It has been almost 2 years since my bilateral mastectomy where I was diagnosed with stage 4 and 3 aggressive tumors in both breasts. I went throgh six months of aggressive chemotherapy and have seen my onocologist every six months since then. Recently I have had back and leg and feet problems. I was told by one of the doctors I have been seeing that I have some severe nerve damage and that the cause was from chemotherapy. What side effects am I going to have to watch for now including how much more nerve damage can I expect to have. Just trying to get a handle on this since I did not know of any side effects at the time of chemotherapy. Am I going to have to watch for other side effects that cause alot of pain in the future. I am only 49 years old.
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Q: side effects years later after chemotherapy
Hi - That's a question that's impossible to answer, unfortunately. Our bodies all respond so differently to chemo. There's no cut-and-dried "Here's what your long-term side effects (they call them "lasting effects") will be," unfortunately. Ask if your hospital or cancer center has a survivorship program or clinic. It's a new initiative springing up that deals with long-term cancer-related issues. That would definitely be the place you could get some answers and help. Good luck - PJH
I understand your problem all too well. I am 34 and 3 years ago I had a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy and an aromatase inhibitor. Shortly after the pain I felt in my chest and arm (due to removal of lymph nodes) began to spread throughout my legs and feet - as well as my hip. My pain management doctor attributed this pain as chemotherapy nerve pain and prescribed me lyrica. I've been on lyrica for over a year now and my pain is more manageable. My arm no longer constantly tingles as it did before, though I still get a weird sensation if you touch the back of my arm. My chest no longer has the pain it had - I can now even feel certain areas which I was told I would never regain sensation it. The pain in my legs/feet, etc. is also so much better. Lyrica is mostly used for Fibromyalgia nerve pain, and nerve pain associated with diabetes - but under the right circumstances it can help with nerve pain from surgery and chemo. Ask your doctor if it would help your pain....it's worth a try!
Take care!
Angi
Hi I had non hodgkins lymphoma I waited to long to go to the hospital. So I had a large tumor across my hip bone and the cancer was in my bones and basically was all through me a very agresive large b cell lymphoma. I was in stage 4 also.they diagnosed me dec 14 07. they couldnt start chemo until I got stronger.I was sent home from the hospital before christmas. They told my wife I probablly would die over the holidays but I made it through.they started a very aggressive chemo treatment.If the chemo didnt kill me the cancer would.It worked I thank god first then my oncologist second and my will to fight.8 MONTHS of chemo and then a month for a stem cell transplant where I got even higher doses of chemo but through gods grace it all worked.I have neroprothy in my feet witch is severe nerve damage its like walking on nails with out pain meds I can barely walk.Some days are worse than others. my hands also hurt if I clap yes I know dont clap.And my joints ache my muscles and bones feel like there from an 80 year old man I just have no energy anymore and it all seems to be slowly geting worse.I also still have night sweats.I dont mean to scare you but the doctors dont tell us these things because they really dont know.Theres just to many things to take into account.But I tell you it was all worth it to watch my children graduate from high school. Each and every day I consider a gift from god.He still has a job for me to do on this earth.By the way my name is tom and I am 49 years young.thay also told me I have 50% chance it will be back. The first year I got a pet scan every 3 months now its 6.Remember every one is diferent dont worry life is to short live it enjoy family and go have fun
Hey. I just wanted to get on here and talk with people about side effects long after cancer so they will know that they are not alone and that they will be alright. I had testicular Cancer. I did five months aggressive chemotherapy and four surgeries for removal of testicle and because I formed a tumor on my left kidney so they had to remove everything in the area including kidney. And then problems from first surgeries so follow up surgeries to correct things. Anyways, I deal with a lot of health concerns now and I have been to the emergency room about forty times in the last year or two LOL because of some of these after effects. But every time i go to the emergency room it is the same thing. They take blood, they do e.k.g.s and sometimes x-rays and ultrasounds. And then tell me I'm fine and send me on my way. When every time I have literally felt as if i was dying. Very scary. I have had symptoms like extreme dizziness and fatigue. Labored breathing, nausea, irregular heart beats, chills, hot flashes. Sometimes I will be freezing cold while everyone else in the house is perfectly warm and they feel me in wonder like " How are you so cold?" Intense intestinal pain, chest pain, neck and face pain and numbness, ears ringing, insomnia, A LOT of digestive issues, side pains, sweats, weakness and shakiness. Problems with my vision where I see as