Do bone mets hurt? Numbness in back
Comments
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I have had numbness and tingling in my upper left back for 2 1/2 months. X-rays showed nothing. Bone scan is tomorrow. My breast cancer was the OTHER side. I only had reconstruction on that other (right) side (implant) but that surgery was 8 months ago. My question is what does it feel like when you get mets to the spine?
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Hi Koryn,
My bone mets started in my lower spine and feels like a pulled muscle or regular lower back pain. What causes it (according to my onc) is that my lower back muscles are overcompensating for my weakened spine. Also, it only hurts if I'm in a certain position, such as lying on my stomach reading in bed. When I was first diagnosed with it in my bones I had no idea it was there -- I just chalked up any muscle aches to regular old aches.
It's a good thing you're being proactive and getting the scan. It could be many things,not necessarily mets. Please let us know how it goes, and that you have good news that it's something very simple and easy to clear up. Good luck tomorrow!!
ELizabeth
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Koryn
Don't know what it should feel like, but I had numbness and tingling in my fingers and feet for 6 months. I had xray nothing and then a CT which showed a tumor. After my MRI it showed that it had been there for years and could be part of my bone degeneration (I'm only 37) which the onco said is on par with levels of my age.
Best of luck for your bone scan tomorrow. Hope your results will be good and b9 if anything.
Jinny
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I don't have bone mets, but have had a lot of back pain/aches for five months. I had a pos bone scan, inconclusive mri and negative pet. The spot was to small to biopsy so waited two months for a repeat mri and all was negative and spot had vanished.
Pain is not always an indication so stayb positive!
Tricia xx
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I had numbness and pain in my right upper back. My surgeries were on my right side also) Doctor did a bone scan and it was fine. So about a month ago she took me off Femara and put me on Arimidex. I feel perfectly fine now. I am assuming all the back pain was from the Femara. What a difference a pill makes.
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The bone scan turned up clear (yeah) but now I have an MRI this Tuesday. The feeling in my back doesn't hurt. That is whay I asked the question. It feels numb. And you know when your jaw is numb from the dentist and it feels BIG? I feel like a big tennis ball or something is in my upper left back. Hope they find what it is. That way they can 'fix" me!
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Dear KorynH,
I have extensive bone mets throughout my spine, and starting having numbness on left side (affected breast on right side). Numbness would come and go, but seemed to be aggravated when I did too much housework or sat at my desk too long. My oncologist finally ordered an MRI about 10 months into my diagnosis. Turns out I had numerous disc herniations between T-3 and T-8 - right in region where numbness radiated from - not caused by cancer, just by poor posture over the years and hunching over desk grading papers, etc. My local doctor looked at the report and decided to send me to physical therapy. Physical therapy really helped - helped to strengthen my muscles, so that they could support my spine/vertebrae better. Physical therapist said that he sees this a lot in folks who work behind a desk. Numbness feels weird - glad your bone scan was clear. Maybe MRI will help point doctors in direction of a solution.
Regards,
Becky
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Hi , KorynH I have the same thing going on with my back that you described in Feb I just finished Chemo 3 weeks ago and my back is literally driving me crazy , that dumb tingling feeling / like ants are crawling around . Spoke to my doc about it and he is not to concern . What I was wondering is if you are still expericncing the dumbness. It has been this way for about 2 weeks . I will give it another week and if it continues I'm going to pressure him for a test . Thanks for any info you can give me
Linda
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I'm wondering too.
I've had "real" pain (as opposed to pressure, discomfort, numbness) before when first diagnosed with mets, and changed to aromasin - that subsided (whew!). It was not really where the mets are, more in the hips/upper legs wheres mets are in pelvis and sacrum?
Now markers have been going berserk (CA15.3 up to 770 from 200 in a couple of months), after changing hormonal therapy again (to Fareston and megace). Off the megace, back on aromasin, still on fareston... and we are patiently giving it a chance to see if it is a tumourfare type response, since i felt fine otherwise. But now am scared since the last few days I've had a rather heavy numbness/pressure/weakness? in the areas where the scans say the mets are.
Googling forum posts tells me that apparently "dying" cancercells can cause pain, also "dead tumours" apparently can cause something since they were in a weird way supporting, so lack may cause something.... so hoping it is that, but am scared and don't want family scared too and it is 3 weeks before the next blood test.
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Just thought I'd post an update for anyone looking at similar issues, so they know leg pain (burning, numbness all the way down, is not always a worsening pelvic/spine tumour)
Had a bone scan and the situtation has improved - tumour has regressed! The markers (CA 15.3) however are now over 1000 - very happy I had the scan (due to pain increase), else I'd be very depressed.
Oncologist says markers and scan often not in sync and markers not reliable. This is borne out by opposite version of my story here: http://www.assertivepatient.com/2010/07/bad-news.html
Pain has now reduced (1 week+ later) - was/is possibly a sciatica or piriformis muscle thing - have been taking it easy, walking and some gentle stretches.
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