Arthritis vs. Bone Mets
Comments
-
Good luck tomorrow, Susie. I called the Dr again today, Barbe. Waiting to hear back. Barbe, I just can't imagine doing this without some sedation...the pain is so bad that it makes me cry. I didnt know anythhing can be so painful and I have a high threshold for pain!
0 -
Thanks Jo for your input. I have to make an appointment for the injection and I keep procrastinating. Last night I was able to sleep, but not the night before. I see alot of us here have arthritis or sciatica. I will keep in touch and again thanks!
hugs and prayers
0 -
I am a member of this club too! Chronic back issues besides in constant fear of mets. Had T7-8 fusion 2 years ago because calcified disc was impinging spinal cord. The pain was constant and unbearable. Still have low back pain...creak and pop when I move and of course it also hurts. Leg pain and hip pain was excruciating for the past 2 years, especially since I had the upper back surgery. Needed walker or cane to walk. Saw several types of Drs and had physical therapy, took lyrica, gabupentin/tramadol, nothing helped. Many a sleepless night due to pain. Miserable. Finally referred MYSELF to an anesthesia pain dr. He gave me epidural steroid injections with just a local. My pain tolerance is low, but the shots were nothing compared to the pain I have all the time. The discomfort while getting the injection only lasted a minute and have really helped me. I have not needed my cane for over 6 weeks now! Still having low back pain, but at least I can walk and function now. Please don't delay out of fear and good luck.
0 -
Billiegirl,
Thank you for your encouragement. I will make an appointment. I do need relief from this pain. It is horrible.
0 -
Thanks barbe1958, I did fine other than a sore throat from the tube and sore neck muscles! But then all hell broke loose and fires in our foothills! That brough recupperation to a stand still but all is fine now just waiting for results and hoping it is not a recurrance!0
-
Burns from radiation....
....burns from fire......
...this IS truly hell on earth! 0 -
Hey ladies, I am having pain in my right abdomen-it seems to be indicative of my ovarian cyst pain I can feel when a cyst grows there. It is the "cancer" cyst, and I am always freaking out about it. I did just have my annual and it was "normal."
This pain, however, is more intense. It is diminishing now that my period has started, so I feel better knowing it is probably rupturing on it's own. I still feel that pulling-type-of-pain that seems to be from scar tissue.
In addition, it seems like I can find the distinct area if I press down on it, and it is sensitive and painful.Also, with my broken toe and giant sliced big toe (oh, have I told you guys that? It's been a crazy few weeks), I am walking weird. I am hoping that is the reason that my right hip hurts like a MO-FOE! It (the pain) extends down the back of my leg. The pain is not at all noticable if I am sitting. That makes me feel better, but
WHY THE HELL DOES IT HURT SO FREAKING BAD??????????????? There has been a lot of humidity in the air, and I am pretty confident the misery that my bones feel on those days is arthritis. It's usually bi-lateral.I have no idea what my question is.....I guess I want to hear your interpretation on the painful right hip area......
0 -
My hip hurts when I'm sitting too....
0 -
Whoopsie, I know what you mean about MO'FOE pain. I experience it every day in my left hip. It gravitates to my shin, thigh,groin and abdomen. They tell me it is arthritis and I should go for an injection guided by exray. They will sedate me for it as it would be too painful. I am procrastinating as I really don't want to do this but the pain is horrible!! It is so bad it is scarey!! How are you feeling today.
0 -
ok, so here I am a week later. The past few days, the pain has been better..bearable. Today, holy crap, it is bad!! when I stand up I can't walk at first. The leg just doesn't want to move. I was excited thepast few days, figuring I dont have to go for that injection. Oh I need strength!!
0 -
Wow - so many of us. I'm pretty sure (hoping) my problem is arthritis - I've never heard of bone mets causing my symptom. I'm not in pain except when I kneel down on my right knee. Then something pops out in my knee - very painful, but it pops back in when I slowly straighten my leg out. Just bending it doesn't make it happen - only when it's bent & weight is put on it.
0 -
Candie, get the injection!!! I thought you'd already gone by now. Find a doc who doesn't need an x-ray to find his way around your hip!
