Achy stiff legs

[Justkoz]

I am 8 months out of chemo treatments and my legs are still so stiff and sore sometimes that I feel like a 90 year old lady! I have a hard time walking sometimes in the mornings when I first get up or have been sitting for awhile. I feel all stiff in my legs. Is this from the chemo treatments and will it ever get better? My ovarian cancer was found in stage 1a and chemo was an option for me and I chose to have it and I am still glad that I did because if my cancer ever comes back I will know that I did all I could to help myself with no regrets but I just wish I could get my legs feeling better. Yes, I got the Neulasta shot after each treatment ( I had 6) which did help with my white count staying up. I just want my legs to feel as good as they did before the chemo treatments if in fact this is what caused them to turn this way? Any thoughts or suggestions anyone????

[helenl89]

i too also am effected with the stiff achy legs. have had to have a hip replacement cause of artrithis, but thtat was diagnosed before they found the cancer. I have gone to several drs with this complaint. none seem to have the answers.     i'm about 1 year out of chemo and still bothers me terribly. I still think the taxol reaked havoc on my joints and am hoping it will go away some day. sometimes exercise does help. stretches especially. I myself would also like to have my legs back.

[shewrites]

I know it's counter-intuitive, but you might want to try some exercise.  I took tai chi (taiji) at our high school district's continuing education program for three years.  It's a gentle exercise, you don't need to be real fit, but it's good for flexibility, balance, and strengthening muscles. It's weight-bearing exercise, which is good for fighting off osteoporosis.  It helped my knees, although I couldn't always tell that on the way home from the class!  The type I took included a 28-step routine that took about 18 months to learn -- which was also good for my brain!  

[Justkoz]

Thank you all who answered me! I thought I was going crazy and/or had some other disease going on. I did so well during all my chemo, had minimum side effects that were handled with medicine and when I think I should be getting my old self back I walk and get stiff and my legs and knees ache like an old lady. I am 57 but act 87 some days! I am grateful that my ovarian cancer was caught at such an early stage (1a) but just am hoping that in time I will get some of my old energy and stamina with no aches back! I guess I will start taking some Tylenol or Ibuprophen  on the days I am so achy and stiff. Thanks again for all the input everyone gave me....much appreciated.

[Nanc257]

I to have stiff aching legs. Have been out of chemo for 2 months and they are still with me, aching and stiff everyday.  Some days they are worse than other days.  Started on my second chemo and stayed with me. I to am 1a. My right leg muscles hurt more than my left and both of my knees ache and pain. Ibuprofen 800MG helps some, but do not like to take to much of it. I guess I'm just waiting and hoping it will soon be gone. They told me the Taxol caused the aches.  Some days I move around like I'm 102.

[SwOC5]

Hi yes have the same trouble myself stiff joints and it feels like it takes a few steps to get going again after have been sitting for a while. I am 18 months post my 2nd round of chemo treatments. But once i am up and moving about i don't really notice it much except when i try to stand up after hunching down to find something in a lower cupboard! I reckon my body thinks its about 10-15 years older than it is without its ovaries!

[monkeygirl1967]

Hi. I know how you feel and it is quite common I'm afraid! I was diagnosed 3c last June. All good at the moment but finished chemo 11 months ago and still get stiff legs - in the morning, when I've been sitting a while - just the same :-) I find it's less of a problem the more exercise I do but it's something that I think we just have to live with for now - could be worse :-) Hang in there x