I finished chemo almost 18 months ago, and over the past year, I have noticed that my upper arms feels like the muscles have shortened. When I touch my toes and let my arms hang down, it's painful and feels like they are being pulled and stretched. My range of motion is also limited, and I can't undo my bra from the back because I can't reach my hands up. I used to go to Bikram yoga where you put your arms over your head and press them against your ears, and I can no longer do that, and when I had a CT scan a few months ago, it really hurt to keep my arms back over my head, plus it's very painful to simply lie on the floor or my bed with my hands clasped behind my neck with my elbows out.
I force myself every day to stretch and pull and push them, but it's always painful and I have to stop. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this, or is it totally unrelated? I sailed through chemo with basically no side effects at all, and now this has occurred. I have my 3 month checkup in about 3 weeks and will ask the doctor, but when I briefly mentioned it about 6 months ago to the PA, whom I love, she was kind of stymied and didn't think it was related.
Has anybody else had this? Thank you!
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'Funky' upper arms
- By 3h
- Posted October 11, 2009 at 12:05 pm · 1 reply
- In Side effects of treatment
- Shared with the public
1 reply
- By gloriahouse
- Posted October 12, 2009 at 1:17 pm
- Report post
I had this too after my first set of cheemo.My dr and oncologist said it was not related. My dr sent me for physio and guy explained what happened to me arm. Something with the socket,he taught me exercises that helped a lot.Later he said it could have been bought on by the cheemo but not sure as this condition seems to come on without warning and can last up to a year.Mine lasted about 7 months then just like that it was gone.The exercises really helped a lot.Just the other day it came back so I am doing my exercises again and I may need to see the physio guy again for the other treatments he did as well. Like heat and massage machine.But I will wait a bit to see if it gets worse cause if not I will just do the exercises.So I would recommend you ask your dr to send you for physio and see if it helps..
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