Anyone experience arthritis in joints and/or body pain after chemo?

Posted by jjoanwfo @jjoanwfo, Feb 14 6:10am

Has anyone experienced arthritis in joints and/or body pain after chemotherapy?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Cancer: Managing Symptoms Support Group.

Yes, chemotherapy was awful I finished it a year ago and still have problems. Sucks

REPLY

I’m 2 years done and doctors are baffled. I’ve been a pain patient for years and it’s been completely manageable/managed by a spinal cord stimulator since 2018. Had chemo for breast cancer in 2019/2020 then uterine cancer 2022/2023. Now going for the trial with an internal pain pump.

REPLY

no one has diagnosed me for arthritis but the symptoms I suffer from are similar, joint pain in shoulders, therefore limited range of movement of my arms, pains in wrists, neck pain, I'm still getting chemo infusions
for maintenance therapy, I'm using voltaren cream 1% on the affected body parts and do exercise, and if necessary pain medication, I never had body stiffness or shoulder issues before chemo treatment - the oncologist did not offer an explanation and suggested to see a family care doctor - this is my fourth month with
"frozen shoulder" symptom

REPLY

I am 20 year Breast Cancer survivor. I had hormone positive cancer and was treated with a mastectomy and chemotherapy with Adriamycin/Cytoxan and then Taxol. When I started the Taxol I developed neuropathy and overall joint pain and body aching. The neuropathy cleared up but the joint pain and body aching has persisted for 20 years. I have been to multiple doctors over the years with different default diagnoses from fibromyalgia to rheumatoid arthritis. In doing some investigation on research studies the best description I have seen is post chemotherapy arthritis. But this is not well investigated or understood. I wonder if there are others who have had this experience. It is very uncomfortable and has changed my quality of life. I wish someone would do a study on this subject to help us understand this long term side effect with suggestions on how to manage it.

REPLY

Have you tried pineapple 🍍 or juice to help manage pain. I recently started drinking it more to see if it helps with body/joint pain. I've heard that it has inflammatory properties.

REPLY
@charlotte12

no one has diagnosed me for arthritis but the symptoms I suffer from are similar, joint pain in shoulders, therefore limited range of movement of my arms, pains in wrists, neck pain, I'm still getting chemo infusions
for maintenance therapy, I'm using voltaren cream 1% on the affected body parts and do exercise, and if necessary pain medication, I never had body stiffness or shoulder issues before chemo treatment - the oncologist did not offer an explanation and suggested to see a family care doctor - this is my fourth month with
"frozen shoulder" symptom

Jump to this post

Except for the neck pain, I have those symptoms but not arthritis or cancer as far as I know. My Dr. prescribed Meloxicam and I just bought some toeless socks for neuropathy and I have to say that my feet feel much better after wearing them the past couple of days.

REPLY

Thanks for all your comments!

REPLY

since the time I first responded to the question, my pain in the wrists and neck has gone away on its own, the shoulder inflammation is much reduced with the help of a cortison injection in the shoulder and physical therapy-

REPLY
@charlotte12

since the time I first responded to the question, my pain in the wrists and neck has gone away on its own, the shoulder inflammation is much reduced with the help of a cortison injection in the shoulder and physical therapy-

Jump to this post

my experience using voltaren cream was negative, no relief
from it- injection of cortison helped tremendously

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.