
    #3
    roseann4 said:

    Sorry to hear you are suffering.
    Weazer,

    Lots of women suffer from that when they are on Arimidex. I'm one of the lucky ones. You are triple negative so I don't know what would have caused that. Maybe it has to do with the type of chemo that was used and going through forced menopause. When estrogen goes way down, lots of things can show up.

    Breastcancer.org has a thread just for triple negative. You might want to post there if you don't get any responses from other triple negative survivors.

    Roseann

    Thank You, and I do beleave
    Thank You, and I do beleave that the forced Menopause might have something to do with it
    Weazer
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #4
    weazer said:

    Thank You, and I do beleave
    Thank You, and I do beleave that the forced Menopause might have something to do with it
    Weazer

    Hi Karie
    Welcome to the site. Yes, Forced menopause has been my problem too. I am stage IIIC survivor and looking forward to the spring.
    Hugs,
    New Flower
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #5
    Karie
    Hi Karie,
    My last chemo was in September. I am 48. I understand what you mean, I feel like cancer has aged my body quite a bit. I have joint pain from my jaws to my toes. Its usually the worst in the ankles, knees and hands. Mine began with my first round of chemo and my Onc. said it was from the Taxotere. The one thing I have found that helps is heat. I bought a parafin bath that is big enough to put my feet in. I also use the heating pad and hot baths and showers are nice. I went to an occupational therapist and she reccommends taking lots of breaks during any activity and doing stretches.
    During colder months I wore gloves outside and just tried to dress appropriately for the weather. I don't know what else to do about it, I have tried several pain releivers and nothing works. Good luck to you, I hope you are able to find some relief.
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #6
    New Flower said:

    Hi Karie
    Welcome to the site. Yes, Forced menopause has been my problem too. I am stage IIIC survivor and looking forward to the spring.
    Hugs,
    New Flower

    I didn't have chemo, but, I
    I didn't have chemo, but, I had 7 weeks of rads. I don't have any joint pain. It might be the menopause that you are going thru. Talk to your oncologist and let us know.

    Good luck!
  • weazer
    weazer Member Posts: 440
    #7
    elm3544 said:

    Karie
    Hi Karie,
    My last chemo was in September. I am 48. I understand what you mean, I feel like cancer has aged my body quite a bit. I have joint pain from my jaws to my toes. Its usually the worst in the ankles, knees and hands. Mine began with my first round of chemo and my Onc. said it was from the Taxotere. The one thing I have found that helps is heat. I bought a parafin bath that is big enough to put my feet in. I also use the heating pad and hot baths and showers are nice. I went to an occupational therapist and she reccommends taking lots of breaks during any activity and doing stretches.
    During colder months I wore gloves outside and just tried to dress appropriately for the weather. I don't know what else to do about it, I have tried several pain releivers and nothing works. Good luck to you, I hope you are able to find some relief.

    Another bone scan
    Hello,
    I had another bone scan yesterday, and waiting for the results....scarey.
    I to had the nasty drug Taxotere, in the middle of my second treatment they had to stop it because I was having an allergic reaction too it.
    However I was able to tolerate it with shots in my stomach dailly for five days after my treatment.
    I will try heat, but when I get a little to warm here comes the Hot sweats, whats a Girl to do.
    Thanks all for your help.
    I'll keep you posted
    Karie
  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    #8
    Hi Weazer
    I am triple negative, too, and had similar pain in one of my hips post treatment. I also had a bone scan, which came out negative. The pain eventually went away and what seems to help is yoga and cycling, honestly. Moving the joints and stretching them has really made a difference. Have you tried a joint medication they sell otc? Maybe ask your onc. if something like that would be OK to take. Unfortunately, it seems like mysterious aches and pains are not uncommon after treatment.

    Mimi
  • weazer
    weazer Member Posts: 440
    #9
    mimivac said:

    Hi Weazer
    I am triple negative, too, and had similar pain in one of my hips post treatment. I also had a bone scan, which came out negative. The pain eventually went away and what seems to help is yoga and cycling, honestly. Moving the joints and stretching them has really made a difference. Have you tried a joint medication they sell otc? Maybe ask your onc. if something like that would be OK to take. Unfortunately, it seems like mysterious aches and pains are not uncommon after treatment.

