Muscle/joint pain after radiation?
I finished my radiation on Dec. 12, 2008. I had 6 weeks, 5 days a week with the last 8 treatments concentrated in the area of my lumpectomy. I was doing okay physically aside from the bad burn and horrible skin rashes. I did everything they told me to do for every related issue. However, I gradually started to get muscle and joint pain about 6 weeks after the skin issues disappeared which was mid-February 2009. I have NO pain in my armpit and I got back all my feeling from the having the Sentinal Node removed (all was negative thank God) in my armpit. I'm a work horse, love to get out in my yard and gardens, but I can't go more then 3 to 4 hours if I'm lucky because of this muscle and joint pain I get. I use the Capsaicin Well Patches on my thigh muscles and it works great. It actually gets into my leg joints and kills the minor pain there also. if I've had a vigorous day outside I pay for it for 2 days and I have to take it easy. I take Excedrin because that also works, Motin and Advil and Aleve do nothing. I was just wondering if anyone has experienced this after radiation? I have my appointment with my Radiologist the first week of July and I'm hoping this starts to completely subside by then. I am not "sleepy" tired at all, but I do have fatigue still. Can anyone give me some input here?
Thanks,
kathy B.
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The effects of radiation can last for months after treatments. Maybe you should see your doc before then? I have noticed my muscles ache some and I am only half way through rads. Here's hoping you feel back to normal soon. Tami
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I was first diagnosed with DCIS, however, after the first lumpectomy they found two very small areas of Invasive Carcinoma. Too small to stage (<1mm) so I have had a second lumpectomy and a sentinel lobe biopsy (both the additional tissue and the sentinel lobe were negative for cancer).
I have now finished my radiation - April 3. I had 34 treatments, the last 8 of which were boosts. I never burned, just "tanned" mostly under the arm pit area and under the breast. On the 32 treatment I actually had skin peel under my breast due to my bra rubbing. Since finishing the boosts Friday that area is turning slightly red.
As far as the skin problems I had very little. BUT, during the radiation I started having shoulder pain, and numbness and tingling down to my fingertips. I would wake at night with my hands burning, tingling and numb. I have not had any sensation in the tips of my thumb, pointer and middle fingers now for over 5 weeks. I have been referred to a neurologist for these problems. It is belived to be a nerve problem from my neck. I had radiation only to the right side, but my nerve problems are on both sides.
I never had any pain or health problems prior to being told I had this cancer. I thought I was extremely healthy. I don't smoke, drink only a glass of wine once in a while, and watch what I eat. I am 5' 6" and weigh 128. I also work regularly in my gardens and am used to strenuous work. However, I now feel like I hurt so bad some of the time that I wish I never had the surgery or radiation. I can't wait to see the neurologist (May 8). Nothing like having to wait almost two months to get in with one of these guys!
I do believe that if this pain was not caused by the radiation that it at least exacerbated the situation.
PJ
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Wow PJ, I've had similar problems. No skin problems or rashes, but my neck and shoulders have been bothering me and a couple of times last week I woke up with a numb hand (on the unaffected side).
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I only just finished my rad treatments on April 15th, so I'm no judge as to what is down the line for me. I burned badly with horrible sores, had the stabbing pains in my chest, and my underarm swelled and hurt a lot. Most of all the symptoms have subsided, but I'm just soooo tired, and have no strength at all. When I try to do anything, I feel like my muscles have never been used before. I thought things were bad during chemo, but it seems I just have no strength at all right now. I feel like a real lump on the couch. I was hoping this would go away soon and that I could get on with my life. I feel so lazy!
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I had bilateral mastectomy on Oct. 2008 with reconstruction and radiation on my right breast only from Dec. 29,2008 to Feb. 16,2009. I had a bad burn only in my chest and it healed for almost 2 months.
