I have been on the AI drug Anastrozole for 3 years. And since I can’t get to a pool for therapeutic walking in water at the moment, I’ve noticed that my hips are aching a lot. The doc got me to have an MRI which showed all was good, so we are assuming it’s the AI drug. I’m 64, ten years past menopause. I walk a lot. I exercise fairly consistently.Does anyone have any advice on how to cope with this unrelenting ache? Is it an inflammation issue? Does anybody actually know what the chemical/mechanical process is that’s causing it? In my case there is no bone loss, arthritis, etc. Just aching pain.

@Bravo I too am having aches and pains in my shoulders, hips and joint particularly fingers ever since I started with Letrozole and Soladex. It also affects my quality of life. These are some of the things I do that helps me manage some of the pain and discomfort.* I do some stretching to help with my joints particularly after I wake up in the morning or whenever I feel my joints are achy.*When I have time, I have magnesium salt bath for 20 or 30 minutes( water not too hot) or just soak my hands for 20 minutes ( temperature that I can tolerate)* If I cannot have a bath, I use magnesium oil that I massage on my achy joints.* I wear crafter's comfort gloves, I find that mild compression gloves helps in easing joint pain on my fingers especially at night.* when the pain is bad, I see a physiotherapist.* sometimes, I massage my shoulder and hips then apply Voltaren gel or arnica ointment * using hot compress helps too* most often I drink Calm magnesium supplement before bed to help relax my muscle and sleep.I hope these tips are going to be helpful in easing your achy hips and joints.

Ditto all of the above aches and pains and @Bravo's question. Why do hormone blockers aggravate joint issues? In my case, the post-surgery bone scan findings were 'active facet joint disease' plus arthritic uptake pretty much everywhere. However, before taking AIs I was not suffering much discomfort. Now I feel 80 years old. I'm 55.Good list, thank you @Jen2019. Panadol Osteo, if all else fails.Agreed @Sister, exercise does help. I recently had a Personal Trainer write me a program at my gym (included in the monthly fee, but you can pay for a PT to train you). I cannot tell you how surprised I was to feel the pain in my lower back and groin/hip(?) significantly diminish after using the 'machines' for exercising abductor and adductor muscles in the hips and thighs. So much so that it's enough to motivate me to go to the gym! Finally. I also do Body Balance classes sometimes. Unfortunately, the gym exercises have not improved my shoulder, wrist or hand pains so far, but they may in due course. Surgery side gets inflamed with exercise. Also, be careful re lymphoedema significant risk timeframe in the first 12-18 months post-surgery. Avoid hot baths, saunas, spas and strenuous exercise in hot weather.Always learning. L x

Hi everyone, Just a suggestion and it very well might not work for others but it has for me - before I was diagnosed with cancer, I was getting a lot of aches and pains in my legs, back and hips. I could not walk any distance without pain in my back and hip, shooting down my leg and burning down my shin. I could not stand for any time either. I also had pain when lifting anything with my arms outstretched. I decided to change my diet and exercise to try and help. I reduced my gluten intake by about 95% and my refined sugars by the same. I also started going stretches on a morning and night, and also tried to walk a couple of km's a day. It did help! I've lost weight, I'm not always hungry and over the course of a few months the pain in my arms went, the pain in my back and hips is minimal. Gluten and sugar are said to be drivers of inflammation, and for me, reducing them has had BIG benefits even though I don't have a sensitivity to gluten. I've just done my first chemo round and haven't started hormone blockers yet, so I don't know if it will be of benefit for that or not.Just a suggestion that might help.

If you can walk, it does help. It may be worth seeing a physio/exercise physiologist who understands cancer to get a programme for exercise. It does help to get the right exercise, targeting the right area.

@LBUSH I know what you mean, I have thought of stopping treatment too. But I realise, that my chance of recurrence will be minimal if I stay on it. Gentle stretching helps me too. ohh and when I sleep on my side, I use a pillow in between my legs it helps with my hips.

Achy hips | BCNA Online Network

14 Replies

Sister
Member
5 years ago
If you can walk, it does help. It may be worth seeing a physio/exercise physiologist who understands cancer to get a programme for exercise. It does help to get the right exercise, targeting the right area.
Jen2019
Member
5 years ago
@Bravo

I too am having aches and pains in my shoulders, hips and joint particularly fingers ever since I started with Letrozole and Soladex. It also affects my quality of life. These are some of the things I do that helps me manage some of the pain and discomfort.

* I do some stretching to help with my joints particularly after I wake up in the morning or whenever I feel my joints are achy.
*When I have time, I have magnesium salt bath for 20 or 30 minutes( water not too hot) or just soak my hands for 20 minutes ( temperature that I can tolerate)
* If I cannot have a bath, I use magnesium oil that I massage on my achy joints.
* I wear crafter's comfort gloves, I find that mild compression gloves helps in easing joint pain on my fingers especially at night.
* when the pain is bad, I see a physiotherapist.
* sometimes, I massage my shoulder and hips then apply Voltaren gel or arnica ointment
* using hot compress helps too
* most often I drink Calm magnesium supplement before bed to help relax my muscle and sleep.

I hope these tips are going to be helpful in easing your achy hips and joints.
arpie
Member
5 years ago
Thanks @iserbrown for the heads up - Yes, @Bravo - I have the same problem but just the left hip. I DO have a history of arthritis & the bones & joints are showing wear & tear, plus I have bulging discs - but it doesn't stop me from being relatively active in my kayak (in particular, which is a pedal kayak.)

I am late 60s & been on AIs for 2.5 years, on Anastrozole for the last 2 years.

I recently had a bone scan and CT of the area & it shows nothing 'sinister' .... but the pain is still there. I've had it for over 3 months now. I am going for an ultrasound in 2 weeks, to see if it is bursitis. My shoulders have both been hurting too - I am having an US on the left one the same time as the left hip - the right one had an US a few weeks back, with nothing sinister to show.

Someone had mentioned 'infected bursitis' as well ... tho the Dr yesterday said I didn't have any infection or it would be way more painful than it is. Mine affects me more at night (when I roll over) tho we have 16 steps in the house & I feel it a bit when going up the stairs, less so than going down.

MRI/CT checks bones rather than tissue - so maybe ask for an ultrasound or even an xray? The bursitis will show up as a white blob. I have actually had one there in the past from 2 injuries - but that was 10+ years ago and I am not aware of any recent injuries.

All the best - keep jumping up & down til you get an answer ..... my bottomline fear is always that it may be mets. :(
iserbrown
Member
5 years ago
@arpie
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Achy hips

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