Rads on spine - pain?

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1

Just wondering how others have been after rads on spine (mine is for T12). Am getting lots of back ache and weakness in my legs. Am only having 5 doses so hoping it does not get much worse ( 2 down and 3 to go…)

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I had 20 sessions with no se’s whatsoever - but I wasn’t getting any pain before either, as the tumour was very small. They did warn me that I might though - tumour flare, I believe it’s called. I have noticed a few others on the bone mets thread have had temporary increased pain afterwards. Hope it soon resolves for you.

fintyx

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Yes my pain got quite a bit worse while I was having rads to spine last year. I also had just 5 blasts & the pain worsened for about the first 3 & then improved for the last 2. Once I’d finished the pain improved really quickly & we even went to Lapland for 5 days less than a week after I’d finished & I felt absolutely fine.
Went I mentioned the pain to my onc she said it was what she would expect & like finty says it’s called tumour flare - when the cells become agitated by the radiotherapy.
I’m sure things will improve soon for you Fran & hopefully you will really feel the benefit of the rads.

Dugsy x

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I have had rads for bone mets on 5 different areas, 3 of them spine. After some I had increased pain, others none. Also had nausea and sickness on one occasion. T12 I think is the last T vertebrae before the lumbar spine so might account for weakness in legs but I think I would mention that to the rads team.

Dawn
xx

5

Thanks for your advice - it helps - today pain is not so bad after 3rd dose and the paracetemol seems to help so am going to make sure that I take that straight after session before any pain starts. Am best when not lying down flat so will stay sitting up of sleep on my side. 3 down and 2 to go - feel I should not feel like complaining when I hear of how many rads some people have for primary… but thanks again - your comments are reassuring and after mentioning it to rads team they were very precise in positioning me and even repositioned me so hopefully that will make sure all’s well.