I have a terrible joints, bones, muscle pain in my whole body everyday and chronic fatigue. The pain will switch from shoulder & legs then my butt. Most of the time I cannot stand up straight. I understand the chronic fatigue is from radiation but I do not understand the aches & pain in my whole body. I had my blood work done yesterday and my primary doctor said to see a rheumatologist. I will see my radiation oncologist doctor on Monday and ask if these are all part of radiation. NO chemo or NO hormonal therapy for me. I understand that chemo and hormonal therapy will make your body ache. I've been taking pain med on and off because of reconstruction and burn. Now that I'm not taking pain med then I felt all of these aches and pain really bad. My doctor gave me again pain med but I could only take it a night because I work full time.
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Everytime I bring up this joint and muscle pain issue to anyone in rads they all say the same thing (and I decided to contact them again this past Tuesday, April 28th, 2009), "it's not from the radiation treatments". I think they are full of it (sorry). I NEVER had this prior to radiation, I am 59. I was NEVER with pain issues in my muscles and joints. I have no pain in my shoulders, or upper body, just some muscle weakness now and then. I do arm curls every day, 100 total, since I had radiation for strength purposes. My Primary care doc has sent me for all kinds of tests, nothing is wrong. I lost count of the number of women I have spoken to that had rads and have my issue of joint and muscle pain that comes and goes and they are told the same thing by their docs, "not caused by rads". We can't all be having illusions ya think? I was never like this prior and neither were they so who's right here? My fatigue is not the sleepy kind of fatigue like many get, my fatigue happens when the joint/muscle thing starts and I have to relax for an hour or so. I happen to have had my 6 month mammogram this past Monday (4/27/09? and even my tech said she hears the same thing from rad patients about muscle/joint pain after rads. Thanks for you're input, I do appreciate it alot.
Kathy B.
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Kathy, your welcome.
PJ, Let me know about your neurologist visit on May.
I will keep you guys posted what my rheumatologist will say about these.
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I agree with you, Kathy and Angel! All I ever hear is "not from rads" or "not from chemo" or whatever. Or. . . just the "hmmmm!!!!" with no explanation or help. Sometimes I get the feeling that these dr.s think I'm the biggest whiner in the place. All I'd really like to hear is that, yes, this goes with the territory, we're sorry, but it should pass as time goes on, or something like that. That would ease my mind a lot!
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Here's something to think about.................had my cancer been in my left breast I was told that some form of heart damage "COULD happen" from rads. Now think about this, the heart is a muscle. If it can cause damage to the heart then what makes other muscles in the body any different? I really think that rads zap the body everywhere and I think they don't want us to know because people will be afraid of it. I know many afraid of it already and they're afraid of it because they associate it to the nuclear bombs in the 50's and what radiation did to people. It may not be the same kind of rads as the A Bomb, but it's rads just the same. It causes many skin issues for along time. I was told, when I developed a horrible skin rash that "it wasn't from rads". I went to my skin doc and he told me it WAS from rads. I am still having skin rashes and my last red was 12/12/08. Thanks again for the input.
Kathy B.
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Hi had rads in Feb 2009 for 4 weeks for DCIS after operation for high grade calification.Finding it realy hard to get back into work as a housekeeper in hotel accomadation in which I was really fit to until had rads now I get realy tired and have realy sore legs in the muscles.Went back to gp she says she cant give me anything just time.I am still not doing 8 hr days feel realy lazy have tried to push myself but end up suffering with my body really sore.It seems they all say the same thing.take care & hope it all passes soon.
Temp
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Hi:
I finished rads Feb. 10th and I had the muscle/joint pain too. Now it's worse with tamoxifen. It is so discouraging. I really don't want to live like this for 5 yrs. Just had an MRI for groin pain and they found nothing.
Peeps
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Hi "Temp" Sore legs/muscles is exactly my issue that comes and goes. Thanks for you're input and the more I hear from people that had rads, the more I get convinced that rad doctors don't know whats going on concerning this side effect. You can drive yourself crazy going from doc to doc and nothing is abnormal or wrong doc after doc. It is so frustrating for me because I was fine before rads. I'll hang in there. Thanks again, it's very much appreciated.
