Bone Mets Thread
Comments
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I have not had Xeloda either, so I don't have any specific answers for your questions. If you have access to a palliative care doctor s/he might be able to give you some additional help controlling side effects.
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I had my first radiation treatment to my upper spine and hip today. I didn't expect to feel anything. However, my arms and shoulders are really achey. A spot in the area treated is also hurting. Can this be from just one treatment? If so, will it get worse with more treatments.
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Romansma I remember when I had rads to my arm I got the same feeling so my guess is that it's the cancer doing a little dance as the rads burn their butts......lol.......sorry, sick sence of humour. But I did have that feeling and for a couple of days it got worse and then started to get better. When I was done the area was sore and a little painful but as the days passed it got better and better so after a couple of weeks post rads there was no pain at all.
Hope yours does the same. Good luck!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Thanks Chrissy, that makes me feel better. I wasn't expecting to feel anything the first few days and it's really hurting tonight. Think I need something a little stronger to sleep tonight!
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AJ - I haven't done Xeloda either, but wanted to say I'm also sorry you're having a rough time! And no shame in seeing a shrink - mine helped me a lot.
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Romansma - I had the same with radiation. My oncologist had warned me that I'd get more sore before I got less sore, and he was right. I had one to the hip and five to the spine (waist-level). I was sick as a dog after the first spine treatment, and sore, but it got better quite quickly and within a few weeks, the pain was much reduced from pre-radiation levels.
Good luck!
Terre
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thanks for the input.....I feel awful after just one treatment.....13 more are planned! Vicodin isn't touching the pain.....any thought on what might help? I took Dilaudid to sleep last night, but feel like crap this morning with a headache and nausea.....bleh!
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Elisimo ... I was on Xeloda after failure of femara (18 mo), & faslodex. I would recommend you going to the Xeloda site, it's a wealth of information and I read every last page. Just full of what has worked for other women. It helped me immensily (sp?). I was cold all the time, but never got the mouth sores. However, when I have gotten them, the salt water & baking soda mouth wash, frequently, helps. The magic mouthwash helps to numb the areas before eating, but make sure not to numb the back of the throat or you lose your gag reflex when eating. I had very severe hand/foot syndrome and did everything under the sun to control it. I was put on 7/7 schedule, still suffered terribly. Really runined the whole summer for me last year, then only to find out it was totally ineffective for me!!! However, this is considered an excellent drug and many benefit, so it may be the one for you!! I'd also recommend rinsing your mouth out well after you take each dose. Good luck to you.
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Romansma: I had C4-6 vertebra bone radiated two weeks ago. After just the first treatment I had so much pain my husband said I was moaning. However, after that first horrible evening my arm starting feeling better every day and feels so much better than before the radiation as I had so much bad aching. My radiologist said that the first radiation treatment caused the cancer to FLARE which caused the cancer to be pressing more against the nerve coming from the spinal cord. I hope you are feeling a little better every day.0
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I did 15 rounds of radiation to my hip and lower spine. Finished the rads in Nov. Before the rads I had trouble walking. After the rads my I could walk without pain, and I am still feeling improvement. Still a little discomfort, but tolerable. One thing about rads to the pelvis is that it will also affect your digestive system. You might want to pick up some panty liners and watch out for diarrehea.. Even with the side effects the rads were worth the trouble. Be patient relief is not always immediate and may take some time to see improvement. Here's to a pain free future.
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Romansma do you have any oxy? If you are not getting any relief give your doc a call and see if he/she will call in a script for a good painkiller to help get you through.
I know its tough to start with but rads really do help.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Hi everyone. Thank you for your help. I took Dilaudid last night to sleep. It really looped me and I felt nauseated this morning.....and the pain was constant. My 2nd round was this morning at 8:30 and I talked to the doc before. He thought it was probably the tumors flaring up and causing the nerves to be irritated. Wants me to go back on Prednisone. So, I got another round of radiation and it started getting bad before I even got home. I took 20mg of Prednisone and got back in bed. It got so bad, I was in tears. However it looks like the Prednisone is working because I feel a little better right now. Yikes, I wasn't expecting this!
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so sorry you are going through this Romansma - Since you are in CA, have you tried marijuana to help with any of your sx's? Just a random thought (many of my thoughts are quite random these days..).
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Mompsych.....something just wore off and it's getting inense again. I've tried edibles a couple of times to no avail....might be time to do some major homework on this subject.
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The only pain killer that works for me is the oxy, but the pharmacy will not take a call in order for it. I have to go to the doctor and have a prescription written out and then have to have it filled within 48 hrs. As far as marijuana goes, it doesn't do much for pain , but does help with nausea and to give me an appetite. Stay away from the food/candy stuff with weed in it as most of the cali concoctions are too strong, if you smoke it use a vaporizer it is much easier than a joint.
