My body is acting up

[Halfpint2]

Okay ... Shingles appeared about 2 weeks ago on my back, left side, right under the bra strap. I must have a light case because I’m not in the kind of pain that most people talk about. The doctor put me on a mega antibiotic, which seems to really help. I slather the spot in calamine lotion, which also seems to really help. I’m already on gabapentin for mild neuropathy and i think that really helped with the nerve pain. But is it normal for the pain to radiate to the front and cause my ribs to be sore? Feels like a small knot under one of the ribs but could that be an irritated lymph node? I did have a lump pop up in the right node under my arm when the shingles were at their worse. It’s gone down but I can still feel it. I’m hoping all of this nonsense is just reactions to the shingles. Also having excruciating pain in my left wrist and thumb area. Probably arthritis but it really hurts. I know it’s not broken. I don’t have scans until the 28th so paranoia is setting in. I’m on Ibrance and Femara and won’t know if they are working until the scans are done. My BC Mets is in my lungs. Scared all this pain could be possible bone Mets. Feel like the cancer is trying to spread. Am I just paranoid or what ?

[BeckyHobson]

Halfpint2, I so sad to hear you are dealing with this rash. I’m no doctor but I am familiar with shingles. Are they sure you are not having a reaction to the Ibrance? I and at least a few other on this site have had that body rash that is a side effect of the Ibrance. It hurts like none other and is awful!! I take a 10mg non drowsy Loratadine every day in the morning and it not only cleared it up pretty quickly but it has kept it away as well. Just throwing it out there to maybe get some and take just one a day. Costco sells it really reasonable. It is the generic for Claritin.

Wishing you the best and speedy relief from whatever is going on.

[Halfpint2 in reply to BeckyHobson]

Oh my. I hadn’t heard that but it’s definitely possible.

[tmills64]

I am on Ibrance and Letrozole. It does cause bone and muscle pain, sometimes it's pretty bad feels like terrible arthritis.

[Halfpint2 in reply to tmills64]

Thank you for responding

[BeckyHobson in reply to tmills64]

After 19 months the joint/muscle pain was too much and turned into full blown myalgia. Stopped the Letrozole for 1 & 1/2 weeks and all pain went totally away. Day 3 of Exemestane which does the same thing as Letrozole but with fewer side effects the doc sayz

[SusieIM]

Nope, I think most of us feel worried at times about how we are really doing. It is not being paranoid, it is just being human. Hang in there, I would ask the doc for input.

[Susan1953]

I am also having itching on my back where my bra strap is. I am using OTC creams on it and not wearing a bra unless I have to (I hate bras)!! Cortizone maximum strength 10 plus is helping and is OTC. I am on Ibrance and letrozole. I also have rib tenderness which has gotten much better and the thumb pain which I also think is arthritis. My doc says the rib pain is not cancer but I do have bone mets but not in ribs. Overall I feel good and can handle these minor side effects. NED at September PET scan.

[Halfpint2 in reply to Susan1953]

I just went through something very similar. I treated it like shingles but now I think it was an Ibrance reaction. I used calamine lotion and it worked great. Rest!!!!

[Joan37]

I'm sorry that your still dealing with shingles and glad that you're not in tremendous discomfort.

I too had a problem with my right thumb/wrist last year, and it was incredibly painful. My right arm is my mastectomy/immediate DIEP flap side, from which 19 nodes were removed, and I didn't want surgery.

My wrist would feel like it would "go out," and the pain was awful when that happened. A hand/wrist surgeon said it was arthritis and recommended a PT. There are three bones in that area and they move out of alignment, which causes the pain. I went to a PT who specializes in hands at my local hospital. It was slow going at first, but now my wrist feels good. I have a soft hand brace, which I ordered from a medical supply company that the PT recommended after she measured my hand, etc. I wear the brace when I grocery shop or have to carry anything heavy, or drive long distances.

Good luck with you scans on the 28th. I know how anxiety provoking they can be as we come nearer and nearer the date of the scan.

[Halfpint2 in reply to Joan37]

You were extremely helpful. Thank you. It sounds exactly like what is going on with my thumb and wrist. Thank you again.