Thoughts/advice appreciated

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Hello, everyone! It has been a few years since I have been here on these boards and have been lurking around for a few days reading posts as the memories of my battle come flooding back. The support given to each other on these boards never ceases to amaze me. I remember that this was my lifeline for strength, knowledge, honesty and comfort-the place where people didn't have to imagine how I felt-they knew! So, I had a very tough time with diep reconstruction-life threatening issues that began with pulmonary embolism during the surgery. Due to blood clot, I couldn't take tamoxifen. I had about 15 surgeries (full blown under anesthesia)trying to scrape out 3 life threatening infections in my abdominal wound and developed a hernia from breast bone to pubic bone which I had surgery for a couple years later. Onc tried shutting my ovaries down with shots...my body would not respond. He used a triple dose...but still couldn't. I had a complete hysterectomy a couple years ago. All of the surgeries took a crazy toll on my health-mentally and physically, and I felt like I had to be done with this whole thing after my hysterectomy. I didn't go back to my onc...after all...I was a year from the magical 5 year mark, and I needed to be DONE. A year ago, my doc was reading notes in my chart that said I had to go back to my onc after my hysterectomy to be put on a post menopausal hormone therapy (I dont remember him saying that-but I was in a complete mental fog back then-my memory is very sketchy during that whole period of time). I didn't go because I was now at the 5 year mark-5 years untreated with hormonal therapy...why would I subject my body to all of those side effects when I finally feel back to my old self? Not to mention, I felt I missed the critical time to receive the therapy. So, I joined a fitness boxing class for my 50th birthday a couple of months ago and dropped 20 pounds. One morning about 4 weeks ago, I noticed my upper left shoulder blade/back was sore and my left arm kept going numb, tingly, pins and needles sensations. Nothing improved after a week, so I saw a chiropractor and have been adjusted 6 times over the last 2 1/2 weeks with no improvement. She didn't order images but felt I popped a rib because that one bone (where it hurts)didn't push back on her like the others. With no improvement, I went to walk-in clinic a week and a half ago and doc thought I had a pinched nerve. Again, no imaging. Prescribed steroids and muscle relaxers. Nothing has improved, in fact-my left arm is numb and tingly about 50% of the time. So, the other day, I was watching the news and a group of women with bc were talking about mets to the spine. I did not remember it spreading there-only to the brain, liver, lungs. So, I got on google and was horrified to see my symptoms listed there. I am praying for a false alarm. I will be calling my onc on Tuesday. I would appreciate any advice, opinions as to what my onc should do/order, any similar experiences with numb/tingly left arm. Should I feel encouraged that the chiropractor and doc at walk in clinic know my bc history and didn't order imaging?

Comments

  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited May 2019

    Wow! I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that! I'm a RN so I will try to help if I can. My first word of advise would be to go to a major university teaching hospital inn you are not already at one. I don't know where you live but I can help you find one if you wish. The drugs the doc was speaking of are called aromatase inhibitors. Its great that you are NED for 5 years but unfortunately the new theory is that hormone positive BC can recur 10, 15, 20 years after the diagnosis. I'm not saying you have mets. In fact IMO you probably do not. It sounds like a nerve issue which I do not believe should be treated by a chiropractor. They do not normally do imaging aside from their own X rays. They are not MDs so they really couldn't. However it sounds like she is working with a MD so that's a little different. They would have to do a CAT scan or a MRI to rule out mets. It should probably be done but again it doesn't sound like mets to me. Assuming all is clear there are drugs that treat nerve pain. I think exercise and weight loss is very underestimated. It has been shown to lower recurrence rates by 40 percent which is very close to what hormone therapy does. However I do think boxing could have caused your nerve pain. Hope this helps! Take care and please let me know if you have anymore questions.

  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited May 2019

    Wow! I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that! I'm a RN so I will try to help if I can. My first word of advise would be to go to a major university teaching hospital inn you are not already at one. I don't know where you live but I can help you find one if you wish. The drugs the doc was speaking of are called aromatase inhibitors. Its great that you are NED for 5 years but unfortunately the new theory is that hormone positive BC can recur 10, 15, 20 years after the diagnosis. I'm not saying you have mets. In fact IMO you probably do not. It sounds like a nerve issue which I do not believe should be treated by a chiropractor. They do not normally do imaging aside from their own X rays. They are not MDs so they really couldn't. However it sounds like she is working with a MD so that's a little different. They would have to do a CAT scan or a MRI to rule out mets. It should probably be done but again it doesn't sound like mets to me. Assuming all is clear there are drugs that treat nerve pain. I think exercise and weight loss is very underestimated. It has been shown to lower recurrence rates by 40 percent which is very close to what hormone therapy does. However I do think boxing could have caused your nerve pain. Hope this helps! Take care and please let me know if you have anymore questions.

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited May 2019

    Sorry you're dealing with these symptoms. Hoping it's a pinched nerve or something like that. Hoping you get answers soon and that all is benign. You've had a rough road!

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