Possible bone cancer query

Hi people I'm struggling at the moment with a variety of
symptoms that to some degree appear to be pointing to some
more sinister cause than my usual mishmash of problems
(Lupus/Sjogren's/Fibromyalgia) - I've had the dx's for 10
years and they've all been fairly stable until last year,
when everything went somewhat pearshaped. Started off with
teeth issues leaving me unable to eat sweet things any more,
investigations showing that this was most likely a flareup
of my SJS - fine i thought. But then I started having a
severe pain in my right hip which was totally different to
my 'normal' pain - much more intense, dull ache and just
interminable. Much worse at night despite my having a
flotation mattress which I've used for pressure relief (due
to the FMS) for many years, thus keeping me awake and
leaving me worse off the next day. I lost a lot of weight
last year - dropped 12 pounds over a short space of time
(from 110 pounds down to 88 to 90 or so) and I'm 5'7" so you
can tell I'm pretty underweight at the minute. I've a lot of
other symptoms that really don't fit into any obvious
category (shoulder/arm/elbow pain in specific locations with
some swelling in the latter, but not down to my FMS
apparently, localised neck pain, right kidney pain etc and a
host of others), and am now getting a bit concerned. I was
put on OxyContin for my FMS pain 2 years ago and initially
only needed it for a few months over the winter - that
changed last year and I found that not only could I suddenly
not do without it I needed more, although am still on a very
minimal dose in comparison to many at 20 mg. However, it
barely holds my pain and my doc is reticent to up the dose
as yet. My Rheumy says that my pain is not joint related and
given the weight loss and location/intensity of the pain he
too is concerned so has now ordered a bone scan.

I suppose I'm just wondering if anyone else has experience
of similar symptoms in relation to bone cancer specifically
or indeed any other type, as I've also got new abdominal
pain mostly overnight with no other symptoms during the day.
No gynae reason for it as I've had a hysterectomy. Right
kidney is marginally affected by my lupus but not requiring
treatment as yet.

I'm in the UK so would appreciate contact from others
locally too. I should perhaps say that I'm not a
hypochondriac by nature, but my latest round of problems is
making me into one :-)), and I don't normally concern myself
either with my symptoms as I'm well used to having many
undiagnosed ones over the past 10 years or so, but this past
year, something has changed, and I just can't pin it down -
given the intensity and severity of this pain I'm truly
hoping they figure out some cause for it. I'm 45 and am
rapidly losing what little independence I had before last
year - currently can't walk far, sit, or stand without
flaring up in minutes and thus can't really cope with
shopping etc, yet need exercise to prevent the fibro flaring
more and adding to the picture.

Sorry this has been a shade longwinded - but hard to try
and give enough info for you to perhaps give me some
solid feedback. Emails welcome if you would like to
contact me that way.

THanks for your patience and hope to hear from some of you
soon. Romayne (Belfast, N.I.)

Romayne Wright wrote:

> Hi people I'm struggling at the moment with a variety of
> symptoms that to some degree appear to be pointing to some
> more sinister cause than my usual mishmash of problems
> (Lupus/Sjogren's/Fibromyalgia) - I've had the dx's for 10
> years and they've all been fairly stable until last year,
> when everything went somewhat pearshaped. Started off with
> teeth issues leaving me unable to eat sweet things any
> more, investigations showing that this was most likely a
> flareup of my SJS - fine i thought. But then I started
> having a severe pain in my right hip which was totally
> different to my 'normal' pain - much more intense, dull
> ache and just interminable. Much worse at night despite my
> having a flotation mattress which I've used for pressure
> relief (due to the FMS) for many years, thus keeping me
> awake and leaving me worse off the next day. I lost a lot
> of weight last year - dropped 12 pounds over a short space
> of time (from 110 pounds down to 88 to 90 or so) and I'm
> 5'7" so you can tell I'm pretty underweight at the minute.
> I've a lot of other symptoms that really don't fit into
> any obvious category (shoulder/arm/elbow pain in specific
> locations with some swelling in the latter, but not down
> to my FMS apparently, localised neck pain, right kidney
> pain etc and a host of others), and am now getting a bit
> concerned. I was put on OxyContin for my FMS pain 2 years
> ago and initially only needed it for a few months over the
> winter - that changed last year and I found that not only
> could I suddenly not do without it I needed more, although
> am still on a very minimal dose in comparison to many at
> 20 mg. However, it barely holds my pain and my doc is
> reticent to up the dose as yet. My Rheumy says that my
> pain is not joint related and given the weight loss and
> location/intensity of the pain he too is concerned so has
> now ordered a bone scan.
>
> I suppose I'm just wondering if anyone else has experience
> of similar symptoms in relation to bone cancer
> specifically or indeed any other type, as I've also got
> new abdominal pain mostly overnight with no other symptoms
> during the day. No gynae reason for it as I've had a
> hysterectomy. Right kidney is marginally affected by my
> lupus but not requiring treatment as yet.
>
> I'm in the UK so would appreciate contact from others
> locally too. I should perhaps say that I'm not a
> hypochondriac by nature, but my latest round of problems
> is making me into one :-)), and I don't normally concern
> myself either with my symptoms as I'm well used to having
> many undiagnosed ones over the past 10 years or so, but
> this past year, something has changed, and I just can't
> pin it down - given the intensity and severity of this
> pain I'm truly hoping they figure out some cause for it.
> I'm 45 and am rapidly losing what little independence I
> had before last year - currently can't walk far, sit, or
> stand without flaring up in minutes and thus can't really
> cope with shopping etc, yet need exercise to prevent the
> fibro flaring more and adding to the picture.
>
> Sorry this has been a shade longwinded - but hard to try
> and give enough info for you to perhaps give me some solid
> feedback. Emails welcome if you would like to contact me
> that way.
>
> THanks for your patience and hope to hear from some of you
> soon. Romayne (Belfast, N.I.)

