Extreme Hip Pain - can Stage II metastasize to hip?
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thanks lekker and barbe. That gives me some hope if MRIs are more specific. My brain is always on overload, and I just can't believe that with all of our advances technology that we so test after test but have to wait until something gets really bad to get a diagnosis. The watch and wait just doesn't make sense to me, and the more likely than not speeches just drive me crazy. Wasn't it more likely than not that we wouldn't get breast cancer to start with? I know I am paranoid but I just want solid answers. I have some spots on my lungs that the first CT said were not likely evidence of metastatic disease. The second CT, after ACT, showed that one has grown slightly and the other shrunk slightly. The report said something like not definite evidence of metastatic disease. And that a short term follow up scan was suggested. The NP went over the report with me and said it's all clear, looks great. Only after I asked for a copy when I left and read it while waiting for my next appt did I see anything about this news. I was in tears by the time the RO arrived, trying to understand what it meant. His explanation was that the lab techs have to CYA. So yes barbe, I totally feel you on fearing misdiagnosis. I will be so upset if I find out it is something that has been there all along. My only comfort was at that point, it wouldn't change my course of treatment. I am on a clinical trial for secondary treatment with a drug that is currently used to treat mets, so that was comforting. BUT I get my last treatment next week, so panic is creeping in again.
I'm so sorry about all of your back problems and love that you volunteered to be a guinea pig. Sounds like our brains work the same way. We should be in charge of something! I am sure hoping to hear the A word, but hoping it comes with some definitive information to back it up.
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What's really dumb, is that when I had my first bone scan I went onto the table with the help of a CANE I was using. Then the screen lit up like a Christmas tree and the tech came out and said "Does your hip hurt?" At that point I was well-medicated and doing okay, so I thought it was a courtesy question and answered "No". I will always regret that, as I was then labeled as "not likely for metastases".....sigh. What if I had said "yes"????? My doc and I found out that at the bottom of the report was a recommendation for an MRI. That comment wasn't noticed for a year!!!!
Even when my onc reads further tests she admits it's not definitive in their wording. The only thing that gives me peace is that I went to a larger hospital for a bone scan once and it didn't get flagged there so I don't know if they compared it to past ones or read it as a single test, but at least other eyes looked at it. Now I'm hearing a bone scan isn't the best test...but I can't have MRIs anymore (pacemaker) so I guess I just keep on going on like this.
You are in my prayers.
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Barbe1958 can you not have a PET?
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Sheila - I'm 45 and mine turned out to be the "good" Itis! I don't think it matters the age, arthritis is possible at any age - I had a knee injury at 19 and got arthritis in my 20's. Praying you get the good itis!!!!0 -
PETs in Canada are saved for celebrities and visitors!! I had asked my surgeon years ago and he laughed and told me they are still rare here and way too expensive for our health care to pay. Also, have heard they have so many false positives that I don't need that fear factor right now. I'm able to walk at this point, but while I was pretty much cane/bed-ridden it was pretty hairy, I can tell you!!!!! I was SO depressed I had to get "treated". Of course I'm depressed!!!! I was like a body of a 90+ year old with a teenage brain!!!!
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ultrasound clear. CTs and MRIs are not until February. Filled my Celebrex rx but am too afraid to take it after reading the package.
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Celebrex is pretty good, give it a chance. They have to print ALL known side-effects but it's been around a while so they've ironed out a lot of kinks.
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Celebrex works great ; to ease your mind, check the percentages of people who state they had those side effects. Normally they are pretty low. Its either listed on the package insert or their internet site.
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scared of the Celebrex because I also take Coumadin and it said that anticoagulants greatly increase the risks of all those side effects listed which "could" lead to death. Pain has not been as bad in the last two weeks. It's still there but more dull. I wonder if that is indicative that it is likely arthritis? That the intensity comes and goes?