Kathy B.
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kat06365, I think you hit it that the rad docs just don't know. Why they won't own up to 'not knowing' is beyond me. If you didn't have problems before rads and now you do, hello! it's the rads, period. Having said that however, perhaps they don't want to own it because they can't do anything about it. Silly because we have gotten used to the waiting game in this bc ordeal so I'm with nelia48 that all they have to do is say 'we really don't know; feel your pain; hope for it's quick passing; ...'
I'm having #22 this afternoon. So far only a little fatigue in afternoon with total wipeout by 8pm. Some tenderness in the right breast; underarm okay, occasional tingling in fingertips; darkening of breast and under breast. No real joint pain but that could be because I've suffered hip pain for years so I take glucosamine anyway.
Hope you all will get some relief.
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I also thought about the big, heavy door that goes into the radiation room, and the fact that the gals leave the room every time they zap us. Must be a reason for that. If they feel it affects THEM, it must affect us all over, too! I'm noticing that I'm waking up at night with terrible hip pain. Makes me terrified that it has spread!!!!
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This joint pain and muscle pain sent all kinds of thoughts thru my mind also, but I starting feeling better when test after test showed nothing wrong.
I'm having a bad day today, pushing myself. Mentally I'm okay, physically I feel trashed today, but I push myself all the time. I get very angry that this did this to me and I am not a pleasant person to be around sometimes. If I was working I wouldn't be a nice person, today, to be around.
I take Osteo Bi-Flex with 5-Loxin, have now for 3 years, just the supplement I take. Like I said, never had any joint or muscle issues until weeks after my rads were done (12/12/08), it started in Feb 2009 gradually. I can only hope it will peak out soon.
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Hi, ladies.
kat said:
Here's something to think about.................had my cancer been in my left breast I was told that some form of heart damage "COULD happen" from rads. Now think about this, the heart is a muscle. If it can cause damage to the heart then what makes other muscles in the body any different?
They have to be really careful when radiating the left side to avoid the xrays from hitting your heart. The xrays will damage anything they come into contact with. The other muscles in your body aren't irradiated with the exception of the pectoral muscle and other muscles under the armpit, etc. I have really bad muscle spasms in my pec muscle that don't seem like they will ever go away.
Your body is awfully taxed by surgery, rads, and chemo because it's working so hard to build new, healthy cells, etc. I'm sure the strain can cause many unpleasant symptoms like joint pain, etc. I didn't have any but I hope you gals get to feeling better soon.
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Kathy,
I really hope and pray that you feel better. Do not push yourself too much if you do not feel good. Try to take it easy and maybe the dump weather also make our moods and body so different. My pain comes and goes. Try to see your primary doctor or rheumatologist. Just make sure you get an answer from a doctor. That's my mission now to get an answer with any doctor which I'm so afraid , I Just pray........
Lord, still my anxious heart as I seek to understand why.
Teach me to transform my Suffering into growth.
My great fear of tomorrow into Faith in your presence.
My tears into understanding. My discouragement into courage
My anger into forgiveness. My bitterness into acceptance
My experience with cancer into my testimony
My crisis into a platform On which I can learn to help others
God grant that one day I can embrace this time As my friend, and not my enemy.
Please give me strength, patience, understanding and love.
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I did have it on my left inside breast & yes they did say about my heart and also my lung but can also be affected down the track not always at the time of radition but a side effect which can affect me months or even years later,just hope this dosnt happen.
Temp
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I saw my radiation oncologist yesterday and she said that all my blood works are normal.
She also said that she usually tell patients that fatigue usually comes and goes 6 to 8 months after treatment but not everyday fatigue. The sad part is all the body aches/ joints and muscle pain I experience, again, the doctor said "it has NOTHING to do with radiation" especially I did not take any hormonal therapy or chemo.
