Could I have bone mets?
 

I have bone pain in both thigh bones (femurs) and sometimes my hips hurt. Is this how bone mets are first felt? I've got a call into my oncologist. I was just there in July, and had all blood work done and CA27 29 done. All results were fine. Please all you members that had her2 and then got bone mets, please respond.
I hope there is another explanation.......

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

Helen,

I don't have bone mets but have had the usual scares and lots of scans since my own dx in '05, the usual rule of thumb is that any pain or symptom lasting more than 2-3 weeks needs to be investigated, I find by the day before I'm due to call my Onc the pain goes lol..its probably nothing but a scan can put your mind at ease but its best not to have too many of those either. I spent two months a few years ago having lots of scans and then waiting for the spot to grow so it could be biopsied, instead it disappeared!:)

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

My mets are in liver, not bone. However, I have had pain in my hips, thighs and knees and back since my initial treatment. In fact, that is how my liver mets were found - I had a bone scan looking for why my back was hurting, which showed nothing so my oncologist did a CT. Even though we weren't looking at the liver, it showed up.

It took a while to discover the reasons, but my back hurts because of the recon and mastectomy which have caused muscle spasms in my chest that affect my back. (I can't feel it in the chest). It is hard to tell the difference between muscle and bone pain when it's lower back. No explanation for thighs and knees but I no longer wear heels because of the strain.

I don't know why oncologists don't warn patients that bone pain is a probability post cancer treatment. I see it and hear about it so often - they must too! Especially for those on estrogen blockers or who have gone into menopause because of treatment.

These treatments we do are very toxic, especially on our blood, and problems can crop up but it doesn't mean a relapse. Aching is so common that there has to be an explanation - blood marrow working OT after chemo maybe? I don't know, that's just a guess.

I also think we are more susceptible to normal wear and tear. So maybe you did something that strained your muscles or body in some way that you didn't realize. Either way, if it lasts it needs to get it checked. I'm glad you called your doctor but of course, the cycle of worry begins. I hope he reassured you.

My guess - I think since you are feeling it in both sides it is unlikely to be mets. Bone mets usually isn't even.......for whatever that is worth. Because of my online presence I hear a lot of stories but I'm not a doc and I could be wrong.

Please let us know what the doctor says and *big hugs* to you.

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

Thanks Ann and Tricia for your encouraging words. I drive almost 300 miles for my oncologist appointments (in AZ), so she suggested that I call my primary care doctor and get in to see her asap, so she can give orders to write a script for a bone scan here in NM. My oncologist notes from my July appointment say that I have no symptoms, no complaints, and all blood work was normal. So, insurance would not approve a bone scan until symptoms were noted during an office visit. So, first thing Monday, I will call for an appointment with my primary care physician. Hopefully, by Friday, I'll have a bone scan. If something is found, I'll be back for treatment in AZ. and so it goes......

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

Hi Helen,

I seem to have the same symptoms as you. My lower back, hips and upper thighs hurt terribly. My onc ordered a bone scan and CT 3 months ago but all it showed was a lot of degenerative disease. My primary physician has ordered a couple anti inflammatory drugs but they haven't helped and hurt my stomach. He would do injections but I have so many places that hurt that I don't know where he would begin. Pain is not going away but getting worse. So I see my onc in a couple of weeks so will see what he has to say. I think the chemo damaged something or it is my Arimidex I'm on that is causing the pain but who knows? I do know before I had the bone scan and CT that I was afraid of bone mets so I know how you are feeling. You take care and I hope your scans turn out okay.

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

Helen do remember that a bone scan shows everything and not just bone mets, arthritis and even old injuries can cause hot spots, in my case it was followed by an MRI, Pet/ct that were all inconclusive, followed up two months later with repeat scans but nothing was found and hoping you have the same result.

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

During and after treatment I had terrible bone and joint pain, it got worse when I was on the herceptin only and then I started Femara and holy cow just when I thought it couldn't get worse it did. I started to take glucosamine and calcium and within 2 weeks I was almost pain free. Always check with your doctor first to make sure it is safe to take anything. I, like Coolbreeze hear this complaint a lot. If u need piece of mind get the scan, good luck and keep us posted.

Darlene

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

Hi,
I don't know what age you are but you could be experiencing arthritic pain. I am also living here in Las Cruces, NM and with the rains and rise in humidity and having had chemo, you might just feel that pain now when you didn't before...

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

I have bone mets - had them off the bat on first diagnosis. One in T10/11, and possibly one in my shoulder. I do have back pain (had that for a while, at least a year prior to diagnosis). And my hips occasionally hurt. However, I feel like the back pain got worse during and after chemo, so it's possibly a chemo side effect. I also have muscle pain in my arms and legs. I finished THP some weeks ago, restaging indicated "healing metastatic lesions"; now on Herceptin / Perjeta only.

In my case the back pain is not where the met is - back pain feels like it originates T4, and according to scintigram, CT and MRI, there's nothing on T4 (or thereabouts).

I have also been told that scinti shows any area of increased activity in the bone, which can be other things like degenerative issues etc...

I would go and have it checked out for peace of mind. It's likely nothing... Wish you luck for the scan!

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

Tricia, Cathy, and Catia..... I hope the bone scan shows nothing more than arthritic pain, and not mets. I am 61.... almost 62, so I guess it could be arthritis. I do walk 2 miles 6 days a week, and never have had pain. But at my age, I guess it could start.

Darlene, I do take calcium twice a day and have since I was 50, along with Vitamin D. I only took glucosamine during chemo.

I thought I was lucky with a Stage 1 diagnosis, even though I know that this cancer can jump to Stage 4 in an instant. Thanks for all your comments and concerns. I appreciate hearing from you all....

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

Helen,

Are you by chance taking a bisphosphonate like Boniva, Reclast, Zometa, etc?

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

Rhonda,
No I'm not..... That might explain bone pain, if I was....

Re: Could I have bone mets?
 

keep us posted Helen and sending good wishes to you!