What Pains do You Worry About

Agree with apple.  Plus my onc said: steady pain that lasts more than a week.

I get sharp twinges in my back but I have to remind myself that I would get them before the bc AND they go away before the week is out.  Whew!!  I have to talk myself into not freaking out.  It gets better over time.

Gayle

I was told any pain that lasted more than two weeks.  But.............my onc said that it was natural for us to worry about all of the various aches and pains and he would help me to get through it. 

Does anyone keep a journal that documents various pains etc?  I'm trying to decide if it would be helpful for not.  I'm definitely one of those people who produces psychosomatic symptoms.  If I think about bc too much I start feeling achey ribs which tend magically disappear once I'm distracted.

Thanks, Jenn, for asking the question.  The responses help me stay clear about the guidelines for assessing aches and pains...I worry a lot and the guidelines bring me back to center.  BTW, I picked up the CScan  from my appendix episode and the report stated "nothing remarkable" about my liver, pancreas, spleen, lungs, spine, bones and nodes. What a relief!  I never had a baseline scan and my onc doesn't order them unless there is a worrisome symptom.

Now my question is: why didn't the dr. share the full results of the CScan with me (just said it showed a ruptured appendix)  and suggest the very costly scan might be useful to my oncs????....he didn't ask if they do scans although told him I was scheduled for 3 mth. checkup in midMarch.  I had no idea the "abdominal" scan covered so much area. I think this lack of a wholistic approach is one more example of why healthcare costs are out of sight and we can be overexposed to radiation.

Jenn, I have significant back pain, muscle twinges and fatigue everytime I increase my activity level....especially anything that involves lifting. Like a baby .  For me, the worrying is always there so far, but is on the back burner most of the time now.  It has definitely gotten better. Glucosamine Condroiton with MSM has really helped me.  My sister, who is an athlete and no BC, takes it and has found it really helpful, too.

I wonder the same thing a lot too Pure.  I've had this lower abdonminal/"female" part pain on my right side off and on for months now.  They did an ultrasound months ago, a uterine biopsy in November (negative) but the pain keeps coming back, especially the week after chemo.  So my RN today said it's probably my ovary and that she had told me before to get a pelvic exam.  Well, she had NOT told me that before, but of course now I am paranoid it's cancer there.  BLAH!!!!!  My pych doc says that you can't get ovarian cancer at the same time as breast cancer, but I think I've heard it's possible to have more than one cancer at the same time.  I mean I know for SURE you can have more than one type of breast cancer, so why not a different kind somewhere else??? SHHEEESSHHHH.  This just sucks doesn't it?

I think what the other ladies are saying is right.  Anything that stays with you for a long time or causes severe pain should be checked out.  I'm calling my gyn tomorrow..........

Take care,

Sharon

Aim4th..Yes you can have residual pain from shingles,I had them about 6 mo.ago,on my thigh.I had an uncle who had some pain for years.