Joint pain help?..

Hi
I had same treatment as you and during the rads I got stiffer and stiffer I was like a ninety year old when I got up in the morning everywhere ached. If I sat for a while and stood up my legs would hurt it would ease off a bit after a while but it cleared up very quickly once rads stopped. I am now 1year post rads and have none of those symptoms at all could probably do with exercising a bit more but weather doesn't help .

As regards to skin mine got a bit dry and flakey also and nurse recommended cortisone cream which worked great. Worth asking about.

Best of luck with the rest of your treatment.

Oh thanks Madge that has eased my mind. It has only started since rads started but they never mentioned that as a side effect. Yes I'm like an old woman, even said it to my husband. Please God it'll subside when I'm finished rads. Thanks again xxx

Hi
The pain in your elbow and fingers could be from the way they position your arms when getting radiation. I used to find this very uncomfortable. I got an anti-histamine for an itch to do with treatment maybe you could ask about that
Liz

Thanks, Eliza and I know what you mean but I've only had 8 and it lasts less than a minute and it's in my fingers which isn't really affected. Probably chemo and rads are taking their toll. I've started taking antihistamine so hopefully that'll help. It's strange as the area that's itchy isn't near where they are doing it. God you wouldn't know heat you'd wake up with!!!

I got dreadful joint pain after I was finished all my chemo and rads. I didnt start herceptin until after my chemo and surgery and it was only then that the pain started, I am also taking Tamox which is a little bugger when it comes to joint pain but I found that once the Herceptin was finished the joint pain eased. I hadn't realised that joint pain is one of the side effects of Herceptin. I take glucosamine and it defo helps so you might like to get some and start taking it. Also excercise defo helps but the weather is not exactly inviting us out into the open!!!

Oh thank you you just feel its never ending. No they never mentioned it bit it's only got bad since rads started so maybe it's the combination. I feel like an old woman. My mother is 80 and more mobile than me. We are in a hotel tonight in carlingford it's lOvely trying to forget about my pains

Have had joint pain since finishing RT - now on taxol. Seems to be getting worse and the description of bring like an old lady gettingup in the morning definitely rings a bell! Thanks for bringing up the subject and I'll try some of the suggestions. Just looking at an exercise regime but will take all my will power to get out in the cold tomorrow morning!! Keep the faith Ladies!

Sorry - just realised I typed Taxol when I meant Tamoxifen - what a numpty - sorry thought best to correct it in case it confused anyone reading....x

Hi WicklowLady,

meant to reply earlier on this one, sorry. Got awful joint pain after RT & was also still on Herceptin at the time & taking Tamoxifen. Of course I blamed the Tamox for the joint pain not Herceptin but on reflection I think that the toll of all the treatments & the Herceptin probably contributed to the problem too. On advice from Breast Care Nurse I started to take Glucosamine, she also advised on dosage. At first it didn't seem to work but with patience & encouragement from BC nurse I persevered & the pain slowly eased. I also started an exercise programme which involves regular walking & 10 upper body light weight lifting exercises (worked up over a period of time from 1kg to 2kg & now do 3kg & 4kgs, had never lifted weights before this & didn't realise how technical lifting weights is so if you do take it up be sure you get proper instruction) BC nurse advised that it takes a couple of months for the glucosamine to build up in your joints, she has also recently advised me to start skipping as this is the best way to build up bone density, very important for those on Tamoxifen or Arimidex. Also a bit of craic trying to do 100 skips without stopping in the back garden, neighbours must think I've lost it altogether!!

Before BC I was a swimmer & believe that this is great too for joint pain but just haven't got back into the routine of swimming yet.

Take care, hope this helps.

Ah thanks where do I get the glucosamine? I can't walk cause my leg pains!!! Going to try swimming

Local health shop but check with BC nurse or any of the medics when you get your next Herceptin. They will advise on what's best & on dosage. Good luck with the swimming, couldn't do the changing room before I got re-con but now am still lopsided & a little self conscious as a result so am waiting for my "tweak" before returning to the pool....any excuse really

Ladies with you all on the joint and bone pain. Will be launching the "new" me at a swimming pool next week. Fearful of being harpooned if my new floating friend in the swimsuit doesn't have me arrested!!!!

Hi
I went back swimming last week. I have to say it is great for aches and pains. I was advised to do it from physio as I have a frozen shoulder. It is so much easier to move in the water without hurting yourself.
Liz