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I developed a slight cough during rads, spasms, and they said that was normal. Dry cough. I still get it ocassionally, but nothing like the spasms were. I'm feeling better today, had a rough weekend of soreness all over, but it's better today thank God, I didn't push myself too hard the last 5 days either. The weather doesn't help either, has been raining off and on for days, lol.
Not once did anyone in rads ever say to me that "can affect for months or even years later" down the track of the rads. I think they should have said that. I have the right to know everything possible about whats being shot into my body and what the side effects are and I think they have a duty to tell us everything. Thanks for that "Temp".
Got an appointment with an Onocologist finally on May 26th, she was highly recommended to me. Had to anyway to keep my health and future up to par. I wouldn't sent a skunk to my former onocologist. Like anything, there are good ones and bad ones. I was sent to my former one for consultation thru my surgeon, was 2 very bad experiences better left where they are. I had no immediate hurry to have one, but now that I do I feel good about it. My other doctors set up all my necessary tests on a 6 month basis, I have a great surgeon that has stayed very involved in keeping me healthy partnered up with my primary Care doc. My Mammogram results were ..........C L E A N!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! again from my April 27th Mammogram. When I go to see this new Onocologist I'm sure she'll follow thru with any other test she feels I need. I want to see what she says about these muscle and joint issues. She's been sent all my records already for every test I have had. Praying for all of you and have a great day please.
Kathy B.
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Hi gals, what a lot of us have, due to rads, is Costochondritis, Dr. Susan Love mentions this in her book. It is inflammation of the meat between the ribs. Her "quick" diagnosis is to pinch the area, if it hurts like heck, it is probably Costochondritis (never use this as a "for sure" thing, always check with doc/onc).
I have had this and it comes on sometimes several weeks after treatment ends, scaring you even sillier.
Certainly some women do have heart and lung damage, but this is truly quite rare.
Oh, rad/oncs DENY everything. I think they are trained that way. They even told everyone that the slight form of radiation sickness most of us get (fatigue) did not exist. HA, I was around for Nagasaki and Hiroshima, I know better.
Gentle hugs, Shirlann
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You know.. I stopped rads about 4 weeks ago. The pain in my armpit and upper arm just gets worse. Shirlann.. I pinch the upper arm and it hurts like crazy... is that what you are talking about?
I got Dr. Loves book at the beginning of my journey, and got rid of it right away. I am not like the other ladies who loved her book. I found it un emotional and very not supportive. So, I do not have this book anymore....:)
I wish one of my doctors could just explain this pain. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
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Hi Estepp, that's alright, honey, we are all so different, what may help one of us scares the dickens out of another. There are lots of books, so go to Borders, get a good chair, grab a bunch of the BC books and find one that suits you. One you can relate to.
I do not know for sure if the upper arm is Costochondritis, I think that is only ribs. But I am not sure. Rad oncs are funny, they are likely to deny everything, so let's hope someone can come on to help you with personal experience.
Don't let this go. I am sure it is solvable, and not a return of the cancer, but I would go back to your onc and just throw a fit until they find out what is up. We have all be trained to be such good little girls, we just don't push hard enough. Take your husband if he will go and DEMAND answers, or tell him to send you to someone who can tell you what is up.
I found out years ago that they will generally treat you only as far as you are satisfied with. And in my opinion, you need to get to the bottom of this.
Hugs and best wishes, Shirlann
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How can so many people suffer with the same symptoms from rads and have these doctors tell us it's "not from the radiation" all the time. How can we tell them we never had the issues before rads and they still maintain the rads didn't cause it? The when we do speak up, because we are grown adults, we are treated as if we are mental cases? How is it all of my other doctors not directly involved with cancer treatment I had, (radiation) tell me my symtoms are from the radiation and when I tell these other doctors that my rad doc says it isn't my other docs just smirk at me? My husband says that if the rad docs tell people what the side effects are up front then nobody will do radiation.
