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low back pain

I am totally freaking out right now. I completed all my treatment almost a year ago. So looking forward to that milestone. Approximately a month ago I started experiencing low back pain & right hip pain. I attributed it to being on a long road trip in our motorhome, sleeping on a bad mattress and LOTS of walking. I also have a long history of back pains and seeing chiropractors. The pain also felt like it normally would with any of those complaints. However, it hasn't cleared up this time. I was going to just go to a chiropractor again but after researching a bit on Dr. Google. I became concerned with mets, and herniated discs. So to err on the side of caution I didn't go to the chiropractor and instead called up my MO. They want to have me do an MRI just to check it all out. So now I am really scared. I know they are just being careful and it's what I want for them to do but it just raises that level of concern with me. Since my treatments ended I've also been diagnosed with arthritis in my fingers. So perhaps it is just more of chemo's little gifts. I was triple negative so I do not take any hormone therapies so it can't be due to that. The pain doesn't wake me up at night. But it definitely hurts more in the morning, as is typical with most back pain. It also feels better with exercise (dance class and walking). Ibuprofen does seem to help in varying degrees depending on the day. Other then the back pain I feel great. I did get PcR with my treatments and the dr said 95% that I would be just fine. So my odds are certainly in the pro side. Am I over thinking this all? I'm sure there are a lot of you out there that have had a scare and it was nothing ... right?!?!?!!

Comments

  • spookiesmom
    spookiesmom Member Posts: 8,163
    edited September 2017

    yep. About a year ago, my lower back hurt so bad it hurt to lift my foot while driving. My PCP sent me for MRI. I knew I had a herniated disk. Turned out to be arthritis stenosis and degenerative disk disease, but NOT cancer.

    Do the MRI, don't worry unless necessary. Breathe😊

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 695
    edited September 2017

    Tests are scary, but hopefully it'll show something benign. Keep us posted

  • anothernycgirl
    anothernycgirl Member Posts: 821
    edited September 2017

    I had mri about a year ago for back and hip pain, too. Back and hip pain, and as you say, worse in the morning. Like you, I immediately thought mets, - but it is arthritis and a slightly bulging disc. Not wonderful, but best news for me!

    Get the mri (although a long and annoying test) and you will have peace of mind!

    Hugs from NYC

  • rebzamy
    rebzamy Member Posts: 49
    edited September 2017

    What you describe def sounds more like back injury/arthritis & wear & tear. I've read that if it's bone mets or something like that, then the pain is consistent and is bad when lying down & sleeping etc. I suffer from arthritis & find it worse in the morning & gets better with meds & with movement/exercise & warmth. Hope that helps. The MRI is just a precaution.

  • Kaso
    Kaso Member Posts: 18
    edited September 2017

    I had an injury tp my thigh muscle diagnosed the day of the dreaded mammo call back. The diagnosis using ultrasound was a torn fascia. (Believe it or not I dropped a heavy grill on my thigh) Since this day my range of motion from my left hip has decreased and the discomfort is present most days. The discomfort takes all forms with a dull pain to a sharp pain, to stiffness and rubbing- difficulty turning at night (I am not overweight), difficulty getting up from the floor, and difficulty walking and always feeling as if I am 150 years old. I went to an ortho, after 2 months of informing my different oncologists at each appointment. Each responded- your BC is stage 1. This is not connected.The ortho xrayed and said- arthritis in hip- go for a cortisone shot and plan for a hip replacement in your near future. How do I trust this diagnosis? My BC diagnosis was incorrect at first- ADH turned out to be IDC as a result of lab error on pathology slides.

  • azrescue
    azrescue Member Posts: 15
    edited September 2017

    Thank You all. It helps to hear from others that have experienced similar back problems with it Not being mets. So, in two weeks they'll be doing a sacrum mri and a pelvic mri. I am less worried though. The pain has actually been less the past few days. Not gone but definitely better. I looked up some stretching exercises for the psoas muscle and hip flexors, those seem to be helping. I'll still do the mri's just to be extra sure.

    @Kaso, I understand your frustration on being misdiagnosed. My local doctors missed my bc for 3 YEARS!!!! I do not see anyone local now for anything more then a cold.

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 695
    edited October 2017

    Glad the exercises are helping. Less likely to be mets!

  • azrescue
    azrescue Member Posts: 15
    edited October 2017

    I just wanted to update my status. I had my MRI's on Thursday. They did both a hip and a sacrum MRI's so that was an hour and a half inside the machine. UGH! Thank goodness for Ativan. My back wasn't hurting when I went in to the machine but it sure the heck was after I was done. I thought I was doing pretty good mentally with managing the anxiety. Until yesterday ... the waiting for the results got the best of me. So when the phone actually rang ... (we were in our motorhome on the way home, so the whole family was right there) .. I panicked and couldn't answer it. Finally got in touch with the dr's office an hour later. No signs of METS or any cancer. I do however have bursitis in my hip and multiple areas in the lumbar that have spinal stenosis. So now I move on to my primary care dr and see what she thinks is the best way to manage it. BUT ..,,, YeAH!!!!! no mets.

  • anothernycgirl
    anothernycgirl Member Posts: 821
    edited October 2017

    az, - GREAT NEWS!

    Smile

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 695
    edited October 2017

    Great news!!!