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What to do for pain in hormone therapy?

Page last modified on: October 31, 2008

Question from Cyn: The support I got during active treatment was very good, but now that I am on hormone therapy, the care is four times a year for fifteen minutes. Pain is definitely an issue, but I am not high-maintenance material anymore. What do I do?: Answers —Michelle Rhiner, N.P.: What might be helpful for you is to have a pain diary and to fill up this diary for, say, one week prior to visiting with your physician.

In the diary, you will have average pain for the week, worst pain, and the least amount of pain. You'll have a body map where you'll be able to specifically point out where this pain is located and the various characteristics that are associated with your pain. It will help your physician, as well, to note the amount of medication you're taking, and the relief obtained when using these medications.

This will provide extremely important information for your physician. Having it filled out ahead of time is a wonderful review for the doctor.

There are wellness communities throughout the U.S. that offer various patient support and other types of support groups, including Breastcancer.org, which is a wonderful site to visit.

There are many web sites that allow you to download different types of pain diaries. One good example is on the Health in Aging web site (24 KB PDF).; Neal Slatkin, M.D.: Michelle recently authored a booklet for Cancer Care entitled, "Controlling Cancer Pain - What You Need to Know to Get Relief." You can download a free copy of the booklet from the Cancer Care web site.

On Wednesday, January 21, 2004, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Pain Management: Getting the Relief YOU Need. Neal Slatkin, M.D., Michelle Rhiner, N.P. and moderator Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. answered your questions about the best ways to deal with the physical pain and discomforts associated with breast cancer and breast cancer treatment.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Neal Slatkin, M.D. is director of supportive care services and associate professor in the department of neurology at the City of Hope Cancer Center in Duarte, California.

Michelle Rhiner, N.P. is patient coordinator and department manager in the department of supportive care and palliative medicine at the City of Hope Cancer Center.

Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. is a medical oncologist specializing in the treatment of breast cancer, with a a special interest in cancer survivorship, patient-physician communication, and quality of care for women with breast cancer.