Not sure if this is a side effect, or a side effect of my side effects, but over the last couple of weeks I've experienced a significant number of muscle spasms or cramps in my neck muscles at the base of my skull. They don't usually last very long, but are very painful.
It also seems to coincide with some other aches and pains which I believe are related to the failure of my thyroid gland. I've been on Synthroid for about 4 weeks, and the other symptoms have abated, but the muscle spasms have seemed to increase in frequency lately.
Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this phenomenon.
I've a regularly scheduled appointment with my Rad/Onc Doc this week, so I'll talk it over with him, but I thought I'd throw it out there to see if anyone else had experienced this one.

Good Health,
Chuck

Hi Chuck; I'm no armchair physician, but I do know that we OC folk seem to get a puzzling array of side effects from muscle spasms to scalp pain...not to mention the chaos that goes on in our mouths. It's meant to try a saint, and I think sometimes there must be a huge crown waiting for me somewhere!
It is good news that you will be seeing your Rad-Onc this week...but if you are concerned, and you have every right to be...call today, don't feel you have to wait.
I used to be a lot more longsuffering before I joined this forum, turns out the Onc team responds pretty well to my somewhat frequent input.
I think we are all happier when we know what is going on in our bodies...all the best to you as you sort out the cause of this pain you are enduring.
Let us know how it goes,
Fran

If you taking pain meds, that can cause muscle spasms as well.

after having bad neck/head/shoulder pain, the doc gave me valium. It's worked wonders. I only have to take a 1/2 one every couple days to keep the bad pains away. i don't know how that'd mix with anything else you're taking, but thought I'd offer the suggestion.

Sabrina

Saw the Rad/Onc guy last week and he wasn't much help. Suggested that it was the out of control thyroid, and recommended I wait until we get the thyroid meds dialed in. The spasms seem to be less frequent lately, so maybe he's right.
The latest blood tests show the Thyroid levels returning to near normal range, so a couple more weeks and maybe a tweak on the meds and this will be a memory.
Thanks for the input.

Chuck

Chuck, I have to agree with Sabrina: on bad days its a valium and an asprin. On really bad days two Valium and two asprin.

Fortunatly I don't need to do this all the time. Valium is quite safe and a fairly effective muscle relaxer.

I think your doctor is right on track about this being connected to the thyroid levels. My neck is definately worse when I am in need of synthroid adjustment.

I'm curious about the solutions to this pain. My brother has continued to have debilitating pain 2 months post surgery - although it is on the opposite side from the cancer. The docs said the opposite jaw bone is acting like a meat hook and trying to support the rest of the face (the right lower and part of the right upper jaw have been removed as well as 90% of the tongue, the floor of his mouth and part of his throat). Anyway, he was receiving injections at the local emergency room - don't know what it was but the doctor there said it was what they give women in labor. The pain team has since put him on a low dose of morphine, but that is not helping much, either. They seem to be leaning toward an injection to block the nerve when he returns to MD Anderson at the end of this month. Do you think the valium would work better than the morphine? He maybe having two seperate pain issues, one where his jaw hurts and he holds it most of the time and the other issue is terrible headaches where all he can do is lay down and hold his head in his hands. I know his wife rubs his shoulders and neck alot and after reading your posts I bet the headaches are connected to that.
Chuck, I hope you have gotten your pain under control by now.
Best wishes,
Tonya

Chuck,
I too have been having muscle spasms mainly in the right side of my neck and moderate to severe pain in my neck, shoulders and upper back. My drs.@ MD.Anderson said it is a result of radiation. They tried botox injections but not much relief. I am currently taking a muscle relaxer Zanaflex and physical therapy 3 x week.I use a TENS unit at home and so far all of this has helped tremendously. Hope you get relief soon!

Just curious -- do folks ever have kind of a "deep muscle" soreness in areas of your neck that have been radiated?

I've had off and on soreness in a couple of areas the past few months. I saw my doctor about a month ago, and he poked and prodded me, and said everything felt normal. But the past few days, the soreness has returned to this one area (opposite side of my surgery). I don't feel lumps or anything but a few times something feels like it has "moved" or shifted in there when I press on it (tissue? muscles? arteries?)

I think my pain may have something to do with a tooth-ache that has popped up recently (the pain kind of shoots all over, from my tooth, down into my neck and even in my ear)...

I guess I'm paranoid. I feel like I want the doc to take another look at me, even though he just did ...

Hi YOu'all make me feel better about myself. I too
have muscle pain. Mine is near the scar it self.
Where is Apex North Carolina? Hope everyone has a
good day?
Cathy

NocarolTarHeel,

I have had every kind of pain in the neck there is. (no pun intended). I asked the doc about many of them and no worry from him. I concluded (Guessed) that the pain may be caused from nerves that are repairing themselves and in fact many of the pains are hard to pinpoint.

Eric,

Neck pains have been an on-and-off issue for me over the years since radiation. I had a pretty good spell without them for awhile, but the past several days haven't been so good. Sometimes if I think about it enough, I can figure out the likely cause and try to correct it, but if it hangs on too long I go to my doctor. The last time he ordered scans to check things out, they showed nothing but some arthritis in the neck area. I always have some "crackling" sounds in my neck when I turn my head - (sigh!!).

Cathy

I too have assorted neck pains 2 1/2 years past treatment. I go in every 6 months for physical therapy for a tune up and that keeps me going - for 6 months anyway!! I use a contoured pillow at night that helps too. I can finally look up at the sky again without pain! It's a blue, sunny day up there today :-) - Kris

So sorry your having the pain...

John tries to stretch, stretch, and stretch, when he's stressed the pains are also worse...Hot baths help, but the sharpness is tough... muscle relaxants and increased physical therapy...
another thought maybe neurontin...which really helped J though radiation...

take care and hope teh visit goes well...

sara

Well it's good to know I'm not experiencing anything new. My muscle spasms at the base of my skull continue periodically, and I've kind of convinced myself that they're due in part to the atrophy of the neck muscles that occurred after surgery. Though I'm now 13 months post surgery, I'm just now regaining the muscle mass that I lost. I still have a slight droop to the right shoulder, but it's improving with exercise. Bottom line- I'm doing great. I'm over a year cancer-free, and I'm adjusting pretty well to the new normal. As far as the stuff I'm not adjusting to.. well I'm still here to bitch about it
Thanks everyone for your inputs. The support here has been nothing short of fantastic.

Good Health

Chuck