Question re: hip pain

pattimc
pattimc Member Posts: 431
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I finished my chemo in October 2009 and radiation in December 2009. I have been experiencing hip pain (mostly my left hip but sometimes both) for the last few weeks.

For any of you that developed bone mets, did it show up this quick? I know, we worry about every ache and pain but I'm having my port out May 7th. Don't want to do that if there is a chance this has spread.

Maybe this is just a side effect of my Tamoxifen? SE of chemo?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Comments

  • rrogers34
    rrogers34 Member Posts: 135
    #2
    I have heard
    I personally have not been on tomoxifen. Yet. I have the pills, but they want to wait for me to have my re-excision for wider margins. (My choice). Just finished chemo last week. I have heard that joint pain is a side effect of Tomoxifen. I would let your Dr know. I am having pains all over my body since on Chemo. Better days ahead.


    God Bless
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #3
    rrogers34 said:

    I have heard
    I personally have not been on tomoxifen. Yet. I have the pills, but they want to wait for me to have my re-excision for wider margins. (My choice). Just finished chemo last week. I have heard that joint pain is a side effect of Tomoxifen. I would let your Dr know. I am having pains all over my body since on Chemo. Better days ahead.


    God Bless

    Talk to your oncologist
    Do you take Calcium and vitamin D on regular basis? Physical activity is important too. Could be nothing related to BC, still call you doc.
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #4
    I had really bad hip pain to
    I had really bad hip pain to the point I couldn't get out of a chair or go up or down stairs. The onc sent me for a bone scan. It came back ok so he sent me to my family doc who had me take glucosamine chondroitin. After a few months I stopped taking it and I've been fine since. Talk to your onc. He wants feedback and needs to know what is going on with you.
  • kickin the big C
    kickin the big C Member Posts: 18
    #5
    i finished chemo in nov '08
    i finished chemo in nov '08 and radiation in april '09. recently the hip pain has gotten so bad i have had trouble walking. i had to get a cortisone shot but it still hurts and now the other side too. my understnding is that it has nothing to do with tamox. thye orthoped did xrays of hips and spine but saw nothing. now you've got me thinking.
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398
    #6
    kickin the big C said:

    i finished chemo in nov '08
    i finished chemo in nov '08 and radiation in april '09. recently the hip pain has gotten so bad i have had trouble walking. i had to get a cortisone shot but it still hurts and now the other side too. my understnding is that it has nothing to do with tamox. thye orthoped did xrays of hips and spine but saw nothing. now you've got me thinking.

    Bone Pain
    I did suffer allot of pain in hips and just the whole scheleton. I felt like I had been hit by a truck most of my treatment phase.
    One has to get through treatment and given time to get stronger and healthier before one can tell if this will be a lasting side effect. For some these things pass after treatments for others not so fast.
    And that is good thing that they actually looked so they know it is not that.
    Tara
  • BethInAz
    BethInAz Member Posts: 203 Member
    #7
    Hip Pain
    I have some hip pain all of the time - due to arthritis. When I asked my primary care doc what the difference would be between arthritis pain and bone met pain - and she said I wouldn't be able to tell the diff. She said I would never be considered a hypocondriac and if I had any "new" pain, I should come and see her, schedule for x-ray, and see what's going on - just to put my mind to ease. I already knew I had arthritis in the hip - as well as my lower back so these things are familiar pains to me. I haven't had any worsened pain after taking Tamoxifen for almost 2 months. The onc told me, though, that your red blood factories are mostly in those large flat bones (hip, pelvis & lower back) and there might be pain as the red blood cells rejuvenate. That's why, he said, people taking Neulasta injections have so much joint pain - it's kicking those red blood cell factories into high gear. Interesting stuff, eh?
    Beth
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #8
    New Flower said:

    Talk to your oncologist
    Do you take Calcium and vitamin D on regular basis? Physical activity is important too. Could be nothing related to BC, still call you doc.

    I know, everytime we feel a
    I know, everytime we feel a new pain or something out of the ordinary, our minds turn to cancer again. But, this pain you are having probably isn't. Talk to your oncologist and I am sure they will have a bone scan and a CT scan if necessary, just to rule out cancer. It could be from chemo or arthritis or something else. Keep us updated as to what you find out.

    Hugs, Diane
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #9
    BethInAz said:

    Hip Pain
    I have some hip pain all of the time - due to arthritis. When I asked my primary care doc what the difference would be between arthritis pain and bone met pain - and she said I wouldn't be able to tell the diff. She said I would never be considered a hypocondriac and if I had any "new" pain, I should come and see her, schedule for x-ray, and see what's going on - just to put my mind to ease. I already knew I had arthritis in the hip - as well as my lower back so these things are familiar pains to me. I haven't had any worsened pain after taking Tamoxifen for almost 2 months. The onc told me, though, that your red blood factories are mostly in those large flat bones (hip, pelvis & lower back) and there might be pain as the red blood cells rejuvenate. That's why, he said, people taking Neulasta injections have so much joint pain - it's kicking those red blood cell factories into high gear. Interesting stuff, eh?
    Beth

    fortunately a side effect of
    fortunately a side effect of chemo is getting older, so we sill still have all those aches and pains. my knees bother me. mention it to your doc. they may schedule tests, but that doesnt mean its anything, it just means youve had cancer and they have to watch you .
  • jestawoman
    jestawoman Member Posts: 35
    #10
    BethInAz said:

    Hip Pain
    I have some hip pain all of the time - due to arthritis. When I asked my primary care doc what the difference would be between arthritis pain and bone met pain - and she said I wouldn't be able to tell the diff. She said I would never be considered a hypocondriac and if I had any "new" pain, I should come and see her, schedule for x-ray, and see what's going on - just to put my mind to ease. I already knew I had arthritis in the hip - as well as my lower back so these things are familiar pains to me. I haven't had any worsened pain after taking Tamoxifen for almost 2 months. The onc told me, though, that your red blood factories are mostly in those large flat bones (hip, pelvis & lower back) and there might be pain as the red blood cells rejuvenate. That's why, he said, people taking Neulasta injections have so much joint pain - it's kicking those red blood cell factories into high gear. Interesting stuff, eh?
    Beth

    Hi Beth...
    Just want to say Hello and tell you that my Mom is Stage 4 Breast cancer w/mets to her lungs and lives, with the help of her walker and high doses of Oxycodone, with bone on bone arthritis in her hips and lower spine. She has said many times how much easier the cancer would be to deal with if not for the damned arthritis!
    She will be touched by your story as she has always felt like maybe she was alone with her double dose of hell. Good Luck and God Bless!
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    #11
    jestawoman said:

    Hi Beth...
    Just want to say Hello and tell you that my Mom is Stage 4 Breast cancer w/mets to her lungs and lives, with the help of her walker and high doses of Oxycodone, with bone on bone arthritis in her hips and lower spine. She has said many times how much easier the cancer would be to deal with if not for the damned arthritis!
    She will be touched by your story as she has always felt like maybe she was alone with her double dose of hell. Good Luck and God Bless!

    jestawomen
    You tell your Mother she will never be alone. There are so many here at the CSN that your Mother could relate to. We are also here for you as well. You don't have to do this alone.
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #12
    carkris said:

    fortunately a side effect of
    fortunately a side effect of chemo is getting older, so we sill still have all those aches and pains. my knees bother me. mention it to your doc. they may schedule tests, but that doesnt mean its anything, it just means youve had cancer and they have to watch you .

    I hope you contacted your
    I hope you contacted your doctor or doctors and let them know about your pain. Be sure and update us as to what you found out.

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