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Emmay · 06-01-2009, 06:59 PM

Hi,
I agree with Bill; my sister has been on the steroid Decadron on and off over the past 5 years, and it definitely weakens the muscles, and recovering strength can take a while even after the steroid is no longer being taken.

Does your Mom have any pain as she tries to walk? My sister was experiencing increased pain in her upper right leg and hip area, until she could no longer walk. X-rays of her pelvis and femur came back negative for a break or any disease, and a lumbar puncture also came back negative for any cancer cells. Her neuro-oncologist said x-rays aren't entirely reliable, so she ordered a CTscan, which showed that my sister had a non-displaced fracture in the upper socket area of her right hip. She'd had a slight fall a couple of weeks earlier, and didn't feel anything more than a minor bruise initially, but the pain grew gradually over time. Now that my sister's been diagnosed properly, she's been getting the bed rest and physical therapy she needs, and is starting to slowly recover.

I hope this is not what's happened to your Mom, but it would be worth getting her checked out thoroughly so she can get the right therapy.

06-01-2009, 06:59 PM	#9
Emmay Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 66	Hi, I agree with Bill; my sister has been on the steroid Decadron on and off over the past 5 years, and it definitely weakens the muscles, and recovering strength can take a while even after the steroid is no longer being taken. Does your Mom have any pain as she tries to walk? My sister was experiencing increased pain in her upper right leg and hip area, until she could no longer walk. X-rays of her pelvis and femur came back negative for a break or any disease, and a lumbar puncture also came back negative for any cancer cells. Her neuro-oncologist said x-rays aren't entirely reliable, so she ordered a CTscan, which showed that my sister had a non-displaced fracture in the upper socket area of her right hip. She'd had a slight fall a couple of weeks earlier, and didn't feel anything more than a minor bruise initially, but the pain grew gradually over time. Now that my sister's been diagnosed properly, she's been getting the bed rest and physical therapy she needs, and is starting to slowly recover. I hope this is not what's happened to your Mom, but it would be worth getting her checked out thoroughly so she can get the right therapy. __________________ Emmay - My sister's history: 6/03 Her2+,ER-PR-Breast Cancer, IIb, 7/03 lumpec. rt.brst 9/03 Begin chemo-AC+T 2/04 Mastectomy for local recurrence 3/04 Begin Herceptin, 5/04 Rad to mastec.site 9/04 Recurring Headaches=brain mets 10/04 Craniotomy #1 - rem. 3 br. mets, 11/04 WBR 2/05 Begin Lapatinib(Tykerb) Clinical Trial 5/05 Craniotomy #2 - remove largest brain mets 7/05 Stereotactic Radiation to 2-3 brain mets 10/05 - 3/07 CyberKnife Radiation Treatments for sm brain mets as they arose. Cont. Herceptin 5/07 Begin Temodar+Sorafenib for brain mets 2/08 Begin Tykerb(Lapatinib)+Xeloda for br. mets 5/08 MRI&Biopsy shows ext.new disease, some necrosis 5/08 Begin CPT-11(Irinotecan)+Avastin for br.mets 6/08-4/09 MRIs look great! cont. Herceptin 3/09 Stop CPT-11, brain CTclear-some nausea,backpain 4/09 Scans=pleura,liver,bone mets. New Rx Herceptin+Avastin+Xeloda 6/09 new Rx Carboplatin+Herceptin