Aching joints following Chemo

Hi Dubbs

Thanks for getting in touch with us. My name is  Tricia and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurses on the Macmillan Support Line.

It is good to hear that you have completed your treatment for colon cancer. I hope it went as well as it could do, and you have generally recovered well.

I am sorry you are still suffering from fatigue and hopefully that will improve in time. It will be important to let your hospital team know if you do feel that your tiredness is getting worst though as they may wish to assess that with blood tests.

It is difficult to say what the achy joints are caused by and whether related to the cancer treatment or not. Generally Oxaliplatin and capecitabine (Xelox) can cause similar short term problems while on the treatment but achy joints are not specified as a long term problem.

It is good that you have approached a health professional regarding your aching joints. There can be many other reasons for joint pain that are not cancer related also. Your GP can investigate this further with blood tests or further investigations.

You are likely to now be on a 5 year follow up after colon cancer treatment. Therefore, you will have access to a nurse specialist or Consultant if you have any concerns in this period. If you haven’t contacted them already, you could let them know about these symptoms also so they can assess regarding whether any relation to the previous cancer treatment or if need to be assessed by your GP only.

It can be difficult after having cancer treatment adjusting to what you have been through since diagnosis and can be helpful to look at living with & beyond bowel cancer  

 I hope you have support from family and friends. Some people find it is useful also to join forums where they can speak to others who have had the same cancer and there is one on the  Bowel Cancer UK forum and also the Macmillan bowel cancer forum.

You can also find support at a Maggie's Centre  if there is one local to you. If you ever feel it will be useful to have Macmillan Cancer Support specialist counselling   you can arrange it yourself through a self-referral  or through us on the Macmillan Support Line.

I hope this is helpful. Please don’t hesitate to get back in touch at any time.

Sending best wishes,

Tricia
Macmillan Cancer Information Nurse Specialist

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. 

Ref TT/BG