What does you're myeloma back pain feel like?
I have back pain at night, that finally gets me out of bed, but once I'm up it goes away. I think this is not myeloma related, probably arthritis. My MRI a few weeks ago was clear for bone involvement. But now it makes me wonder, what myeloma back pain actually feels like?
I had a herniated disc that was repaired so I'm familiar with that kind of back pain as well. Is it more like that?
Just curious,
Kate
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Re: Back pain
The back pain I experienced before the fractures of several vertebrae, which could be seen on X-rays, was mostly in the low back. The weight of the spine above was compressing those bones. The pain worsened gradually until it reached a crisis point! if I hadn't been so busy doing other things I could have attended to it sooner, but I did not realize that it was a serious problem at the time. Lifting heavy garden pots full of plants definitely caused some damage. X-rays showed fractures in several vertebrae after a very painful collapse. So, I wouldn't want to really predict for anyone else, but for me it was low back pain that was worsening. I also had a fracture further up, across the rib line...that was caused by strenuous exercising (bagpiping and marching in a parade)! I did think afterwards that because I was doing really strenuous exercises, the vertebrae got damaged sooner than they might have otherwise. In the end, that meant I got onto treatments for multiple myeloma sooner than otherwise might have occurred. The bisphosphonate treatments have strengthened my bones...I have no doubt about that. I still have to be careful with heavy weights and lifting, but am stronger now than I was at the time of dx.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Back pain
Back pain between the shoulder blades was my first symptom but I thought I had strained it. I went to the doctor after a week. He put me on pain meds and physical therapy which made things worse. I still remember how the muscles would sieze up on me and cause severe pain. I had to sleep in a chair for a few nights as I couldn't get out of bed without siezing up the muscles. After going back to the doctor two more times he did blood tests as he suspected something else was wrong which was the myeloma. I have two compression fractures. I was told by a back specialist that surgery wasn't an option and that the pain may go away after time or it may never go away. After two years I still have back pain every day (but not as bad) and I no longer use pain meds. I manage with stretching and strengthening exercises, heating pad, cold pack, changing positions frequently, using relaxation exercises every afternoon, using a muscle relaxer med (sometimes) before bed, Zometa infusions and avoiding activities that can cause more pain. Unfortunately a lot of the activities that I avoid were either fun or enabled me to be productive so it has become a permanent handicap. It's a major change in thinking. Well, I gotta stop typing as I need to limit my computer time.
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Norm - Name: Norm
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Aug-2010
- Age at diagnosis: 59
Re: Back pain
I also wondered about my back pain. I went to my primary doctor yesterday due to INCREASED pain in my lower back. He told me x-rays would not show anything. I left his office with script for a few pain pills only. Now I am in pain and more confused then ever.
5 posts
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