Spinal metastases and unable to walk?

manysunshine

Hello everyone, my mom has metastases in her spine causing nerve compression and fracture.  She has tumors in the liver as well.  She can barely stand and cannot walk at all because of the shooting pain down her leg and the severe numbness, so she is basically bed and wheelchair-ridden.  It has been like this for three months and needless to say, there is no quality of life for her.  She's had radiation which lessened the pain and she is currently on weekly taxol and herceptin.  The doctor said the only way to walk again is for the chemo to do its job and shrink the spinal tumors, but I don't see her symptoms improving and her legs are as painful and numb as ever.  Obviously chemo is not fast enough...I wonder if surgery and physical therapies help.  Does anyone have experience with this?  Any advice?  Please share with me!  I hate seeing my mom miserably stuck in the wheelchair -- she was so active before all of this crap happened.  She wants to visit my place (I live abroad), take a walk in the sun, live like a normal person.  It would really make a world of difference if she could walk again.  Thank you.

Anonymous

Hi manysunshine, I don't have experience of being completely chair/bed-bound but have had a great deal of pain & difficulty walking from pelic fractures.  

Has your mom had a 2nd or 3rd opinion?  In one of the larger cancer centres?  

Has she had an onc-surgigical consultation?  

Has she been in contact with a Palliative Care team for the pain?  They deal with pain & can intervene early in treatment to prevent pain.

There are also methods of pain-controle through stress-reduction type meditation & holistic massage by cancer massage therapist within a team.

Others will come along soon with other suggestions for your mom.

My best wishes for you & your mom at this difficult time.  I'm sure there is help around to improve her quality of life.

Surly

Is she on a bone strengthener like Zometa? Maybe that would help speed along her progress. 

I'm sorry you're all going through this. Best of luck.

Chickadee

So sorry your mother is in such pain. Cancer is an evil beast with no quick fixes. Unless there is some other interventional radiology technique, then chemo has to be tried to reduce the metastasis. And sadly there is no guarantee the chemo will work.



I've heard of something called cyber knife. It's an interventional radiology process, maybe your mother might ask about whether she meets the requirements and would benefit from that.

ibcmets

I've been on Zometa now for 3.5 years along with Femara.  Both of these have eliminated my pain and strengthened my bone mets.

I think your Mom may need a surgical oncologist in order to get more mobility. 

Terri

33skidoo

I had surgery for spinal mets and compression fractures.  I ended up getting a 7 level spinal fusion with pedicle screws and rods.  It took awhile to find someone willing to do the surgery.  I got it done thru a cancer center.  The local neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons were not well versed in cancer treatment and felt like it wasn't worthwhile to do the surgery as I had cancer.  The neurosurgeon at the cancer center had teh benefit of a team that was optimistic about my cancer treatment.  So... I'd get a consult thru a major cancer center.  Can't hurt.

steelrose

I would certainly get a second opinion, and maybe a third opinion too! I don't know how extensive your Mom's spinal mets are, but if there is a particular met that is threatening the spinal cord, then some sort of surgery may be an option. I had a met at T4/T5 that disabled me. Surgery removed the tumor, and today I am walking normally. There are neurosurgeons who will operate on Stage IV patients! Radiation and Xgeva also helped my spinal mets. I hope that your Mom will benefit from some of these treatments, and that she will be back on her feet. Don't lose hope!!



xo

Rose.

manysunshine

To those who responded, thank you very much for all the advice and encouragement.  Yes my mom is on zometa.  The neurosurgeon we met a few months ago was reluctant to operate because of the extensive mets, but as many of you reminded me, seeking a second or even a third opinion may be a good idea.

Scorchy

Manysunshine,

I'm heartsick to hear about your mom and her pain.  I strongly, STRONGLY recommend that you seek the services of a pain management team (also called palliative care).  These practices are usally within the anesthesiology department of the hospital.

I did not have pain as severe as your mother, but I am dealing with pain severe enough to have affected my quality of life in many ways.  It is emotionally demoralizing and makes you feel hopeless.  It's not pain at this point, it's just outright torture.

Please insist that you consult a pain specialist.  It has been transformative for me.  Truly transformative.  I wrote a blog post about it (http://thesarcasticboob.com/2012/12/14/pain-management/).  Just the psychological relief alone was worth the consultation.  It injected a serious dose of hopefulness that has helped me enormously.

Hugs,
Scorchy

manysunshine

hi Scorchy,  thanks for the advice, and I like your blog:)  I'm so determined to get my mom back on her feet again...

learnin

You said your mom wants to visit you abroad. Can you visit her instead?

justjudie

I hope so much she will walk again. I agree with a second or third opinion. Certainly her ability to walk makes it worthwhile to pursue. Also, maybe one of the opinions with a orthopedic oncologist. There is such a specialist. I recall reading on here that someone had good results seeing one when other docs were not willing to operate. Good luck.

ronbro22

DID U EVER VISIT YOUR MOM ?