[jpk1967Participant]

Hi All, new here and hoping someone can help with this query. My wife, 59. was diagnosed 2 weeks ago after we went to a medical centre with suspected kidney infection. We are in Stoke and the care has been amazing. We are 2 weeks in and she’s just had her 2nd dose of chemo. She’s very fatigued but her biggest problem is a severe pain under her arm. She’s trying not to take any Oxycodone as it made her very constipated, but paracetamol doesn’t seem to touch the increasingly intense pain. Has anyone else experienced this? Do you have any suggestions and do you think we should contact the emergency number? Thanks for any response. Reading the threads has been very reassuring that we will eventually get back to normal.

[shaun3Participant]

Hello, I’m sorry to hear of your wife’s diagnosis. The NHS is amazing isn’t it and I’m really pleased to see she’s getting treatment already. When I was first diagnosed 8 ½ years ago I had a lot of pain in my spine. I can’t remember taking any specific pain killers for that, but it did clear quite quickly once I began treatment. I’m treated by Portsmouth and Southampton hospitals and they have emergency contact numbers that I still use today. So I would not hesitate to call them for help and advice. We’re on holiday at the moment and I was playing cricket on the beach with my grandchildren yesterday, so things did get back to normal. Wishing you both the very best of luck, Shaun

[najmahParticipant]

Hi,
I’ve just read your post and was sorry to hear of your wife’s diagnosis. She’s been very fortunate to be able to start her treatment so quickly. I’m in Newcastle and also had a short time span between my investigations and treatment beginning.

I hope by now her pain is easing, did she manage to speak to her specialist nurse or maybe the consultant to sort out her pain control? I would say it’s always worth giving your named nurse a ring as they are very good at either sorting you out or redirecting you to the right person.
For myself my pain was mainly in the hip and lower back area. My MRI showed lesions in my lower pelvis and two fractures in my lower spine but my pain wasn’t severe so was easily controlled by paracetamol and codeine at first then just paracetamol as the codeine does cause constipation.

I was just wondering if her MRI showed any reasons why her pain would be under her arm.

Hoping that she has her pain under control now and wishing her well during treatment.

[jpk1967Participant]

Hi Shaun and Najmah, thank you for your kind replies. Unfortuntely the pain seems to be getting worse and spreading across her chest. She reduced the Oxycodone to just at night as the constipation was getting really uncomfortable but the paracetamol doesn’t seem to be working very well. I have contacted the Appointed Nurse and waiting for her reply. Its good to hear that you are both living normal?? lives again. All of this is very new so its good to have all of the resources on this site for advice, but sometimes its better to have a discussion with someone who knows.

[najmahParticipant]

Hi jpk,

Sorry to hear your wife is still in pain and that it is spreading across her chest. Have you heard yet from your named nurse? Hopefully as her treatment goes on her pain will lessen. Do you know what her treatment is called? I’m on ISA-Rvd and I suffered terrible constipation when I started my treatment, It’s something that I’ve never been bothered with before and as your wife knows it’s so uncomfortable. I was told that the main culprit causing the constipation was the Bortezomib (Velcade) injection I have every week. My consultant prescribed a powder you mix with water, it’s called Laxido, she also prescribed a tablet called Sennosides and I was told initially to take a combination of both. I was reluctant to take laxatives as under normal circumstances I wouldn’t take them but as my consultant said ‘these are not normal circumstances for you’. I found, through trial and error what combination worked best for me. So maybe your wife could ask her consultant about a suitable laxative. Also drink plenty of water, try prunes and prune juice and eat plenty of green veg.
I’m now 17 weeks into my treatment and find I only have to take Laxido now and again. So I’m not all that far into my Myeloma journey (my plan has my final treatment as August 2028!) I have the odd day when I feel fatigued but on the whole I’m carrying on with life as normal as I possible can.
I hope your wife will soon start to feel the benefits from her treatment.

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