muscle pain

arndog64
arndog64 Member Posts: 537
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband is having muscle aches in his legs. They are not cramping up, they just hurt and he can't walk for long periods of time they ache too bad. Anyone suffer from this or have any ideas what may be causing this problem.

Comments

  • DrMary
    DrMary Member Posts: 531 Member
    #2
    Rule Out Blood Clots First
    Doug had pain in one leg without any real swelling and thought it was an old injury. His doctors also thought that likely, as he didn't have the other symptoms of a blood clot. Fortunately, the PT folks refused to do anything to him without checking first and the dopplar showed a clot in his leg. Off to the ER for scans that showed them in both lungs as well. He'd had no trouble breathing. Fortunately, it's easily treated, but best caught early. I recommend a call to the doctor.

    Another possibility is nerve irritation from the weight loss (he had that, too, later). Losing a lot of weight at once can strip protective fat from around the nerves, so they get more exposed to irritation from muscles and bones rubbing against them. The only cure for that was to gain the weight back (our doctor also recommended a high-fat diet for a while).

    How many cans of Jevity (or whatever) are you getting in his tube per day? They put something like 1/5 or 1/6 of the RDA of important vitamins in each can and assume you will consume at least 6 cans (I might be off on my numbers - this is remembered from a discussion with the nutrition lady 8 months ago, and we ended up not using the PEG, so we don't have any experience with that).
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #3
    Low Potassium? I had a heck
    Low Potassium? I had a heck of a time trying to get enough potassium in me during rads.

    Dehydration?? Couldn't get enough fluids either.

    Even though I was putting in plenty of water and trying to up my potassium, I still ended up getting fluids/potassium at the hospital every week for 3/4 weeks after my scheduled radiation. I felt better afterward, I'll tell you that.

    Is he on narcotics or fentanyl? Not taking meds on time or missing a dose or not changing a patch on time will cause hellish leg pains, and restless leg.

    Also if he is on meds, read the side effects list. I'd mention it to docs on Monday. Or if it's too bad, call sooner.
  • Goalie
    Goalie Member Posts: 184
    #4
    Blood clots or nerves or dehydration
    Well, a couple of weeks after I started daily rads and had the first chemo, I was having a real sharp pain in the calf of one leg. I thought it was on the site of and related to an old injury. I was still managing to play hockey and wanted to keep this up as long as possible but it was really hurting. So I got an order for physical therapy from the docs and went there hoping for a massage. After examining me they refused to work on me because they said I might have a real problem. A couple days later I had a scan done and they found blood clots not only in the leg but also in the lungs. This was the end of hockey for a couple of months and, in fact, they wouldn't even let me out of the hospital that day or for a couple of days until they had injected me with thinners, etc. I was feeling no effects other than the pain but I suppose if one had detached and headed elsewhere it could have been serious or fatal. I might even have lost the hockey game.

    Related to this in that it was the same leg I later had more pain and developed a "unilateral neuropathy" (bad nerve on one side) that caused that foot to flop when I walked. The nerve (plantar? don't remember) from below the knee was so irritated by the fact that I had lost 40 pounds that it rebelled. It no longer had a sheath or coating of fat to protect it and this was its way of complaining. It wasn't until I'd gained back about 15 pounds that it was beginning to settle down and once I'd regained more it slowly faded until it is now back to normal. Frankly, of all the things I had happen over those months - and there were many - this was among the most annoying and longest-lived. Fortunately, unlike the blood clots, it was not dangerous at all.

    Or it could be just dehydration. So, drink even more, until you float, and if it doesn't go away, talk to a doctor.

    I am glad that you made it through though. We were all pulling for you. Doug
  • Goalie
    Goalie Member Posts: 184
    #5
    DrMary said:

    Rule Out Blood Clots First
    Doug had pain in one leg without any real swelling and thought it was an old injury. His doctors also thought that likely, as he didn't have the other symptoms of a blood clot. Fortunately, the PT folks refused to do anything to him without checking first and the dopplar showed a clot in his leg. Off to the ER for scans that showed them in both lungs as well. He'd had no trouble breathing. Fortunately, it's easily treated, but best caught early. I recommend a call to the doctor.

    Another possibility is nerve irritation from the weight loss (he had that, too, later). Losing a lot of weight at once can strip protective fat from around the nerves, so they get more exposed to irritation from muscles and bones rubbing against them. The only cure for that was to gain the weight back (our doctor also recommended a high-fat diet for a while).

    How many cans of Jevity (or whatever) are you getting in his tube per day? They put something like 1/5 or 1/6 of the RDA of important vitamins in each can and assume you will consume at least 6 cans (I might be off on my numbers - this is remembered from a discussion with the nutrition lady 8 months ago, and we ended up not using the PEG, so we don't have any experience with that).

    She was spying on me while I was answering
    Hah. We were in different rooms typing almost exactly the same thing at the same moment. Can anyone tell that we celebrated out 31st anniversary a week ago? Doug
  • kaigui
    kaigui Member Posts: 2
    #6
    I would believe the
    I would believe the doctor.
    If you are young and fit, it is unlikely to be a blood clot.
    It's most likely to be muscle pain, which could be due to exercise or unusual exertion in the course of your day. You can also, if you're young, have pains in your legs that are usually described as "growing pains". They are normal and nothing to worry about.
  • DrMary
    DrMary Member Posts: 531 Member
    #7
    kaigui said:

    I would believe the
    I would believe the doctor.
    If you are young and fit, it is unlikely to be a blood clot.
    It's most likely to be muscle pain, which could be due to exercise or unusual exertion in the course of your day. You can also, if you're young, have pains in your legs that are usually described as "growing pains". They are normal and nothing to worry about.

