Does anyone on the Forum have experience with join pain during chemo?

I just started treatment on Monday, which began with a hydroxyurea pill the night before and then twice daily thereafter, plus a bag of Erbitux on Monday morning, after the radiation. Plus I'm geting a 24/7 chemo pump with 5-FU. On Monday night I woke up at midnight in excrutiating pain in my left shoulder. On a scale of 1 to 10 this was an 8 or and 9 -- I almost passed out from it. And any small movement of my arm brought new pain just as severe. I took a hydrocodone and it didn't make a dent in this pain, so I took a second pill and that helped. I broke this same shoulder about 15 years ago and the pain on Monday night was about that strong.

The good news is that the pain was somewhat less the next morning and was totally gone by Tuesday night. I had the shoulder x-rayed on Tuesday morning and they said everything was fine, including the port which is on that same side. So, nobody had any idea what could have caused this pain.

My hypothesis is that the pain was somehow connected to the Erbitux, as I'm still getting the other two chemos and have not had continuing pain.

Anyone out there have a similar experience or want to suggest another possible cause? Right now I'm a little gun-shy about getting another bag of Eribitux next time....

David R

Hey David

I read this when you posted it and could not comment.

I watched a TV program yesterday and they said many people getting chemo get these pains, and they only happened at the beginning.

Everyone reacts differently, there is no standard. I dought your previous injury had anything to do with it.

I also am NOT a doctor, so take this with a grain of salt.

Thanks, PeteyB I appreciate your writing me about the TV program. I will continue to look into this as the pain was so awful I would do anything to avoid another bout with this beast. David R