Bone Cancer from BC mets

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Lowell - 28 Dec 2005 01:37 GMT

We would be interested in discussing some of the late stage(?)symptoms of
bone cancer from BC mets. About 2 1/2 years ago my wife was diagnosed with
mets from a 1990 bout with BC. Now she is having leg aches, mostly at night
when she tries to sleep. Advil gel caps have been helping but they seem to
be having less effect. She is currently almost an invalid, but with
surprisingly little pain from the bone cancer. In addition her ankles and
legs are becoming endemic. Our question is: is this a typical result of bone
cancer in the legs or perhaps some side effect of meds. She has been on
Femara (daily, 2.5mg) and monthly infusions of Zometa to strengthen bone for
two years. Recently to Onc. took her off the Femara and added monthly
injections of Faslodex. She is also on weekly injections of Procrit to
enhance hemoglobin.
Any information would be helpful, TIA - Van

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Sandy L - 28 Dec 2005 03:10 GMT

> We would be interested in discussing some of the late stage(?)symptoms of
> bone cancer from BC mets. About 2 1/2 years ago my wife was diagnosed with
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> of Procrit to enhance hemoglobin.
> Any information would be helpful, TIA - Van

f she is sitting up without walking, that might account for some of the
edema. Elastic stockings might help, as might a reclining chair so that the
legs are near the height of her heart. For the aching, try magnesium, 200
to 750 mg twice a day. It might help. The side effect of too much
magnesium would be loose stools, an indication to lower the dose..

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Lowell - 29 Dec 2005 15:00 GMT

Sandy,

Thanks for the tip on magnesium. Will give it a try. Will let you know the
results in about a week or so. Van

>> We would be interested in discussing some of the late stage(?)symptoms of
>> bone cancer from BC mets. About 2 1/2 years ago my wife was diagnosed
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> 200 to 750 mg twice a day. It might help. The side effect of too much
> magnesium would be loose stools, an indication to lower the dose..

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Lowell - 07 Jan 2006 01:17 GMT

Sandy,
Tried magnesium and had no favorable response with it. She got diarrhea with
just 200 mg daily and no significant leg help. Probably best to treat as you
said. Lately she has complained of leg twitching, like restless leg
syndrome. Need to look into meds for that. Van

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Sandy L - 07 Jan 2006 02:44 GMT

> Sandy,
> Tried magnesium and had no favorable response with it. She got diarrhea
> with just 200 mg daily and no significant leg help. Probably best to treat
> as you said. Lately she has complained of leg twitching, like restless leg
> syndrome. Need to look into meds for that. Van

There is a mixture of levodopa and carbodopa, whose name I cannot recall,
that often works welll with a single small dose at bedtime.

>>> We would be interested in discussing some of the late stage(?)symptoms
>>> of bone cancer from BC mets. About 2 1/2 years ago my wife was diagnosed
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>> too much magnesium would be loose stools, an indication to lower the
>> dose..

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Tim Jackson - 07 Jan 2006 11:15 GMT

> Sandy,
> Tried magnesium and had no favorable response with it. She got diarrhea with
> just 200 mg daily and no significant leg help. Probably best to treat as you
> said. Lately she has complained of leg twitching, like restless leg
> syndrome. Need to look into meds for that. Van

My wife got twitchy legs in the later stages. At the time we attributed
it to a morphine side effect, as it seemed to reduce when we switched to
Fentanyl as her main analgesic.

Tim Jackson

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Lowell - 08 Jan 2006 15:08 GMT

Tim - Thanks for the input. Wife not yet on morpheme. Only meds at this
point are Zometa and Faslodex. She just came off Femara and Procrit. She
has been taking Advil and/or Aleve for evening leg problems, but they are
becoming ineffective. We need to get her more exercise and elevate the legs
when she rests, which is most of the time. Van

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Tim Jackson - 08 Jan 2006 19:44 GMT

> Tim - Thanks for the input. Wife not yet on morpheme. Only meds at this
> point are Zometa and Faslodex. She just came off Femara and Procrit. She
> has been taking Advil and/or Aleve for evening leg problems, but they are
> becoming ineffective. We need to get her more exercise and elevate the legs
> when she rests, which is most of the time. Van

Yes, I was thinking perhaps our wives' symptom was due to the cancer and
not the drugs in both cases. Mine also had increasing lethargy at that
time, which is of course also a morphine side effect, but it seemed
excessive, such that the oncologist tested her for hypercalcemia, which
was negative at that time, (it came later) so that was unsolved. I
suppose in my wife's case it might have indicated occult brain mets,
although that was never diagnosed.

Tim

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Lowell - 11 Jan 2006 19:34 GMT

Sorry to mention, but the wife was admitted to the hospital 1/9/06 with
congestive heart failure - too much fluid in lungs and elsewhere. Diuretics
and other meds are doing their thing now. She is quite weak but expected to
be home in a few days. Guess I'll be playing full time nurse for a while.
It's interesting that the Onc. didn't mention anything about potential
problem when he had been seeing her monthly for two years and certainly knew
about her recent edema situation.
Van

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Tim Jackson - 11 Jan 2006 20:29 GMT

> Sorry to mention, but the wife was admitted to the hospital 1/9/06 with
> congestive heart failure - too much fluid in lungs and elsewhere. Diuretics
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> about her recent edema situation.
> Van

You both have my sympathy. I hope that dealing with that situation also
clears up her other symptoms.

Tim

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