Micro fractures, anyone?

KC13167
KC13167 Member Posts: 215
edited March 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
My DLBC went into remission in October following 6 rounds of R-CHOP. My largest tumor was in my lower back; into and around the spine. I've been going to physical therapy and haven't really gotten all that much relief. Darn those moist hot packs do feel great! Anyway, I saw a spinal specialist today, in hope that he could help rid of the pain and that I could go back to work. This doctor indicated that when lymphoma wraps around a bone that it causes micro fractures of the bone. He continued on to tell me that due to the lymphoma, I am not a surgical candidate. He also stated that I would not be able to get any steroid injections for the pain as that would lower my resistance in the exact location that a tumor had been. This is all pretty depressing, I had hoped that he would come up with a solution to my pain that would allow me to go back to work and get on with my life.

Has anyone out there heard of micro fractures? Any information would help. Funny how I post here before I even go searching the internet....You know where my trust is! Thanks, Kellie

Comments

  • onlytoday
    onlytoday Member Posts: 609 Member
    #2
    Sorry
    Kellie,

    I am not familiar with micro fractures. But you mentioned the moist heat being so comforting. Have you ever heard of Thermophore? It's a brand of moist heating pads and they are amazing.Can't buy them in stores, only online. Just Google it. My daughter got me one for my terrible rib pain and it is fabulous. Might not be a bad idea to invest in one.

    Sorry I don't have info on the fracture issue. Someone will most likely post info for you though as you well know!

    The best to you,

    Donna
  • miss maggie
    miss maggie Member Posts: 929
    #3
    onlytoday said:

    Sorry
    Kellie,

    I am not familiar with micro fractures. But you mentioned the moist heat being so comforting. Have you ever heard of Thermophore? It's a brand of moist heating pads and they are amazing.Can't buy them in stores, only online. Just Google it. My daughter got me one for my terrible rib pain and it is fabulous. Might not be a bad idea to invest in one.

    Sorry I don't have info on the fracture issue. Someone will most likely post info for you though as you well know!

    The best to you,

    Donna

    question Donna
    Hi Donna

    I just read your post regarding Thermophore. I have a very bad right knee. I did google, and found the site right away. My question, Is it the moist heating pad for about $68.00?

    I read everyone's post each day. I find the info on this site so helpful with my NHL. Thankfully, I am finding info on another problem I need to address, my right knee. I am sure others will be helped by the info you provided, thank you. I feel everyone on this site is family.

    Happy Holiday and God Bless Maggie
  • KC13167
    KC13167 Member Posts: 215
    #4
    onlytoday said:

    Sorry
    Kellie,

    I am not familiar with micro fractures. But you mentioned the moist heat being so comforting. Have you ever heard of Thermophore? It's a brand of moist heating pads and they are amazing.Can't buy them in stores, only online. Just Google it. My daughter got me one for my terrible rib pain and it is fabulous. Might not be a bad idea to invest in one.

    Sorry I don't have info on the fracture issue. Someone will most likely post info for you though as you well know!

    The best to you,

    Donna

    Heat
    Donna, thanks for the Thermophore tip! The only info that I could find on Micro fractures was that of a treatment modality, not a disease process. I hope my physical therapist will be able to offer me some info on Monday. If so, I'll let you all know. Kellie
  • onlytoday
    onlytoday Member Posts: 609 Member
    #5
    miss maggie said:

    question Donna
    Hi Donna

    I just read your post regarding Thermophore. I have a very bad right knee. I did google, and found the site right away. My question, Is it the moist heating pad for about $68.00?

    I read everyone's post each day. I find the info on this site so helpful with my NHL. Thankfully, I am finding info on another problem I need to address, my right knee. I am sure others will be helped by the info you provided, thank you. I feel everyone on this site is family.

    Happy Holiday and God Bless Maggie

    Thermophore
    Hi,

    Yes it is the $68 one. It's pricey but it's large. They might have smaller ones that would be less expensive. I needed the larger size to wrap it around my ribs. It is unique in that it warms up when you hold a control device down and then when you release it it starts to cool down. The company recommends warming it and letting it cool down several times when you use it. That seems to really help me. The moist part is water from the air getting absorbed by the cover of the thing. In the event your house is dry you can hang the cover near the shower area periodically to help it.The lever that you have to press to warm it up is great because you cannot fall asleep with it on, which makes it safer.

    I had tendonitis in my shoulder and it really soothed it. Good luck and enjoy!


    I find all of you on this site to be a wealth of first hand knowledge to help us through this lymphoma maze. And on top of that we are family. :)

    Merry Christmas everyone!

    Love,
    Donna
  • bobmcghee
    bobmcghee Member Posts: 44 Member
    #6
    Micro fractures, anyone? Reply
    My trouble started with back and leg pain. Shooting pains down both legs finally got me to the doctor. He sent me for a MRI that showed "The compression deformity of L3 appears to be a pathologic fracture related to infiltration of the vertebra". A bone biopsy came back with large b-cell lymphoma. The lymphoma had damaged the bone enough that it started to collapse and was also pressing on the nerves. They started me on steroids right away which helped the shooting pains but after 18 rounds of radiation on my spine I had a vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty that corrected the L3 collapse. After that I had 7 rounds of r-chop.
    My back was mostly pain free until I strained it in December. Hopefully it's just muscles and that I didn't damage the cement holding my back together. This doesn't sound like what you described but it involved the same area at least. Best of luck to you.

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