Neck and shoulder pain becoming unbearable

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suebak
suebak Member Posts: 199
edited June 2014 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

I have had issues with my back for several years now.  Had a spinal fusion in October 2009. Diagnosed with degenerative dics desease.  The pain in my neck and left shoulder is becoming unbearable.  I just don't know what to do at this point.  I have myself convinced bc has spread. I read on another thread, someone had dics herniations, and their mo said it was probably caused by her bone mets. I see my mo next week, and was wondering what test should I have done to rule out mets.  Not sure mo will do any, I get the impression he feels I am done with bc.  Believe me, I hope he is right, I am just not feeling it.

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  • CherylinOhio
    CherylinOhio Member Posts: 623
    edited March 2012

    Hi Sue, I was in a car accident about 15 years ago, got rear ended. Had neck and shoulder pain when doing anything repetitive. I started taking tamoxifin in December 2011. I had some neck pain and got an xray in October convinced it was spreading. Nothing showed up.

    Went to onc in january got muscle relaxer and that helped. Just had a bone scan last week due to continued neck and collar bone ache. Bone scan was clean.  Tamoxofin is a drug that will aggrevate past injuries.  That is what I have been told by my onc and some nurses.  I would ask your mo or onc about a scan or if you are taking tamoxifin ask about that too.

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  • suebak
    suebak Member Posts: 199
    edited March 2012

    ckrayoh-Thank you.  Your response makes me feel a little better.  I am taking tamoxifin, maybe that is the problem.  If that is the case, I can live with it.  I am no stranger to pain.  I think the mental anguish is so much worse than the physical when dealing with bc.  Thank you again for you comforting words.

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  • greenacres
    greenacres Member Posts: 144
    edited March 2012

    I also had spinal fusion in neck in 2008.  Now the level above is going to hell in a handbasket.  I live in pain every day. I take about 1-2 oxycodone's a week when it's at its worst.  I have not had a bonescan since I had cancer in 2010 so I always wonder the same thing.  I did have an MRI however last year and it is slowly getting worse and slightly impinging on my spinal cord as well as arthritic bony parts growing and pressing on nerves.  I too am afraid all the time it's mets.....but my blood-work has always been good.  DEFINATELY ask for an MRI of your cervical spine because if you are in that much pain and especially if it's running down your arm, that is nerve damage and it is impinging on your spinal cord.  THey will run you through conservative therapy first, then surgery.  Put off surgery as LONG as you can. Let the drugs work for you, theapy whatever you can do.  I don't regret the surgery however, they did warn me about levels above it going one by one once I Had it.  GOOD LUCK to you!  If you have any questions, feel free to ask me ;)

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  • Karina121293
    Karina121293 Member Posts: 370
    edited March 2012

    Girls, can I share my experience and ask your opinion. I started Tamox 4 months ago, and my knees started to hurt badly. I had falls in summer three times, and every time I went straight on my knees. It never caused any complication then, and it was two months later, that I started Tamox. So do you think I had an injury then, and triggered it with  Tamox.? Had a x-ray yesterday, and they found nothing than mild arthritis and osteochondritis on spine. They said it can cause knee pain, but was not prescribed certain medication. 

    Suebak, hope the pain will resolve soon, and it's nothing serious. Good luck. 

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  • suebak
    suebak Member Posts: 199
    edited March 2012

    Greenacres-I will not have another back surgery.  I do not feel the first one worked.  I take morophine and oxycodone, every day, and I am still in pain.

    Karina-I have read a lot of woman have knee pain with tamox. It sucks, we have to deal with these horrible se, but I guess it is better than the alternative.

    Thank you both for taking the time to respond. 

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  • carcharm
    carcharm Member Posts: 486
    edited March 2012

    Did you have a mastectomy? I thought I had mets too but  found I had Degenarative Disc Disease of the C  Spine. which was aggravated by the fact that I don't wear my prophylaxis breast post mastectomy. I only had a unilateral so I am very uneven.

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  • suebak
    suebak Member Posts: 199
    edited March 2012

    Carcharm-I had a lumpectomy. My neck and back pain started a few years before bc. I think what really scares me is the Dr that did my spinal fusion has said "he does not understand me being in pain. He said the fusion went well.  I don't have a lot of faith in the medical field. After being diagnosed with bc, I went and got copies of all my mamo.  Starting back in 2006, I have had calcification on my right breast, and every year they are noted as increased. Until 2011, they were never biopsied. I fear this cancer has been lurking inside me for quite some time.

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited March 2012

    Sue... You have three issues going on. The first being you are in pain and two,you need to find a doctor who will correctly diagnose why you have the pain and treat you and three, with a BC diagnosis our new normal requires that we find the emotional fortitude to keep us from having dark thoughts that every ache we feel is cancer.





    Just want you to know that many of us have felt how you are feeling. I hope you will get to the bottom of what is causing your pain so you can start feeling physically and emotionally better soon.

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  • Cynthia1962
    Cynthia1962 Member Posts: 1,424
    edited March 2012

    Sue, I agree with Voraciousreader.  You need to find a dr who will address your pain issue.  It's time to find out what is causing you to hurt so much.  Your surgeon doesn't seem willing to do this.  And, if you want to rule out mets to your neck, a bone scan of just that area will do the trick.  It will show mets well before an x-ray will. 

    Good luck and I hope you find a doctor to help you.  You shouldn't have to be in so much pain everyday.

