The Elephant in the Room?

1 minute read time.

21 Feb 2010

In November of 2009 I had sciatica... or what I assumed was sciatica. I had a moan to my G.P. who (par for the course) did not examine me but prescribed Co-codamil and Naproxen. Her advice (ha ha) was, "Nothing I can do for you - go to a physio or something". Yeah... great...

Fast-forward to January 2010 and pain in leg/bum has moved to small of my back and, bearing GP's words in mind, I find a private physio. Physio poked and prodded and she starts torturing me... and I start doing exercises. I am a good and obedient patient but it still bl**dy hurts. I have days when I am in tears... I have days when I really don't want to get out of bed.

Fast forward to February 2010 - second annual post-surgery mammogram (hurts like hell because of broken skin) followed by chat with oncologist. Results of mammogram okay. (Hurrah) I mention persistent back pain... he does a double-take. I am booked for a bone scan on 10th March... another chat with oncologist on 18th March.

Meantime... I continue to exercises given to me by Physio. I sincerely hope this is 'old age'.... 'wear and tear'... but once cancer has entered your life you look at things differently.

My back problem annoys me... frustrates me... I can only hope the b*gger hasn't got something else in mind!

sue G over 15 years ago

Hi Kate

You were the first person to welcome me to this site when I wrote about having to have a bone scan.Hope that it turns out to be clear and that it is just old age as you say.

Will be thinking of you.

Sue xxxx
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FormerMember over 15 years ago

hi kate

best to get things checkedout eh?

your bound to worry - its prob cos you spend too much time sitting at your computer ;)

i keep gettin a pain in my shoulder .....rsi from this laptop!!!! im sure

dont let that physio torture you too much............

good luck with your scan

xNx
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FormerMember over 15 years ago

Everything crossed for you Kate . . . and keep doing those exercises!

Hugs, Kate xxx
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FormerMember over 15 years ago

Hi Kate,

Fingers crossed that your bone scan will be all clear. Your back pain may be nothing more than over compensating for Sciatica, I know how painful that is, and how badly it can make you limp.

It's obvious from your blog, that since your oncologist suggested having the bone scan, many scary thoughts have gone through your head, it's only natural, and I have no wish to add to them, but have you informed your physio about the bone scan, they may or may not want you to continue with the exercises until the results are known. Also if you see your GP again, it may be worth pointing out to her, that should any patient that has, or has had cancer, at any point in their life, present with extreme back pain, it should be taken seriously and they should be referred for the necessary investigations without delay. This is printed in every piece of literature on cancer that I have read.

I have agonised over writing this, as the last thing I want to do is scare you, but please hun, don't let them fob you off until you have an explanation for your back pain. Hopefully it will be nothing more than creaky bones which seem to come to all of us as we get older.

Take care hun, all the best for a good outcome.

M. XX
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FormerMember over 15 years ago

Aw Kath, how scary. Back pain is always horrid, but with the added worry that is could be something else will only make you more tense, and that can make it worse. Thinking of you and wishing good thoughts for you.

Sadly I have not yet discovered the magic formula to make worry go away, I'm working on it and you can be my first guinea pig. Meanwhile, if you want to talk you know where I am

love and gentle hugs

Sharry xx
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