Why is it that my body is aching so much more now?

NeedtobeSTRONG · May 2012

I finished chemo in feb..... My body was feeling great for a while. I find that when I am sitting for a while and then get up...it takes a while to get moving..like a 34 year old in an 80 year old body.. Anyone else? Does this go away or get better?

midnight1327 · May 2012

Hi there, hey yea, i have not got the push like i used to have. i have been getting twinges in the rib area, but scared of getting paranoid of any aches incase i am talking my self into it, but i noticed yesterday and the odd twinge today too. I did not need chemo, so you probably feel it more than me of different aches, Hope it it gets better for you.

fireflyfriend · May 2012

Needtobestrong, (I love the name!) I finished chemo the end of Jan and have noticed the same thing. I have just started exercising again and I think it is helping a little. Sorry you are experiencing this. It must be hard to go through this with young kids. Mine are older and can actually help me with things. Lets believe it will get better!

DCMom · May 2012

I think the decrease in hormones causes our ligaments to be tighter. i run and swim and definitely take longer for recovery and everything feels tighter. I keep thinking I should try yoga to increase the amount of stretching I am doing, but I have two kids at home that keep me busy so I haven't made the time yet. Perhaps someone will come along with suggestions.

As for whether it gets better...that's tough. I think it gets a lot better mentally when every ache does not trigger the panic button. I am now 45 and so I try to chalk a lot of it to getting older and just naturally not being a 20 year old any more. It helps me to realize it is just the natural cycle of age and that this is normal (even if it was sped up medically).

I can't really answer your questions with a difinitive, but want to encourage you to just get back exercising. Yes it does get better because we are aging and that is something I plan to continue for a long time!

CherylinOhio · May 2012

hey Strong, I finished chemo in Sept 2011, still feel old. It does get a little bit better though. I still have pain in my right leg? And now I have pain in my hip, who knows, it might be from the Tamoxofin, at least I hope that's what it is. I do find that exercising does help but if I am sitting for awhile I do feel achy. Congrats on finishing chemo!!

Claire_in_Seattle · May 2012

Hi Strong,

It took me at least six months before I didn't need ibuprofen to do a long (20+ mile) bicycle ride. So yes, I was achy. I cycled anyway.

Enjoy the summer! - Claire

fredntan · May 2012

Me too. I feel the ache too. Plan on exercizing as soon as this boob heals from rads.

My muscles, esp thigh ache, my right wrist sometimes aches-but that seems to be getting better. My teetheven feel weird. Back of throat still tingly. MO on wed. Such fun

Kelloggs · May 2012

Hi Strong - I see you are Her2 positive. Are you still getting Herceptin alone? I believe that is a side effect of the Herceptin. There are alot of ladies on the triple positive thread who got Herceptin for a year (me, too) and complained of joint stiffness and body aches. The good news is that they did improve after being off the Herceptin. I am 6 wks PFC but on Herceptin alone and I still feel like an 80 year old woman! BC sucks!

beegee · May 2012

I finished chemo on Dec 5 2011, then surgery, then radiation finished on April 2, now on Arimidex. I slowed down physically during chemo and a little after the surgery. Then started back to my normal work full time and swing dancing two to four nights a week since I started radiation. I feel great when I'm moving, but after I sit still for awhile, I get really stiff in my ankles, knees, and hips. Getting up and down repeatedly (like when you're doing gardening) is really hard for me now. I can't tell if it's all the treatment or if it's age. I'm 60. I just don't remember feeling this old before all the treatments started less than a year ago--you don't age that much in a year I don't think. Someone suggested to me to begin lifting weights, because, I have also noticed that I am weaker now than before treatment.

Needtobestrong, although there don't seem to be definite answers, there certainly a lot of us who are experiencing the same thing. My daughter keeps telling me, "A body doesn't go through all that and come out the other end without any effects." I knew that going in, but I guess I naively thought that the side effects would go away as soon as the treatments were done.

vivirasselena · May 2012

YES beegee...I feel your pain...exactly.

Heck, I felt better ON THE CHEMO, than I do now. I have exactly the same symptoms...stiffness and pain in ankles, wrists, hips and knees.

I have read where it is a side effect of the Arimidex, which I have been on since December 2011, but still have had no relief from the joint aches. I have GOT to start on an exercise program, no matter how painful.

Even narcotic pain meds, don't alleviate it. I agree with your daughter.......our bodies have been poisoned, mutilated, and burned. I would expect some recoup time, and maybe we just need to be patient.

I was like you, thinking "Hey, once the treatments are over, I can get back to normal"....it has been anything but that.

