Pain on day 7 after 1st chemo treatment. What can I do

Kathie100

This is day 7 after 1st round. Last night I started getting spasms in lower back and around my pelvic. I'm completely miserable. The other side effects I've been able to work thru but this is terrible. Please tell me what to do. Onc Dr doesn't want me to take Tylenol or aleve because of fever. I'm trying heat but its not working. Please help!!!

vballmom

I would call your doctor again and ask him what you CAN take. There is no reason for you to be suffering. Chemo is tough on our bodies but there is only a limit on how much we can handle.  He needs to give you an answer.  I remember taking Tylenol for bone pain on occasion.  I'm sorry you are so miserable. Do you think it is related to chemo or did you hurt your back doing something?

Kathie100

I don't remember hurting my back Its possible I guess. I don't know what's going on. It's a dull pain while sitting but when I stand up and walk it starts spasming like with each heartbeat I have strong pain in lower back. I took nuelasta shot they said I could have bone pain about a week out but I don't know what 'bone pain' is so I'm assuming this is it. They say feels like flu symptoms well I've never had the flu either. I'm at complete loss. I hate to call dr I already had to once because of blisters in mouth and constipation. I was hoping someone else had same problem and had advice for me. Thanks so much for response I sound like a big baby but really I'm normally not.

vballmom

You are NOT a baby.  All kinds of crazy things happen to our bodies while on chemo. Many people take Claritin for bone pain. I did not, but it's an option to consider.  I was on a different regime than you are, but I did have some awful aches and pains - my hips and my thighs were hit the hardest.  Then...there is always real life that has nothing to do with chemo.  Doesn't seem fair, but what can you do?  I hope you get relief soon.

Melrosemelrose

Before you call yourself a big baby again..... remember that your onco is there to help you with your side effects.  It is the onco's job to and it doesn't matter what you call him/her about or when you call.  You just call and don't let any of the side effects get out of hand.  I know you were told that you may feel like you have the flu; however these are not necessarily side effects that you can ride out and think they will get better on their own.  So please, make that phone call and get some help.

For the mouth blisters-- rinse your mouth several times a day with a solution of

1/4 teaspoon baking soda + 1/4 teaspoon salt + 1 cup of warm water.

Make sure you make a fresh batch everytime you  rinse.

For constipation- Sometimes the anti-nausea prescriptions (Zofran) can cause constipation.  You can try to eat foods that help prevent the constipation.  I ate for breakfast a bowl of rolled oat oatmeal plus banana, blueberries and wheat bran and milk.  I also ate a few Sunsweet Ones (which are individually wrapped prunes that are sweet and moist) after each meal.  When eating more foods with bulk, one needs to make sure to drink plenty of fluids.

To help you figure out what to eat when dealing with certain side effects, you may want to check out these two books--- Eating Well Through Cancer by Holly Clegg and Gerald Miletello and The Cancer Fighting Kitchen by Rebecca Katz.  I have both of these books and found them extremely helpful.  The first book has great tips, food menus, shopping lists and recipes and is divided into what to eat before chemo, how to deal with certain side effects ( constipation, diarrhea, sore mouth etc.)  The Cancer Fighting Kitchen book had wonderful pictures and good recipes.  Again, these books were very handy to have on hand, especially when I needed some immediate information.

As for the Neulasta bone pain, are you taking a regular 24 hour Claritin (OTC med) the day you receive your Neulasta shot and for 7 days afterwards?  The Claritin may help prevent the bone pain from the Neulasta shot.  There is an ongoing clinical trial about the taking of Claritin to help prevent the bone pain--- http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01311336?term=claritin+neulasta&rank=1 . Ask your onco about taking that.    I told my onco about the Claritin and how the clinical trial.  She gave me her approval to take it and fortunately, I didn't experience any bone pain.  At the same time, just remember that one can have muscle aches and joint pain from the chemo itself.

Hope you feel better soon.  Keep us posted!!!!!

Kathie100

Thanks so much for your responses it helps to talk to others and I will call Onco Dr if its no better by lunch. Love to all of you.

Melrosemelrose

Just want you to know that we are here for you.  I had the same chemo regimen as you are having right now.  If you have questions, please post or you can private message me.  Sending you many HUGS and positive healing and calming prayers, thoughts and energy.  You will get through this!!!!!

shoppygirl

Hope you feel better soon. I have had so many weird SE on chemo so it effects everyone differently. As far as taking pain meds my oncologist told me that as long as I take my temp before I take anything and it is normal then go ahead. You should not have to suffer. This is difficult enough to get through as it is! I also had terrible constapation and found that taking two sennakot s before bed and also a teaspoon of lactalose during the day for the first 5 days quickly cured it. Also prune juice works amazing as well. Take care, we are here for you!

Mellie289

Spasm sounds like you might need a muscle relaxant? Maybe you could ask your onc about that option too. I had a prescription for some back pain years ago that were due muscle issues rather than bone issues and Flexeril really helped.

Lumpynme

i just want to chime in- i had two diff rounds of chemo starting in Feb 2012 and ending end of July last year- i also had the Neulasta shot.

my guess- and it's a guess- is that the pain you are feeling could well be from the Neulasta- I did not take the full 7 days of claritin for one of my chemos and i thought i would die from the pain-i could not stand up nor walk --i had to email ppl at work to come to my desk instead of me going to them for things- i DID find relief from a heating pad.

i did not ASK my MO about taking Claritin- i took it and TOLD him that i was doing so- neither he nor the nurses, PA's etc had heard of it but no one gave me crap....i had read about it on here and it made a big diff in my life--i am so excited to see that  there is now a clinical study!

i gain nothing from the sale of claritin -believe me! -if you feel comfortable taking it you need to get the otc claritin and NOT the claritin D (stands for decongestant). i would take one the morning of my chemo and every morning for a full 7 days.....

as they all said above- YOU are the patient- and even tho you DO need the MO-you could look for someone else if you feel that you are not being treated with the respect that you need- yes; i said respect! they are putting horrid drugs into our bodies- they need to listen when we complain of something!

and i agree-maybe a muscle relaxant -or tylenol- for pete's sake- with all of the crap they put into the chemo--oh gosh...

ok- off my soap box.....good luck to you!

LW0919

The Neulasta shot caused some very uncomfortable spine pain for me. It would literally take my breath away. Taking Claritin helped alleviate the pain (hydrocodone helped too) but there was still some breakthrough episodes. Hope you find the cause and start to feel better soon.

Kathie100

Today is Sunday. I normally complain or have some ache or pain to discuss. I wanted to say I FEEL WONDERFUL TODAY!!! I hope this feeling continues. I guess it takes the bad days to appreciate the good days. Feeling Blessed !!!

vballmom

Hurray for feeling wonderful!!! Glad you checked in.