Bone Mets Thread

BethCon1 ... I have not experienced what you are talking about and hope your medical team gets to the bottom of it soon as I have found the not knowing worse than the knowing.  I once knew of someone that had similar symptoms and it was related to pressure on the chest wall & artery from their mets. I would encourage you to keep the pressure on your medical team to get to the bottom of it; whether it be via scans or whatever.  Good luck.

Freedom you will find that most women who have BC are low in their Vit D I know I was and still struggle to get it to stay at the level that my doc wants it to be. Hopefully your dosage will get you there and keep you there.

Love n hugs. Chrissy

Recently did a round of radiation to the painful parts. It did not take care of all the pain in my lower back. The radiologist is recommending a boost round of 5 more treatments. Of course she can not guarantee results, tho the previous 15 treatments did take care of the hip pain and I can walk like a normal human now.. I am still on the fence on whether to do the 5 boosters. Husband wants me to do it.. Just curious what you guys would do.

hi ladies. It's been a little bit since I've been on. I had my surgery and the steel rod was placed successfully in my femur. I'm two weeks out and still in pain and walking with a walker. I start radiation to my leg and back on Monday. I will have 13 rounds. Hope it goes well. I also found out my cancer changed from er/pr+ her2+ to er/pr+ her2-. With these results they said no chemo!!! I'm ecstatic! I will start arimidex and also have my ovaries removed. I kicked my oncologist to the curb and got a new one too! My old one did not believe in tumor markers or scans, so those of you going through that, I understand. This new doc is amazing and I feel safe in his care. I pray every day for all of my bco sisters. God bless!

Yes, it's my understanding that you're stage 4 now. I had extensive surgery last January--hip replacement, bone cement and a rod in my femur, and a metal plate around the top of the femur. It was hard at first, but after a lot of PT, the pain was much less and I get around pretty well. I usually don't even need the cane. It sounds like you're doing well. Best of luck.

Hi all. I've been absent a while - was on travel for two weeks for business and have been doing field work (soil sampling), so not much internet time of late.

Slgarcia. So glad the rod placement went well. I had my rod put in on Feb 10 and was on a walker/elbow crutches for a while. It hurt like hell for about 2 weeks. Once they took the staples out, it was better. I was lucky, no infection or any other issues, just some big slices hither and yon. The one in my behind hurt the most - literally a PIA. I was down to one crutch by the end of March and totally off crutches by the end of May. I have arthritis in my left knee and the surgery was on the left femur, so that slowed my recovery a bit - knee was too sore to do all the PT exercises. But I've gotten a cortisone shot in my knee and am able to walk and exercise more. I spent seven hours on my feet (in steel toed boots) doing field sampling yesterday. I'm a bit stiff and sore, but overall not too bad! What part of Omaha are you in? My mom lived in Millard for many years and I still have some friends in the area.

Rangermom - so sorry to hear of your challenges. Sending prayers and hugs your way.

Bethcon - sure hope they get your problem sorted soon!

Linda - great news with the scan results!

I'm still waiting for my CT scan and appointment with my MO. I'm doing well except having horrific muscle cramps in my legs (thighs and calves, and also down the outside of my leg above the ankle). Eating bananas and hoping that helps. But I'm doing well enough that I pulled enough weeds last weekend to fill up the wheelie bin, managed to do the field work I needed to do for work, did a bunch of shopping today, and got some great pictures of baby shags (birds). Bought a bunch of plants so now I have to get them into the garden. Spring planting - veggies and flowers!

Wishing all of you the best.

Terre

sigarcia05 I had my left femur rod placed 9/25, the right on 5/07. Then I developed a fiery sciatica pain, had an MRI and we are now irradiating a sacral mass along with the left femur. I have a multitude of saints praying for me. I am learning just how fragile my body is. Will have to delay my return to work and will use that time trusting my Lord .

Anita

I get Xgeva. Once a month.

Rangermom,

I too want to add my thoughts and support. No sage advice but I am thinking of you and really hope they can do whatever needs doing right away so that you can spend time with that baby who is coming soon! - maybe even already here since it is already 11/3.

I had a bone scan and ct scan last week. I rang up the hospital for results and the registrar on duty told me that while I was stable and the cancer had not gone into my organs, my (fractured) t8 looked worse as it was probably being eaten away by the cancer but maybe it was healing (wtf???). Anyway he said no need to change treatment, but if i had any pain or tingling to come into the hospital as the spinal cord might be compromised. My back hurts but it has hurt from the get go and I asked him if putting in cement would hold the fracture but he said that it would be too hard on the rest of my vertebrae as there are mets everywhere and the spine is compressed. The impression I got was that there was nothing that could be done. So I'm sitting here wondering what should I do now? Basically I hate making a fuss yet I don't want to wait until something bad happens to my back. On the other hand surely they'd bring me into hospital if there was a likelihood that I was in danger of being paralysed. I don't know what to think. I'd appreciate any thoughts, advice ...

Thanks, Terri. I've had radiation to my t4, also lumbar and cervical spine. It didn't get rid of pain though it has stabilised those mets I hope.

Aiobheann, please read my past posts. I had the same problem with my T8 (disc compression that was "eaten up". RO couldn't zap it due to numerous spine mets. I was referred to neurosurgeon who did emergency surgery as my entire spine was compromised. They ended up fusing discs T6-10. They (surgeons) needed to find bones that were moderately sound to put 8 screws, 2 rods and a cage to the eaten up T8. Like you, cement wasn't an option. After, the fusion surgery....I had 20 radiation treatments. I just finished rads last week and am slowly healing. I am very fatigued due to wide area radiated.

Please be very careful with the T8 fracture. You don't want to "spiral down" meaning - paralyzed 45 degrees bent forward or backward. That was the reason why my MO and RO referred me to a neurosurgeon right away. ((Hugs)) and I am here for you if you have any questions.

I too had that concern about my spine being too crumbly and weak for fusion....but the neurosurgeon will find the good bones to anchor to. My neurosurgeon (Chief of Jackson Memorial in Miami) has majority of his patients coming from all over the world ...yes, they are mostly flying in for this type surgery. They make all the necessary arrangements (travel/surgery) -if you are interested please let me know and I will hook you up. Check out and Google Dr. Allan Levi, he is the best there is.

I am here for you sis...hugs.

Violet_1 - Sorry for the delay in answering - just kind of busy with the Halloween, the weekend-end, having a cold, work craziness and life! Anyhow, my initial diagnosis in '07 came from a mammogram reading. Thank goodness the radiologist questioned the reading, as otherwise I'd have no idea. My tumor was very close to my chest wall. I had no symptoms and no family history, not that it makes a difference. The second go-around was discovered during my annual onc visit. I again had no symptoms, but the blood levels gave it away. The PET scan confirmed.

RangerMom - hugs still going out for you. I hope you are feeling better.

I am so glad you spoke up. Now it's the waiting game-it's so hard to wait. Maybe you could get a consultation with the onc before the chemo?