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Romansma the Prednisone will help with the inflammation but you need oxy for the pain........if you have to, go see your PCP and get a script. Being in that much pain is no fun at all.
Sending you love n gentle ((((((hugs)))))). Chrissy
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Omg, how funny! My Dr asked if I wanted the mask also. When my Mom & I left the Radiation office that day for my last treatment, I ran the mask over twice in their parking lot!! So funny, I watched my Mom cry every day I had treatment, so it was nice to finally see her laugh!
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Hello Ladies,
I competed 10 rads on my sternum and I had my hysterectomy last Friday and am doing great. I will be starting Arimidex on the 24th and I was wondering if anyone had any advise for me re SE and what not??
Thank you!!!
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Hi Kate,
I've been on Anastrozole (Arimidex ) for 2 1/2 years. I was already menopausal, so had been through hot flashes. I do have joint pain and achiness if I am still for too long, so notice it when I get up in the morning or anytime I'm sedentary. But, moving is a good thing, right? I also noticed that the skin on my body is very dry, but my face remains oily. None of these things is insurmountable not does it effect my life in any major way. Most of all, I have been NED For 2 1/2 years. Wishing you the best.
Caryn
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No oxy, just Vicodin and Dilaidid. Dilaidid seemed to help, but made me nauseated.....maybe that will wear off if I get used to taking it. I am not familiar with Oxy......Oxycodone?
Still hurting tonight, but not excruciating like it was earlier. Getting hip radiated at same time and it just started aching tonight. I wasn't expecting the pain. Doc mentioned acid reflux and sore throat becauseesophagus is in the target area. He never mentioned possible pain and seemed surprised to hear about it this morning. I feel like he underestimated the are being treated. It's pretty big, in my opinion....C3 to T3 and it's full of tumors in every vertebrae that are getting pretty riled up.
So happy to have this site. I was really worried yesterday that something had gone wrong...you guys reassured me that it was to be expected. Now, if only this pain meant the tumors were being dissolved by the radiation....fingers crossed!
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Romansma be assured that the pain you are feeling is because the rads are killing off those little buggers and they are protesting loudly! Hope the pain lets up soon. Oh yes, oxy is oxycodone.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Romansma I hope the pain gets under control soon.
Sending very gentle hugs.
Leah
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I'm a bit antsy today, and so I just want to share what's going on. On Monday I spent the day in hospital to see the surgeon who's going to operate on my back and to have more scans/tests.
The operation planned for next week is a vertebroplasty to T2, and Monday was to see if it would be possible to C1 as well. Well, the bone scan showed that it's more complicated than they thought. The tumours are blastic, so there's not much room for cementing and the surgeon reckons that what he could do will help strengthen the area, but won't do much for the pain. C1 is now considered impossible. He mentioned also injecting rads directly into T2, I've already had rads on C1 so that not possible there either. There'll be a conference today to discuss my case and the surgeon is going to ring me tomorrow morning to let me know what's decided. He says I'll be going into hospital anyway next Thursday as planned because 'something needs to be done quickly'. I'm upset that it's not as straightforward as they thought, and worried that they're not going to do anything to help the pain. I'm going to be a cat in a hot tin roof until I get that call tomorrow!
Sorry for moaning, but this is the only place I can talk about it where people understand what I'm going through!
Nicky
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Oh damn Nicky! It's never easy to get our head around things when we are told 'it's not straight forward'. It's a sort of damned if you do and damned if you don't sort of scenario and it really stinks!
I'll be keeping my fingers and everything else crossed that the phone call tomorrow brings good news for you.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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thanks Chrissy! I feel better having just got my frustration off my chest! I'll let you know when you can uncross those fingers 😉
Nicky
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Oh Nicky not what we want to hear! I hope the docs come up with something that will help you.
Leah
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Romansma ... so sorry you have having increased pain ... hopefully those buggers are dying off and the prednisone will calm the area down. I would surely speak with your RO about better pain management and perhaps also get an antinausea.
Nicky ... hang in there ... I understand how scarey the indeciviness is. Hoping they do a productive brainstorming session and come up with some options you are comfortable with; often 2 heads are better than 1. Hang in there.
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Nicky, I'm crossing my fingers, toes, and eyes that you get some good news this morning. After the pain I felt the last couple days, I understand doing everything you can to keep it at bay. I'm feeling better this morning. The pain is still there, but bearable. I think the Prednisone is doing its job so the pain meds can do theirs, whew! Now, sign me up for another round!
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Go get 'em Romansma!!! Hoping the pain is beginning to pass.
Good luck!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Romansma, I am so glad to hear things are at least bearable. May it quickly turn from bearable to no pain.
Nicky- moaning is ok! Shaking you fist at the universe is ok! Jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof is ok (just jump gently)! I hope the figure our something that really works for you....
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