He's probably partially right? I got to a point I got sick of jumping from doc to doc and I'm letting nature run its course and all I can do is hope it all subsides. I have one last appointment concerning my muscle and joint pains this coming Tuesday with my Orthopedic and when she tells me it's from the rads then thats it with docs. I'll just do my 6 month cancer follow thrus after I see my Orthopedic because I'm tired of doctors already. I have no life trying to figure it all out and I've had enough. Good luck ladies, am praying for all of you. Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms.Kathy B.
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Kat06365, let us know about the outcome of your orthopedic appointment on Tuesday.
I will let you guys know the outcome of my rheumatologist appointment tomorrwo, Monday. I'm so anxious to see the doctor. I get so negative and paranoid to explain myself over and over again with the doctors with my pain but nobody could help me. my neck and arms right now are really bothering me. at the end of the day even my legs. My lymph node is negative and only in my right arm and only 1 node but both arms are painful. I'm tired of all these pain and I feel I'm now more of a mental case than a cancer patient. I really hope we get an answer.
take care and prayers to all !
Happy mother's day to all the mother.
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Let me tell you a bit about me and my health please, I was NEVER sick until this time............In Oct. or 2000 (age 49) I started getting flu-like symptoms, intestional issues. Every doc I went to said it was my bladder. It was the bladder area that gave me pain. I spent my 50th Birthday in 1/2001 in a docs office still going thru the ups and downs of this flu-like issue. Tests would show small blood amounts in my urine and antoher antibiotic would be given. On Presdients Day 2/2001 my husband took me to the ER as I was doubled over in pain. I sat there for 6 hours in a wheelchair before I was seen and the ball started to roll because the blood work they took when I arrived showed ECOLI. My intestine had ruptured. The cause was a seed or nut that got lodged in an intestional sac that either had ECOLI or developed into ECOLI over months. I was taken to surgery, 1 foot of infected intestines removed, hospitalized for 10 days, had a bag on when I left the hospital. Wore the bag until then end of 5/2001, had my intestines hooked back up, and healed beautiful and got on with my life. Had I been a child I would have died, my surgeon says I am his "miracle" because not many pull thru the way I did. In 2006 I started developing a small surgical hernia on my left lower abdomen. It blossomed in the fall of 2007. When I went for my physical in Feb. 2008 I was already having pre-tests (pelvic CT, Colonoscopy, heart stress test, numerous blood testings, etc.) to have my hernia fixed when they found my breast cancer in my right breast. It was caught in the earliest stage and I never would have felt any lump because there was none. Trained eyes found the breast cancer. I was more worried about the lump I did feel in my left breast which was a "common cyst". Had my Lumpectomy on 4/23/09 with the Sentinal Node done (negative) Under the "Nottingham Histologic Grade" it was "111"(Tubule formation score=3) Tubule formation 3=little or none (<10%), Nuclear grade score=3, mitotic rate score=3 /more then 10 mitoses per 10 HPF (Necrosis is present / Necrosis in the tumor means that the cancer is dead within the area). Focal tumor is present (focal means limited to a small area). It was the TYPE of breast cancer I had, none hormonal related, that sent me to an onocolgist review. The small area was totally removed in my right breast, nothing present in node. I was due for my hernia surgery on 5/23/08 and had 2 consultations with the onocolgist before my surgery at which time I was told that my life expenctency was excellent up to 10+ years without reoccurrence if I did nothing. If I chose to do chemo and radiation it would up the percentage of life expectency even higher (to 95% from 85%) and if I chose to do just radiation it would decrease the occurrence to 95% from 85%. The onocologist wanted to "try something different" on me and after 2 visits and him telling me "there is no urgency for you to do any chemo at this time" I decided to do just radiation after my heria surgery in the fall of 2008. I was all clear to have my hernia surgery and went forward on 5/23/08. I was released from my surgeon and my heria issue on 10/16/08 and went for the app't I had made in the Spring of 2008 with the rad doc. in 10/08. This was when that onocolgist dropped me as a patient. Dropped me because I had decided to just move forward with the rads. He was also ticked off at me because I hadn't gone back for a 3rd app't concerning what he wanted to "try" on me". I had an MRI and Mammogram prior to rads starting, all was clean. And I might add I was feeling very good physically before the rads.