if I'm on some kind of opiate or acid. Like seeing trails or blurriness. Some days I feel exactly how I did during an actual Chemo session!!! All of which led to anxiety and panic attacks and at some points, depression. But through it all I've always maintained happiness some way or another so I don't think it was as much depression as much as just being soooo frustrated to not be able to just FEEL GOOD. Some days I do. But more days I don't. but once I realized that these symptoms could be causes of nerves and chemical imbalances and such, i started working on my breathing and self calming. i still get many of these scary symptoms, but now i just relax and make sure to breathe fully and imagine myself being happy and feeling good and it has gotten much better for the fear part of it. So now when I get the weird vision or the pains I kind of just accept it as after effects of Cancer treatment and i am able to maintain happiness and enjoy my days more without the paralyzing fear of dying. I can actually feel good physically now, even when my brain is doing weird stuff. It's been six years since my last chemo-treatment and i'm still going through it. I hope with proper diet and exercise I will one day be rid of these symptoms. If anyone has figured out anything that works well please contact me and let me know. I would love to be able to feel good and CLEAR MINDED again! like %100. But for those of you like me who still go through it. I think we're going to be alright. I've been to hundreds of doctors who can't explain my problems. I've done many tests. And what they see physically I should be fine. So now I need to heal myself mentally. I think a lot of us do... But I'm there with you...And we will feel great one day! hang in there 8) much love and respect to everyone who reads this and i wish you all happiness health and harmony in your lives. Thanks for reading the whole thing. It kind of helps me feel a little better too 8) Grizzly
Hey there! I just wanted to say that you are not alone with the side effects from chemo after many years. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2008 at the age of 34 and went through 4 surgeries, 4 rounds of chemo and 35 radiations treatments. I have been done with everything since January 2009, but still have a lot of the side effects that you state...the blurry vision(which now i have to wear glasses for), night sweats, cold sweats, feeling cold and then feling hot, lots of hot flashes, nerve damage and nerve pain, gastrointestinal problems, chest pain on occaison, rapid heart rate, not being able to think clearly at times,nausea, chills sometimes and then rapidly after that getting hot..alternating, and weakness. They all tell me i am fine too..but i know it's got to be from all the chemo and that there has to be something they can do about the symptoms at least..heck ..i used to be a medical assistant...so i know better...and i ..like you..get tired of being told just to deal with it all. But i just wanted to let you know that you are not crazy..these are real things that happening and they are from the chemo and radiation and that you are not alone
We're all dealing with our personal long-term side effects by ourselves. But as you say - we are NOT alone. We've gont one another to connect with, to vent to, to lean on... Thanks for being here, all of you. PJH
Hi my name is Sherry. I just recently finished chemo and then radiation for stage 3A breast cancer. I finished the treatments in May, and now it's december. I still feel numbness in my hands and my bones feel like they are aching throughout my whole body, esp; ankles, wrist and hands. I want to run to a physician telling myself that maybe the cancer has returned in my bones. I start thinking that I may have another disease. I'm just not used to being sick. I wake up every so often with my breast hurting really bad, and this is always followed by a fever, that will last for about 24-48 hours. I don't even have many colds in my adult life. Well, "it is what it is".... I'm grateful that I am given a 2nd chance, God is good to me. I hear everyday how others has lost the battle with cancer. I'm happy to be a survivor..
Sherry, are you taking Arimidex, or any hormone therapy drugs? Because these can definitely cause the pain you describe, whereas a bone metastasis generally would NOT cause pain in wrists, ankles, and hands. And yes, chemo takes a long time to recover from; some effects last for years. Most women say it takes a good 2 years to feel like yourself again... so hang in there. I know it's tough; but you sound like you have a great attitude. And stay in touch here, OK? We're happy to listen, advise, commiserate, and otherwise reach out a virtual hand to you. Take care - PJH
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Hi Grizzly: The mind-body connection has been a huge help to me in the healing process. I meditate every day, first thing, before I get up; it really helps start the day on the right foot. I'm really sorry you've had such severe lasting effects from the chemo. Have you been checked at any of the really top cancer centers, like MD Anderson in Houston or Fred Hutchinson in Seattle, or the NY or Boston hospitals? Check this list of Comprehensive Cancer Centers; hopefully you've been to one. If not, I'd say it's time... In the meantime, hang in there. I'm very impressed at how you're managing to handle this; keep it up! We're with you... PJH