Regular Back Ache or Mets to the Spine?

I have been experiencing a backache for about a week. I'm trying not to overanalyze every ache or pain, but this one seems to be lingering a bit longer. I should preface this by stating that I've been lifting weights recently (twice last week), exercising a lot more, and I have a toddler that has now reached 30lbs who was sick last week. Despite this, I'm a bit concerned. If I really am fair about the pain (and not freaking out), I'd describe it as like the type of muscular pain you get when you have the flu. I had bone pain in connection with the shots I received when I was doing chemo (4 rounds of A/C) and what I'm experiencing right now doesn't feel like that. I also had my first dose of Herceptin on Friday (I finished chemo in January but due to the results of the clinical trials my doctor said I could go ahead with it now) which I'd like to attribute the pain to, but it started before that. I also started Arimidex about three and a half weeks ago, but other than a few extra hot flashes (I was already having them due to having my ovaries removed as my tumor was ER+/PR+ and I wanted to be eligible to take AI's). I was diagnosed as Stage I in September of '04, at which time I had a bone scan, a PET Scan, a CAT scan, an MRI of my breasts(my surgeon went a little test crazy as I was a total wreck at the time of diagnosis and pressed her to check everything) and a lumpectomy with a sentinel node biopsy, all of which showed I had no signs of metastasis (actually the PET scan showed some extra uptake in a lymph node which can often be a sign of metastasis to the lymph nodes, however these results are notoriously wrong, and all of my doctors agreed that the sentinel node biopsy in fact confirmed this was a false positive on the PET scan). Also, two weeks ago I had tumor marker tests run (routine 6 mo. post diagnosis test for my onc) and it came back normal. My onc has agreed to do a bone scan to put my mind at ease next week. Is it possible that the cancer has spread to my spine this quickly? Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I mentioned the fact that my daughter was sick not that I think I caught anything from her, but that she wanted to be carried around a lot more. I assume that if I was going to get what she had it would have surfaced by now. Thanks.

I reported any pain I had with my onc when I was stage II. I had bone scans and CAT scans and always neg. until one that turned out to be lung mets. My onc never questioned me and always did a scan just to be safe. Because of this, my lung mets were caught early while they were still small.

Listen carefully to your body, and follow your intuition. The longer you're in this crazy boat, the more you will get to know your body.

Unfortunately, yes, bone mets can appear quickly. I had a completely clean bone scan in June (I even remember the tech saying I'd live to be an old lady with arthritis) to bone mets from head to (almost) toe in August.

Be deligent. It sounds as though you have a great medical team who includes you as a bonafide team member. Consider yourself lucky.

Love and light,

Lisa

Could be the Arimidex that you said you just started. I started just before Thanksgiving of last year and by mid December started to experience alot of back pain that I attributed to wrapping too many Xmas gifts; however, the pain moved to the right thumb, of all places; and then to both of my hands and now I have aches and pains pretty much all over my body. Onc said this kind of pain usually subsides within the first year of starting the Arimidex. I'm not liking this Arimidex too much after being on Tamoxifen for almost 4 years with no side effects - I now feel like I have the flu at least a couple days a week and my GERD is so much worse than ever but I'm gonna try to stick it out. One more concern with this Arimidex, make sure you get a bone density study since Arimidex is not very bone friendly. I had a normal bone density study in August 2003 and just had another due to the start of Arimidex and my hysterectomy/oophorectomy in August 2004 and now I've got osteopenia already!!

Back pain could also be liver mets. I would get a CAT scan.
Good luck,
Al

Al mentioned back pain and liver. I, too, had a symptom of liver mets through a back ache. A pain up and under your right shoulder blade is one of the first signs of cancer in the liver. For months, I thought my pain was muscle related.

Keep us posted.

Love and light,

Lisa

HI- Does arimedex cause bone pain? I've been on it for 5 years. I have a lot of back pain but I thought it was my mattress. I am waiting for a bone marrow test. If it is 30% or less cancerous, then I can take this isotope and I begin Herceptin today. Is anyone here on drugs for bone cancer? God Bless- Cathy