Good luck, keep us posted.
0 -
guitargirl, 1st, I just love your avatar..I have a cat and that is just such a typical cat watching something sliver around. Now about your knee, that does sound like arthritis, I have that too
barb..I am procrastinating..I am scared it will hurt and I can't even let anyone touch me in that area. I am scared it is mets and they dont see it....I am just a wreck. I usually dont wait this long to do anything medically but I am just a basket case. The ortho Dr I wanted to see had a 6 week waiting list. My appt finally comes up on Oct 1st, so I figure what's another 2 weeks. I will trust what he says. I had my blood work redone by my onc and all came back ok. So am I to think that if it was mets, my blood work would show it.
I will be in touch
Hugs and prayers
0 -
Today was a 3 Demerol day for me....sigh. That's on top of the Celebrex AND Tridural 300 I take!
0 -
My right hip gave out last week - it has been doing this for about 7 years, and an earlier x-ray showed "minor arthritis". This time it was so bad, I couldn't sleep - I was crying all night. Had to go to work the next day - I could barely hit the brake with my right foot, the pain was so bad. So I made an appointment with my PCP.......told him all my symptoms........he checks his online records and says 7 years ago the radiologist recommended I get an MRI which NO ONE ever told me about! The orthopedic I saw then merely said I had arthritis and he'd give me a shot in my hip (which I did NOT want, because usually the hip pain would disappear after one night's sleep.) My onc had ordered bone scans back in Feb 2008 after I was first dx with bc...........but my PCP just said those scans aren't to be trusted because they were done in an Open MRI facility which aren't as sensitive! Yikes! So he's ordering another MRI for my right hip.............I'm really not worried that it's mets - because the pain disappears on its own for no apparent reason. I was in pain hobbling around the school, barely able to walk or go up and down stairs, when suddenly about 6 hours later, it just disappeared. Almost like my hip was "back in place". Anyway - I'm hoping my insurance company approves the MRI so we can get to the bottom of this...........if I need a shot this time I won't object - the pain at night and during the day is just getting worse and worse. I have no way of knowing when my hip will go out on me..........sometimes it's fine for 2 months. My PCP said it could be inflammation, or a bone chip - I'm just hoping they don't tell me I need hip replacement surgery! No way do I EVER want major surgery ever again!
0 -
swimangel, I understanding your not wanting major surgery, if you do need a hip replacement, it really isn't bad. I had one in 4/08, just before my bc diagnosis, and I am very glad I had it. I can hike and climb again! One of my friends, a pt, told me that hip replacements have one of the highest satisfaction rates of all surgeries (over 95%), which makes sense to me as the hip joint is pretty simple.
Candie, quit procrastinating. You shouldn't put up with being in that much pain.0 -
Thanks for your encouragement Lisa!
0 -
candie1971,
I've learned the hard way that the best way to get something diagnosed and treated is to ask the onc for a referral. Somehow, they always manage to get me in within a couple of days. Even though my insurance allows self-referrals to specialists, it always takes weeks when I try to do it. I've gotten the epidural steroid shots, and I agree that it helped immensely. The pain management specialist who does the procedure will sedate you if you wish, or not. It's up to you. Get a referral and get your pain treated already. Life is too short. Enjoy it.
0 -
JO, I used a tens unit years ago. The first time I fell asleep and woke up when the batteries died! I was in front of the TV and my DH was in the chair beside me....ehhehehehe
0 -
Hip replacement surgery was a snap compared with all the other things we all have gone through here. First of all, there's a plan and it's set from the get-go. No path reports to wait for. No discussion of should we do this or that? No waiting. I repeat, NO WAITING! Then you get exercises to do. You get to have a real hand in getting better. You get to read in bed or in a comfy chair for a month. you get to be pampered. And all the while you don't hurt. You aren't sick. You're just a wee bit fragile. You get to walk unsupported after just one month. And not too long after that, you realize you are walking like you did when you were young. You feel a spring in your step. No pain! No limping! You WANT to go walking.
I'm a great fan of hip replacement surgery.
