Shoulder, neck and back pain?

Hello,

Hope all as well as can be.

I'm just wondering whether anybody else has experienced sudden onset of pain in these areas (see title). Since having covid over Christmas, about a week after being out of isolation I became aware of my left side aching (I do have bone mets showing healing in 1 rib on that side).

This pain is definitely getting worse and I can't get through a day with pain meds, it wakes me up in the early hours.

My most recent scan in January does not give an explanation to this sudden pain, showed reduction in disease not progression.

A few people I know who also had covid around same time are also saying they have aches and pains in the back or arms etc...so I'm I'm wonder whether that is the cause but I'm feeling it much more intensely due to mets.

I have been told by care team to just say and I can get stronger pain meds, I'm reluctant at min as I don't handle them well.

I'm really fed up with this pain and feel well apart from that.

Sorry to moan 😔.

Thanks in advance x

P.S current treatment regime is kadcyla 3 weekly. Letrozole daily, been taking since September 2020. Zometa 3 monthly. Adcal.

[JKMS]

Hi there - yes I have experienced something similar as well and in consequence have had scans out of synch to investigate, which have not shown anything (I am currently NEAD). They assume it may be a side of effect of Letrozole or not related to cancer at all as I do tend to notice it comes on when I am under stress about matters. Hope your pain ceases soon as, like you, I find it pretty distracting but I don’t like to take pain meds if I can avoid.

[neosha in reply to JKMS]

I have excruciating pain in my back. Luckily, it is not constant, but it does occur often. Sometimes I have to sit for relief. I have also had problems with pain in my legs. When describing the matter for intake to the nurse, she told me the problem was not my legs but my back. What I am going to suggest is that you get a strong back brace. It does help.

I found one on Amazon. They are not terribly expensive. Also, watch your posture. If you find yourself leaning over when you walk, check yourself. I t can easily happen. I know. But you do not want to fall into the habit of leaning over. If it hurts, sit or lay down for a while.

Good look, I will be pulling for you!!!

[Totheriver]

I have such terrible body aches when I am in bed. It wakes me up. Especially my legs. Does anyone else have that? When I get up it feels better.

[life8888 in reply to Totheriver]

Yea, my legs also suddenly ache at night. and get better when I get up. I'm almost 6 months on Xeloda, and I'm assuming it's related? Putting a pillow between the legs helps for hip pain. I also started taking magnesium because the charley horse cramps were getting too much for me, but sometimes it doesn't do the trick :(.

[Totheriver in reply to life8888]

Thanks for replying. I am on Ibrance. Magnesium gives me Bowel issues. I usually take a couple of extra strength Tylenol if it wakes me so I can get back to sleep for a bit.

[Hidden in reply to life8888]

I just came across this feed and seen that you are having muscle spasms I have recently been prescribed 10mg of Baclofen and I have had a significant decrease in spasms . Ask your dr it is a muscle relaxer and is working for me. Luann

[LibraryGeek]

I have not had covid but have had neck and shoulder pain which has been helped by an orthopaedic pillow, quite flat but with a dip in the middle for the head. I think my pain is from an old shoulder injury and was probably aggravated by me having a wedge propping me up in bed because of gastro-oesophageal reflux. Ah the litany of medical complaints….

Jackie

[life8888]

Does the pain change or go away if you stretch? I've been having pain too, but fortunately it seems to go away with moderate exercise and certain stretches that my physical therapist gave me. I assume if it goes away it's muscle instead of bone pain? I also noticed more neck discomfort after switching to xgeva every 3 months instead of monthly. I just had my xgeva, and the pain disappeared. Do you also notice if the pain changes depending on how many weeks have passed since your Zometa?

[Hidden in reply to life8888]

Yes I have been doing stretching and feel the pain isn't so overwhelming during the stretch. I swing between feeling like it's muscle pain but then other times think that it is bone so it's just musculoskeletal I guess.I've just had my zometa on Tuesday which is 3 monthly so I don't know if that's increased the pain this time as it has gotten worse this week.

Thanks for replying x

[life8888 in reply to Hidden]

I'm glad to hear stretching is helping! Maybe seeing a physical therapist might be good? It kinda forces you to do moderate exercise, which is always good for people in our situation! Although it can be hard to find one who understands our condition. I also get bone aches and tooth aches when I get xgeva, but it tapers off over the course of a few weeks. It's so hard to tell what is causing what, but the particular tooth ache only happens the first week after getting xgeva, so I'm pretty sure that's what's happening in my case.

[Nature613]

Hi Cazlav, I’m sorry you’re having this increased pain. That’s great that your scans show healing! I was having terrible back pain in the thoracic and lumbar areas . My scans were stable for disease. But still terrible pain . Ice helped a little. I made an appointment with an oncology orthopedic surgeon. She looked at the scans and explained that the pain is related to degenerative disease as well as areas that had metastatic disease that are stable now but left my bones damaged and weakened. She prescribed 200 mg of advil as needed and Physical Therapy. I’m starting to feel better. I hope you get this resolved soon. Best wishes.

[Gramat]

Hi, I am having arm and shoulder pain for2 months now. My Pet in March was NEAD and tumour markers are within the normal range. I have mets in my t9 which was treated with radiotherapy and I am on Ibrance and Letrozole. I am concerned re progression

[Gramat]

How is your pain now?