Leg pains from Taxol 3 weeks after last treatment

CJSharma
CJSharma Member Posts: 464
edited March 2017 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

Hey all -

Three weeks after my last Taxol and last chemo treatment and my legs feel like I've gone out and run a marathon. I retaining water in my legs only (I think it's only my legs), and my left heel feels off - like I'm walking on a pad of water or something. It's gotten worse, too, which is also driving me crazy. Anyone else experience this? I'm fairly athletic and I cannot do the workouts I love.

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  • lulu2533
    lulu2533 Member Posts: 108
    edited July 2016

    Wow, I have been going through almost the same thing. About a month after chemo, but before starting arimidex, I started getting pain in my knees and ankles (mostly knees). This was this past November and although it doesn't seem as bad, thanks to neurotin and Aleve, it is still there. Many people have told me that Taxol can do a number on our bodies for many years after treatment is over. Hopefully, it won't last too long.

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited July 2016

    Joy. I am having a double masectomy mid august. I hoping that me laying around with my feet propped up will help.


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  • lulu2533
    lulu2533 Member Posts: 108
    edited July 2016

    Good luck with your surgery! Yeah you will be laid up for a little while.

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited July 2016

    I wanted to chime back in here. I added some supplements to my diet and within a couple of days my legs are feeling better - as in a LOT better. I cannot directly attribute the change to the supplements, but there is definitely a correlation, and as 2 are known for their anti-inflammatory properties, I'm willing to be they are having an affect. The supplements are below. Please do your own research.

    1. Turmeric Curcumin pills - known anti-inflammatory
    2. Ginger Root pill - known anti-inflammatory
    3. Turkey Tail Mushroom Powder - in FDA trials as an immunity booster and a possible cancer fighter (I just stir it in water - it has a mild mushroomy flavor but as I love mushrooms it's not too bad to me - you can put it in juice or smoothies)
    4. Biotin - Vitamin B Complex - supposed to help the hair grow back faster
    I also took a diruetic for the ankle and foot swelling and that helped. I'm not going to take any today - to see if it comes back



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  • Courage2016
    Courage2016 Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2016

    Hello. I too am feeling pain in my joints and muscles after completing my last of 4 Taxol treatments on June 27th. I've noticed in the last couple of weeks; and getting worse, stiffness in my joints and my leg muscles are feeling tight or shrinking and needing to be stretched.

    This happens not only upon awakening but any time that I am sitting for a bit. I get up hunched over and need to straighten my back and start moving very slowly and then it mostly passes. I am also experiencing pain in my shoulders as well but didn't have it with Taxol or even after surgery.

    I plan your start exercising again and hopefully it will go away as I get stronger. In the meantime I plan to see my Dr about it.

    Was reading up on fibromylasia hoping it's not that and will soon pass . . .

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  • Claire_in_Seattle
    Claire_in_Seattle Member Posts: 4,570
    edited August 2016

    I had leg pains post Taxol too and pushed through it all. A lot more ibuprofen than usual as well as energy gels. At this point, my counsel would be "wait and take ibuprofen". Something like six months, but the time period could be longer.

    Make sure you exercise, because I think it shortens the recovery time. 6 years later, I am just fine. So hang in there and get moving! For the record, it took 2-3 years to completely recover from chemo, but in the meantime, I was still doing century bicycle rides. So it can be done. Hang in there, and I promise it will get better. But you do need to move (as would be true of anyone else). - Claire

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited August 2016

    Thank you. I'm so bummed that I'm feeling this way. This stuff is really tough. I guess it has to be to kill the chemo. I can't take Ibuprofen because I have surgery in a week. But once that's done, I'm back on it full force

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited February 2017

    I wanted to check back in six months later - my leg pains are gone. They slowly eased up over time. I'm feeling pretty much back to normal. I still have more pain than I used to in my knee where I had a scope, but that's most likely due to the Tamoxifen, and not left over from chemo, and honestly even that is something I can live with.

    So, if you're searching these forums for a topic like this because you're done with chemo and you are still in pain, it will get better.

    Some things that helped ease the ache - Claritin (this more than anything seemed to help my pain), Magnesium Caltrate, and Glucosemine were life savers. I don't need any of these now, but they really helped when I did.

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  • gardengypsy
    gardengypsy Member Posts: 769
    edited February 2017

    Hi CJ and Claire~


    I am 9 months out from Taxol and my neuropathy continues to worsen.


