Fractures in Vertebrae

giglgrl

I am so glad to have come across this forum as I have been freaking that I have bone mets all week. It has eased my mind quite a bit to see so many women suffering from bone damage without having mets (not that suffering from anything is a good thing). I was just wondering if any one out there has had fractures in their vertebrae? What caused and what was done? I have been having back pain for a couple of months now. Onc has ordered a bone scan that is being done tomorrow(reason I have been on here freaking out) and my rhuematologist has ordered a DEXA as he did an xray which showed multiple fractures in my spine. He thinks it is osteoporosis. Having RA also just makes it so hard for me to get a handle on what pain is what. I did 10 months of chemo,surgery, rads, and am on Tamoxifen for a year now. I am Her2+ as well. My back is killing me as I sit here typing, I am a zumba instructor and work out regularly. When I searched Compression fractures in the vertebrae, up popped Osteoporosis and Bone Mets. UGH! Well, just wanted to see if anyone else has gone thru this as all I can do is sit and wait and try not to get all freaked out. Is Osteoporosis possible this soon? I finished herceptin last August.

jmilton

I too have a compression fracture that I didn't know about until my pre-op tests before my mastectomy.  When I was in pre-op holding before surgery, the anesthiologist came in and told me about it.  I pointed to an area on my back and asked her, would that be around that area and she said yes it would.  I knew that I had alot of pain in that area but never dreamed it would be a compression fracture. My breast surgeon researched  and told me that there is now a method (don't remember the name) where a neuro injects a plastic into that area and it seals it, supposed to really help with the pain.  She spoke with a neuro about me and he told her that unless I was in severe pain, that it probably wouldn't help.  I had been bothered with it for a couple of months, but wasn't in severe pain.  He told my BS that it would heal on its own.  For the record, I have a rare bone disease, so the pain I was having wasn't really anything unusual, or I guess I should say that I have a high pain tolerance.  I know this doesn't answer your questions, but just wanted you to know that I understand what you are going through. Good luck.