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

Posted by jjoanwfo @jjoanwfo, Feb 14, 2025

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

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Profile picture for geno18 @geno18

I receive a drug to boost white blood cells, from day I get shot and 7 days after I take an allergy pill to prevent joint and bone pain. If I remember tomorrow I’ll post name, doctors should know, I buy the Costco brand for A lot less money. So far it is working.

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@geno18
That would be very helpful. I will wait for your post.

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Lidocaine patches 4 % over the counter in any pharmacy cut to size of area needed. Can't wear in bed. They work great. I had lots of bone pain. This was great. Just too bad they didn't a bigger patch!

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Profile picture for angele2times @angele2times

@charlotte12
Try Oncology Physical Therapy, no drugs, stretching and muscle work. Massages, acupuncture, Reiki, might help settle things down for you. Anything, that is not more drugs.

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thanks for joining the discussion, there are limited resources in my state, oncology physical therapy is more than 4 hours away.

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I had some joint pain after chemo,which has been a few months ago,I had her2+ so now im on maintenance drug exemestane and get infusions of perjeta and kenjentia .My hands hurt really badly especially my thumbs,im not sure if it's arthritis or not.my feet both have some neuropathy as well, I see alot of people having similar problems. I haven't gotten any real relief!!

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Profile picture for nofopo @nofopo

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.

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@nofopo
Hello, I too finished chemo for breast cancer 17 years ago, and have chronic bodily pains. It's quite frustrating and tried many things for relief but nothing seems to help. I often feel like a complainer, but it's quite depressing living this way. I am so happy to have survived, I've gotten to see my kids grow up so I feel bad complaining about the bodily aches, but it's literally every. Single.day.
I wonder if you found anything that helps? I agree we needore research done!!!

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Icant believe tha t si this joint and hammer toe rubbing blister one month after almost done I thought I was going to feel better I didn't get it anybody to tell me that there was going to be side effects like this pain and my mind is damaged I can't remember did my words out and I wish they were going to tell me that chemo brain was they just said it's a fall dream when you had chemotherapy mine is not a fog I feel like I got brain damage

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It can be a side effect of immunotherapy, too…i had a mild version…osteopath and gentle exercises almost anyone can do really helped…older people with arthritis may be more vulnerable.

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