Sore heels and hormone therapy after mastectomy

I started after chemo and the dreaded Zoledronic acid infusion which both gave me bone pain. I damaged my right foot a couple of years ago in Florida (chasing DD in the sea with seaweed!), and that had become really sore.

I've started phased return and lie down when I'm home and then get up gripping things for the first few minutes. My foot clicks sometimes and is either better or worse when that happens. I know that the chemo affected it, but as all the other effects are wearing off my foot and back are not. I tried Letrozole every other day for a few days which eased it a bit. Chatting to a work colleague who had breast cancer a number of years ago last week she told me that when she gets up after sitting her feet are stiff at first, and she stopped hormones three years ago (2 years Tamoxifen and fiver years Letrozole). Could you try shoes with support to help stabilise your feet?

I have been taking Arimidex for approx 10 days and this has started already. I realise I am hobbling a bit. From what I read, it sounds a bit like plantar fasciitis (bless you) which my sister had (no connection with BC) and it took ages to go away and stopped her walking for a while. I shall be so upset if this impacts on ly walking which has been such a positive side to my whole BC tale.

Sorry to hear you are feeling sore....I have been on letrozole for a year and my feet have been stiff, achy and ‘tired’ ever since...

It does go through phases but mostly I struggle first thing in the morning, hobble around til I get going. Then if I sit for any period of time I seem to ‘stiffen’ up. I work in a school and walk about a lot! I’m fine when I’m there but in the evening my feet and legs are sore.

i have tried supportive feet ‘socks’, elasticated supports which go around your foot near arch, taking joint supplements...and currently wear fitflops when I work. I don’t think any have a real impact. I have just started using an electronic foot massage machine...which sort of vibrates and is said to stimulate blood flow, muscles etc...I quite like using it but not sure if it is really helping. 

The discomfort is not enough to stop me doing activities but I am acutely aware when I have been in my feet for a long time.

If I find anything that works....I’ll let you know!

Hi FroggyinFrance,

I had all sorts of aches about 2-3 months into Letrozole. However, I started taking Claritin (or rather, Loratidine, it’s generic) when I had awful aches with Alendronic Acid, which I was already taking for mild osteoporosis, and had told my BCN, and asked her if taking glucosamine with chondroitin would be ok. She agreed and that’s what I now take. Whether it’s a placebo effect or not, gradually the aches improved. I also like to walk as often as possible, 2-3 miles 2-3 times a week which helps keep me mobile. 

plantar fasciitis is a pain, I am certain I had that as a child and used to have a foam heel insert in my shoe to help. I never knew why it hurt, think my mother said it was ‘growing pains’ but eventually it went.

if it gets bad then seriously think about seeing a good podiatrist, but in the meantime roll your bare feet to and fro across something like a glass water bottle which will gently stretch out the fascia. And think about wearing shoes with memory foam inserts? You can get the inserts but lots of companies now are following Skechers which make trainers and shoes with memory foam (I wear them lots!) 

Hope you get some help; to comfort you, the aches do ease around the 6 month time with Letrozole! 
hugs xxx

Hiya FroggyinFrance

Don't know if this was down to Letrozole but J had this for a while and purchased some 'Gel Heel Inserts' which helped a lot.

It was around 3-4 months before the Plantar Fascitis disappeared so could have been strained connective foot tissue or the Letrozole ?

None the wiser to the cause but it went eventually, never to return.

G n' J

Just to say that I bought glucosamine,  take it occasionally,  but will have my cholesterol checked,  as it can raise it.... and raises cholesterol is a factor for recurrence:(

Hi FroggyinFrance

I was diagnosed with planter last year after putting up with pain in foot for a while .I was referred to bio mechanic clinic ( who knew there was one ) . I was prescribed an insole with support .whilst waiting I used a sport one I had purchased at Asda have noticed Aldi got them in as well .

In the meantime got diagnosed and jumped on the rollercoaster that is BC. I haven't been back to bio mechanic but pain has gone with use of insoles .The other thing He recommended was a slight wedge heel in shoe definitely not completely flat .

hope it gets better soon 

Margaret x

Hi ladies, I too had plantar fasciatis last year and weirdly three weeks into tamoxifen have noticed it grizzle a bit. Thought it odd as I've not been walking loads but have wrist and ankle ache as well. I used to work in bio mechanics clinic and strongly recommended having a custom made insole if it continues, other shop brought ones can sometimes do more harm than good. Every sole and weight distribution is different so it's important to get a foot mould. Could it be the lack of oestrogen already, hey ho.! 

From reading on a US forum, there certainly seemed to be a common theme - hormones and underfoot pain. But it isn’t one of the multitude of side effects listed in the packet. I am seeing a new GP tomorrow and plan to mention it. I will ask about insoles and see what I am told. I had so got into walking and I know it is doing me good. I will be truly gutted if my feet let me down and this becomes a vicious circle. Feeling very niggly in my feet, my knees - just generally old achey syndrome. Going to my Aquagym class later on today. Hopefully that will spur me on. Note to self : avoid the lady who was a real cling-on last week, telling me all the details of her BC and how she is being treated at the top Parisian hospital with the top Parisian specialists because local hospital was not good enough. Guess where I al being treated !! And how a lady she knows who was treated in a similar way to me, well her BC came back, of course !!! So not to self, avoid her !!! Self preservation !!

A week on and the heel pain is so much worse that I was only able to manage half my usual walk yesterday. Going for an xray this morning to see whether heel spurs could be the problem. Then take it from there accordingly. Walking is now off the To Do list for the moment, so a swim in the outdoor pool will be my treat after the xray. Don’t like going to the xray clinic - brings back bad memories of my mammo last September when it all kicked off !! Seems like a lifetime ago !!