by Bob_D on Tue May 17, 2016 9:02 pm
I am a 60 year old male with 1.5 years of chemo behind me (and currently in progress) for lambda light chain, and I am still experiencing lots of bone pain. Here is where I think the bone pain is coming from and why I don't I feel that great.
Multiple myeloma cancer create soft/compressed bones and damaged spots in the bone (lesions) which causes pain and increase fractures. The weight of your own body puts pressure on the bones or lesions, and the muscles attached to the bones become tense and stiff. The chemo treatments are working in the bones, which cause bone pain and in the organ areas (digestive tract, groin).
I’m currently using the following bone pain management and relief plan combining as many as possible at the same time if I can.
1. Avoid situations that puts weight/pressure on the bones and muscles
Avoid walking on hard surfaces long periods of time (pavement, hard ground, ice). Feels better to:
- Walk on soft surfaces, wall to wall carpeting, grass, beach sand, snow, leaves, pine needles
- Wear padded shoes, shuffle feet and not use your heel so much
Avoid long periods of sitting (to reduce stiff muscles in the waist and hip)
Avoid over-exercise and overuse to the body (muscle become inflamed from overuse)
Avoid bouncing, shock and vibration (use a car with smooth ride)
2. Light exercise (non-impact)
Swimming, biking
Stretching, physical therapy, yoga
No jumping, running, jogging, downhill skiing
3. Support yourself
Wear a back brace around the waist
Lean on things when standing (tables, counters, furniture, walls )
4. Apply pressure to pain area
Press on the sore/aching areas
Massage the pain area
5. Use slower movements in the pain areas
Be slow while getting up from sitting (car seat, chair) and folding at the waist
Turning/rolling in bed
6. No heavy lifting or carrying (get someone else to do it for you)
7. Muscle relaxants - not so effective on days just after chemo treatment (1-2 days later)
Minor alcohol consumption (good for few hours or until bedtime)
Hot tub (good for 1/2 hr later)
Heating pad on sore muscles
Muscle relaxant drugs (Flexeril, if it works for you)
8.Take the pressure off the bones, especially towards end of the day
Float in a bathtub, hot tub, pool
Sit in reclining easy chair
Lie down and rest bones or stretch in bed on a padded floor/ground
9. Find pleasant distractions that take your mind off pain for awhile
Movies, magazines, computer activities
10. Find out when and what makes you feel good
I feel somewhat normal (the way I used to be) walking or standing during the first 1/2 hour after a night sleep. The pain gets worse throughout the day until I can lie down or sit in a recliner easy chair.
11. Not sure if these offer temporary/minor relief yet
Chiropractic adjustments
Acupuncture for six weeks
Equipment that allows you to hang upside down from your feet
12. Medical pain control methods
a) Pain killers (mostly for bone pain)
Nneed to find the one that works best for you or if it works at all. I had minor or not enough bone pain relief and some made me sick or sleepy from Dilaudid (hydromorphone), Vicodin//Norco (acetaminophen / paracetamol and hydrocodone), morphine sulfate (time release = Kadian), Percocet (oxycodone and acetaminophen / paracetamol).
Dex stops internal inflammation and helped reduce some bone pain (but I got bad insomnia).
Fentanyl (administered from a hospital only (emergency room, surgery room) works but has risks.
I need to try oxycodone (time release= Oxycontin) tramadol (brand name Tramal), amitriptyline (Elavil)
b)Bone building drugs - bisphosphonates (Zometa, Aredia), Xgeva, Prolia,
(I have an allergy to Xgeva and others are bad for my kidney)
c) Kyphoplasty procedure / surgery
Worked on the spine with compressed vertebrae and fractures, (I got instantaneous pain relief to the affected lumbar areas: L1 to L5), but pain is more obvious in my sacrum and hip now)
d) Radiation
Non-invasive, localized radiation slowly relieving pain from bone lesions
(I am holding off in case I need a future bone marrow transplant; II have not yet tried radiopharmaceuticals - Quadramet®)
e) Cortisone shots / injection
Corticosteroids are fast-acting anti-inflammatory medications given into joints: ankle, elbow, hip, knee, shoulder, spine and wrist to relieve pain and inflammation in a specific area of your body
(thinking about it if the pain does not going away in my hip)
f) Hip replacement (thinking about if if pain not going away in the long run)
