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onemargie's avatar
onemargie
Member
9 years ago

ONGOING JOINT PAIN POST CHEMO

Hi there ladies

Feeling a bit shitty today Im still having ongoing joint pain caused from the menopause the chemo gave me. I finished treatment in October and have been seen regularly by my oncol since then. I took panadol osteo for a day and it didn't help so stopped it and am fine once Im up and about but after I sit for a while or get up in the morning I get the discomfort in my knees and elbows. Its not really painful but I still get the neuralgia pain in my hands at night and have found nothing to help this at all. So any suggestions would be great. I exercise every morning and this helps and have kept my weight down too. After reading some stuff on this forum again I still worry that the joint pain in my knees and elbows is recurrence and dont want to miss something but the oncol said that because its not constant and is relieved when Im active its not so thats reassuring I guess. He didn't want to scan me or anything, but I was wondering if I should ask my GP for a bone density scan for the osteo symptoms?? Is that a routine thing post chemo ?? And how often do you guys have scans post chemo for recurrence?? My elbow pain is tender sometimes when I press on the bone too?? Margie 

9 Replies

  • melclarity's avatar
    melclarity
    Member
    9 years ago
    @onemargie the worst pain for me still is the heel and feet pain when I first get up in the morning, it does improve as the day goes and more active I am but on bad days I take panadol osteo straight away and between 6-8hrs later. I used to attribute most the pain to chemo I still believe it is, coupled with thrown into an unnatural menopause....then meds it's hard!

    ive been seeing an Exercise Physiologist for about 8 months now, she's helped a lot so I'm grateful, though no amount of stretching or exercise changes this particular pain I get in the joints. Though I am definitely better in general and able to cope. Xx Melinda 
  • Annedipa's avatar
    Annedipa
    Member
    9 years ago
    @onemargie i have a mastectimy swim suit which has pockets for the prostheses and swim prostheses. I was nervous too getting in the pool and i only did it when i had no other choice for exercise. The first time i went i put my prostheses in a regular swim suit which by that time was too big for me and as soon as i started to swim my swim prostheses floated out the front for their own swim lol. I can laugh about it now but i was sooo embarrassed at the time! Bug hugs xox 
  • onemargie's avatar
    onemargie
    Member
    9 years ago
    Hi there ladies thanks heaps again, you are all the best. I'm feeling more reassured now. I was triple neg so don't take any meds, which after reading about them am quite relieved to be honest, I am seeing the physio again next week but will book in for weekly sessions I think for a while to see how that goes, will try the Panadol osteo again too but this time Ill take it regularly to see if that helps, would love to get in the pool, but am still a bit self conscious about getting the togs on and having no boobs for everyone to give me the pity stares(I know they mean well). I have the prosthetics but they aren't that comfortable. Ill try the other meds you have recommended for the pain and see if it helps too. I was doing ok until the last dose of paclitaxol. Any way I'm relieved its normal I'm supposed to feel like this!! Thanks also for the reassurance about the scans too. Margie. Hugs to you all. Thanks heaps. xx
  • fairydust's avatar
    fairydust
    Member
    9 years ago
    @onemargie I was wondering whether seeing a physiotherapist  may be some benefit. I have a problem with my shoulder. My physio diagnosed ant treated me.. My phsyio was able to tell me what to be aware of for bone mets. 
    The other thing is possibly they may be able to recommend medication or exercise that may help. 
    Reading your and others post I know it isnt that simple but possibly worth considering.


