Groin pain after treatment

Hi 

I too have terrible hip, pelvis and lower back pain. I’m four months post treatment. I do have fibromyalgia and had ‘mild’ arthritis in my right hip before I was diagnosed with this cancer. I say mild but it was very painful. 
My oncologist is very good and sent me for another hip X-ray as my gp wasn’t really helpful. The arthritis has worsened a lot. My gp since agreed to refer me to orthopaedics at last. 
Im due my three month scan results soon so I’ll be interested to see if it shows anything pelvis related. 
I hope you get some answers from your scan too. Have you got a specialist nurse at the hospital you can contact? 
x

I am also experiencing low back and hip pain and I am 3.5 months out from treatment. My ligaments and muscles are much tighter than before treatment ( I'm a yoga teacher & was always bendy before). My 3 month MRI showed a new bone lesion in my left illius which could be from the radiation. Before the scan, I noticed my left hip was much more sore & I'm much weaker on that side. It's logical that the radiation has affected your arthritis and I'm so sorry. 

Pelvic bone & tissue issues from the radiation is well documented in the research papers but wasn't discussed by my docs.

Most female patients are in their 60's- just the time for osteoporosis and arthritis to show up! My nutritionist said to focus on calcium & vitamin D like never before. The oncology PA said I'd probably need to get on a bone med like Fosamax. Strength training ( arggg!) should be in the plan as well. Joint replacement surgeries may be in our futures. 

Another side effect we need to stay on top of. I keep reminding myself it's the price I'm paying to beat this cancer and stay alive. Definitely get referred to an orthopedic specialist. 

I just wish the docs would be more proactive and informative about all this. 

Hi A bet,

I totally agree about this. My muscles and ligaments are much tighter after treatment (I am 8 weeks out), and I am still struggling with nerve pain I developed during treatment. Like you, I was not warned about these kind of side effects by my oncologist.

I'm glad for this post thread to illustrate these issues and wish I had some guidance from my care team about what I should be doing to try to mitigate these side effects (e.g., supplements, exercise, etc). Any advice from others is welcome!

And last bit, you are so right about this being the price we pay to beat the cancer and stay alive. Thanks for your great post. Xx

Thank you all..

I'm going to raise this with oncologist on Tuesday.. there has to be more to life that having constant pain..

Keep your fingers crossed for me .. im praying the cancer has gone xx

Hi A bet,

Yes, thank you for your great post. Really informative and helpful.

 I have learned from this thread that these issues are not uncommon, which has been useful as it’s quite frightening to suddenly develop such pain out of the blue a few months post treatment. In my personal experience there has been no guidance or advice on managing this other than heavy duty pain killers which impact on life in a very unpleasant way and I would much prefer to avoid. As a woman of 63 I am probably a prime candidate for the other stuff to show up!

 I absolutely agree that if it’s the price we pay for the cure then so be it but it’s really helpful to know about the Calcium and vitamin D. I really want to be proactive about this so will look into strength training too. 

As you are a yoga teacher I imagine this has been very challenging for you. 
Thank you again for sharing your insights.

xx

Hi Squeak,

Absolutely everything crossed for a good outcome for you. You have had such a difficult time in the last few weeks and the waiting must feel endless. 
Rooting for you so much xx

Hi Poppydays2 , you should be able to self refer into physiotherapy, this has definitely been the best thing for me, the exercises I was given help release my sciatic nerve & stretch out my back & hips, I was also given exercises to help strengthen my thigh muscles & the muscles around my hips. 

Nicola 

Sorry to hear you too have had this pain. My mother is the one with anal cancer - not me - but she had pelvic radiotherapy in October and in January developed spinal fractures caused by the radio that have left her sobbing with the kind of pain you describe, and for most of the last 5 months she has been unable to walk except to hobble across the room to the loo or on a good day around the house. She now has a stick and a wheelchair.

Interventions that have been helpful have been:

Mri to detect the fractures 

Bone density scan to assess future vulnerabilities 

A cementoplatsy (injection of cement like substance into the spine to fill the fractures - was done under sedation and gave relief within days) 

Change of meds to include gabopebtin and celicoxib to treat nerve pain. This accompanies the usual long acting morphine + oramorph.

I can’t say she’s doing well yet but I can say the interventions have all helped a bit and we are having to keep pushing because no one seems to quite realise how horrendous the nerve pain can be! 

Good luck with getting it under control. X

Hi HopefulOne,

I am so sorry that your poor Mum is struggling like this post treatment. I’m glad to know that there have been some positive interventions to try and improve her pain and mobility although as you say, you’re not quite there yet. Sounds as if it’s been awful for her. Losing mobility and being in constant pain is a huge impact on life.

Your post is really helpful and thank you so much for sharing.

I’m trying everything at the moment, and doing daily self directed physio exercises from an NHS app, and have just had CT and MRI so waiting for results. Initial spinal MRI in March showed significant stenosis and nerve compression but no fractures. Nerve pain really is something else isn’t it. It is unlike anything I have ever experienced. I have been given pregabalin which is similar to gabapentin and hoping that there is some kind of intervention that can be offered. 

 I wish you and your Mother all the best in finding a way forward with this. Everything crossed for her and thank you again.

xx

Good luck for Tuesday Squeak I've got everything crossed for you xxxx