side effects years later after chemotherapy

10/21/08

csurvivor06

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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Answers (2)

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

PJ Hamel

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

Thank you for your input
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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Angi

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