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I can understand being afraid of those SE's, I'd expect your doctor prescribed the celebrex because she/he felt the benefit of the pain relief far outweighed the potential risk of increases in side effects with coumadin. Just a thought, I'd discuss your concerns with them for sure. I'm glad the pain is easing a bit. Hopefully they'll sort it out and find its arthritis. Have you tried chiropractic or massage?
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Im 43 and 2 years ago i had an MRI thinking I had mets, it was arthritis in my back. And yes it comes and goes, some days i can hardly move, others i almost forget i have it. I also have nerve damage from the taxol.
Laura
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I hope this is where I need to post this. I just completed radiation in December and began taking aremidex last week. In October I began having terrible pain in my hips and from there it went to my back and down my leg. Nothing seems to take it away completely. I'm having a terrible time sleeping, walking and can't stand for a long time. I had a bone scan earlier this month and it came back clear except mild uptake in the shoulder. I had a Xray Friday and it come back back clear. I don't know what it could be. I believe arthritis would of shown up. Would bursitis have shown up also??? What else could it be???? Its getting worse each day. I do have hypothyroidism that I've taken meds for since 2006. Where do I go from here. What are some other possible causes. I don't believe its in my head and I've always been pretty active until this. Any help ladies. My oncotype number was 19
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Kathie - I had lower back and left hip pain a few months ago. I had a lumbar MRI with and without contrast to see what was going on. Bone scans and plain x rays generally aren't very informative for soft tissue issues - MRI is the gold standard. In the general population, back pain is so common that it is usually diagnosed clinically by symptoms and scans aren't done. With a personal history of cancer though, you have what is called a "red flag" and further scans might be indicated. I'm assuming that your oncologist ordered the bone scan and x ray - tell him/her that the pain is getting worse and ask what you should do next.
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Lekker thanks for your reply. What did it turn out to be for you. What is soft tissue. Is that bursitis?? I have heard that the chemo may of caused it but you would think it would be gone now. How are you treating your symptoms and are you still having problems. My MO sent me for bone scan then refered me back to my general Dr who in turn requested the xray.
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By soft tissue I mean muscles, tendons, organs, fluid, etc. as opposed to bones. My lumbar MRI showed two small bulging disks that are irritating the nerve roots which seems to be causing my pain. My back felt better after a course of oral prednisone, but my hip still hurts. I'm waiting to get in to see my MO to talk about it further.
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Hi Ladies,
Coincidental I found this thread BACK on the site I've been a member of since last June. I was doing a Google search for bone mets mistaken for bursitis!!! Like some of you I've had hip pain - I also have some ankle pain - though nothing's "bad" at the moment (save an irritating pain behind my right eye that my oncologist doesn't want to check just yet).
I finished chemo at the end of October and am having awful issues with neuropathy as well - Gabapentin helps some.
To my point of posting:
Shortly after my dx, at my first appt with my onco, he asked if I had any bone pain. In my traumatized state I took this to mean currently and responded, "no." Barbe, like you I regret not sharing my past incidents of severe hip pain, and haven't told him yet - I feel like I'm searching for something when I should be happy it's "over" - though I know I'll always be wondering if mets are just around the corner...
My previous pain was dx'd as bursitis, and a cortisone injection did help. I'm just really afraid b/c I've also got osteoporosis in my lumbar spine, hips, and an ankle. I had a bone density test last week to get an updated baseline for Prolia which I'll take to counteract the anastrozole I'm on, and it's just on my mind non-stop!
Didn't have any scans beyond an MRI of my breast area to check my left one before my mx. Thought my onco would order scans at the end of my treatment, but he's super conservative, believing that the risk of prompting any cell growth (my cancer was grade 3) isn't worth scans without a clear reason. I think he'd go for it if I insisted, but just don't know what to do???!!!
~Lynn
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Lynn, I don't see the correlation of scans and cell growth!! Get the scans for peace of mind if you can afford it. I really pushed every time I got a scan after that first stupid one, but as they base their findings off the first baseline scan, of course it all looks the same except with the bone growth progression I have going up my spine!
