Low back pain

[Rexwaterbury]

My 3rd treatment with lu177/ac225 in Heidelberg was 2 weeks ago. The combination was resolving my nodal Mets, but not my bone mets, so they greatly increased the proportion of Ac in my last treatment. Ever since I returned home I have had increasingly severe lumbar back pain. It only happens with movement (getting out of bed is excruciating). At rest, I am pain free. I sleep all night on my back with no pain. To me, it feels like muscle pain, but I’m wondering if it might be bone related. Could it be from tumor lysis of bone Mets in that area??

I have seen an orthopedist (no help). I saw a pain specialist last week and had an mri yesterday. I am taking Vicodin 3x per day for pain relief.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Rex

[Tall_Allen]

Rex,

Did you ever have Xofigo?

[Rexwaterbury in reply to Tall_Allen]

No regarding Xofigo. Dr kratochwil was pondering wether Xofigo would be effective if ac225 was not. Dr drake though has mentioned it to me, as well as jevtana, as a possible next treatment.

[Tall_Allen in reply to Rexwaterbury]

It doesn't depend on PSMA avidity - I assume that what's left over in your bones is the cancer that doesn't express PSMA. However, if it was mixed with PSMA-avid cancer (before your treatment) it might expose the same bone tissue to too much radiation (Both Ac-225 and Ra-223 are powerful alpha emitters). Someone would have to compare a current FDG PET scan to a previous PSMA PET scan to determine that.

[Rexwaterbury in reply to Tall_Allen]

Any thoughts regarding the lumbar back pain?

[Tall_Allen in reply to Rexwaterbury]

Pointless to speculate. You'll know more when you get the MRI results.

[Hidden]

I have pain in the left hip due to degeneration and osteopenia. I’m not on pain meds yet . I feel your pain. It takes the forefront .. Good that you’re getting thru the lu-177. I don’t advice. But every joint pain we think Metz. But hopefully not . Sorry you’re suffering so McJob. May God be with you !🙏 Glad you made it back home .

[Fairwind]

One of the big problems with fighting cancer, you don't know if problems are being caused by the cancer or the treatment...! What's causing your pain, the cancer or the treatment ?? That can be hard to determine....Especially when half your medical team is thousands of miles away and the other half has little or no experience with Lu-177...

[Teddysdad]

I am not saying this is the case but I fractured my T12 vertebrae last year. It was a compression fracture that happened due to damage caused by cancer and the treatment. I have since had a vertebroplasty procedure which a lot.

Due to have Lu177 treatment number 6 in 2 weeks.

The MRI should tell you more.

[Schwah in reply to Teddysdad]

How’s your treatments going both SEs and cancer reductions

Schwah

[Teddysdad]

Treatment seems to be going well, PSA is down to 144 and tumours have reduced in size to 50%. Feel fit and well apart from the backpain.

Due to have treatment on 5th June and there is tslk of 7 and 8 later in the year.

[monte1111]

Lower back pain, I believe L4 and L5. Injured disks slipping on steep stairs. I am taking Tramadol 37.5 mg with acetaminophen. Really helps. I'm not a drug dealer. I take 3 times a day so should not be addictive. It gives me wild diarrhea and I will be weening myself off. It worked when I needed it. I can actually bend at the waist again. But it is time to move on.

[j-o-h-n in reply to monte1111]

You can bend at the waist now? Make sure you hold onto that soap for dear life...........just saying....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Monday 05/25/2020 8:15 PM DST

[tom67inMA]

The back/sciatic pain I described in my reply to your newer post felt very much like muscle pain at times. However, the severity of the pain correlated nicely with my PSA numbers. I would also be pain free in bed, but a trip to the toilet would be the end of that.

[Fanger1]

The imaging should hopefully give clues to what might be causing your pain. Myself, I found out I have an annular test if L5-S1 by T2 weighted MRI Sagittal view. Cortisone shots and Tens unit seems to help. That plus physical therapy, yoga stretching and the hot tub. Hope you get better soon. 😺

[lewicki]

Hello,

I am going to Heidelberg the 7th of July for my 4th treatment of ac-225 and lu-177. So far my response has been good. I am going with my daughter as my aid. Will she have to be quarantined ? The flight I am doing is Detroit to Chicago then direct to Frankfort. 90 min layover. 4 hours more Lufthansa less than 9 before the virus. Not looking forward to the travel. Did they separate passengers every other seat on your flight? Really not sure I want to go. Getting tired of this ordeal.

[Rexwaterbury in reply to lewicki]

My treatment was a failure. Trying to figure out what to do next. Possibly bispecifics trial at Columbia or UCSF. Good luck with your treatment.

[lewicki]

Sorry to hear you are having so much pain. Give the treatment time to work. Good luck.