Compression fracture anyone?

[lynnhbtb]

Here's a question for the house. Has anyone had a compression fracture of a rib or vertebrae from bone mets? Reason that I ask is I've had back pain that persisting that hasn't responded to PT. The bone scan and CT shows stable mets with nothing lighting up in the painful area. Onc is requesting an MRI to check for a compression fracture. At this point, it may on the mend because the pain isn't as bad and it's been over two months on-going. IF you have had one, would you mind sharing your experience? Thank you.

[lynnhbtb]

Ok, thanks. I'm having an MRI, but not sure it will tell us anything. You hang in there.

[klhowe]

Lynn, I have bone mets throughout my skeleton. I didn't even know I had a rib fracture two years ago. It was picked up on the CT scan. And they see it on every CT and Bone and PET scan since then. I believe it was a too aggressive massage that caused it.

I have had on and off pain in spine and long bones. I believe they are related to the Xgeva or weather or not my current Chemo meds are working or not.

Karina

[lynnhbtb in reply to klhowe]

Thanks for that, Karina.

[USIrishcolleen]

Lynn,

Sorry that I cannot help.

Best,

Colleen

[SMPG]

Last August, I suddenly got a huge pain in my upper back. I went to have it checked and they said it appeared to have a compression fracture. At that time, there was no story of metastatic breast cancer. I had been diagnosed and operated and treated years before. When I went to the oncologist and had some scans, I was told I had metastases in a few places on my spine. Yet, in the meantime, my pain lessened and then disappeared, with no treatment. I started on Letrozole. Then a few months later, I added Ibrance, lowest strength. Further scans showed less damage until in June there was no evidence of any lesion. Nothing lit up on the PET scan. I have to have another scan in December. There are mysteries of the human body. I continue with Letrozole and Ibrance. And luckily, I don't have much of side effects. Good luck to you!

[lynnhbtb in reply to SMPG]

Thank you. All the best to you as well.

[Kdst777]

Yes I have had compression fractures I think radiation help with pain. I also had back surgery and put in 8 steel rods. With bones been so week they always tell me to be so careful as any little thing can cause a fracture.

[hopefulinadks]

I am so sorry to hear what you are going through. I recently underwent two operations on the same leg. The first one because my femur broke from a mild fall and a rod was put in and the second one a month later to insert a rod in my tibia to prevent another leg break. I too have bone mets in several areas and experience pain in my ribs that comes and goes. As you mention, rib pain can be sharp and quite debilitating.. Intercostal rib muscle strain has been suggested in my case but I have no definite answers.. I am currently non weight bearing and hoping to walk again after all of this. This truly is a hard journey for all of us and like many of us , I am usually a very active person and miss mobility! Cancer really turns life topsy turvey! I have a little card a family member gave me. It says "Rejoice in Hope Be Patient in Trail Persevere in Prayer" Something we can all keep in mind. Good luck to you and the rest of the ladies suffering with this disease.

[lynnhbtb]

Ok, thanks so much!

[Sweeten_1]

I was in so much lower back pain for about a week. Kept getting worse that I could hardly get out of bed. Finally ended up in hospital. MRI showed cancer pressing on nerves causing pain and spasms. Had to have radiation to spine. Took about 4 weeks to resolve. Doing better now but can't lift anything and walking is still hard to do.

[lynnhbtb]

I'm so sorry. I had to go to Urgent Care for severe back pain that wrapped around to abdomen as well, but they couldn't find anything on CT. It was debilitating. Had to be wheeled into UC. I definitely sympathize with lingering back pain. I"m glad you're doing better. Thank you for responding.

[Red71]

My MBC diagnosis started with compression fractures to T10 and 12 which occurred when I went down a slide with my granddaughter. I had radiation to those spots to relieve the excruciating pain that it was causing. I was barely walking and was sleeping in a recliner chair because I couldn’t get in and out of bed by myself. It took a couple of months after that for full pain relief from that fracture, but I still have multiple lesions that give me pain. I still am on a fentanyl patch and Dilaudid for pain but it is controllable rather than excruciating. I am very careful about lifting things and doing anything that might result in a fall, although my husband might argue that I’m not careful enough. Good luck on having that pain diagnosed. It’s hard to hurt without relief. Hugs, Elaine

[Hidden]

Hi Sandra and Lynn

Sorry to hear your fractures are giving you so much trouble. Sorry if I am teaching you to suck eggs, but I deal with patients with similar fractures from Osteoporosis and my advice is either silky sheets or nightgown for ease of movement in bed (careful not to slip out!), pillows to lie in a tilted position for a bit more comfort, when turning in bed keep hip and shoulder in alignment to avoid rotation which increases pain (probably won’t affect you with posterior rib fractures), fold a towel lengthways and wrap it around your rib cage - with the ends at the front (or laid out on the bed). By crossing the ends and gently pulling you can support the rib cage during turning or coughing. You might want to change the angle of pull in your case - try the ends at one side which will pull the posterior section together rather than gapping it. We provide equipment (through the nhs) for beds such as a pillow lift and mattress elevator which electronically raise these areas which can help with relieving pain during movement. However they are metal frames so need some padding unless you wear a brace (usually given for thoracolumbar junction fractures or multiple fractures).

As I said, sorry if you knew all this, but might be of help to some others

Clare x

[lynnhbtb in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the this great information!

[lynnhbtb]

THanks Elaine. Sounds like you're managing it as best you can. Best of all to you! Lynn

[Itisfinished]

I had a tumor in my lower spine pressing on two vertebraes and got to the point that I couldn't stand up straight and my feet and legs were going numb. I was rushed to the er and ended up having major spinal surgery to remove tumor and repair the vertebraes. I was in the hospital for 6 weeks. I have had to learn to walk again along with everyday living. They did do radiation on the area which has slowed down the healing. I now have to have a brace on at all times except when I am laying down. It has been a difficult journey but I am grateful to be alive. They said I had mets in my spine and neck along with other places. The neck fracture they weren't worried about so hopefully its healing I will know after my 3rd cycle which I will start next week. I have had a ton of pain but they have me on pain management and that has helped. I am praying the bone shot, Letrozole and Ibrance are going to shrink and stop everything. However pain doesn't always mean cancer.

[lynnhbtb]

Thank you for your reply. You've really been through a lot, yet keep a great attitude. Such a great example for all of us. I do hope the radiation continues to help you and the other mets shrink even more. We're so used to the cancer diagnosis that we can remember pain doesn't always equal cancer.

That said, I got rear-ended a few years ago and just figured my neck pain was from that, but later found out it was a met in my C-spine. Go figure.

All the best to you!