Hip/Bursa Pain Question

GmaFoley

My pain management doc realized and discussed how all my aches and pains are on my cancer side of my body.. Just resently after trying to do a "Walk at Home" dvd, taking it slowly and all, I started having acute/severe hip pain. So I stopped and went back to walking but had another flare up 2x as bad as the last one. I remember reading somewhere that when you have radiation it changes the structure of your bones.. Is anyone else having these type of issues? What is it, every time I start walking the pain in my breast and now my hip flares...Getting frustrated. I thought walking was supposed to help..

(FYI - I'm not taking tamoxifen or AI's at the moment, so can't blame it on that.. I tried all the AI's with such bad SE's the ONC took me off and he wanted me to try the tamoxifen but haven't started yet.)

hightide1

Have you seen an orthopedic surgeon? I can't speak to the breast pain but I had hip pain like you describe. Turned out to be a very weird side effect of Gemzar and radition. My gluteal muscle had completely atrophied. The pain was cramping muscle. Went for PT and used a TENS unit which really helped. This is not a likely problem but my rambling answer is to suggest you think about having a bone doc look at bones.

In addition to cancer we get to deal SEs and aging issues. We still get old age hip issues in addition to mets.

Hope you find something fixable.

Shrek4

I had mild trochanteric bursitis caused by the aromatase inhibitors. Was diagnosed by MRI. You should check with your oncologist and request a MRI on that.

SelenaWolf

In October 2012, six months after finishing left-side radiation, I was hit by a car while out on a bike hike.  Thankfully, the car hit the back wheel of the bike and not me, but the impact was strong enough to knock the bike out from under me.  Somehow, I managed not to do a face plant on the pavement and landed awkwardly on my feet while the bike went flying down the road.  To this day, I'm not quite sure how I did that.  Car never stopped.

Anyways, within two weeks I had a massive case of neck/shoulder whiplash... only on the left side.  The right side got a bit stiff- and sore for a few days, but the left side was so bad that I couldn't turn my upper body without experiencing a great deal of pain/muscle spasms.  It's taken three months of anti-inflammatories and physiotherapy, but it's almost healed; it's only a little stiff now, and "crunchy".  I asked both my doctor and my oncologist why it took so long to heal when the other side healed within a week, and both said that the left shoulder was still healing- and weakened from the radiation when I injured it.

I guess what my ramble is saying is that, yes, radiation can compromise bone/tissue, which can take some time to heal.

cmhartley

In talking with my Rheumatologist, hip bursitis is pretty easy to diagnose and treat. She said injections are very easy to do and very helpful



Best wishes. I hope you find some relief.



Katie

GmaFoley

Katie - yes they are, just had one about 3 weeks ago - I'm now starting to stretch it out and walk again.  But they really bruise - I still have a little bit of the bruise.. but feel lots better.

aussieched

Day,  

I am really interested to see that you were diagnosed with bursitis by MRI.  I am into my 6th year of Femara, and I am a total wreck.  For the last 12 months I have no longer been able to walk for more than about 5 minutes.  Prior to this I was walking 2 hours most days, until I had to stop all activity for 9 months as I experienced terrible bouts of vertigo, which I finally worked out by trial and error, that Femara was the culprit.  After 9 months and the vertigo cleared, I commenced walking again, only to find that I could not walk very far without experiencing terrible lower back and bilateral hip pain.  The only way to stop the pain, is to stop and sit down.

My doctors don't believe Femara could be causing all the problems I have been having in different parts of my body for the last 5 years.

Can you please advise what treatment you were recommended to help with the bursitis, and did it help.  Are you still taking the Femara?

thanks Ched

corgi09

I had hip bursitis for a few years before I was diagnosed with BC.  My PCP associated it with my perimenopause.  I use ice, rest and as much advil as it takes for as long as it takes.  7 years of this and I've had only one cortisone shot when I couldn't get in front of the pain.  (That was amazing.)  The trick is to not let it get that bad, knowing the signs and starting the ice ect. before its debilitating.

GmaFoley

Just wanted you all to know, hip is doing better. I did have an injection done and am now walking again.

GmaFoley

Oh well, hip pain is back but refuse to stop walking.