Chronic limping and leg pain

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Mich749
Mich749 Member Posts: 3
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

My thighs and calves ache all of the time! I limp when I first get up from a chair and walk like the tin man. I'm trying to work full time and walk normall. I'm not sure what to do for this. I was on chemo for 4 months and then Herceptin for another 12 months after the chemo. My treatment ended  May 1, 2013. Will this get better or is this it?! My daughter said I just need to exercise more. And when I do, I hurt! What to do? I started taking glucosamine Chondritin so I will see if that helps. I sure would appreciate some input.

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited January 2014

    i have that and only had one chemo treatment in november. I was told it was peripheral neuropathy. I think we also tend to walk differently because of the neuropathy creating more sore points. I haven't found a solution but hope that you do.

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  • Mich749
    Mich749 Member Posts: 3
    edited January 2014

    I also am curious about all of the movie stars who seem to have no ill effects from their breast cancer. Juliana Rancic? Do these peeps have chemo and why do they look like they haven't been through a thing?! Makes me feel like a light weight!

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited January 2014

    pounds of makeup?

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited January 2014

    Talk to your Drs!

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  • Mich749
    Mich749 Member Posts: 3
    edited January 2014

    I've talked to my oncologist and she suggested neurotin. I took it for a couple of weeks and I cannot take this med. it makes me loopy and spacy and just out if it all day long, every day. I thought maybe some other suggestions might be found here. Thanks!

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited January 2014

    i think my taking B6 and B12 has helped a bit.  I also bought alpha lipoic acid but haven't started iy yet.

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  • kmurphy
    kmurphy Member Posts: 55
    edited January 2014

    I take B6 twice a day.  Hard to say how much it helps as I still have the aching.  I worked 50 plus hours a week (80% of the time on my feet) all through chemo.  I think the exercise does help and also having something else to occupy your mind.  I think I would have felt worse if I didn't work because of those things.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited January 2014

    Your GP might be the better one to talk to about this.  They are more used to dealing with the entire 'you' than the oncologist is - they are specialiazed in oncology.  There are many things that could be causing your pain that have no relationship to chemo or a secondary relationship. 

    Without knowing anything about you and depending on your age/health some possibilities are diabetis, osteoporosis, arthritis, vit./min. imbalance, fibro, are the first ones that come to my mind.   Have you seen a PT or OT?  An OT - Occupational Therapist - might be the better fit if you're concerned about 'work'.  (My CLT - CERTIFIED Lymphedema Therapist - is an OT.)  Exercise is great but too much or the wrong exercises can do more harm than good.

    I've had arthritis in my upper back for MANY years and it has gotten worse over the years.  For it I take an Etodolac every night to keep it 'under control' pain wise.  Winter is worse so I often take 1 at both night and morning when it's worse and I need to take tylenol occasionally during the day or if I have to take a vicodan.  I have a new back Xray and a bone scan scheduled by my PA for next Tuesday because I'm having pain in a slightly different area and she wants to be sure what's going on.

    Osteoporosis can also cause problems as a disk can be damaged causing nerve issues.  Osteoporosis is a potential SE of chemo.  Again for me, I've been osteopenia for many yrs with a huge family history, natural menopause at 44, no HRT so I can't 'blame' chemo on going from osteopenia to osteoporosis on chemo - it would have happened period.

    Vitamin/Mineral imbalances can cause a lot of problems.  Especially during winter most/many of us are low on Vit D which effects so much  of 'being alive'.   Since 1/2 way through Taxol, I've had a problem keepoing my K (potassium) level close to normal  So I take K daily and when it gets low my ankles HURT at night but an extra K pill will releave the pain within 1/2 hr and I take an extra one for a few days.   (Remember that too much K can be as dangerous as too little can so just taking K is not something to do without knowing you need it and with your Dr's approval.)  I'm also a believer in taking B Complex - not the individual Bs.

    Fibromyalgia is very 'sneaky' and can present itself in many ways and at different times.  I was DXd FM in 1995 - in 1998 it 'left' as rapidly as it had come on 3 yrs earlier and has not raised it's head since .

    Just my thoughts! Hope they give you some ideas to check out.

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