    Even though I am feeling pretty down about it all, I am appreciating your positive posts and suggestions.


    It's tough to want to move when you are in pain but in a couple of weeks I am starting an exercise program specifically designed for oncology patients. And spring will be here soon, and that will get me moving.


    :-)

    Mere















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  • Blessed2016
    Blessed2016 Member Posts: 37
    edited February 2017

    OMG I'm having the same issue and just came upon this thread while researching the topic. I had some leg pain around TX #3-4 and it was rough at times but tolerable. Now a month after taxol #12, the leg pain, stiffness, weakness, ECT is very bothersome! So much so that I called and asked the onc nurse and told her about it. She said it was normal as the taxol gets out of my system, yada, yada, and that I should start feeling better soon. I'm sure its out by now and am doing PT 2-3 times a week to stay active. I am starting to get very worried BC I was very active prior to dx, did cross fit 3 times a week, ran 2 times a week and biked when training for triathlons. Now I feel I'm at a snails pace even though I have stayed active through chemo. So, gardengypsy, I feel your pain,literally! I've been positive throughout all of this madness since dx in late June however, it is really getting to the point where I'm getting tired of all of this! I don't want to go down the negative road, so if there is anyone else out there that can give some hope that this will improve, please do. Thank you in advance. 😞

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited February 2017

    Blessed - I don't know if you read my follow up, but Claritin, Magnesium Citrate, and Glutamine really helped the pain. It did not make it go away, but it helped. Like you I was very active pre diagnosis - even did a 10k the week before my first chemo. At one point, walking the dogs round the block was so hard.

    I'm now 7 months passed my last chemo (taxol) and I'm a lot better. I still can't do everything I could before. Some of that is due to surgeries (I had a BMX), some due to conditioning. But I feel so much better. I'm training to walk a 21 miler end of April and so far the long walks - 10 miles so far - have been doable and with some stretching I'm fine the next day.

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  • Blessed2016
    Blessed2016 Member Posts: 37
    edited March 2017

    CJsharma,

    I will def. Try those because i don't want to start pain meds. I rather go about it a more natural route. Wonder why the claritin helps? I can kind of see how the mag and glutamine would help but the claritin is puzzling. In any case, if it helps and its not pain meds then so be it. I start rads on Monday, will make sure i can take them with treatment. I've heard there are quite a bit of things you aren't suppose to take during treatment. Hopefully nothing im taking will be unacceptable. Thank you for your response.

    May

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  • Blessed2016
    Blessed2016 Member Posts: 37
    edited March 2017

    What glutamine does are you taking? I figured start with 5grams a day.

    Thank You,

    May

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited March 2017

    Magnesium has helped my leg cramps.

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited March 2017

    Blessed - I don't know Claritin worked for me. I tried it because it worked for the bone pain after Nuelasta, so figured maybe it would work for this. I ran out of pills so stopped, and the pain came back. So I started again and it went away. Psychosomatic? Maybe, but it worked for me, so I'll take it. :) I use Now Glutemine powder and do 5 grams a day.

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  • Blessed2016
    Blessed2016 Member Posts: 37
    edited March 2017

    MinusTwo,

    Thank you. What dose of Mag?

    Thank you

    May
    t M,inu

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  • Blessed2016
    Blessed2016 Member Posts: 37
    edited March 2017

    CJsharma,

    Well if it worked, then that's all that matters. I'm a nurse so I'm always over thinking things. Ok I started the glutamine 5grams yesterday. I also got bromelin because I read its good to keep tumors from forming and suppose to help with joints too. So, I'm going to add one thing at a time.

    Thank you again,

    May

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited March 2017

    Blessed - my PCP recommended 500mg/daily at bedtime until I could get in for a blood check in June. Since I HATE all manner of pills, I decided to start with 250/mg. I started 2/1 and have not had leg cramps this month. Disclaimer - I also started exercising 2x a week and doing Yoga 3x a week, so I can't say for sure if the regular slow stretching skewed the results.

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  • Blessed2016
    Blessed2016 Member Posts: 37
    edited March 2017

    Minustwo,

    ok thanks for the dose recommendation. Ill see my dr on 3/9 and confirm with her. I have been doing stretching with PT for the past two months and it seems the more i do it, the tighter it gets, well my legs anyway. But i def don't want to stop because I need to stay active. I'm planning on starting yoga as soon as Rads is over.

    Thanks again,

    May

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