New here, but not new to Macmillan, and eternally grateful for them and for my own designated nurse. I'm here this morning after another night with about 3 hours sleep - deep aching leg pain in my thigh muscles - bearable during the day but much worse at night. I'm sure there is a lot of information here about Ai's but I thought I would introduce myself before I go look. I am 75 and had a second hip replaced in May - I felt on top of the world with being able to exercise again but on the same day that I finally abandoned my crutches I found a very small lump in my left breast. I had the most amazing treatment - biopsy, lumpectomy etc. in July - stage 1, two small invasive carcinoma in situ, nothing in lymph nodes but unfortunately estrogen positive grade three cancer. I researched the heck out of this, and changed my diet, almost my entire lifestyle and went for support therapy. My husband and kids have been awesome too I am beyond fortunate.
Then I was started on letrozole in September - a fortnight later I had a small stroke which my MRI scan showed to be the latest in a cluster of them and also showed up a 95% blocked carotid. This wasn't caused by the letrozole, but the thickening of my blood caused the problem in an already narrowed artery. An endarterectomy in September was successful but I had to come off letrozole and delay my radiotherapy which was resumed in late October.
Two weeks after re-starting Letrozole, and now on large doses of statins and blood thinners, I had the most excruciating pain my right thigh which kept me up most of the night (and every night since). I was switched to exemestane and it made it even worse so I have gone back to Letrozole as this is 'the devil I know'. Currently I am taking CoQ10 for the muscle pain, doing stretches of the front of my thigh (physio advice), and have temporarily got some short term co-codamol from my doctor. I can't use the co-codamol long term - is there anything else that anyone has found which helps?
I'm awaiting the results of a nuclear bone scan last week to check that my two hip replacements aren't the issue.
I've also been recommended acupuncture - has this helped anyone else? So many questions. So much anxiety. This really sucks doesn't it?
