Hi All
I was after a bit of advice as I am really worried and don’t want my family to go through any more worry until I know for certain. For the past week I have had really bad back ache and left hip pain. It seems to come and go. I am also having trouble at night and in the morning as when I turn over in bed I seem to click all round the pelvic area and it really hurts. I have started to take paracetamol as I am that uncomfortable with it.
I was wondering if this is a sign of bone mets if the pain comes and goes, its worse sitting down.
I would appreciate any adivce please. thanks. I will be speaking to my BCN soon but feel I could do with advice tonight.
mandyx
Hello Millie
The uncertainty is awful and having to think about every ache and pain…I can’t offer you any specific advice on bone mets. as when my bone mets were detected I had no real symptoms at all ! So the symptoms may not mean anything at all for example If you are taking hormonal treatments you can have lots of aches and pains that are totally unrelated to anything. You are doing the right thing getting this checked out asap because its the only way to resolve this…
best wishes
cathy
Hi Mandy
sorry you are having pains you have heard it so many times I know but here goes we are all different and I think most will say we had no idea .we had bone cancer until it showed up on a bone scan. For me I just thought it was old age a bit of a pain here and there. Dont panic but do speak to your onc dept give them a ring and get an urgent appointment, or get your BCN to do it for you. I have had bone mets for 4 years and only just needed byphosphonates. Sorry still cant spell it only just worked out how to say it!
I am sure lots more advice will be along soon.
Love Debsxxx
Hi Mandy
It could be a number of things - I had back pain and was convinced that I’d pulled a muscle but it turned out that it was bone mets but that doesn’t necessarily mean that yours is.
I agree with Cathy that you’re doing the right thing in getting it checked out asap and they can have a look at you.
Pinkdove
Hi Mandy,
As the others have said it is so difficult to define the symptoms of bone mets - mine had progressed quite considerably before I became aware - and that was from really bad sciatica. But I remember you had a bone scan very recently - in March, so it seems unlikely it could be bone mets. I think I would still contact your oncologist and perhaps even ask them to recheck the bone scan? I seem to get a lot of aches and pains these days and think the mets has flared up again but after a couple of weeks everything seems to calm down. Last time I got told I did need to take into account my age LOL - at 63 I suppose I could have all the other things people of my age get - but I know you are way younger than me :), so rather than let yourself get worked up over it - speak to someone and let them know of your fears.
Dawn
xxx
Hi all
Thanks for your advice. I will speak to my BCN tomorrow. What a memory you have Dawn. I had even forgot about the bone scan. I have been coping really well and getting on with my lift but seem to have had a bad week, I type breast cancer reports on a daily basis which I try to remind myself everyone is different but its a constant reminder. I am on no treatment now and I know I should be grateful but sometimes I wish I was still on the herceptin as a back up, I keep wondering what is growing in there! My oncologist told me it would get me again, his words not mine because it is an aggressive cancer and I just keep telling myself, what does he know, we are all different, but when I get pains like this I just can’t help wondering!
Thanks for listening to me going on. thanks
Mandyxx
I was interested to read the replies to this as I am being sent for a bone scan. I was at the GP with the itch down below and happened to mention - sort of as an after thought, that I had a sore back (lower back to the left) for perhaps a week to 10 days. He had a prod and a poke and asked if it was worse when I was walking - I said not noticaby and he advised best to get a bone scan but no need to panic about it as with a low grade cancer it was highly unlikely that it would be bone mets but policy is anyone who’s had a breast malignancy and complains of back pain has to have it checked. My GP is a take no chances kind of bloke (I’m sure the practice management hate him for the amount of money he spends sending ppl for tests) so I’m not unduly concerned at this point.
Should get an appointment soon so hopefully it will be given the all clear.
Hi Lilac - what did doc say about your itch ? x
hormone imbalance - said could see the logic in trying the thrush cream but it’s not going to help (which I knew after spending a fortune in the chemist) - normally treat such an itch with oestrogen cream but this obviously not an option. He’s stumped as to what else to suggest so is going to speak to gynae and get back to me - will update when I get more info.
Anyone with a similar itch who’s had any luck finding a solution please let me know.
Happy to say I’ve had a couple of itch free days … u know I bet it comes back tomorrow just to annoy me when I am at work.
Mine only used to last about a week with each FEC but don’t know if you read my posting that it was like a cocktail sausage in my groin, getting smaller each time. Horrible though.
xx
Hi - when on FEC chemo 5 yrs ago I woke up one morning and couldn’t stand up straight, bent double like an 89 yr old, Had friends staying with us so didn’t want to fuss. Got back home 6 pm, in agony, rang the out of hours Kernow doc and they sent a volunteer driver for me at the isolated Fort I live in to go to a new community hospital. Doctor waiting to see me in a chained up facility…absolute nightmare. .He did an ordinary spinal x-ray and said, I shouldn’t tell you this, but you have two collapsed discs , think it was T6 and T7, in your spine and you will hear from Derriford hospital. I heard zilch! Later, my bc surgeon had a bone scan done, and I was dx with severe osteo arthritis of both hips, hands and feet, and he prescribed bisphosphonates and calcichew/Vit.D3. No problem since with the spinal problem, so put it down to FEC chemo. Since then, the bone pains, but not spine got exponentially worse and I stopped Arimidex 6 weeks ago. Now waiting to see an Oncologist for alternative AI’s. Still taking the Alendronic Acid weekly and twice daily Calcichew to strengthen my bone.
By the way I also getting occasional vaginal itches, but just put it down to the vagaries of this disease, no ostrogen, as had a hysterectomy for fibroids some 20 yrs ago, and don’t sweat it…have too many other problems to be concerned about. Perhaps some cortisone type cream may help
Liz.
Try using emollient instead of soap to wash downstairs. I also use emollient as a cream there when very dry!!
Hi I’m sorry to hear of the pain you’ve been in I’ve been clear for 7 years now but seen GP with back pain and leg pain then a lump appeared on my back which gets very painful as day progresses. I got an urgent referral to breast clinic where I got an ultra sound scan which thankfully came back normal but I am now waiting for an appointment for a CT scan and a bone scan. I must admit I am scared which is why I have posted on here as I don’t want to worry my family until there’s anything for definite but just wondered if anybody else has had anything similar ? I suppose I’m looking for some reaurance . X