bone mets and pain...does it go away
 

I know I have been asking a lot of quest lately, but my mom (dx 2011) is finally wanting me to ask questions to the people who have/are going through breast cancer.

She has bone mets to the spine. She is still feeling some pressure/pain in the area. She wants to know if mets to bone will always have some pain.

Also....she is SO WORRIED that she will not ever feel better again. Please give me some words of wisdom I can share with her.

SHe told me tonight she was scared and that about broke my heart.
Thanks,
KG

Re: bone mets and pain...does it go away
 

KG,
There will probably always be some level of discomfort, but it won't necessarily be painful. For me, my bone mets stopped hurting within the first month of treatment, but my back is still alittle stiff in certain positions- ie sleeping on my stomach. But I live a totally pain free lifestyle- I can jog, bike, swim and have no pain. Hang in there- it will get better! And there are really great pain meds in the meantime.
Kristin

Re: bone mets and pain...does it go away
 

There's a woman in my survivor support group who is living with bone mets. Her pain comes and goes. For the most part she's pretty comfortable and goes on with her life. And How! She just planned and executed a big wedding for her daughter. Sometimes she complains that the pain is more intense. I know she takes an aromatase inhibitor. Not sure what else she takes.

Re: bone mets and pain...does it go away
 

I decided to re-visit this post as I had to switch therapies due to more bone progression. Now I'm on Tykerb and Herceptin and my bone mets are definitely more noticeable now. Grrrrr-
If I take tylenol or another over the counter NSAID, I get complete relief, but I hate having to take pills to feel normal. Part of it might be that I am running around after a toddler all day.
How's your mom feeling these days?

Re: bone mets and pain...does it go away
 

She feels exactly the same way. Her back hurts. She doesn't take anything for the pain because she feels that she is already taking too much medicine. I am sorry to hear the turn of events for you.

She is now just doing herceptin ev 3 weeks. No other meds besides zometa.

Keep me posted if you find any relief. How did you know the bone mets were progressing? Did they develop elsewhere?

KG

Re: bone mets and pain...does it go away
 

I am sorry to hear that your mom is still in pain and I highly recommend talking to her onc. about it. My pain from bone mets went away after 3 treatments and I was on Zometa until June of last year. There may be some pain meds that will take the pain away so she can start to feel like herself and slowly stop them after the pain has calmed down. I hate to say this, but we have to deal with the drugs and treatments for the duration and if the pain is keeping her from living her life to the fullest, then something needs to be done.
I go to the gym 3-4 times a week and ride the bike 9 miles, lift weights, and do stretching and yoga to get relief. It really helps to walk everyday. Start slow and work your way up to a 30 minute walk.
I hope she will talk to her doc. about this and I wish you both the best.
Emelie

Re: bone mets and pain...does it go away
 

Emilee,
Do you suggest any specific pain med?

Kim

PS Side effects?

Re: bone mets and pain...does it go away
 

I have pretty significant mets to my spine and sacrum, and a compression fracture in my spine from the cancer weakening the vertebrae. I was in considerable pain last January before I was diagnosed. My doc prescribed an MS Contin (Morphine sulfate), but it's a long-acting drug that builds up over time. I take it twice a day. I used to have to also take another pain med in between for break thru pain, but after a month on the MS Contin, I have no longer needed anything for break thru pain. I'm also on Zometa, and my bones have shown signs of healing over the last year, but with the fracture, I can't lift anything over 10 lbs. I live fairly pain-free as long as I don't try to lift anything too heavy or anything like that. I hate putting more meds in my system, but there's no way I could fight the battle I have been and still have to go without controlling the pain. Good luck to your mom in all of this! It's a tough road, but we just have to do whatever we can to get through! :-)

Re: bone mets and pain...does it go away
 

Hi. I'm a firm believer in pain meds. There is no reason a cancer patient should have to suffer with pain that will likely not go away on its own. And, if it does go away, than pain meds can be stopped. Cancer patients rarely become addicted to pain meds. Their body might become dependant but it's very easy to taper down and stop. It's addiction that causes the craving to take drugs, and that is a mental state.

Your mom is probably opiate-naive so she can likely take a low-dose of something that will help relieve her pain. I can't say what that would be. I personally, who have been taking opiates for a while, take 20 mg of oxycontin in the morning and at night. I'm allowed one in the afternoon too, don't always take it. I also take hyrdomorphone for breakthrough pain. The truth is that I would do nothing but sit in a hot bath all day if I didn't have these pain meds to help me function and sleep. I think your mom ought to consider it.

There is nothing heroic about living in pain when there is medicine that can help. Addiction is not a problem for Stage IV cancer patients.