Hi everyone, I am TN, 1 positive node, MX and AX clearance, finished Fec-T and Tax last August, what I would like to know is, does anyone else have muscle pains still? All my muscles ache and dont have much strength in them, especially knees/hips, which makes going up steps so painful.
My hips are very painful too, have to take co codomol to get them going. Ive read that people on hormone therapy get these effects, but why is this be happening to me, who is not on them?
I have peripheal neuropathy in feet and hands too.
Is this normal? and how long does it go on for? does it ever get better? or is this me now till the end?
I am also worried that it might be a spread of the cancer to the bones? I have had no scans at all, my hospital doesnt do them apparently, so the thought wont go out of my head that it has spread to bones.
To be honest, the stiff painful hips hurt the most, but is that muscles too?
Does it ever go away? I force myself to walk the dog for an hour each day, after taking co codomol, and it feels a lot better then, but if I go up steps, or hills, my knees nearly give up.
I would be grateful of anyones advice, who might have or had the same horrible aches/pains that I am still experiencing 8 months after the end of chemo.
My GP took a blood test last week, says it sounds like Polymyalgia, havent been back for results yet, going this week.
Is Polymyalgia a normal side effect of chemo?
Sorry to ask all these questions, but thought someone on here might be able to re-assure me or otherwise!
Hi Pepihorse
I too am TN and yes same here I finished chemo in Sept 11 and have still got aches and pains I had bone scan Jan 12 they were that bad but all clear! I am taking cocodamol even now not really any better! Look like a 90 year old (have just turned 50!) when I get up out of a chair! I have also now been told have arthritis in right wrist am having steroid injection in theatre in couple of weeks, also have LD in left arm so great fun at the moment Chemo the gift that just keeps on giving!!!
I know girls on hormone tabs have these aches and pains but thought we TNers would be spared!
I hope yours isnt anything more sinister!
Take Care
Jill xxx
Hi pepihorse,
i too am TN finished chemo end of May 2012 Fec-t, turned 40 in January. I also get bone pain, mainly hips, knees and ankles. The pain is mainly in my hips, at night it can wake me up and its hard to get comfortable. I take it that it is chemo related, I no longer see my oncologist but remember he did say that it can take up to a year after, I don’t think they like to say it can last? the problem is that when it continues your mind does tend to fear that it has spread, it’s so hard isn’t it. I just wanted to say you are not alone , hope this helps to re assure you a bit.
good luck with the blood tests x
Sorry did this on I pad posted twice
I found you post interesting as I have been having problems also. You say you have a neuropathy, did you have this before and how was it diagnosed? I have been having trouble for years with calf stiffness and have trouble climbing stairs and getting up from a seat. After chemo it did get much worse. I finished treatment in May and I went on holiday to Turkey in October and I felt like a 90 year old and could hardly put one foot in front of the other. The heat seemed to aggravate it so much. I saw a rheumatologist (another one, my third one in 9 years, the other two sent me packing) and he did an MRI scan which showed I had severe osteoarthrits of the knee caps with cartilage loss. I also saw a neurologist because there is a genetic neurologogical disease in my immediate family and I was given an EMG test that shows I have a mild proximal myopathy and mild neuropathy in my feet. I don’t really know what this means but I am going back to see them next month for ‘further tests’. My hips are stiff too and am now getting lower back pain as well which I never had before the chemo. The consultants was giving me strong painkillers but it didn’t seem to touch it (and I tried a few) but when I was diagnosed with the osteoarthritis I asked if I could try anti inflammatories and it made such a huge difference almost immediately, it’s not perfect but so much better so I suspect that it may have some inflammatory cause.
Hi I finished chemo last year - x3 FEc and x3 Tax. I am ER/PR positive and HER 2 - and also have had full ax clearance as positive in nodes (micrmets). I am awaiting an mx and recon in May(after 2 failed attempts to get clear margins). I have had hip pain since November / December last year. Just the right hip, and its worse at night, but some days I find it difficult to walk the pain is so bad. I have had two bone scans and an x-ray (I am lucky my hospital is pretty hot on this and have been quick to follow things up). Nothing sinister has shown up on the scans and I have been told that they think it is due to the Taxotere (I have also had peripheral neuropathy). They have said it may be up to a year that I will have pain - which is not great news! Also have been on Tamoxifen which I have also heard causes bone ache and pain.
I have also read somewhere that Taxotere especially is notorious for longterm hip and joint problems - there was an article about Jenni Murray who had Tax for her BC and needed a double hip replacement - here is the link to the article - dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1077390/No-told-breast-cancer-treatment-leave-needing-new-hips.html
Howeve, having said that and as I have recently dipped into the secondaries threads (have recently found a suspicious lump near my sternum which I am awaiting investigation on), I am aware that some ladies do complain of pain when they have bone mets. If it is possible I would push for a bone scan or at least an xray - just to put your mind at ease. Worrying is often worse than the reality - at least when you know what is what you can get a treatment plan in place. Can you push your hospital or even your GP to refer you for a scan? Even if nothing sinister going on, I think any ache or pain, if you have already had a BC diagnosis, should be checked out, if only to put your mind at ease.
Fingers crossed and wishing you well.
Em x
Thank you ladies for your comments, Caroline, no I did not have any neuropathy before chemo, all these muscle and joint pains have come afterwards. The only occasional pain I had was in one hip, and that has been xrayed and shows slight osteo-arthritis, but now both hips are painful and stiff. I did try Naproxin anti inflammatory pills but they upset my stomach so much, it felt like I was having chemo again if you know what I mean !
Good luck Em with your tests on sternum, hope all turns out ok.
Jill, September 2011, and you are still like it? you are a year on from me… oh, dear, hate feeling like this, felt ok before I had chemo, so must be that, just hope it goes away one day, taking co codomol makes me so tired too !
I might just try anti inflammatories again, will speak to GP when I go for blood test results. Will also ask him about whether he thinks I should be reffered for a bone scan.
Now going to check out that link you sent spooky… thanks for that.
Wendy xx