radiation for painful shoulder

[Shafight]

My shoulder has been very painful for 2 months. My Onc suggested radiation to my shoulder. Has anyone had radiation because of painful Mets?

[NPmary]

I had radiation for painful, dissabling bone mets when 1st diagnosed with MBC it was a huge help, helped me live with this and function better. Don't worry if you don't have good effect right away it can take time to work. My own concern was getting the least effective dose so I could get radiation again down the road if I needed it and also to minimize side effects. Best to you, nothing easy about these decisions. 🌺 Mary

[Shafight in reply to NPmary]

Thanks. Nice to find people who have similar challenges

[bikebabe]

hello shafight. I guess it depends on cause of shoulder pain - if you have mets there then I can’t answer about benefits of radiation. Both my shoulders are so painful, right one from lumpectomy/ radiation and left one from total axilkary clearance/extracapsular spread 2 yrs ago that I struggle to function normally eg get dressed. I had a steroid injection in the right side which was magic and took 95% pain away in right shoulder but I’m not allowed to have injection in the left (dominant arm) which is more painful due to lymphoedema risks. So I have no idea what’s the plan is.

[Shafight in reply to bikebabe]

Bikebabe, I’m so sorry about your shoulders’. I too struggle to function I had to change my wordrobe from pullover tees to button down blouses Yes, my pain is from Mets in my shoulder

[bikebabe in reply to Shafight]

Sorry to hear about mets in your shoulders and hope the treatment works.

[SwedishSissi]

I had radiation for my hip. It had been very painful and I had problems walking and climbing stairs. After the radiation it was even more painful for the first 2 weeks or so, then it gradually went away and after about a month I could almost run to the bus and the pain was completely gone. I can now walk up several flights of stairs without even holding on to the handrail

[Shafight in reply to SwedishSissi]

I’m so glad it’s better now. Glad you told me about two weeks to recover!

[love2golfwell]

I had radiation to two different bone mets but I had not been experiencing pain in either one. They were very small but my oncologist and the radiation oncologist suggested radiating them before they caused problems. It was targeted radiation, so 5 doses to each area. The first area was in the ischium which I guess is your sit bone. After those treatments I did have some tenderness in my sciatic nerve which went away in about a week or so after treatment but then it was fine. The radiation sessions were only about 15 to 20 minutes each and I did not have any other side effects. The two areas were not visible on scans after having these treatments done. I hope the treatments will help your shoulder to feel better and. allow you more mobility. Sending you hugs and prayers.

[Shafight in reply to love2golfwell]

Thank you!

[Totheriver]

I had radiation on my spine for pain when I first started my mbc journey. It did work and minimal side effects.

[Roarlion]

I have had radiation to my pelvis, femur and shoulder. For me, radiation eradicated the pain. My oncologist told me that a lot of radiation can affect how quickly your white count comes back after chemo. I have had many chemos and that has not been a problem. Staying functional is very important with this disease . This tool helped me very much.

[Shafight in reply to Roarlion]

Wow. Good news

[Warrior77]

Hi there. I had radiation on my hip due to debilitating pain from mets. I was in a wheelchair and couldn’t walk, taking heavy duty painkillers because the pain was so bad. After the radiation, I stopped the painkillers and was able to walk again. Now I walk an hour a day and walk in 5ks on the weekend with no pain. My only side effect from the radiation is muscle stiffness in the area that was radiated. I chalk that up to being immobile (unable to walk) when I got the radiation. If you can keep the muscles active, then the muscle stiffness is not as noticeable. Radiation definitely was a game changer for me! I hope that helps.

[Biewer]

Hi Shafight,

I had radiation for the painful mets on the bone of my upper arm more than a year ago. The pain went away couple of weeks after the radiation, and didn't come back yet.

[PJBinMI]

I had radiation and would not be afraid to have it again! I was quite a few years into living with MBC, bone mets only at diagnosis. Never pain from mets. The rads were 4-6 years ago, my memory for those details isn't good, but I remember the rad onc being good at explaining what was going to be done. I had 10 sessions of rads to an area with alot of nerves, and cancer cells had invaded those and were causing problems with my coordination. I had some redness and tenderness and the rad nurses gave be advise about a cream that works well and it did. Then a week or so later I has stereotactic radiation for a small met on the surface of the right cerebellum. That was a fascinating experience! The session for planning details was much much longer than the actual radiation. I'd say that from the time I walked from the waiting room into the treatment room, got zapped, and walked out again was less than 10 minutes! I don't know if all radiation departments are organized the same way, but to get to the treeatment room, I had to walk thru a room full of computers that are involved in radiation and learned that several would be active in my treatment! I've not had trouble with either of the areas that were radiated. Hope you have such good results, too. For me, focusing on the process helps keep me calm about these procedures.

[Widdershins3]

I had to have radiation to my right scapula last year and it got rid of the persistent pain from the lesion there. But not immediately--I think it took a week--2 at most. And IIRC, it actually hurt more right afterward, but that pain faded and I was pain-free very soon. Definitely worth it and I'll ask for it again if I get another bone mets site that's hurting.

And I too had the amazing stereotactic computer controlled radiation treatment for some tiny brain tumors--I hadn't realized that I still had my old claustrophobia until they bolted on the rigid, very tight plastic mesh mask though. So next time I need it, I'll tell the doctor about it and see if he can prescribe an anti-anxiety pill to be taken beforehand.

[Shafight]

thanks to everyone!

[sancarlos]

Yes, twice. Once on sternum in 1996 and again in 2018, in different sites. I have always responded well with radiation. Good luck.

[Dragonfly2]

thank you for asking this great question about how radiation can help, Three years ago it helped me to walk again, play golf and be as normal as possible. Recent pain in my hips and back has caused me to seek more radiation but I first had to schedule an MRI to help radiology identify the best areas. Tomorrow is the big day for the MRI…I have fingers crossed that this will help resolve the pain issue. I’ll be happy if steroid injects work also!

Best of luck on your bid to get help for a painful shoulder. Don’t hesitate to make noise and get the help you need. 🙌🙌🙏

[Shafight]

hope it works out

[DorisGarrett]

My primary Mets was to my shoulder. The tumor had actually broken my shoulder bone. I thought I had torn my rotator cuff. Had radiation for pain and to tumor. It’s been 8 years. Still a little compromised but otherwise good. Best of luck to you!