On my medical oncologist visit last week he decided to order a bone scan, wondering if the cancer had spread to the bones and was causing pain. The good news is that the bone scan did not indicate any metastatic cancer! The "other" news is that I have 2 broken ribs, degenerative osteoarthritis in my right hip and my left shoulder. I can almost hear my grandmother's voice, ...''my, my, you are so young to be going through this...". Now I get to add an ortho surgeon to the team. Just a cardiologist and neurologist away from a COMPLETE team!

Does chemo or radiation contribute to arthritis? I know the area in the shoulder (acromioclavicle joint) was brown from radiation. Both the shoulder and hip no longer rotate.

Ed

Well Ed
Are you trying single handed to bankrupt your insurance company...
Seriously.. great news, I know the waiting for scan results is hard, BUT when they come back clear it's great.. have a red wine to celebrate..
Cheers
Sunshine... love and hugs
Helen

Ed,

I think radiation can contribute to arthritis. My oncologist has been watching for changes in my neck that might be long-term results, and a couple of recent x-rays showed degenerative arthritis in that area. However, I'm not sure that's proof of a radiation connection, since I also have arthritis in my hands.

Anyway, congratulations on the otherwise good news from your bone scan.

Cathy

Damn, Ed. This sucks, but at least it's not cancer. I don't see how radiation to the neck could affect the hip. In my mind the chemo would definately be suspect.

-Brett

I know how you feel Ed. I had pulmonary disease and spinal degeneration show up on my last chest x-ray. - Just typical aging stuff. Oh yeah, they also discovered I have hep C. Now that we're in the medical system, we're finding out more then we want to know...

The good news is the bone scan was negative! My understanding is that if a bone is positive they call the hospice folks. Once the cancer invades the spinal cord it's like on the freeway.

Hey Ed,
Praise God no bone cancer. It's hard to hear there are other problems, but they do not compare to a cancer diagnosis!

You are in my prayers each day!
Take care,
Debbie

Thanks everybody!

Gary, just so you know, I went the Hep C route before the cancer. I finished the Interferon/Rebitrol therapy November 2002 and my gland started swelling December. One doctor suspected the treatment compromised my immune system and contributed to the cancer.

I thought I was aging well until the past couple of years and it all caught up quickly.

I saw a sign in my doctor's office years ago that said "Getting Old is not for Sissies". I understand better today then back then.

Ed

Hi Ed,
I heard that the "treatment" is pretty tough. They estimate that I have had hep C since 1977 when I was inaccurately Dx'd with hep A. It really hasn't caused me any problems and they have no plans to treat it. I guess these things can stay in remission. I was surprised that it didn't act up while I was in treatment. They kept giving me liver function tests and I sailed through all of them. My onc doc says there are over 5 million un-dx'd cases of hep C in the US today. He also said it is the "new frontier" of medicine.

Ed,

Not only is getting old not for sissies -

I always say: "If I'd have known I was going to live this long I'd have taken better care of myself!!!"

Take care,
Dinah

Dinah,

HOW TRUE!! Thanks (I think).

Gary, I have had no detectable Hep C virus since 6 months into the treatment (May 2002). I was fully expecting the radiation/chemo to trigger a viral outbreak but it has not reared it's ugly face for over 2 years. My liver enzymes shot up a couple of times and I had the Hep C checked but it was undetectable.

I remember right after September 11, many people in NYC went to donate blood and there were over 10,000 letters mailed out to notify people they could not accept their blood because it tested positive for Hep C.

I have had Hep B since 1972 and most likely Hep C from then, too.

Ed

Hi Ed...well thank goodness your bone scan turned out OK...you can handle the other stuff...easy peasy.

Take care
love
Marica

Hi Ed,
It's me scubie....In response to your question about arthritis, I do know that I went and complained I was having trouble moving my right shoulder. I had a good bone scan dome and was told it was Brusitis. Which I thought it was, but lasting a very long time. Bu tI have noticed that my elbow joints and fingers are a little painful to move. At first I thought it might have been DCS from my other dive trips, but ruled that out after looking at me profiles. Thats a good question and I'm gonna ask my oncologist.
Wondered where you got off to lately... ALan

Hey Alan,

I was planning on wandering over your way to see how things are going. I have been looking for work, pushing for social security and looking for work.

I notice so many aches and pains in the fingers, elbows, wrists, knees, ankles, etc. at different times and wonder if it is from the radiation or chemo. I even had the radiation folks blaming some of the neurological issues on the chemo and the medical oncologist blaming it on radiation. I don't care whose fault it is but I wish there were things to do to make some of the little things like joint pain, headaches, eye aches and stuff just go away. I guess it will probably be around for a while...if not forever.

Ed

Yep, just getting to be a drag huh? Don't you believe it!!! I have the same thing as you, Have a 54th birthday coming up, told the wife I feel like I'm going on 64 instead. She didn't like that any... take care Alan

I know what you mean. I think I aged about 10-20 years but still just look too darned young, as some of you will see in Las Vegas.

Ed

Hi Ed,
I have also noticed in the past couple of months that I have more aches and pains in my joints then I ever did before. I did not have chemo, only radiation. I notice it the most in my fingers and my shoulders.
Minnie

Ed -

<in meditation stance> Huummmmm......sending you good thoughts to rid the pain.

Great news on the mets, though!! Congrats!!

Sabrina

Minnie, thanks for sharing your aches and pains... . I tend to think the little things that remind me of the past year will most likely be around for, hopefully, a very long time.

Sabrina, please stand up, it makes my knees sore to see you in that stance. Thanks for the good thoughts. I feel better already.

Ed