0 -
well now i feel a lil freaky. I called my onc to check on my bloodwork he just did and said all was ok..this was this past friday..actually it was his nurse cause he wasnt in. she said she would tell him about our conversation ( I was telling her how much pain I was in)and get back to me today. I had forgotten all about it and then his nurse just called and said he wants me to have an mri on my hip. oh crap, now I am freaking!! ok I know it can still just be arthritis..but I am so scared I am going out of my mind. I need you hugs to keep me sane. you all probably think I am over reacting but I live fearful every day ever since I heard those cancer words nearly 3 1/2 yrs ago!!!
hugs and prayers
0 -
Candie, you should be glad you onc is being pro-active and asking you to get the MRI. If I understand correctly tumor markers can't be relied on in diagnosing mets. Imaging (and maybe a biopsy is required). No mattter what the out come is, athritis or mets, you need to find out what is going on and get it treated. You are in a lot of pain and you can't continue without dealing with the cause.
AnnaM, I also am a great fan of hip replacement surgery, but I did have a fair amount of post operative pain after mine. That pain was different from the hip pain I had before surgery and it improved with each day, but I wouldn't describe the surgery as painless. Also, every ortho has a different protocol. I was walking without a cane after 2 weeks and was sent to out patient pt at that time. Recovery has been a lot of work for me, but so worth it! As I said above, I can hike and climb again.
0 -
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ Candie }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Glad you're getting it looked at!
0 -
Candie
I think you and I have discussed this before, but I just wanted to remind you that I also had these problems earlier this year, and I absolutely did not want scans I was scared to death and put it off for 2 months. I had an xray first which was fine and still pain so finally an MRI and I cried through the whole MRI tried to interpret the tech's body language the whole nine yards I was completely miserable and I understand. OK so I ended up having 2 MRI's and nothing there, just the Arimidex and some arthritis. PT and Exercise helped get me better but still struggle some. The tech explained to me that even with BC patients when they are scanned thinking that it is something in most cases it still turns out to be b9 issues.
It is so hard I know, but I think you used the phrase once that I love and had to use myself "had to put my big girl panties on and go in" and when you said that I had to laugh and really scoot myself out the door. Now we are helping you do the same thing. But don't for one minute think you are freaky because most of us feel the same way you do.
0 -
oh,dear sisters, thank you for always being here for me. I could not do this without you. I thought you would like to know what else is going on with me. In April, I had wrist surgery..easy, painless surgery. Well, the other day my wrist started hurting again and today I had to put an ace bandage on..lol..I am laughing cause wow, am I falling apart or what. The dr who did the surgery said he tends to think it is from the arimidex. Well, at least I got a chuckle about it.
lisa-e, yes, I am glad my onc is being pro-active and he is such a good Dr too. Living in pain is not fun ..it is exhausting.
Barb, thanks for putting up with me blabbing about this for 2 1.2 months now..that's how long it has been.
Jo, thanks for your prayers..I believe in prayer too and your encouragement.
mmm5, yes I got that phrase from another bc sister, I like it too! thanks for helping me.
Have a good night, girls!
hugs and prayers to all of you.
0 -
Candie, you are not blabbing! Constant pain is absolutely debilitating and no one who hasn't experienced it can even come close to understanding it. You are often in my thoughts....
{{{{{{{{{{{{ hugs }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
0 -
Hi, Barbe and Jo
I am waiting for my onc's office to call with the date and time for the MRI. Theya re also getting the ok ftom insurance company. I will let you know. Thank you for beign here for me, I really appreciate it!!
Love,hugs and prayers to all,
Candie
0 -
Candie, you are going to come back here and tell us you were a silly rabbit for not doing it sooner! Keep us posted...
0 -
Hi, still didn't here from onc. If I don't hear by the end of today, I will call tomorrow. I know it takes time to get the ok from ins. co. It is hurting very bad today! Hope you are having a great day.
hugs and prayers
0 -
- Candie - I'll be thinking and worrying about you - hoping is just age & falling apart. What a weird thing to hope for.
I'm home free for now - the results came in & the tumor markers are down & the doctor thinks I should stop obsessing about inconclusive test results. I'll take it.0
