ACHING JOINTS 6 MONTHS AFTER LAST CHEMO

Hi 

asking on behalf of my mum -  Finished RCHOP chemo in April for NHL and finished radiotherapy for it end of July 2019 and it was succesful fortunately 

She is 74 -  very active and fit lady but now she is aching a lot in her legs/joints/back and more like an old lady now than before the treatment.

The RCHOP has also left her with scar tissue on her lungs so her breathing isnt the same either so shes very frustrated that she can't get back on with her active life like before

Chemo Brain is also really bothering her and shes convincng herself that its dementia but I dont think it is

Just wondering if anyone can shed some light as to whether these aching joints etc will improve and if her memory will improve - appreciate that she is 74  - and any hints/advice would be very much appreciated 

  • Hi Crazyjep35,

    There are some side effects that last beyond treatment so I'm sorry to hear your mum is frustrated. The page (in the link) will tell you more about late side effects, it will also take you to a page with advice about coping with chemo brain. Your mum should also speak to her doctor about these side effects, which are causing her concern.

    I hope that helps,

    Moderator Anastasia 

  • Hello, Just  wanted to pop by and share my experience of fec chemo ( breast cancer) 

    my last cycle was end may.....and oh boy! The aches and pains!!! Mainly lowe back, thighs and hands...I can also say " chemo brain" is real....I often forget the name of things and have to really stop and figure out what I'm trying to say....I'm not good at explaining things ( if that makes sense)? 

    Interestingly my brother in law is starting rchop for nhl....he is 73..., 

    hope this helps some what....xx

  • Just finished chemo with r chop , followed by radiotherapy , which finished in February 2022

    I have had a complete recovery from the lymphoma in my duodenum , but following the radiotherapy I am experiencing chronic excruciating pains in various parts of my body , head and neck , ankles and feet , knees calves , tingling in toes , stabbing pain, constant headache

    when explaining all of this to the hospital consultants  and cancers medical teams it's all pretty well dismissed as nothing to do with the chemo or radiotherapy and referred back to my GP

    Subsequently was  found to have a very low vitamin D level and put on a very high dosage which I have only just started taking so pains are still there

    are others experiencing such pains and found any resolution 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • SMMills I want to concur with what you say, i finished RCHOP at the end of 2020, i thought i was one of the lucky ones who escaped side effects but oh how wrong was i. 

    My side affects started later, probably around a year after chemo, aches and pains in my lower back and legs, my calves are solid and premanently tight, pain in my neck, chemo burnt my fingertips and i now have no feeling in them, my hands and feet cramp up and i have pain in my wrists, i spoke to the chemo team about it but they wasn't interested, i was released to my doctors care only 2 years after having chemo. 

    Leg pain is continuing to get worse and my pain killers (oxycontin) is boosted to almost max, my doctor then, wait for it, refered me to web sites about self help and passed me over to msk/physio who i'm now with, so far they sent me for a full back scan to show nothing wrong and when i saw her this week she asked, "what do you want us to do" sounding more and more confident huh

    For the moment i feel like i'm dragging 2 lumps of lead around and the more i try to do, the worse they get, physio's plan is to put me to work in the gym, i don't see it ending well for them to be honest.

  • I really appreciate your shining al light on serious issue not generally recognised by the medical profession which I am also experiencing as you. I am also experiencing excruciating pain on the left side of body , arm ,wrist shoulder,  leg ,knee ankle heel .which affects my sleep and ability to function . I have been referred  for MRI scan ,also nerve conductive test,,also having physio at the moment no end at sight. I finished  chemotherapy r chop  and radiotherapy  March 2022 ,and the onset of the pain  started August 2022.

    please keep me posted on your progress hope me ,you and  others can find a resolution.