    Chemo can cause blood clots
    Young and fit or not (Doug is extremely fit, which might be why he did not have the swelling with his blood clot). Many folks on this board had them as a result of chemo - some so severe that they have to have filters put in to keep them from reaching the heart.

    However, the most important thing is to consult your doctor - preferably the chemo doctor. I would hope he/she would order a dopplar - it's non-invasive and not as expensive as MRIs and such (it's a form of ultrasound screening to monitor blood flow).

    I hate to sound alarmist, but leg pains after chemo are not to be taken lightly. Here's hoping everything is fine, however.
  • BeacherBum
    BeacherBum Member Posts: 32
    #8
    DrMary said:

    Chemo can cause blood clots
    Young and fit or not (Doug is extremely fit, which might be why he did not have the swelling with his blood clot). Many folks on this board had them as a result of chemo - some so severe that they have to have filters put in to keep them from reaching the heart.

    However, the most important thing is to consult your doctor - preferably the chemo doctor. I would hope he/she would order a dopplar - it's non-invasive and not as expensive as MRIs and such (it's a form of ultrasound screening to monitor blood flow).

    I hate to sound alarmist, but leg pains after chemo are not to be taken lightly. Here's hoping everything is fine, however.

    Pain Killers
    If you are using narcs, such as Roxicet in my case, I would get muscle aches from time to time, but that was mainly a side effect of the medicine.
  • DrMary
    DrMary Member Posts: 531 Member
    #9
    Update?
    Still having the pains? Anything new? We hope all is as well as can be expected!
  • arndog64
    arndog64 Member Posts: 537
    #10
    DrMary said:

    Update?
    Still having the pains? Anything new? We hope all is as well as can be expected!

    No pains lately. But, he has
    No pains lately. But, he has been in bed for the last 7 - 10 days. I think they only hurt when he is out and about, like grocery shopping.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #11
    arndog64 said:

    No pains lately. But, he has
    No pains lately. But, he has been in bed for the last 7 - 10 days. I think they only hurt when he is out and about, like grocery shopping.

    Hi arndog
    The next time you are at the doctor’s office ask them to have his thyroid levels checked. For some reason all our doctors know about the damage radiation will do to the thyroid but forget to check us for it.

    Wishing you both well
    Hondo
  • ellamenno
    ellamenno Member Posts: 142 Member
    #12
    kaigui said:

    I would believe the
    I would believe the doctor.
    If you are young and fit, it is unlikely to be a blood clot.
    It's most likely to be muscle pain, which could be due to exercise or unusual exertion in the course of your day. You can also, if you're young, have pains in your legs that are usually described as "growing pains". They are normal and nothing to worry about.

    kaigui...
    perhaps you would like to go back and fill out the "about me" section so we know a little bit about you.

    Peace, Laurie
  • KareGiver
    KareGiver Member Posts: 301 Member
    #13
    Hondo said:

    Hi arndog
    The next time you are at the doctor’s office ask them to have his thyroid levels checked. For some reason all our doctors know about the damage radiation will do to the thyroid but forget to check us for it.

    Wishing you both well
    Hondo

    My husband had blood clots...
    In his lungs as well...and not moving around much, along with the chemo and cancer in general, can cause them. It is definitely worth having them checked out. Also, I don't know how much this helped, but I insisted my husband put pedialyte through his PEG, especially when he got the dark circles under his eyes. The fact that he did it without TOO much complaint says to me he may have felt better from it as well. Continued healing to your husband!
  • Daddisgrl
    Daddisgrl Member Posts: 116
    #14
    Think about this; how active
    Think about this; how active has your hub been? Not much if he's like mine. Mine was able to walk to chemo & radiation for 33 weeks; but when it ended; he crashed & didn't get off the recliner unless he went to bed or the doctor. Also add chemo to the mix; which has it's own set of side effects.

    When my hub was about 6 weeks out they wrote a script for physical therapy (I asked for it) & it probably saved his butt because his body was so out of shape at that point. IIRC; he started body reconditioning at the 2 month point by the time we got the authorization. He went back to work (light duty) 6 weeks after that & 3 weeks after that; he got back in his rig.

    Recovery was a long process. He napped up until 10 or 11 months after treatment ended & still naps occasionally. He suffered with thrush the 1st year; we ended up getting better at his mouth hygiene.. I peroxide his fluoride trays.

    He's 18 months out; has done pretty good this year as long as he doesn't over do it.

    As for thyroid; that's what we hear; that radiation fries it. Hub; while he did have issues with freezing & sweating; so far has NOT tested bad for his thyroid. I don't know if it's because of the after treatment help I got him. I took him to see a natural Dr 2 weeks after treatment ended; so he had supplements plus a few bags of vitamin C- it was expensive as heck; I wish hub would have gone more; because i did notice a difference.

    If you're interested in looking for similar; we went to Magaziner Center for wellness

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