Is it normal to be achy throughout chemo?

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Good morning -

I am about to wrap up my 6th round of TCHP. I have noticed from about the 3rd treatment on that I remain achy beyond just the few days/first week of my treatment. Is this typical? The Neulasta definitely gives me some significant bone/body aches throughout my sides, hips and ribs for several days. Then I feel like I have a week or so without any real noticeable aches or pains only to have achy feelings kick back in around the two week post-chemo mark that last almost until my next treatment. These pains are not bad - I do not take pain reliever for them and they do not impact my day or activity other than that I notice them. That said, their presence does make me nervous because I am under the impression most people do not experience these general body aches/pains once the Neulasta wears off. I mentioned it during my last appointment (which was with the NP) and she indicated it was "probably" from the chemo. My mind wanders to worries that it could be something else causing me to feel achy - I am also having difficulty defining if it is bone, muscle, or joints which are aching. Just looking for anyone else's experiences and if I should be pressing this more with my Dr. As a side, as this is soon to be my last chemo, when might I expect this side effect to ease up/disappear?

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  • moth
    moth Member Posts: 4,800
    edited June 2021

    Yes chemo side effects include myalgia and arthralgia - which is just bone and muscle ache. Some feel a lot of it, some less. For some people- like me - low level pain gets sort of intermingled in my brain with fatigue (because pain is exhausting) so occasionally when I feel fatigued I will take a pain reliever and a nap and it does make things better.


    Hang in there ! It goes away quite quickly - I'd say within a couple weeks at most..

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