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Bone mets- What do you do for pain?
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Bone mets- What do you do for pain?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Bone mets- What do you do for pain?

  • Post
    • October 3, 2012 at 1:44 am
    gabsound
    Participant
      I’m wondering how you with bone mets treat your pain. I’m trying to still work and am dealing with pain in my left femur. This is an area with definite changes seen on CT and on X-ray. At night I will take something with codeine, but during the day this makes me too sleepy to function.
      Ibuprofen seems to help some, but I need to take 600mg every 4 hrs. I also found some indomethacin I used when I was in hospital doing biochemo. It is like ibuprofen, but lasts for 12 hours.

      I saw the radiation oncologist today and he thinks we need to radiate. I was relieved to hear that, because I really don’t want to get a fracture in my femur.

      The trip to Angeles clinic went well. I really like Dr Hamid. I have to wait until after my next pet/CT to know which way things are going as I had a mixed response to last round of Yervoy. If stable or improved no need for clinical trial. He suggests carry on with more Yervoy. My insurance company is going to love that at $26,000 a dose (assuming they will pay again).

      So in a holding pattern, but not coping all that well w the pain.

      Any thoughts?

      Julie in Las Vegas

    Viewing 8 reply threads
    • Replies
        • October 3, 2012 at 1:57 am
        Janner
        Participant

          I used to take diclofenac daily for severe knee arthritis.  One pill every 12 hours.  It's an old (and cheap) generic anti-inflam.  Worked well for me – better and easier than ibuprofin.  Then for times when I was doing more (activities), I might take a tramadol on top of that.  Tramadol is a synthetic opiate and is not as strong as the big boys.  Not controlled the same way, either.  But I could take that and function.  Not sure how bone mets compares to "bone on bone" knee arthritis (I have a high pain tolerance), but these are both cheap drugs and did well for me for a couple of years.

          Good luck on your next PET/CT and finding something that works for you pain-wise.

          Janner

          • October 3, 2012 at 1:57 am
          Janner
          Participant

            I used to take diclofenac daily for severe knee arthritis.  One pill every 12 hours.  It's an old (and cheap) generic anti-inflam.  Worked well for me – better and easier than ibuprofin.  Then for times when I was doing more (activities), I might take a tramadol on top of that.  Tramadol is a synthetic opiate and is not as strong as the big boys.  Not controlled the same way, either.  But I could take that and function.  Not sure how bone mets compares to "bone on bone" knee arthritis (I have a high pain tolerance), but these are both cheap drugs and did well for me for a couple of years.

            Good luck on your next PET/CT and finding something that works for you pain-wise.

            Janner

            • October 3, 2012 at 1:57 am
            Janner
            Participant

              I used to take diclofenac daily for severe knee arthritis.  One pill every 12 hours.  It's an old (and cheap) generic anti-inflam.  Worked well for me – better and easier than ibuprofin.  Then for times when I was doing more (activities), I might take a tramadol on top of that.  Tramadol is a synthetic opiate and is not as strong as the big boys.  Not controlled the same way, either.  But I could take that and function.  Not sure how bone mets compares to "bone on bone" knee arthritis (I have a high pain tolerance), but these are both cheap drugs and did well for me for a couple of years.

              Good luck on your next PET/CT and finding something that works for you pain-wise.

              Janner

              • October 3, 2012 at 4:27 am
              Harry in Fair Oaks
              Participant

                The radiation should greatly reduce the pain.  Also, Zometa infusions will strengthen the bone and reduce the chance of fracture.

                I also see Dr. Hamid , and have been under his care at the Angeles Clinic for over a year, doing the GSK BRAF/MEK trial.

                Best wishes,

                Harry

                  • October 4, 2012 at 3:08 pm
                  killmel
                  Participant

                    Harry,

                     

                    Do you take Zometa?? If so, how often & any side effects? Thanks for the info.

                    Mary

                    • October 4, 2012 at 3:46 pm
                    Harry in Fair Oaks
                    Participant

                      I did 3 rounds of Zometa last year.  I think it was one infusion every 4 weeks.  I had moderate joint/bone pains lasting only a couple of days each time – especially at ankles/bottom of feet.

                      Because the BRAF/MEK markedly decreased the size of my bone mets, I was able to stop the Zometa.  It's strange that in all my long history with this disease, the Zometa made me feel like a "cancer patient" for the first time, since it was administered in the chemo infusion center – I had to keep saying to myself: "this isn't chemo, this isn't chemo."

                      Best wishes,

                      Harry

                      • October 4, 2012 at 3:46 pm
                      Harry in Fair Oaks
                      Participant

                        I did 3 rounds of Zometa last year.  I think it was one infusion every 4 weeks.  I had moderate joint/bone pains lasting only a couple of days each time – especially at ankles/bottom of feet.

                        Because the BRAF/MEK markedly decreased the size of my bone mets, I was able to stop the Zometa.  It's strange that in all my long history with this disease, the Zometa made me feel like a "cancer patient" for the first time, since it was administered in the chemo infusion center – I had to keep saying to myself: "this isn't chemo, this isn't chemo."

                        Best wishes,

                        Harry

                        • October 4, 2012 at 3:46 pm
                        Harry in Fair Oaks
                        Participant

                          I did 3 rounds of Zometa last year.  I think it was one infusion every 4 weeks.  I had moderate joint/bone pains lasting only a couple of days each time – especially at ankles/bottom of feet.

                          Because the BRAF/MEK markedly decreased the size of my bone mets, I was able to stop the Zometa.  It's strange that in all my long history with this disease, the Zometa made me feel like a "cancer patient" for the first time, since it was administered in the chemo infusion center – I had to keep saying to myself: "this isn't chemo, this isn't chemo."

                          Best wishes,

                          Harry

                          • October 4, 2012 at 3:08 pm
                          killmel
                          Participant

                            Harry,

                             

                            Do you take Zometa?? If so, how often & any side effects? Thanks for the info.

                            Mary

                            • October 4, 2012 at 3:08 pm
                            killmel
                            Participant

                              Harry,

                               

                              Do you take Zometa?? If so, how often & any side effects? Thanks for the info.

                              Mary

                            • October 3, 2012 at 4:27 am
                            Harry in Fair Oaks
                            Participant

                              The radiation should greatly reduce the pain.  Also, Zometa infusions will strengthen the bone and reduce the chance of fracture.

                              I also see Dr. Hamid , and have been under his care at the Angeles Clinic for over a year, doing the GSK BRAF/MEK trial.

                              Best wishes,

                              Harry

                              • October 3, 2012 at 4:27 am
                              Harry in Fair Oaks
                              Participant

                                The radiation should greatly reduce the pain.  Also, Zometa infusions will strengthen the bone and reduce the chance of fracture.

                                I also see Dr. Hamid , and have been under his care at the Angeles Clinic for over a year, doing the GSK BRAF/MEK trial.

                                Best wishes,

                                Harry

                                • October 6, 2012 at 1:47 am
                                gabsound
                                Participant
                                  Harry and Janner,

                                  Thanks for your help.

                                  Julie

                                  • October 6, 2012 at 1:47 am
                                  gabsound
                                  Participant
                                    Harry and Janner,

                                    Thanks for your help.

                                    Julie

                                    • October 6, 2012 at 1:47 am
                                    gabsound
                                    Participant
                                      Harry and Janner,

                                      Thanks for your help.

                                      Julie

                                  Viewing 8 reply threads
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