Hi Romayne, I don't get into theorizing but while you're
waiting for the scan results, you may wish to join either
news:alt.med.fibromyalgia or news:alt.support.lupus Both
have UK'ers HTH J

You didn't say how old you are, but most bone cancers are
more common in children, teens and younger adults ... except
for a couple ... the primary one for middle-age and older
adults is Multiple Myeloma (there may be a few others).
Myeloma lesions will not surface on standard bone scans
(although others may)... they are best surfaced on MRIs.
Might be worth an MRI of the right hip.

Larry

Romayne Wright wrote:
> Hi people I'm struggling at the moment with a variety of
> symptoms that to some degree appear to be pointing to some
> more sinister cause than my usual mishmash of problems
> (Lupus/Sjogren's/Fibromyalgia) - I've had the dx's for 10
> years and they've all been fairly stable until last year,
> when everything went somewhat pearshaped. Started off with
> teeth issues leaving me unable to eat sweet things any
> more, investigations showing that this was most likely a
> flareup of my SJS - fine i thought. But then I started
> having a severe pain in my right hip which was totally
> different to my 'normal' pain - much more intense, dull
> ache and just interminable. Much worse at night despite my
> having a flotation mattress which I've used for pressure
> relief (due to the FMS) for many years, thus keeping me
> awake and leaving me worse off the next day. I lost a lot
> of weight last year - dropped 12 pounds over a short space
> of time (from 110 pounds down to 88 to 90 or so) and I'm
> 5'7" so you can tell I'm pretty underweight at the minute.
> I've a lot of other symptoms that really don't fit into
> any obvious category (shoulder/arm/elbow pain in specific
> locations with some swelling in the latter, but not down
> to my FMS apparently, localised neck pain, right kidney
> pain etc and a host of others), and am now getting a bit
> concerned. I was put on OxyContin for my FMS pain 2 years
> ago and initially only needed it for a few months over the
> winter - that changed last year and I found that not only
> could I suddenly not do without it I needed more, although
> am still on a very minimal dose in comparison to many at
> 20 mg. However, it barely holds my pain and my doc is
> reticent to up the dose as yet. My Rheumy says that my
> pain is not joint related and given the weight loss and
> location/intensity of the pain he too is concerned so has
> now ordered a bone scan.
>
> I suppose I'm just wondering if anyone else has experience
> of similar symptoms in relation to bone cancer
> specifically or indeed any other type, as I've also got
> new abdominal pain mostly overnight with no other symptoms
> during the day. No gynae reason for it as I've had a
> hysterectomy. Right kidney is marginally affected by my
> lupus but not requiring treatment as yet.
>
> I'm in the UK so would appreciate contact from others
> locally too. I should perhaps say that I'm not a
> hypochondriac by nature, but my latest round of problems
> is making me into one :-)), and I don't normally concern
> myself either with my symptoms as I'm well used to having
> many undiagnosed ones over the past 10 years or so, but
> this past year, something has changed, and I just can't
> pin it down - given the intensity and severity of this
> pain I'm truly hoping they figure out some cause for it.
> I'm 45 and am rapidly losing what little independence I
> had before last year - currently can't walk far, sit, or
> stand without flaring up in minutes and thus can't really
> cope with shopping etc, yet need exercise to prevent the
> fibro flaring more and adding to the picture.
>
> Sorry this has been a shade longwinded - but hard to try
> and give enough info for you to perhaps give me some solid
> feedback. Emails welcome if you would like to contact me
> that way.
>
> THanks for your patience and hope to hear from some of you
> soon. Romayne (Belfast, N.I.)

Thanks people - appreciate your interest and feedback, and
esp the reassurance. I'm 45 - so not a youngster I suppose
by usual standards
- feel more like 90 these days. Must admit the more I read
on bone cancers the more reassured I become as I can see
I only have a few symptoms that could be indicative of
such, but will just have to be patient now and wait for
the scan etc. Will try and update you and let you know
should it be positive.

Romayne