    Mimi

    Exercise sounds great!
    I heard that it might help, and I have tried to walk around a lake that is close to my house and it made it worse.
    And I would LOVE to lose some of the wieght that I gained, no I would like to lose all the wieght that I gained LOL.
    Thank You and I will look into some yoga classes.
    Weazer
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #10
    elm3544 said:

    Karie
    Hi Karie,
    My last chemo was in September. I am 48. I understand what you mean, I feel like cancer has aged my body quite a bit. I have joint pain from my jaws to my toes. Its usually the worst in the ankles, knees and hands. Mine began with my first round of chemo and my Onc. said it was from the Taxotere. The one thing I have found that helps is heat. I bought a parafin bath that is big enough to put my feet in. I also use the heating pad and hot baths and showers are nice. I went to an occupational therapist and she reccommends taking lots of breaks during any activity and doing stretches.
    During colder months I wore gloves outside and just tried to dress appropriately for the weather. I don't know what else to do about it, I have tried several pain releivers and nothing works. Good luck to you, I hope you are able to find some relief.

    Wishing you good luck with
    Wishing you good luck with your bone scan and praying for good results!
  • weazer
    weazer Member Posts: 440
    #11
    weazer said:

    Exercise sounds great!
    I heard that it might help, and I have tried to walk around a lake that is close to my house and it made it worse.
    And I would LOVE to lose some of the wieght that I gained, no I would like to lose all the wieght that I gained LOL.
    Thank You and I will look into some yoga classes.
    Weazer

    Great news
    Bone scan came out well, found nothing and chemo markers are Great.
    I'm so glad that the spring is apon us and will start to walk and look into a yoga class.
    Thanks for your well wishes.
    Weazer
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    #12
    weazer said:

    Great news
    Bone scan came out well, found nothing and chemo markers are Great.
    I'm so glad that the spring is apon us and will start to walk and look into a yoga class.
    Thanks for your well wishes.
    Weazer

    Congrats Weazer on the clean
    Congrats Weazer on the clean bone scan! I know that is a huge relief!

    Take care!
  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    #13
    Me too
    I've had joint aches since chemo, mostly after sitting for a long time or when I first get up in the morning. When I get up, I feel like I look like I'm 80 yrs old! And now I need to start taking Arimidex which they say causes joint aches! UGHHH! I started exercising almost 3 weeks ago and it does seem to be helping a bit, but I still shuffle to the bathroom when I get up in the morning and still groan & moan when I stand up from my desk at work. And yea, I'm only 48. FUN STUFF!
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #14
    At one point I had trouble
    At one point I had trouble with my hip. I walked like I was 90, had trouble with stairs and couldn't get out of a chair. I saw my onc and he sent me for a bone scan. It came back clean and sent me to a PCP. He told me to take glucosamine chondroitin. It cured me and I stopped taking it after a few months. Never came back. Now my husband is having trouble with a pain in the shoulder and he took it and it cured him too. However we ran out of the pills and after a week or two the pain is coming back so I guess he needs to take it again. Remember to check with your doctor first before starting any meds, even over-the-counter to make sure it doesn't interfere with other meds or treatment.
  • God Heals
    God Heals Member Posts: 11
    #15
    Old Lady Feeling... till the muscles/joints warm up....
    I take Armidex and yes... I feel like an old lady.... warm shower in the morning is a must... I walk, but that too seems to back fires when I come home an sit down... I'm back at work and quickly found out movement every hour is important... I NEED to use the hand held massage... and I will try the glucosamine...
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    #16
    Karie........
    Boy, am I glad I found your post.

    I was ER-/PR- and HER-2+. I did not take Arimidex.

    I spent winter of 2008 doing chemo and then 28 rounds of rads. By late spring of 2009, I developed a hyperactive thyroid, but more importantly to your post, I have terrible joint pain in both shoulders, which has limited movement there drastically. The pain is in the joints, but aches all the way down my arms and it is constant. Wakes me at night if I roll onto my side.
    I have also developed weakness in my legs...you know, the commercial..."I've fallen and I can't get up"! God forbid if I ever do fall, because I don't have the leg strength to get back up without help.

    At any rate, some of my Drs. feel it's due to chemo...a "chemo-induced" arthritis, of sorts. I am seeing a rhematologist next month, in the hopes he can help with the pain...

    Hugs,
    CR

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