[Laurel]

Cher (kiwi girl),

We all have these nagging aches and pains off and on that tend to really worry and frighten us, but the majority of the time they prove to me nothing. Naturally, we cancer survivors always think the worse! That chronic paranoia is part and parcel with the survivoring because we know that the shoe can drop at anytime. There are no guarantees.

Oddly enough, though the side effect of achy joints and bones seem to be more prevalent with the A.I.s, I found tamoxifen to be a good producer of those same complaints. I also encourage you to explore the etiology of the pain with your onc. When my pain increases (my back and left hip flare frequently) I can nearly always find a causative agent in my posture. The most innocent positions can pain me for days!

I had chronic pain in my hip for months and only was able to put the worry to rest with a bone scan. I suggest you pursue something of that nature with your Onc. I also recommend Glucosamine/Condroitin/Msm twice daily. Keep your bones strong with a minimum of 1200mg of Calcium daily as well as Vit D. I have found that I require 5000U of Vit D daily to keep me between 50-70 on my Vit D levels which I have drawn quarterly.

Hang in there and welcome to the site! Your country is so beautiful!