Aches and pains

Make sure she has plenty of vitamin D3. So easy to get depleted when you are indoors for so much of the time. Ask you doctor for a generous dose (1000IU) or get it yourself. It won't do any harm if you don't need it, but don't stay on a high dose forever without medical consultation.

Before my relapse, I was recommended to take Vitamin D3 because I was depleted and had muscle ache in my thighs, it worked wonders. It was stopped while I was in hospital last time and the ache came back and was eventually so bad I was confined to bed. Once back on a high dose it went within a day or two. Magic.

Some tablets are measured in micrograms which I find a bit confusing to compare, but I think 25 micrograms is same as 1000IU.

Tessa

Hi Nick, different blood cancer, different treatment but pains in my legs, arms and other areas lasted for a good year post treatments. The Vit D3 is important along with some regular activity.

I went to a cancer specific circuits class at my local Maggie’s Centre this this made a lot of difference as I was very inactive during that first year

Macmillan do the 'Move More' class - check to see if you have any Local Macmillan Support in your area.

Hello

I also advise that Vit D is worth looking into but must only be taken under Doctors/consultants supervision (I would recommend speaking to her consultant as GP's don't know much about this I find).  it can become toxic if levels are not monitored, so anyone on it needs to have regular bloods to check levels.  I know this partly because I am prescribed it by my consultant and also because I am a pharmacy technician so am aware of what to be careful of.  

Most people in the UK have low Vit D because of lack of sunshine but patients recovering from leukaemia have even lower levels.  I am on a really high dose because my body struggles to retain it after my treatment and even then my levels are 'sub optimal'  The chemo and leukaemia has damaged the bone marrow indefinitely, hence I too have aches and pains... my hips are particularly bad.  I have found Vit D to help, not get rid of, but I have this on the advice of my consultant. 

I also take zinc, magnesium and collagen.

For me after 4 years I still have aches and pains and so do a lot of people I know.  Therefore I try to eat as well as I can, exercise to strengthen my muscles and so on.    

You will probably find that your GP will not know as much as you or your consultant about all this, mine doesn't.  As the chemotherapy is aimed at your bone marrow as well as the cancer itself in the bone marrow it does mean there is damage in a lot of cases.

I hope this is helpful

Anna