Back pain

Hi ,

Firstly I’d like to welcome you to the Macmillan online community although I’m sorry you’ve had the need to find us. I’m also sorry to hear of your diagnosis’s, how incredibly unlucky to be diagnosed with 2 separate cancers at the same time! It’s a stressful time but good that both were able to be treated together. 

It’s great to hear that you’ve coped with the rectal issues & in reference to your backache I too had this & still do get some lower back pain & sciatica. After I’d completed my treatment I had a lot of coccyx pain initially then that subsided & I began with sciatica on my right side & what felt like muscular pain along the width of my lower back. I’ve just had an MRI as I’m about to complete the clinical trial I’ve been involved with, my review is on Tuesday & my oncologist said he’s going to check my sacrum & lower spine on the MRI, I suspect that this won’t show anything, I think the issues I have are mainly muscular & obviously the sciatica is nerve related. My surgeon checked my hips on one of my annual scans a while ago as I have hip pain also, I had a degree of osteoarthritis before treatment & suspect the radiotherapy has probably accelerated this as he said he could only see general wear & tear. I have wondered if at least some of this hip discomfort could be muscle related also as I seem to stiffen up at the drop of a hat & always have less pain (hips, back & sciatica) when I’m mobile as opposed to sitting when things seem to seize up really fast. 

Many of us that have gone through the treatment for anal cancer do report hip & back issues, I’ve always made a point of mentioning these issues though at both my oncology & surgical appointments so that they are investigated if only to give me peace of mind. I hope this helps a little. 

Nicola

Thank you so much Nicola your reply was so helpful.  I can identify with all you have described apart from the fact I find it hard to walk and stand for any length of time. I am seeing my oncologist on Monday and hope she is able to help, I will post again. Thanks again Nicola 

Irene

Hi again Irene (),

You're more than welcome, remember I’m a long way ahead in my recovery (3years post treatment),  plus you’ve had 2 different courses of treatment which means the fatigue is probably a big factor still. Good luck for Monday, I hope your oncologist can offer you some useful advice. Let me know how you get on. 

Nicola 

I am six weeks out of chemo radio and I have a lot of hip pain, I think it gets too it's worse about a month out. I totally feel your pain, literally. 

I went to see the oncologist yesterday and had the results of my latest MRI  scan. My two tumors showed a slight reduction, but she picked up something else, which she doesn’t know if it’s more cancer or scars left by the radiotherapy. I have to have another PET scan to determine which it is.   The MRI scan also picked up something on my bones, so am having another MRI scan more in-depth, but her feelings are the radiotherapy has cracked the bones. She said if the PET scan is positive I will need more chemotherapy. After 7 weeks of radiotherapy and 5 sessions of chemo the thought of more feels desperate but no choice really. I had chest infections and had to have a blood transfusion during my treatment so am In the process of building up. Need to have a talk to myself, which I often find helps!  I hope you are well Nicola lovely weather.

irene

Thank you, it’s so painful isn’t it I have to hobble about. After my last MRI scan my oncologist thinks the radiotherapy has cracked my bones so am having more investigations. It’s not easy is it. I will post the outcome and say what the treatment is if the MRI proves positive I hope you pain is easing, I will post the outcome and treatment if the SCAN proves positive.

Hi again Irene (),

I’m so sorry that you’re still going through all of this! It really doesn’t seem fare does it? Please take time for yourself & allow yourself to feel sad, upset, disappointed if that’s what you’re feeling right now then, as you say, if it helps have a word with yourself but I’ve learned through this whole experience you have to feel what you’re feeling at that moment in time to get past it if that makes any sense. Above all else be kind to yourself, you’ve been through so much already. 

Yes the weather is beautiful at the minute isn’t it? I’ve just had a glorious 11 days off work, usually if I book time off it’s the cue for horrendous weather! 

I’ve had my final appointment with my oncologist this morning, he reviewed my MRI from a couple of weeks ago & checked my sacrum & lower spine because of the sciatica, lower back & hip pain that I still have but said there’s no evidence of obvious damage, I was warned as many of us have been that the radiotherapy can cause fractures so I’ll just manage it as best I can. 

I really hope that you get your PET scan soon & the outcome is good news & it’s just scarring that’s been detected. 

I’ll be thinking of you.

Nicola