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  • suebak
    suebak Member Posts: 199
    edited March 2012

    Saw my onc last week.  He wants me to get an mri of my shoulder.  He said he does not believe we are going to finds mets there.  He is only ordering this so that I can relax a little. I think I am going to get it done, just for some peace of mind.  What a great dr.  I told him I have become obsessed with bc. He asked what he could do to help.  Told him I am just waiting for it to reappear.  He said he doesn't believe it is going to happen, but he will order any test I would like, just to give me peace of mind. God, I sure hope he is right

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  • tiff2008
    tiff2008 Member Posts: 278
    edited March 2012

    Suebak,

    I've had very similar pain, left side..neck, shoulder, back of shoulder...wierd. I've only had for about 7 days...I did start back weight lifting about a week ago.  I'm hoping its just a pulled muscle.  I too worry all the time about bc coming back :(    I do hope your test goes without a hitch...thinking of you.

    Tiff

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  • suebak
    suebak Member Posts: 199
    edited March 2012

    Thanks Tiff-I still haven't scheduled it.  I have to have my blood work done again, and I was thinking of asking the dr to just do a bone scan instead of the mri.  Not sure if he will, but I will ask.  Hopefully, your pain is just a pulled muscle.  It really does suck always worrying. 

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  • tiff2008
    tiff2008 Member Posts: 278
    edited March 2012

    Suebak, I noticed we've got pretty much the same dx.I'm sure your pain is not bc related:) but I hope you can get relief soon. Thanks for your response!!

    Tiff

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  • suebak
    suebak Member Posts: 199
    edited March 2012

    We do have the same dx.  I was reading your thread about your shoulder pain, I also have pain on left side, but had lumpectomy on right. Hope you is not related as well.

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  • Annie62
    Annie62 Member Posts: 1,081
    edited April 2012

    Hi there,

    Saw this post and can totally relate. I've had terrible neck, shoulder, arm and sometimes shoulder blade pain since late Dec/early Jan. My arm and hand were numb in the morning so did PT. That helped the numbness and the arm pain had decreased. Neck about the same or a little better but the shoulder is much worse. Had an MRI of cervical spine. There was a small disc bulge but nothing that should be causing this type of pain according to drs. Having a bone scan of my shoulder etc on Wed. I found massage helped a bit. Recommended by PT. My muscles were really tight, but I do all the exercises etc and still can't sleep at night.

    Onc gave me a prescription for Ativan to help me sleep. It helps. At least I'm not as much of a wreck as I was. All this is going on while I'm having digestive issues as well (severe gas bloat and belching). Getting tests for all that too.

    My onc said, just because you had cancer doesn't mean you get a pass on all the other medical issues you get as you age. Maybe you had to be there but it was funny. And she is ordering the tests I need.

     If the bone scan comes back normal, I'll try a chiropracter next.

     Good luck all getting this pain addressed and under control.

    Annie

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  • Naniam
    Naniam Member Posts: 1,766
    edited April 2012

    Just to offer another thought.  I am having pain in the side of my neck and my shoulder and had an MRI on Thursday.  I have bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis and a torn rotator cuff.   I am Stage IV and have cancer in the shoulder and upper arm - but that is not the source of my pain. Just wanted to say that there are other things that can cause the pain. I think lots of this started when I started removig wallpaper and then did some raking outside.   Good luck with the scan.   

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited April 2012

    Suebak, you might want to go ahead with the MRI instead of asking to switch to a bone scan. The MRI will give you more answers on what's going on. If it's not cancer (and I so much hope it's not) it will give you answers on what it is. It would also show mets if it is there. From your description, though, I doubt if that's it.

    Best of luck.

    Leah

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  • Kaara
    Kaara Member Posts: 3,647
    edited April 2012

    I have pain in my neck area and in my shoulder on the left side...same as my bc.  It was there before the dx, and probably was caused by a fall I had when I tried to catch myself with my left arm.  It has bothered me for about a year, but doesn't seem to be getting any worse.  Of course, I've thought it could be mets, but when I mentioned it to the BS he brushed it off.  He checked my neck and collarbone area for swollen lymph nodes, etc, and found nothing, so I am not going to worry about it.  I'm on tamoxifen anyway to keep mets from occuring.  That's all I would do since I would not consider chemo.  If you can't pinpoint a reason for the pain, then probably wise to check further.

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  • dogsandjogs
    dogsandjogs Member Posts: 1,907
    edited April 2012

    I had neck and shoulder pain two months after taking Aromasin.  I think this must be one of the SEs of the AIs. One night my shoulder hurt so much I had trouble sleeping.

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  • suebak
    suebak Member Posts: 199
    edited April 2012

    I had the mri on my shoulder.  They gave me a copy on a dics.  Does anyone know what cancer looks like on an mri.  I keep looking at this and trying to figure it out.  Driving myself crazy. I went online and looked at an example of an mri, with breast cancer mets.  Lord, I swear it looks just like mine. Several white spots.  I guess I will have to wait for the dr to call.  Hopefully it will be Monday.

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  • cmills70
    cmills70 Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2013


    I also have pain in the left shoulder, scapula, collarbone and neck. The orthopedic surgeon has ordered an arthrogram but really doesn't think he will find anything. I am miserable and ready to stop the tamoxifen all together. Between the hot flashes, general fatigue, and terrible foot pain I already have from the tamoxifen this new set of symptoms is almost too much. My OC just tells me to take tums........yes.....tums!!! I am tired of alternating between being in pain and being paranoid that the cancer has returned.


    Christina


    DX 6-1-2012 - IDC,1cm, R breast, stage 2, ER+/PR+, Her 2 equivocal

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