Back and hip pain

Hi Bella, I’d contact the CNS - just to give you some peace of mind. I hope your pain eases.

Hi Bella, nice to hear from you again though sorry to hear you're suffering back pain. I agree with Bramble65, contact your CNS for reassurance. I don't know if a deficiency of vitamin D would cause back ache. 

Big hugs, Barb xx

Hi Bella,

Vitamin D deficiency can cause muscle pain. I suffer with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and have many issues with my spine, giving chronic pain. I had numerous investigations before my diagnosis of fibromyalgia, and the biggest highlight was a vitamin D deficiency, and I was told to take supplements as a matter of course, and the consultant said everyone, especially during winter months could do with taking a vitamin D supplement. I had a full hysterectomy last October, and thankfully haven’t had any follow up treatment, however, at Christmas I started with really bad right side pain, radiating around my back and under my ribs. I couldn’t get a GP appointment at all, eventually got a telephone appointment and had an ultrasound scan. This just showed gallstones, which were there on my initial mri scan last August! Not to bore you with all of the ongoing hassle I have had to endure due to the GP not seeing me and past from pillar to post, I have now been booked in for a Ct scan and referral back to the oncologist, as the pain is thought not to be a typical gallstone pain. It’s so difficult Bella to know where pain is originating, but I would definitely keep on with your team to get to the bottom of it. The worries and niggles we have in our minds when we have been through a cancer diagnosis dont  disappear,  my specialist nurse said to me “ just get on with your life” which I would dearly love to do, but it’s easy words, and our concerns are very real, until you’ve been through this, no one knows, you have full right to ramble Bella! I think we all know when we have something that’s just not right, we know ourselves better than anyone, so go back and make sure you can put your mind at rest. I send lots of hugs, and best wishes from Emm x

Hi Bella, sorry to hear this.  Have you also considered requesting a DEXA scan to check your bone health?  This may identify is there is an issue.  

We are all recommended to take a vitamin D supplement during the winter months and some people need this during the summer months too.  Bearing in mind you know you have a low level then I personally wouldn't wait and I would start taking 4,000 IU per day.  You will also need to take vitamin K2 (if you decide to take vitamin D) as well as this ensures there isn't a build up of calcium in your blood.  Have you also had your calcium levels checked too?  

It might be your menopausal status is causing mild osteopenia but far better this is checked via a DEXA scan.  

Hi everyone, thank you for your messages. My back pain surprisingly has barely been there today which I’m really hoping it’s been something temporary. My surgeon/oncologist did blood tests and sent me for a Dexa scan last November on my first check up post treatment, I received a letter 2 weeks ago, a full 3 months after the tests to say my Dexa scan was clear and my calcium levels were normal but my vitamin D levels were really low and that I needed to contact my GP for a high dose prescription. I contacted my gp Surgery to get a prescription but the receptionist rung back and said the doctor had said they didn’t prescribe it anymore and that I just needed to buy 1000mg over the counter to which I said I didn’t think that was enough she insisted it was and that the GP couldn’t prescribe it (even though I know other people have been prescribed it from the same GP) they also said they couldn’t access my blood results. I rang my CNS nurse to ask if the 1000 would be enough and she said it wasn’t I needed a much higher dose and also that the GP did have access to my blood results. So I rang the GP surgery back who said they would speak to the doctor but I shouldn’t hold my breath for a response. She did ring back but said the GP would not do anything without him doing his own blood test and that the earliest appointment was the 7th March (2 weeks later). So I have to wait until next Monday for my blood test then hopefully will prescribe the vitamin d then. I have some 4000mg vitamin d at home but she said not to take these until after the blood test now. I’m already on Calci D tablets which is Calcium and small amount of vitamin d to protect my bones but this clearly hasn’t lifted my vitamin D. I feel quite let down with them taking 3 months to give me my results ( they said if I didn’t hear everything was ok so didn’t think to chase them) and then the hassle trying to get the vitamin D now. Over the last 3 months I have felt increasingly tired and ache everywhere but had just put this down to me having a rough year with the huge surgery and following treatment. In some ways I was quite relieved when it said my vitamin D was low, I am really hoping the vitamin D will have a positive effect on how I’m feeling. I know with the state of the world this is not actually anything major and not the end of the world but I just felt so fed up when I put on this post a few days ago, I just needed to connect with people that understood xx