Stage Iii Breast Cancer Treatment

Here is the story .. Phase III metastatic breast cancer. Finished chemo three months ago, finishing radiation, Herceptin still on. Previous neck and back, gradually deteriorating over the years. former athlete and I'm used to walking and running. Since the chemo, I had horrible joint pain. treated with steroids without success. Now that the chemo is finished the oncologist thinks I'm BS'ing pain. The bone scan is the degeneration in the knees and ankles. But didn't mention ad neck back. It hurts all the time - everywhere. Each joint including fingers. neck and back is the worst ever. I fight so much pain that my life is completely sedentary, I wake up several times a night in pain, primary care, an oncologist and a radiologist everyone is passing the buck. only primary health care will prescribe Lortab for me this is not the answer because they make me sick. What can I do? Why am I wrong, what he does and what I can do to stop it?

20 women in my support group of breast cancer, all have had varying degrees of bone and joint pain during and after chemotherapy. Many of us had finished chemotherapy a year ago and are still grappling with these issues.

Doctors are not unpleasant, but often if they do not have statistics showing that some side effects occurring during clinical trials in a certain percentage of patients, they are reluctant to attribute the effect to chemo (Herceptin, Tamoxifen, etc).

Thus, the bottom line is, even if they recognize what diff would it make. I would have the primary care physician to help you. It was probably caused by the chemotherapy (IMHO) and if so, the effect could take several years to go (if ever). (This is my chemo nurses.)

Yes, I know I have joint and muscle pain, but it is generally better at week 2 and 3. I am on carboplatin, Herceptin and Taxotere (Taxotere Abraxane was changed after an allergic reaction to Taxotere)

I would like to change oncologists if you have now is not to listen.

The chemo gave me joint pain ... I would not be able to help your physical pain, I help thousands of cancer patients every day ... So if you look down please visit:

http://www.thecancersmile.com/home.html

Keep smiling ...

PLEASE if you feel good enough FIND another doctor. Sorry i have a doctor. I have a doctor who told me to return in a year. It does nothing if I'm on deaths door.

Well ... It seems that there are more things here than cancer. If you have had back and neck injuries in the past, it is undoubtedly contribute to the pain because of the weakened state of body. Also, I know that a side effect of chemotherapy at least one drug is bone pain ... I've had before, I do not remember what medication. Sage 4 and I have metastases everywhere in my bones. When I had bone pain, it was pretty bad in my foot where I had a scar crack of injury one year earlier.

As for joint pain everywhere, finding a doctor who specializes in this. In the meantime, ask your doctor about a prescription fentanyl patches. It is a painkiller that you wear on your skin that you never repeat three or four days. I have the lowest dose and it relieves my hip terrible joint pain and other area that I feel the form of cancer. It is quite powerful, and has side effects that you do not like, but deal with it, especially if nothing else seems to help.

You can tell them that you heard of a stage 4 patients [me]. Good luck.

You did not mention if you are under hormone treatment, or what you have received chemotherapy. Taxanes (paclitaxel (Taxol) and docetaxel (Taxotere), both can cause muscle and joint pain is acute, but rarely long term.