I sit here today and I wonder how I bounced back so well from my bout of ECOLI, a serious surgery (2 of them back then) and I can't even bounce back from the rads. I was feeling great after my hernia surgery then I did the rads and NOTHING compares to this feeling I have had since rads. I am no fool though, and I know the type of cancer I had could show up later in life again, but I will cross that bridge when I have to. Chemo was not necessary at this time. I had to do something and I THOUGHT rads would be the least taxing on my body and I guess I was wrong in that assumption. Thats just a little about me.
Kathy B.
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Hi Angel, sorry it took me so long to get back on here after my appointment. I went to my Orthopedic and she told me the shoulder joints, muscles, upper body area, where the rads were shot are side effects and should go away anywhere from 6 months PLUS. Discomfort will follow the path of the radiation rays. Most people will have the off and on discomfort. People that are experiencing serious pains in the front and back rib cage should further get to the bottom of it after rads as there are conditions that can form in those areas after rads. I didn't have that at all. However, I did have overall joint and muscle aggravation and the upper body aggravation is from the rads. The issues with my leg joints and muscles, after her doing tests and x-rays, is a sciatic nerve issue from a skiing injury when I was 23 years old. I took a bad fall on the lower top area of the tail bone, bottom of my spine. It seems the sciatic nerve which goes down the back of your legs is the culprit. So I am taking Celebrex "as needed" and we are going to monitor this issue. The Celebrex took away my upper body issues also, but I will only be taking Celebrex "as needed" because it's not something I want to be taking on a daily basis. I saw her May 12th.
Today, May 14th, I had my revisit with my surgeon and asked him about the issue also and he basically said the same thing my Orthopedic did concerning side effects of rads. I asked him about my itchy boob, general itching of the skin in my rads areas and he said my inner boob was still healing and building new cells. I had stage 1, receptor 111 cancer, but he cut deeper and wider because he's that kind of surgeon so I have a bit more scar tissue also. The receptor 3 I didn't like, but my area was so small and my overall reoccurrence was low and mortality rate was low so I am going with it all and just took the rads and will cross any bridges I have to in the future IF it comes back. My Sentinal node was clean as was the area outside the duct. I always think back about why I made my mammogram appointment first and earlier and it was due to a lump in my left breast. That was a common cyst and my doctors all said the same thing, "it's not what you CAN feel that you should be afraid of (thats assuming we all do our breast exams as we should on a regular basis), it's what you CANNOT feel that you should be afraid of " and thats why we all need to stay on top of our breast exams. I go to the Onocologist on 5/26, my new one, and thats it for awhile. I live 6 months at a time for another year and then go back to yearly testing.
Kathy B
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It sounds like your satisfied with all your doctors appointment. That is good that your getting the answers.
I had my rheumatologist appointment on May 11 and she said that all my whole body ache & fatigue seems to be a symptoms of fibromyalgia. She gave me more scripts for blood work to make sure I do not have any autoimmune disease.
She gave me a prescription for physical therapy for twice a week for 6 weeks. The doctor also said that I did not give my body a rest. I work full time and I work and went to my radiation treatments. She wants me to slow down now that she wants me to go to PT.
Thank you for sharing your doctors visit and hopefully we will feel better each day.
Take care
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I was tested for fibromyalgia also weeks ago, negative. And like you I didn't rest thru my rads either. I have a small side business with some clients I do their landscape and gardens, heavy work in the Spring and when I was going thru my rads it was the Fall and I was doing Fall garden clean-ups, never rested. I can relate. Good luck to you, I hope and pray you get some answers soon. Take care.
Kathy B
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Thank you kat06365.
I guess just enough time and rest that out body needs.
Thanks
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