I am afraid I am another lurker, here everyday reading and I feel like I know most of you like I have dropped into your living rooms a time or two.
I have a question to ask about my husband and I know you all will help me. He has been having deep muscle pain across his lower back into his thighs and he tells me its not sciatica it is really different pain wise. Also, his shoulder and arm, and starting yesterday the other shoulder. I got very impatient with him and just kept reciting the doctor's phone number every time he complained, finally he made an appointment. I told him get your blood worked before you leave that place!
He come home and of course has NO answers to my questions, just that they told him to come in the AM for a fasting blood work, and he had an xray and the dr. told him he had beginning of arthritis in his hips, oh yeah and he needs a colonscopy because he is over fifty and has to go a urologist. Okay, I asked did he give you a physical, nope, never took off my shirt. Did you tell him you have your third cold of this winter and have that horrid cough? UMM, I forgot.
I am absorbing all this and wishing I had gone with him, if you are thinking what I am thinking......the symptoms in his lower extremities is consistant with prostate caner. My robust, construction working hubbie is in constant pain and it is sapping him, he comes home, eats dinner, sits in his chair and is in bed by 8. He has never had to pay attention to his health before, and yes his cholesterol is high, I figured that. I am wondering why the GP would send him off to specialists without a physical, he didn't so much as take his shirt off. I would like some feed back, also his younger sister was diagnosed with lung cancer a year ago, it is rampant in his family, all kinds too. Help, please guys.
Thanks Janna

can get pain in the lower middle back from prostatitis which is a simple
infection. I have not heard them complain of pain in the legs however.

So it might not be the big C at all.
http://www.wmfurology.com/prostati.htm

Let's hope it is this...which is fairly common.

Thanks Mrs. D, I will let you know how it turns out, he has colnoscopy on the 5th and urology visit on the 14th, I will go and ask whatever questions I can think off. Janna

The whole colonoscopy thing is a really really big deal for a guy...Expect to be on call as 'SUPER WIFE!'.. including providing all needed and appropriate 'deep-meaning' Umms and UhhHuhs at the rite moments... The process of preparation is truly far worse in my book than the actual testing... But, w/some folks the air/gas in the tract during the testings remains and will evoke protests.... Keep telling your self 'There ARE worse tests, ask Billye or Kmeb?'
I think it was about the flu, but recently, on the news or something was guidance about setting up a portable TV and books in the BR for the duration of the 'whatever'..not a bad idea, really.

We all live thru them...In the meantime, I'm betting you WISH you had a 2x4x' handy? That or write it down.

Web up the process, it's all the the prep before and how/what you do/eat after that keeps you happier in the long run...
During the fasting process, I had the absolute WORST craving for NUTS! The last thing you want before such a procedure!

I dunno, this may sound silly, but, in my neighborhood, many couples do evening walks at dusk. Some holding hands, some just shambling along, others really talking. I've not done it w/my person, but I've always found it kinda super sweet and well, romantic...Maybe you could get your guy moving and talking as well? It would be a start...Just don't tell about the romantic part?

Pain free moments - j

Jenna,

You don't know enough yet to be worried, although concern is warranted. Cancer is really scary, and I've experienced that scare, but there are many other things that can be causing his pain, including arthritis. Muscles tense and can even cramp up to protect arthritic joints, pulling the area out of alignment. That deep, chronic muscle pain and misalignment can impact the surrounding nerves, entrapping them, causing inflammation and widespread pain. And, arthritis doesn't get better by itself if the person keeps on doing what they've always done. So even if it's "only" arthritis, whatever is causing the pain is serious and shouldn't be ignored, especially considering his profession. The longer chronic conditions go on, the harder it is to reverse them and the longer it takes.

Please be patient. These things can be very hard to diagnose. If your doctor isn't great, now might be the time to shop around for a great doctor who is a good diagnostician, who doesn't give up, and who has good rapport with your husband.

I'm sure your husband is as anxious about this as you, and possibly is in denial about a lot of health related things. Dealing with the changes in our body from stress and aging isn't easy for any of us. My wife has been incredible in helping me through a very tough 2006, and I have the feeling you're the same with your husband. Your posting about him shows a lot of concern and love.

Hi all,
After a couple of tense weeks we have 2/3rds of the answers for my husbands pain. His colonoscopy was scary because he had numerous polyp, two of them being quite large, found out this afternoon that he is okay on that matter, now has to be checked every three years.
His pain in his shoulders elevated to where he couldn't lift either one and was barely walking, he spent the weekend in a recliner crying out constantly from the pain. Finally, I went online and googled hip and shoulder pain. Came up with a condition called polymyagia rheumatica, basically arthritis of the soft tissue. It stated if you better markedly better within 24 hours of starting prednisone then this is what you have, the doc gave it to him yesterday and guess what? He is as good as new, don't know how long he'll have to be on steroids, but this does go away.
Just waiting now for the urologist visit to check out his "asymetrical" prostate new week, hopefully threes a charm.
Janna

Hi there. Melody here. I'm a wife like you are. I take care of my Alan.

I'm surprised no one has ordered some kind of x-ray of your guy's shoulder. He might have a frozen shoulder (I have this) and when it gets cold outside, I go nuts). I use hot compresses and the best thing in the world called TIGER BALM.

Go to the store and rub some on his arm and shoulder. He'll love it.

All the best.

Melody

Polymyalgia rheumatica is very common in middle aged to older folks, and while I know I know of people who have had it, only one comes right to mind. A good friend got it in her late 60s early 70s, and was on prednisone for a year. When she came off it, she was fine. She took a low dose, too, so even the medicine didn't cause any problems.

Hi Mel, I agree with you on the shoulder x-ray, I asked him why they only looked at his back on film, he says "I dunno", it is like sending him to the store, he'll come home with half of what we needed and a whole bunch of weird stuff he has always wanted to try. Needless to say he doesn't get to go very often, I suspect he does this deliberately to get out of doing things. It works too, so he should keep on doing it.....dumb me! I call him "sly like a fox".
Liza, again another condition I had never heard of, couldn't even spell it right, my grandson is an AML survivor, two relapses. My daughter that died in 2004 had ITP and died from disseminated HSV complications, and I developed PN. Have a whole grocery list of medical diseases I could have gone happily to my grave without knowing. Beginning to wonder what is in the air or water around here, or in our fiber board mills and aluminum plant smokestacks,truly I believe there is something in our beautiful valley that is poison. I am convinced that the Chernobyl crisis and the weather patterns may have rained down a bunch of poison on us, we have extremely high rates of cancer and other autoimmune diseases here. Creepy
Thanks ladies-Janna

Hi Mel, I agree with you on the shoulder x-ray, I asked him why they only looked at his back on film, he says "I dunno", it is like sending him to the store, he'll come home with half of what we needed and a whole bunch of weird stuff he has always wanted to try. Needless to say he doesn't get to go very often, I suspect he does this deliberately to get out of doing things. It works too, so he should keep on doing it.....dumb me! I call him "sly like a fox".
Liza, again another condition I had never heard of, couldn't even spell it right, my grandson is an AML survivor, two relapses. My daughter that died in 2004 had ITP and died from disseminated HSV complications, and I developed PN. Have a whole grocery list of medical diseases I could have gone happily to my grave without knowing. Beginning to wonder what is in the air or water around here, or in our fiber board mills and aluminum plant smokestacks,truly I believe there is something in our beautiful valley that is poison. I am convinced that the Chernobyl crisis and the weather patterns may have rained down a bunch of poison on us, we have extremely high rates of cancer and other autoimmune diseases here. Creepy
Thanks ladies-Janna