Shoulder Pain

• By Rose2
• Posted July 10, 2008 at 10:31 am

Yes, I have had the shoulder pain. My oncologist thought it might be cancer in the bone, and ran test. Nothing showed up.
The pain continually got worse....and upon going to my gyn onc in Madison WI.....I mentioned the pain to him and he suggested I come back and have them do a MRI. Which I did and it showed the tear and tissue that was inflamed. No reason for the tear. Chemo related??? ....has been the question here too.
I had my surgery April 30th. I am currently have therapy....and still having pain in my shoulder and arm but not as bad as before surgery.

I just got my sling off a couple of weeks ago. It has been a long 8 weeks, espescially with both me and my husband being in late stages of cancer. It was quite a sight to see....my husband on chemo.....and me in a sling etc. But God has been faithful and we made it thru this part of our journey. And with God's grace we will continue to go on thru this cancer journey. God Bless!

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• By MaryW
• Posted July 17, 2008 at 2:26 pm

Thank you, Rose! I hope both you and your husband continue to heal. I did have a bone scan done - forturnately nothing showed up! I am on physical therapy which seems to be helping the frozen shoulder part of pain.

Wishing you well on this journey. God Bless. Mary W

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• By suemac
• Posted July 22, 2008 at 10:23 pm

Hi Mary,

Could you describe how your shoulder problem came about? I finished chemo at Easter and have been golfing since May. This week after every tee off, I felt a sharp stabbing pain in my non dominant shoulder. Now it's hard to even lift my arm or sleep. I was hoping I just pulled a muscle. But now I wonder.

Sue

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• By suemac
• Posted July 22, 2008 at 10:27 pm

Rose,

How long did you have the pain before it was diagnosed by MRI? Could you describe it a bit more? I am having similar problems.
Sue

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• By Rose2
• Posted July 22, 2008 at 11:06 pm

My shoulder problem started while I was on chemo. (My Chemo was in 07 ......January thru April.) But at that time I just had a lot of aches in my bones and joints. It continually got owrse. In December "07 my husband was in ICU. And that is when The pain became severe. I could not sleep, nothing made the pain any better. I could not lift my right arm or use it. They started to run tests, thinking maybe cancer in the bones. Altho I do not think it is typical for OVC to spread to the bones. Nothing showed up on the bones scan nor the xrays. It was not until I went to Madison to my ONYGNC that he recommended coming back and requesting a MRI .
That is what showed the tear and the tissue that was inflamed. They are not sure why or what caused it. I still have pain in my bones and joints. ANd shoulder. But at least I can use it now.
I have read posts by other ladies who had chemo. And ended up with shoulder problems. I/m not sure if it was on this site or not.
Ladies , if you are having joint pain, bone pain or shoulder pain....please comment.

How is your cancer doing??

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• By Vic
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 12:44 am

Hi Rosie,

Can you tell me how long the chemo staved off the cancer before it showed up again? I just finished 18 months of chemo and am wondering what will happen in the future.

I had 3C, too.
Vickie

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• By Rose2
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 1:04 am

Vic, I was diagnosed the end of November 2006. And had the surgery and was dx with stage IIIC then. The surgery was quite extensive. Then I had the Chemo from January to the end of April in ' O7.
Upon the testing I had done before my shoulder surgery (which I just had done April 30, "08).......that is when they found the cancer in my lymph nodes. But because of the extensive pain....we decided to stop treatments for cancer and proceed with the shoulder surgery.
I need to claarify, they did not find cancer in my shoulder, but a tear and inflamed tissue...which they think is from the chemo. But I do not think I will ever know for sure if that is the case or not. Just strange, that the pain started right after my chemo began in January '07.
I will continue with the ONC as soon as the orthopedic surgeon releases me. So I don't know what to expect either.
Vic, I used to be a real worrywart. I am amazed at the peace God has given my husband and me thru this cancer journey.
Fill us in with what is going on with you.

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• By Rose2
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 1:09 am

Mary W. I am glad the therapy is helping you.l have therapy in the morning. It is wonderful the difference therapy can make.....I think exercise...in general is a huge benefit to our bodies. Someone mentioned how hard it is to get moving in the mornings...but that after exercise....it is less painful.!!! =) With God's help we will get thru this too!

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• By mamafrog33
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 9:59 am

I will pray for you and your husband! I am a 6 year survivor, who is dealing with reoccurance that I caught early...Thank God! If you need someone to talk to, just email!

Hugs, crystal!

mamafrog33@bellsouth.net

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• By suemac
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 10:31 am

Thanks for the details, Rose. You have had more challenges than most and still take the time to help others. Good role model! I am in remission with a clean CAT and ca125 holding at 3, since treatment ended in March - stage IIIc with one lymph node involved. I also celebrate 5 years as a breast cancer survivor this October.

Actually feel well and riding bike 8 miles a few times a week, golfing and gardening. I'm 59, so I know I've got aches and pains from that, but not from chemo anymore. A friend just brought over some lidocaine patches to use for golf league tonight. Vicodin gives me projectile vomiting.

By being able to do the things I've always loved, I feel more healed and tonight I play with my best friend from college days. Don't want to be robbed of that special experience.

Good luck to your and your special guy,
Sue

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• By MaryW
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 2:31 pm

Hi Sue,
My shoulder pain started in an unusual way. I had contrast dye that infiltrated during a CT and I had severe pain in the shoulder every time they tried to inject some of the dye. And no one is still really sure if there is even a connection between the two.

The tear in the shoulder labrum may actually be an old injury(?). the therapist isn't sure because I can move my arm much more than he would expect and I don't have the 'sharp, stabbing pain' he expected. I remember injuring my arm once, but I don't remember which one!

So, I would suggest getting it checked out, Sue. It is too easy to get a frozen shoulder when one has pain.
Good luck.
Mary

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• By verlinda
• Posted July 25, 2008 at 2:05 am

I had frozen shoulder a few years ago--way before cancer. I'm not sure how it started, but don't let any pain go too long without getting it checked out. In my case, we never really knew what started it, but I waited until I couldn't raise my arm enough to pledge the flag at school. I ended up with anti-inflamatory meds and eight weeks of physical therapy. I had some fairly severe short-lived pain during chemo--mostly in my legs.

I do have some really severe joint pain in my right hip and leg now--Dexascans show osteopenia-stage before osteoporosis which runs in my family. I don't know whether it's age (nearly 55) or aftermath of chemo. My PA says it shouldn't be from chemo.

How are you doing now?

Blessings.

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• By Rose2
• Posted July 25, 2008 at 9:54 am

Suemac, Sounds like you are doing good. Praise the Lord.
We all need to keep active. You are such an encouragement in that area. God Bless You.

PS We are on our way to the oncologist. My husband has an appointment with him and then a zometa treatment to strengthen his bones. ((HUGS))

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• By Rose2
• Posted July 25, 2008 at 9:58 am

mamafrog33, thank you for you kind posting. It is always a blessing to have someone out there to go to. Thank you!

How did they find your reoccurance? Pain?
((HUGS)) ...I'm on my way to an appointment for my husband. He has been having more pain in his neck where the cancer has also matastisized to. We will see what the Dr says today.

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• By m1n1b1n2g1
• Posted July 28, 2008 at 7:23 pm

I have had pain in my shoulder for a year or so. It didn't hurt right after the chemo, so it might be from a fall that I had a year and a half ago. I don't want surjury, so i am going to tell my oncologist about it. I don't have any trouble lifting kids at work. it hurts when i raise it up a certain way.only. The doctor put me on naproxen. It almost made me have an accident when i took it. no more pain killers margaret

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