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941625 tn?1263581782

Chronic lower back pain following cancer treatments

Hi all! I am two years out from chemo and radiation for stage three endometrial cancer (possibly considered stage one endo and stage one ovarian since my metastize was found on the ovaries). I did six rounds of chemo and 33 radiation treatments. I have had chronic and horrible lower back pain ever since. I have been seeing a rheumatologist for this, and he found some arthritis and fused vertebraes. He says he's not sure why my back hurts though all the time and just keeps me on a low dose of percocet. The problem is it isn't managing my pain and I can't stand this. Does anyone else have chronic pain in this area following treatment? If so, what are your docs and you doing to treat? My doc is military and the only one so I can't seem to get a second opinion. I recently saw an orthopedics dic for a labral tear in the hip and he said it was ankylosing spondylitis but when I told the rheumo doc he said it wasn't and refuses to treat for that. I'm at a loss and miserable. Thanks y'all.
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941625 tn?1263581782
Thank you, Drr. Goodman. I am seeing my GYN-oncologist like clockwork every three months. He referred me to the rheumo. I do have some arthritis there for certain as it appeared on an X-ray. Also the vertebra right above my sacrical joint is partially fused to the SI joint. That's why he is treating with percocet, but after two years the low dose isn't effective and even when it worked it only lasted for a few hours. I saw my primary care today and asked him to refer me to pain management where hopefully they'll give me the correct meds and tests to figure this out. I see my oncologist next month and I will see if I can get a CT scan. They said since my type of cancer can grow anywhere they don't do scans. I don't get that, but I have little other options.
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242604 tn?1328121225
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi there,

I am sorry to hear about your pain. You do need more of an evaluation.
Are you seeing a gyn oncologist?

I am just going to list a few possibilities for back pain after what you have been through. I know some of these possibilities will be frightening. I don't mean to suggest you have them but that it is important to be evaluated.

1.unrelated to therapy: muscle spasm/ osteoarthritis

2. a radiation insufficiency fracture
you would need at least a plain film of your back to look for this. The best test is an MRI of your spine

3 scar tissue causing a blockage in your kidney by compressing the ureter.
you would need an ultrasound of your kidney or a Ct scan of your abdomen and pelvic to check for this.

4. postop adhesions and a benign fluid collection called a seroma that is pressing on your back.
a ct scan would show this

5. cancer recurrence with enlarged lymph nodes along the aorta causing pain
a Ct scan is the best test for this. Sometimes a PET ct scan

please do not accept the lack of evaluation and just treating the pain without knowing the reason.

make a fuss

please let us know what happens
best wishes
Helpful - 0

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