Will I ever feel better?

artiecat

Finished 18 taxol tx six weeks ago, still having pamidronate 1x month. I hurt almost all the time (hips) and when I go to stand up, it takes me a while to get going and I creak around like an ancient person. Worried I will never feel better and be able to do things. Most days I can stagger around a 1/2 mile walk, and I do mean stagger.

Just feeling sorry for myself, I guess.

Rosevalley

Well at least the Taxol helped you stay alive but you need some quality of life. SO be aggressive with your onc and or get a palliative care doctor to address the bone/ hips joint pain. Take the pain relievers and get back into life! This is hard and I know what you mean about creaking along. I used a chair to get up off my knees, cleaning something on the floor. pitiful and frustrating. Many of these drugs cause some serious muscle and joint pain and it is my opinion that pain isn't treated aggressively enough for stage 4 women. Suffering sucks. Go for relief.

pajim

What Rosevalley said. You need pain meds. Once you don't hurt you'll be able to move around better which will help with the stiffness.

You should see me waddle when I get up in the morning, but it works itself out.

One additional thought. If you feel it's muscular, you can try massage. Be sure your muscles aren't trying to hold your spine together first.

Meow13

artiecat, what about radiation therapy on your hip? It helped a friend of mine, she had atleast one met to her hip and she still does the treadmill at our gym. I haven't asked her about pain relief. I did ask her about if the mets were really there from the time she was diagnosed. She suspects they were. I remember she and I were diagnosed within a month of each other. She had 1cm tumor ILC er+, pr+ and oncodx of 4, she had internal radiation after lumpectomy. I remember being almost jealous I had 2 tumors IDC and ILC and was told no lumpectomy I had to have mastectomy and my oncodx was 34.

BonnieMen

I know how you feel. I haven't had chemo recently but I had surgery on my back, adding rods and pins to stabilize multiple compression fractures. That's how they discovered the Stage IV. It's all over my bones but no organs at this time. Between the cancer, surgery, hardcore hormone changes, being inactive for so long with the back issues and being overweight... I feel like a mess. With so many things going on, how do you know if there is a problem? My back feels weird - is it supposed to? I don't know if I'm having trouble getting around because I'm not trying hard enough to exercise and get stronger or if it is going to always be like this because of the cancer? My Special Friend thinks i'm being lazy and my 8 yr old is embarrassed by my walker.

CursiveStars

I did 6 months of Taxol way back. I felt so cruddy all the time. Went on Arimidex after I think. It took a good 6 months to a year before I felt like myself again. I remember it like coming out of a fog. I knew I felt bad during it but I never realized just how bad until I started feeling better. Some of my neuropathy improved (I still have no feeling in my heels) and my concentration and memory has never been the same. But you will start feeling better, just give it time. Maybe ask about rads for your hip? I just did them on mine due to thinning bone and constant pain. It did help with the constant pain but I still can't be on it for more then a couple of hours. At least I can walk my dogs and drive again though. Best of luck!

exbrnxgrl

I have never had chemo, but did do pamidronate for two years and have been on Arimidex and now Femara for a bit over 5 years. I too feel as stiff as a 2x4 when I wake up, but by the time I'm out of the shower I'm ok. I do take Alleve every 12 hours and find if I sit for long periods of time, I stiffen up again. So, although I don't always feel like it, I move as much as possible. I teach first grade, so on school days, being sedentary is not an option. I even do PE with my students. Moving, stretching and regular Alleve dosing have been key for minimizing AI joint pain (as well as a touch of arthritis). Getting pain under control will help you move more and that, hopefully, will result in less pain

pajim

BonnieMen, I gather your surgery was recent. Give it time. I had a four-level fusion and it took 4-5 months before I could walk right and another month or two before I could really exercise. You're still figuring out how your back moves. If they didn't offer physical therapy they should have.

Longtermsurvivor

Have you investigated palliative care (not hospice care)?

Get Palliative Care Now to find out about the specialty and where it's offered all around the USA.

Palliative Care is all about addressing quality of life for patient and their caregivers by relieving disease symptoms and unwanted treatment effects.

It should be offered to all with advanced cancer, even if treatment continues, especially if it or the after effects continues!

Healing regards, Stephanie