niggly pains

[samex]

BC, I rarely went to the doctor. Things always had a way of working themselves. Nagging coughs eventually went away. Funny neck pains and head aches would slowly ease off with a massage or a hot pack. A cold was just a cold. Now I continually question myself. Is this pain in my shoulder just a muscle strain? Of course it is, my rational brain tells me. It only hurts with certain movements. Is this funny pain in my side just a bit of a cramp? Of course it is. You had it before you had cancer and the CT scans have indicated a small hernia. It's probably that. Nothing to worry about. But I have caved in to the irrational side of my brain and made an appointment with my GP. Neither of us have the time to waste on irrelevencies but perhaps it may make the questions go qaway until the next time. More collateral damage. Take care all, Samex

[Mrs_Elton]

Hope the GP appointment takes away all your niggly bits. Take care, Jill

[samex]

Thanks Jill. Hope you guys are travelling Ok. Your situation makes my "niggly pains" pretty unimportant. S

[CATS]

Know what you are talking about samex - since I have been off chemo I have been having continuous pain in my right side - liver pain?? My sister said it is probably due to the extra things I have been doing - packing and unpacking boxes, hour walks with my dog to get to know the good walking areas, gardening, lifting, moving things - most quite cumbersome and also the amazing fall I had where every part of my body hurt for two days. I am with you - the rational side of my brain tells me the above reasons are causing the pain THEN good old irrational brain says its the cancer - my liver tumours have grown (even though I have only missed 1 chemo session). I should be having at least the Avastin for my liver.The other pain I am experiencing is in my stomach and then some more in my female parts- then the old lung - I had pain in my back this morning!! These sound like the rantings of a super hypochondriac and one does not have to be a psychiatrist to work that one out!!! Oh bloody hell it's not fair is it. Keep smiling and a new mantra - no pain no pain no pain.....

[Zen-moment]

I'm with you on this one!! I had a 25 minute session with my GP this week, going through my list of pains and bumps and marks and symptom after symptom!! Why do I have this recurrent pain in my right armpit when it was my left breast that had the cancer? Is this mole OK? Is this backpain the sign of bony mets? And on it goes...He was wonderful. He gave serious attention to each of my symptoms, then gently reminded me that I am well, and recovering, and then, some gentle questions - had I been taking time to enjoy my friends and children, and some social life?? My mantra is "I am well and healthy" and I say it over and over as I'm walking on the beach. There is an explanation for every pain, and all is well. But I am so sick of having to daily manage these thoughts, and manage my fear of the cancer returning. Oh well...one day at a time! Wishing you all a rest from the pain, and the thoughts! :) Zen-moment

[CATS]

Zen-moment I really needed to hear what you said - that was so calming. We know we are being irrational but sometimes it feels too real to be ignored. I am going to try and talk myself into believing these pains are unrelated to cancer. I was never big on doctors,like my Mum. She ignored pain for years then had a massive heart attack. I ignored my stomach pain and swelling for 2 months before I sought help - now look at me!! 'Don't put things off' I vowed to myself - I'll give myself to tomorrow and if still worried I will go to GP - not really putting it off am I!!

[samex]

Hi Guys, Cats I was only able to make mt appointment for wednesday as my GP only works 3 days a week and is hard to get into after work. The shoulder pain is still there and has now turned into a migraine which probably reinforces the muscle pain/tension theory. ANyway, Cats I'll make you a deal - you see your doctor about your niggles and I'll check on mine. We can be hypocohdriacs together!! Report back later. Thanks for the sanity Zen-Moment. Samex

[Mrs_Elton]

Hey Samex, How did your GP appointment go? Jill

[samex]

Hi Jill, Just saw him then. I am a hypochondriac and he just laughed, fortunately with me, rather than at me! Just some muscle pain. Just like the sensible part of my brain told me.Thnaks for asking. Hope you are coping, S

[Jules2]

Hi Samex With my first cancer i had a u beaut gp who also laughed with me and would tell me to go home when i visited him with a completely unfounded fear. He was great and instilled a lot of confidence in me. The process we all go through just sucks at times! Julie

[frangipani]

I sincerely hope you guys recover and all this pain is in the past. Pain is something that is just "us" as women and we cope cos we talk about it. we get help which is great!!! Our tolerence level is high and we soldier on. I just want to add about my pain: Six weeks on after chemo finished, I felt this numbness in my feet and afterwards a burning feeling in my toes. Now I cant even feel my toes. Sometimes I have to look down there and notice I do have toes. Last night there was this tingling feeling like it was going to drop off. I kept rubbing them together - like, hey wake up. Each appointment at my Oncologist she asks "and how are your toes" and I tell her the above same thing and she says that if its the only symptom after chemo than i should consider myself lucky. In other words I should be glad to be alive!! which I am but there must be a cure for this pain I am having. Its horrible.

[Jules2]

Frangipani ... I too have a lot of side effects from treatment and am struggling to come to terms with it. As you I am grateful i am alive and yet really struggling with the fallout from the treatment. I get sooooo tired so easily and suffer aches and pains and even have torn a tendon in my right shoulder from sitting on the couch. Now i am told my other arm has tennis elbow from too much repetetive use and i am like "what use?" lol I worry about when i might return to work and all that involves. The financial stress of not working is just horrific. I am supposed to get phuysio on my shoulder but i cant afford it ... so now i have to go back to my gp again. It is like everywhere i turn the door is closed and i have to keep knocking or find another flaming door! I was speaking to a friend who has had breast cancer and she was telling me that her feet are now a heap better. She is approximately a year out of treatment i think. Hopefully the same will happen for you. :) Julie

[samex]

Hi all, I woke up (as usual) the other night/morning at about 2.30am with the hands tingling as ususal. This usually happens about 2-3 times a night. I then rolled over on my sore shoulder an had to find another position and thought "will these irritating pains ever go away?' Maybe it is a function of age as well but the constancy of it is driving me crazy! i know that I am whining when others' circumstances are so much worse, but these constant annoyances are just reminders of what was and what could be again. it doesn't help the "moving forward" process at all. Frangipani- after 2 years from treatment, my feet are much better. My toes still go numb at times(often after exercise) but the intense pain has eased. My hands are bad at night but generally Ok during the day. My fine motor control is certainly not what it was but I don't drop as many things as I used to. I guess one way of managing it all is that I often say that at least i am here to feel the pain. Take care all, S

[frangipani]

Dear Julie and S......... thank you so much for your prompt replies. I like this blog... you guys make me feel so much better. I appreciate your time. with warm wishes frangipani

[Jules2]

Frangipani Your welcome and thank you for sharing too. Julie

[SILLY]

It was good to read the above even if the comments are nearly a year old . I get soreness, aches ,pains .Some are brief ,some more constant and I believe most are from surgery,but sometimes I worry that it could be the cancer. It's easier to talk to my gp but she is not familiar with my cancer.All the gps in the practice are wonderful .I feel like a hypochondriac too when I talk to my ent . My next check-up is with the oncologist in about 6 weeks. I get a bit nervous too. I get a bit scared to ask him things sometimes. It helps to know you all understand all of this stuff.