Let us know if you do go for another scan based on pain....we get it.
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HI there Lynn, I'd share your symptoms and just to ensure understanding, MRI doesnt use radiation. I hope yo find you're okay. Best wishes.
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Thanks, Barbe and Bevin
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hi ladies. If it's any consolation to anyone else with these symptoms, my back and hip pains were diagnosed as arthritis. Although there were a lot of big words on the MRI report instead of arthritis which I didn't understand. Unfortunately my CT showed the two nodules on my lung have grown since August and I have to have a biopsy next week. Sigh.
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Oh Sheila, that sucks!!! Please keep us posted here as you will be in my prayers....
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Hello ladies. I have been having extreme hip and lower back pain. I had a MRI that showed a cyst in my lower back and annual tears in one of my disc. I'm pretty concerned about the cyst just because my Ortho dr couldn't tell me anything Should I be concerned, could it be something like cancer and where or who can I discuss the results with that can give me a better understanding. And over the weekend a small lump came up on my ring finger knuckle that's the size of a pea, I ask Dr about he couldn't tell me anything. Should I go to another type Dr?? just seems like any new thing freaks me out
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Hello
It so hard not to worry about everything!
I have a cyst on my spine. There is a technical name for it but I can't remember what it is. Anyway it is benign and common. I also have a ganglion cyst on my wrist, also benign. Our bodies are always growing weird things and these crazy scans always pick th up and worry us.
Hugs to you.
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Shoppygirl Thanks for the reply, my sister said the same thing the other day, if I hadn't got cancer I wouldn't worry about all this other stuff, or even know about it. She's probably right 😏
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Arimidex (I started end of Jan like some of you who've posted already) has given me back pain, sciatica-like pain, joint pain, hip pain, and hand/finger stiffness. Luckily most of it wears off with exercise. But it's pretty intense sometimes. These medications--phew. When I have pain now, I first go to the side effects of arimidex (so much harder than the tamox I was on for 2 years).
Claire
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Anyone know about night time only hip pain? I am fine during the day but in bed both hips hurt so badly. Side sleeping is impossible.
I had this before uterine and breast cancers were diagnosed but now these pains seem to be much worse.
My 2.5 months on Arimidex seemed to make it all a little worse and Femara now also. But it was there before.
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hollyboo, as a "sleep expert" (from Serta and Sealey) it may be your mattress. Try buying a memory foam "topper" to lay where your torso lies in bed (Walmart - get a twin, it's only for you). I put mine under the bottom sheet so I lie on the proper sheet. I had to use it folded in half when I first bought it and the coverage was fine as you only need it from torso to bum. When you slept on your side, did you use a pillow between your knees? If not, you are stretching the long muscles over your hips all night long and you'll wake up sore (men have their muscles under their hip bone, thus we are curvier). When on your back, put a pillow under your knees if you feel you are straining your lower back. It's a "bad" habit as it stretches the long muscles of your legs all night, but better than waking up in pain!
Good luck, sweetie!
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Wow!
Been reading the posts here! During radiation, I had an MRI on my hip which showed a bone island which is a growth of extra bone!!!!!! Thankfully benign but it causes bursitis and causes me pain to this day. I have had 1 follow up MRI and I guess it's time for another....just to make sure it has not grown or become malignant. Anyone else diagnosed with a rare bone island after chemo?
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Jra - I have a bone island, but it happened way before chemo. I always said from day 1 of the cancer that I was terrified that the cancer would settle there. It did eventually. So please, keep watching it. Funny thing, tho, I had cancer in both femurs and where my bone island is, and the only thing that hurt was that bone island. In fact, still does. I'm just used to it, after 11 years now.
Good luck!
Amy
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Thanks Amy! Guess it's about time for that follow up mri - it's been 3 yrs since the last one.
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