  • Annedipa's avatar
    Annedipa
    Member
    9 years ago
    I was diagnosed in September 2014 and finished my treatments in June 2015. I developed pains in both my knees toward the end of treatment and back a little later. Knees turned out to be osteoarthritis and back is degeneration. Neither of which i had prior to the breast cancer. My oncologist puts it down to menopause .... which also came with treatment. I take panadol osteo, nurofen and fish oil. I tried to take glucosamine chondroitin but it upset my stomach so i had to stop. When i cant walk (most of the time) swimming helps with the knee pain and the back pain has largely settled to more of a discomfort as long as i dont do anything to agrivate it. For a time i did have elbow pains too but they eventually went away on their own...sounds similar to yours just when i pressed down on them. never did find out what they were. I think its really hard not to think its the cancer coming back... So it is best to get any new pain checked if you have it for more than a couple of weeks as much for peace of mind as anything else. I haven't had any bone density scanning done but I'm also not on any hormone blocking meds either. Some seem to have them if they are taking meds that affect bone density. Take care xox
  • melclarity's avatar
    melclarity
    Member
    9 years ago
    @onemargie I'm 18 months post chemo and still suffer the exact pain you talk about in the joints, hips, elbows, shoulders and feet are the worst. Its at its peak first thing in the morning when you get up,or if you've been on your feet alot through the day and you sit then get back up again. I had my first bone density scan about 8 months post chemo, I had osteoporosis in my lower lumbar and neck and degeneration. The other thing is too are you on medication? such as Tamoxifen, Arimidex? as mine was worse on Arimidex and have been changed to Aromasin, and its still the same, no different. These meds actually make joint pain worse, and my Oncologist warned me that's the case unfortunately. I exercise and whilst I feel good doing so, it doesn't help the joint pain. I also take panadol osteo as it's a slow release and so you need to take it over a few days to help, I usually take it at about 6hrs. 

    In terms of scan for recurrence, you actually only have scans of the rest of your body if you notice severe pain or change somewhere else, otherwise they won't do it. I have a single mammo only once a year and see Oncologist, that's all. My recurrence was picked up at my yearly checkup at the 4yr mark. There was no way of knowing prior to that, so in terms of the pain, you can have a scan but Ive put mine down to now Chemo, Menopause and my Aromasin altogether pain in the ARSE!!! I am back at work 3 days, but my Oncologist told my insurance that as long as I am on my medication I CANNOT be rehabilitated physically as its exacerbated by the medication, a vicious circle. But alas!!! I have to work...so I just put up with it otherwise option is to stop taking meds. Definitely talk with your Oncologist about it all. Hugs Melinda xo
  • Zoffiel's avatar
    Zoffiel
    Member
    9 years ago

    I've got tendonitis in my ankles and knees, myalgia in my leg muscles and general soreness everywhere--of most concern is the pain in my hip. I don't know what happens elsewhere, but up here the post treatment scans are kept to a minimum--they are costly and really not that good for you. Things may have changed since my last trip on the cancer train, but back then there were no routine scans and nothing was done unless there was good cause to think there was a problem.

    I've finally managed to secure some physio, so we've decided to give that a go and see if it makes any difference to my hip. If it hasn't improved in a month I'll probably have another bone scan.

    I'm blaming the Docetaxol for the majority of the misery--on the great scheme of 'everyone is different' it seems I've had a bad reaction to it. I was fine for 3 rounds then after my last dose in March I woke up one morning and literally couldn't walk. It happened that quickly. I'm now on Femara which is also notorious for seizing up feet and ankles and accelerating osteoporosis. Sadly, I'm thinking this is going to be my lot in life--getting rid of my ovaries certainly will have an ongoing effect as well as even post menopause most women still produce a few hormones until their mid sixties.

    Regarding the elbow pain, that could well be classic, old fashioned tennis elbow ( one type of tendonitis). I use a strap which you put around your arm just below the elbow to reduce the strain on the tendons when I'm doing something which will aggravate it--that's worth a try, you can buy them from the chemist, they work for me and they are not expensive.

    Things have generally improved since March, but I'm feeling pretty beat up. I'm taking a variety of supplements including turmeric, magnesium and Glucosamine all of which are 'supposed' to help with inflammation and muscle pain. I don't know if they are working or it's just time and exercise making a difference. I could well have the most expensive wee in Victoria and getting no benefit from it. This is a shit of a disease.

  • Tennille's avatar
    Tennille
    Member
    9 years ago
    I have had joint pain for the last 6 years. Try Chondraplex its got Glucosamine in it and Ultraclean85 which is a stronger fish oil.  They will take some time but should work. Both are made by BioCeuticals which are a slightly more expensive but better natural product found in Pharmacies.