Achy stiff hips !
Achy stiff hips ! I completed all my treatment four weeks ago. ( Lobular Cancer, Grade 2, 1 lymph gland involved) I had 6 x FEC which finished at the end of January, followed by 5 weeks of radiotherapy, and am on Tamoxifen which I started in mid February. I developed hot flushes in December which have continued, my periods stopped in October, so I am assuming that the menopause has arrived with avengance. However, since the end of December, my hips have become quite stiff, especially when Im in bed at night, and getting up after sitting down for a while. I rang the hospital to ask about this, and was told that it is probably just symptoms of the menopause and the after effects of chemo, but they have offered me a bone scan to put my mind at rest. My mind has now gone into hyperdrive panicking and have plummeted into sheer panic now and feel that awful fear that I had when diagnosed and feel I’m back at squre one waiting for tests / results. Has anyone out there had similar symptons? Sorry if this message is a bit garbled, but I’m getting really stressed!!
Hi i to, have achy hip on the right hand side, and hurts more at night when i lie on it, i mentioned this to my GP who just said it was muscular related, nothing to worry about she said, But then again, she said the lump in my breast was nothing to worry about, ( bc ), I had this before i found out i had bc, so mine cant be from treatment, tamoxifen and rads
karen
I think it probably could be menopausal symptoms due to the falling levels of oestrogen, which will be made even worse by Tamoxifen. I know how you feel though - in the early days of my diagnosis and treatment, every little ache and pain became magnified and I was convinced it was the bc spreading, despite having had a clear bone scan. A little further down the line, I have learnt not to let my mind run away with me but it takes time, and it’s still early days for you. I frequently suffer from bouts of “stiffness” but in my mind, I am now able to put it down to “wear and tear” and “old age” (I’m 54!) without immediately fearing the worst. I’m sure your bone scan will be fine and hopefully, you’ll begin to be able to relax a bit more in time.
Hope this helps. Meanwhile, take care …
Jo
I am so relieved to read your posting! my hips have been stiff and painfull since just before my last chemo. I had 3XFEC and then 3X Taxaterre. When i try to get out the car i look like an´old woman. I am paranoid about it, my onc says he is sure its side effects of chemo bt i too am having a bone scan in the middle of may. My wrists also hurt (not all the time) and knuckles etc. I havent started tamoxifen yet but have had hot flushed since half way through chemo. Also my forearms hurt when i move them a certain way, feels like atight band around them. Just want to add that i finished chemo 11 weeks tomorrow. Grade 2 , 2cm , one node and stage 2.
Hi geebee,
my thoughts for what they are worth. If you don’t have the bone scan and you continue feeling stiff - you will keep worrying. No one wants to be told they have yet more to cope with but sometimes the not knowing is so much worse. If, and i say IF, you have a bone problem then it is better discovered at the earliest opportunity. Lots of people seem to suffer from this hip stiffness - and I think for a variety of reasons. I do have this probably especially at night and on getting up from sitting for a while. I have had bc for 16 years now - and it did spread to my bones 3 years ago - but is being very successfully treated. Hope your news is good and your poor mind ceases to be in overdrive and can move over into 4th gear!!
love & hugs to you, Dawnhc
Hi Geebee,
I too have had these pains in the way you describe, so don’t panic. It is good to know that you are going to have a bone scan, I had mine last week and I am sure it will be fine ,but am glad to have it just to put my mind at rest. Try not to get too stressed. Let us know how you get on.
Love Carole.xx
My achy hips Thank you for replies to my message, they have certainly helped me and Im glad Im not the only one to have these aches. I have calmed down now and put it into perspective. Im glad the hospital have offered me a bone scan and I have to ring them Thursday to see when the appointment is which probably wont be for a few weeks, but I will let you know the results.
More hips Just wanted to let you know that in the past couple of days I’ve started getting hip aches too.
I’m not having chemo. And I’m not yet taking tamoxifen. But I have become menopausal in the last 6 months or so. I had a blood test to prove the point. I’m pretty fit and active even though I have a virus affecting my chest at the moment. I’ve been through a double loop of short term panic over possible new cancers - but I think I’ve got it back under control for this week. I feel such a fool for getting myself so distressed about it. My sympathies are with all of you who have odd symptoms.
Keep smiling girls!
xx
Hip pain I had FEC in 2003 and went onto Arimidex Feb 04. I started getting severe pain in my left hip, worse at night and when sitting. I went to GP and he sent me off for a normal x-ray, showed nothing. The pain got worse and I went back to him but he just shrugged his shoulders. and sent me for 3 months physiotherapy. No better. I then happened to meet a fundraiser for the local Primrose Breast Care centre at a fashion show and when we got talking I told her about the pain. She asked me for the name of my bc nurse, and unbelievably, bc nurse called me the next day with an appt for a bone scan. It turned out I have arthritis in both hips, hands and feet. I was so relieved it wasn’t bone mets I could have cried. I take one 15 mg codeine phosphate tablet in the morning for the pain, one at night, and weekly Alendronate for the bones. I am feeling a lot better now. Hope your problem turns out to be similar and not bone mets.
Hugs, Liz.
avoid the GP! I would not bother seeing the GP with anything that is bc related…they just do not have the experience.
In my opinion it is better to contact the oncologist, via the breast care nurse if necessary, and let them order scans, if appropriate.
Otherwise you will end up having inappropriate tests, or worse, being fobbed off and told there is no need to worry.
It is better to know, than to constantly worry about ‘what if’ ; any pain which lasts more than a couple of weeks should be investigated. More than likely, it will be age- or treatment - related.
Sam
Hips Dear Geebee,
I went through the same worry and was convinced I had bony mets.A scan proved otherwise. Looking back, I began to get a little stiff after chemo and cessation of periods plus Tamoxifen, but the real whammy was having my ovaries out.I was running and leaping about without a care on holiday in November, came home and had the op’ and three weeks later bang, it was as if my agility had been dream. I now feel a 1000 years old.An osteopath has found shortened ligaments in my pelvis and hips, and they ‘set’ if I hold the same position for more than about 30 minutes.It really feels like it is the bone that’s hurting doesn’t it? I am so sorry you are having to go through the results mill again, it really is the pits, I know it well. I hope it is ok.