Back Pain from Radiation Therapy

I just saw your post. Have you told the techs that your back is hurting. Thay can usually add pads to better support you or shift you a bit to help. Toughing it out isn't a good idea. I had that sort of torquing that you describe. When my position was hurting my back I told the techs and they called in the person who does the positioning to get me in a better position that still gave me my rads where I needed them. 

I have had L4 & L5 surgery and very severe sciatica and know you must address this asap.

I hope you get relief soon and the sciatica stops.

Good luck

GInger 

Since completing 25 rads last year I can barely turn my head. My pain is in my neck and shoulders. |But the pain comes from the nerves coming out from the spine not muscles or joints So pain meds do not work. Lyrica and Neurontin have been suggested but I am getting better. And your rads are on the right side where all the pain centers seem to be. Since they can't change the treatment they could make suggestions re pain management. 

I am sorry that they aren't listening to your complaints.  I wasn 't smart enough to complain at first.  They kept changing the line where they would radiate my sternum because the line kept getting higher & higher.  If it continued to get higher they would have been radiating my throat.  I guess they don't know I could see my reflection in the machine & I could tell they weren't doing it correctly. 

If you form you have to lye in is uncomfortable then I think they need to make you a new form.  I didn't have a form to lye in.  I understand you don't want to take a ton of pain meds but taking some won't make you addicted.  I had to start taking them when in chemo and still have to take them.  I limit myself to a certain number a day & no more. 

Have you tried taking muscle relaxers? That might help you as well. I've had back issues as well.  I had a discectomy 2 years before my mastecomy, so I understand your Sciatica.  I don't what they did to me during my bi-lateral mastectomy but I had severe pain in my neck & shoulder on the non-bc side.  My right mid back had bothered me for many years and having the BMX really weaked that side.  It probably took at least 2 years before I could sleep on that side again.  So I was forced to sleep flat on my back, I am a stomach sleep so I had a really hard time sleeping.

Don't feel back if you don't get immediate response to a post.  This place is huge and things moved really fast.  I'm glad you bumped you post up or I wouldn't have seend it. 

I would keep complaining until someone listens to you.  If there is one thing I've learned the last 3 1/2 years is to trust my gut & not give up when I disagree with a doctor. 

Sending love & support. NJ

I was always moved by the techs after I layed down. One would pull on the sheet one way and another the other way until they got me lined up just right with my tatoos and the laser beam from the machine. I know they do this so that they are radiating exactly where the Doctor told them to and no where else.

Sometimes I found it became painful after the techs had left the room so I just held my position. When I did tell them they said they didn't want me to try to help, but to lay heavy and let them do the work. 

I hope our comments have helped you a little bit.

Ginger

Hello. I see your post and I am experiencing a similar situation. I am 12 treatments in with 4 more to go. This week around the 10th treatment I started having sporadic episodes of a severe deep dull ache in my upper mid back between my shoulder blades. Im very concerned. Is this normal? Did they have my measurements right when i was on the table? All I know is this doesnt feel right. I am definitely going to speak to my RC about this. Just know that you are not alone. Get it checked out. I pray all goes well with you.