← Return to Bone pain: Can anyone explain what cancer in the bones feels like?

Discussion
Comment receiving replies
@windyshores

My problem is that I cannot do any of the contrast dyes, and MRI threatens to increase my tinnitus. Have any of you been able to have mets to bone detected without dyes?

I am 10 years out and tend not to be a worrier. But the pain in my hip persists and x-ray only shows "mild degenerative changes." I also have a nodule in the area above where my left breast used to be that is probably a cyst.

I have only message oncology twice in the last 5 years about the hip, both times in the last year, and get referred to PCP for x-ray. I a strong self-advocate but the issue of dyes and kidneys is daunting and holding me back.

I have 7 spinal fractures, spinal cord damage in the neck, and trigeminal/occiptal neuralgia along with all the usual osteoarthritis. Also lupus joint pain and high antibodies for scleroderma with some skin thickening. I am also on bone meds that cause bone pain. How am I ever supposed to know when to push for getting checked?

Jump to this post


Replies to "My problem is that I cannot do any of the contrast dyes, and MRI threatens to..."

I don't have answers for you, but I understand your fears. Because the prostate-cancer metastasis to my spine caused severe nerve damage, I have either limited sensation or semi-random phantom sensations in much of my body below the ribs.

I can walk again now and have enough sensation to get by, but when the doctors ask me if there's pain, I have to say "honestly, I have no idea." It's like trying to understand a call over a badly-broken telephone line.

@windyshores is a PET SCAN something you can tolerate? It’s not as detailed or specific as a normal CT but may help. It uses a radioactive glucose injection. I have tinnitus also but must have regular MRIs of my head to monitor things. Any loud noise only increases the tinnitus temporarily for me. Nothing permanent from the scans. It sounds like you have lots of reasons to have hip pain with the spinal and joint issues. Have you tried physical therapy for this pain?

@windyshores
Words like probably and likely concern me. Did you have that chest nodule biopsied? When I found the recurrent breast cancer on my chest wall it felt much like a marble — hard, immobile, painless, 1.2 cm.