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Hip replacement While in Treatment for Breast Cancer?

Posted by jardinera25 @jardinera25, Jul 20 8:08pm

I'm looking for people who have had to get orthopedic surgery, especially hip replacement, during or around their treatment for breast cancer. I am on a type of hormone blocker, Fulvestrant, and am wondering if I need to take a break from that for a successful surgery & recovery of the hip. The side effects I have now with Fulvestrant are elevated blood pressure, muscle & bone pain in the last month, and now a rash on my legs that I'll be seen for tomorrow. It is successfully shrinking my chest wall tumor. I don't have bone mets so that should be a good thing. I just am in such pain from this hip osteoarthritis, PT has not helped it, and would like to be able to go for walks again!
Thank you for any experiences you might share. ~ Patty

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timely | @timely | Jul 21 4:33pm

I think that you need to work with both your orthopedic doctor and your oncologist.

What you are taking, Fulvestrant, causes the same joint and bone pain as the aromatase inhibitors.

That is why you are in such unbearable hip pain.
If one already has arthritis, it makes the arthritis worse.

I was on Letrozole and had hip and joint and bone pain. My leg muscle would give out.

I tried Glucosamine Chrondroitrin, 2 kinds of collagen, Claritin, Loratadine is the generic.

I am now off the Letrozole for 3 months and may be put on another.

It is possible to go off what you are taking before surgery
and have a continued gap after surgery.

It takes at least 10 days or longer for the AI to be depleted in your system.
If you were on another AI before that, it would take longer.

If you already have a surgery date, you need to find out a balance for all this.
You really do not want any muscle and joint pain going into surgery.

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jardinera25 | @jardinera25 | Jul 21 9:08pm
In reply to @timely "I think that you need to work with both your orthopedic doctor and your oncologist. What..." + (show)
Profile picture for timely @timely

I think that you need to work with both your orthopedic doctor and your oncologist.

What you are taking, Fulvestrant, causes the same joint and bone pain as the aromatase inhibitors.

That is why you are in such unbearable hip pain.
If one already has arthritis, it makes the arthritis worse.

I was on Letrozole and had hip and joint and bone pain. My leg muscle would give out.

I tried Glucosamine Chrondroitrin, 2 kinds of collagen, Claritin, Loratadine is the generic.

I am now off the Letrozole for 3 months and may be put on another.

It is possible to go off what you are taking before surgery
and have a continued gap after surgery.

It takes at least 10 days or longer for the AI to be depleted in your system.
If you were on another AI before that, it would take longer.

If you already have a surgery date, you need to find out a balance for all this.
You really do not want any muscle and joint pain going into surgery.

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Thanks for these ideas, they're very helpful. I am signing up with a Doc affiliated with my cancer center in Seattle who is an Oncology Orthopedic doctor. She handles Sarcomas and regular hip replacements. Yes, I know that Fulvestrant can cause muscle & bone pain & it has. It also has affected my blood pressure. But half my cartilage in the bum hip is gone according to the Xray, so I know that it is Osteoarthritis in that area. I certainly will be talking with both docs to see if a break from the hormone blocker would be best to accomplish the surgery.
Thanks again!

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