Is osteoporosis the cause of my injury? Doc visit tomorrow
It's been 12 years since I was diagnosed with early stage BC. It did not go to my lymph nodes and I was given radiation and Arimidex. I have been blessed with no recurrence. I'm now 65 years old.
Over a month ago, I decided to start brisk walking on our treadmill for my health. I foolishly never stretched before I started walking or even started slowly, I just went hot and heavy for 30 minutes every single day. No pain or discomfort, and it felt good.
About 1-1/2 weeks before I stopped (stopped due to injury after 30 days), I had a video followup with my family doctor and told him I gad gluteal (butt) soreness/discomfort. He said it was likely the treadmill, but not to worry.
Then 1-1/2 weeks after that, I woke one morning out of bed and was unable to bear weight on my legs due to what felt like sharp, almost sciatic pain in my butt, back thighs and near my hips, bilateral. It feels muscular, but is very bad before my bath. I kept going in pain and then would take my bath and feel much better. No more treadmill since. But every morning since then, I have the same pain I just described that improves significantly or disappears after my bath. If I'm uncomfortable during the day, I take Advil
I have an appointment with my family doc tomorrow afternoon. Now I'm scared to death it's an injury caused by osteoporosis. I had hoped it was only an injury. I had NO painful events during any of this treadmill walking. How likely is it that it was a silent problem with my osteoporosis vs. a pn injury due to previous inactivity, age, etc.? It's gone on for 2 weeks. I rarely feel it except when I wake up and the bath helps. If not, I take Advil. What do you think? I'm also terrified of taking osteoporosis meds.
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Lower back injuries can happen easily without osteoporosis. I had to have back surgery several years ago in my 40s because of a disc that tore - from sitting in one position too long on an extended road trip! I have really bad arthritis now (in my early 70s), including all along my spine, so I have nerve problems all over from it, but I do not have osteoporosis. Good luck getting yours treated.
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Byfaith good luck on your appointment hope you can get some relief quickly. Treadmills can really wreck you if you start on them aggressively - at least i had a trainer tell me that once.
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by faith - I have osteoporosis and don’t blame you for worrying about being diagnosed with it. It’s better now but the pain early on was excruciating.
I was diagnosed with BC in 2011. My MO prescribed Arimidex which attacks the bones. I was already in the osteopenia stage at the time and after taking it for one year the damage was already done. Only then did she switch me to Tamoxifen.
I take Boniva once a month, calcium tablets and Vit D tabs as well. I’ll be having a dexa scan in December so hopefully my numbers will be good. My internist said if they aren’t she is recommending the Prolia shot which is expensive and has side effects. I don’t have any with Boniva.
I hope you don’t have it but if you do the meds aren’t bad at all.
Diane
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Diane,
Do you mind my asking how long you suffered with sciatica and how you got over the worst? It was from osteoporosis? Did they treat you specifically and then the sciatica went away? Thanks for caring. xo
Fait
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Fait - not at all but I didn’t have sciatica and haven’t had any back pain atall. My sister thought at first the pain I was experiencing was the sciatic nerve but as it turns out my internist said it was osteoporosis. I even tried a chiropractor which was a waste of time. Oddly enough after my internist DX osteoporosis I didn’t have the horrific pain I had had before. It lasted on and off for a few months but make no mistake those months were really difficult even trying to sleep. I fell a few times as well. I am a fast walker so I tried to slow my walking steps. It has helped. I know my doctor told me if I have a bad fall recovery will be extreme difficult. Gee thanks for the encouragement. You know those commercials that say just don’t fall. Duh like you intended to?
Unfortunately, I have always had to supplement my calcium intake. 2 years ago my dexa scan was good and I was in the osteopenia range but this past December I lost 4%. I have since been more diligent about taking my calcium supplements so I don’t have to get the Prolia shot.
Good luck. You will be okay.
Diane
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Thanks, Diane. I hope you continue to do better with time. I take calcium and vitamin D supplementation, but didn’t take them right after I finished Arimidex in 2014. I know, I’m always very careful when I walk, too, after my DX. I didn’t want to take Arimidex, it felt I had no choice. All the best for you Diane.
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All the best to you too. Btw I had my annual mammogram yesterday. All good thank God! 11 years out next month!
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Praise God! I had my 12-year mammogram this week, cancer free, too. So happy for you! Enjoy your weekend.
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Hello — Original poster here! It’s been some time, but I have an update. I went to my PCP and then consultations with Physical Medicine and Neurosurgery. I had X-rays, an MRI and nerve conduction studies. The final diagnosis was that a cyst on my spine was seriously narrowing one small area of my spinal canal and impinging on my cauda equina nerves! I had no alternative but surgery. Without it, I’d never improve, I’d quickly develop urinary and fecal incontinence and foot drop. The cauda equina nerves are nothing to fool with! Incontinence would be considered emergency surgery and unknown results, so I was proactive and, as recommended, set up surgery the end of August 2022. Cyst was benign. A lumbar laminectomy was performed to access the area. The minute I woke in Recovery, I had NONE of the symptoms that drew me to the doctors, just as the neurosurgeon had said. Have had none of the symptoms since!
Six weeks of recovery and then physical therapy. Now I perform the PT exercises at home to keep my core and back strong and do a brisk walk on the treadmill for 40 minutes and 1.9 miles 6-7 days a week. I’m also eating an extremely nutritious diet. Thanks for your concern and support, sisters!
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