It does give me comfort that I am not alone...and look forward to keeping up with you and sharing our progress.

love,

michele

karen333 · May 2012

beegee, I did not have chemo, but am on an AI, Arimidex. Took it successfully for almost 3 years with only a minor SE of stiff ankles in the AM that worked itself away after walking just a bit. Two months ago it got really bad, going especially to my knees, I walked and felt like an 80 yr. old. Tried Ibuprofen, Aleeve and Advil with no relief. Am now taking Meloxicam, which has worked wonders, I am back to exercising on the recumbent bike and walking, I feel so much better. I hated to add another med. but am so thankful for the increased energy and change in the QOL.

Lilyn · May 2012

i finsished chemo May 2009 and then had Herceptin for a year. Have always had many aches and pains. I feel very stiff all the time. The strangest symptom I have and have had for years is on getting up out of bed in the morning. My feet wont move! It takes a few seconds to be able to start walking...it is as though my feet dont work I kind of hobble along for a few seconds than it gets easier. Someone mentioned it as "Herman Munster Feet" It drives me crazy i feel as though I am going to topple over. I guess this is all from the Femara. Oh well I guess it will subside eventually. Take care all. Lois

Linda-n3 · May 2012

Needtobestrong, I finished chemo Dec 2010 and have not felt good since I started it in Oct. 2010. I also have weird teeth feelings like fredntan - I think it is part of the peripheral neuropathy from taxotere as it started exactly the same time as the finger problems. I am still needing about 14 hours of rest a day just to function at work, hoping that improves with a couple months off and just focusing on ME and getting stronger. I tried hormonal therapy but quality of life was so bad it just wasn't worth it for me. I totally get Michele's comments! Have been waiting to get back to SOME normal activities without pain and fatigue, but that just hasn't happened yet. The MO tells me it takes "a while" but she also says each one of us is different. I get the feeling that MOST of her patients have done much better than I, so it is nice to hang out with some of you who don't insist on telling me how I SHOULD be feeling by now! Like beegee, I thought I would eventually feel much better, and the problem is that my mother DID do the surgery + chemo and has been back to full wild crazy activities after a single year, so I had fully anticipated the same. She is a nearly 18 year survivor!

Karen333, nice to see you here!

lago · May 2012

Needtobestrong The move you move the better you feel. I was terribly stiff after chemo but it got better after 5 weeks. After I finished Herceptin even better but I still have stiffness because I'm on Anastrozole (Generic Arimidex) for my ER/PR+. Sucks out all my estrogen.

You should start to feel a bit better once you stop Herceptin if you are still on it. I do find weather changes can effect it too.

BTW I do exercise every day. It really helps.

NeedtobeSTRONG · May 2012

Thank you everyone.....@Lago.... I have to say that you are right the more I do the better I feel. I am still on Herceptin until october. For some reason I am seeing the weight add on in the last fe weeks....I need to start exercising everyday...but I did some work in the yard today...my favorite thing to do. I was frustrated with how much my bady has changed but then I busted out into tears thinking how far I have come and how grateful I was o be enjoying the beautiful sunshine withe my family.

lago · May 2012

Needtobestrong I was still retaining fluid after chemo. Could that be part of the weight problem? Herceptin might even be causing that. Also remember that chemo did a job on your muscles. Muscles help with metabolism. It takes a while to build back up.

Another thing my nails continued to get bad after chemo for a while. It really does take some time to get this crap out of the system.

fredntan · May 2012

Hi needtobestrong,

We were in chemo together

I think i feel better this week than last. More emotional.

Zgirl66 · May 2012

Strong --

I finished chemo 3/20 and could hardly do anything do any kind of exercise without taxing my heart and being out of breath. I was so bummed. I can now do a DVD workout without stopping. But I am still very stiff after sitting. My muscles were super achy like I jogged 10 miles when I hadn't, but that has gone away and now I am only super sore if I work out a lot or wait too long between work outs.

I think yogo and pilates would help. I'm not a swimmer, but that seems like it would be very theraputic.

I am going to ramp up after radiation ends around 6/12.

NeedtobeSTRONG · May 2012

@ Lago I hope that is part of the weight problem. I am going to try ww at work. It has worked for me in the past. My husband also lost 110lbs a fews years back on the program. But I really need to dedicate time to work out. Between work and the kids I never have it.

@ Fredtan.....hello chemo buddy. I am doing better emotionally I think because I returned to work an do not have much time to think...lol.....but truly enjoying each day...I do go up and down...but I assume that will always be.

@zgirl66...I am going to try and start yoga I heard it does wonders for mind body soul...

Why is it that my body is aching so much more now?

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