Bone Pain with Tamoxifen Use?

christinamvanalstine

I've been on Tamoxifen for a year and a half. Currently my side effects are cystic acne which doesn't seem treatable and heavy vaginal discharge, which isn't horrible just uncomfortable and of course the hot flashes which are bearable.

Lately I have had intense lower back pain, right hip pain and right leg pain which can radiate down to my knee and sometimes my toes. I was talking to another survivor yesterday who has the same type of BC and treatments. She said she too is having the same exact problems. Is this common???

farmerlucy

I'm not quite two years in and I'm having knee and feet issues, which I'm passing off as arthitis. I started glucosamine chrondroitin and it seems better. I figure if it gets too bad I'll go off T for a month and see if it improves. It all seems better when I hydrate well. Who knows? Good luck!

christinamvanalstine

Farmerlucy - I'm an avid h20 drinker...it's that or coffee or beer! I'm only 35, I can't imagine it's arthritis but with all the treatments I've had, I guess I shouldn't put that off as being a possibility.

Moderators

Bone and joint pain can also be a side effect of various medications.

Take a look here and then contact your treatment team if it persists.

Bone and Joint Pain

Hugs,

The Mods

jaynie33

After a lumpectomy the end of August I did radiation treatment which concluded the end of Oct 2014. I have been on tamoxifen for 2 months. In the past 3 weeks I have developed (overnight) soreness and tenderness under the treated breast, down my rib cage. It is uncomfortable to touch that area. I was assuming radiation effects but from reading the posts here, I am thinking it could quite likely be from the Tamoxifen. I see the surgeon next week and am scheduled for my first mammogram since surgery....I can't at this moment imagine having a mammogram with this kind of discomfort. I am curious whether anyone else has experienced the kind of "pain" that I am describing. It also seems as though I am more stiff on that side in the upper arm muscle and experiencing some arm restrictions again, when I had cleared that symptom up a couple of months ago.

vlnrph

Couple of thoughts: for OP Christina, I had similar symptoms prior to cancer treatment which turned out to be sciatica from a herniated lumbar disc in the spine.

Jaynie, truncal lymphedema can present with the type of sensitivity you describe. If you had previous arm measurements, you could get another set and see if any difference is apparent. Sometimes LE does not show up with detectable swelling but the area feels heavy and uncomfortable - be sure to discuss this possibility with your doctor and find out whether there is a physical therapist available to evaluate you further. Did you lift a heavy object or do anything out of the ordinary recently that might have set this off? Hope you can find an answer soon.

For both of you, as farmerlucy suggests, one way to tell if a drug is causing or contributing to a problem is to take a vacation/holiday from it (with your prescriber's permission). Once the medication is out of your system, you might get at least partial relief. Should the same side effects come back when you resume taking it, that can give you a better understanding of the situation.

jaynie33

Thanks Vinrph. I see my doctor this week and will discuss the possibilities of what this soreness is about. Good thing is that although it is still present, it has lessened a bit. I have been treating with ibuprofen so maybe it is helping.

I don't think I have done anything differently to cause the discomfort, as in lifting something heavy. I do work out with weights regularly but haven't changed that routine from before cancer to during treatment but I guess you never know.

Megan2

Jaynie33,

I have had a similar experience. Several times since my surgery two years ago, I have developed very sore areas beside my breast and going down my ribcage. Each time, I eventually developed a "cord" in that area which was visible under the skin so I was able to confirm that the pain was in lymphatic channels. I have mild lymphadema in my arm on that side which is very manageable so far. I notice the cording on my trunk always develops after a cold or some sort of challenge to my immune system. My lymphadema therapist said this is not uncommon, and can come and go for years.

Good luck - I hope it turns out to be nothing for you.

Cancersucksballs

I am looking for a Tamoxifen and bone pain connection. I saw your post which is very similar to what I am experiencing. My pain started two months after radiation and Tamoxifen. It started in my rib cage and lower spin. I am very interested in how you are now doing. I am only ten months into taking Tamoxifen. My doctors don't seem to be worried, but

Humblepeace

Hello CancerSucks,

I was wondering if you began to feel any relief from the bone and spine pain? Did your doctor do any further treatment? Thanks for any advice. I have also had joint and lower back pain since starting Tamoxifen about two months ago. So far oncologist did a back X-ray which came clear.

Thanks ahain