I have been experiencing discumfort in my abdomen on the right side of my body. I went to my GP and she told me that it was absolutly nothing and alot has been going round as late. The discomfort seems to have crossed my abdomen, i went back to my GP and she has said that she just thinks that im being a little paranoid and ther is nothing wrong with me. I see my onc on friday amnd im petrified that i have the symptoms of liver mets and my doc isnt taking me seriously.
Does this sound like a symptom at all? Im so so so worried- please help!
I’m sorry to hear you’ve been having some pains and understand that you’re worried this might be symptomatic of liver mets. I’ve had liver (and bone) mets for five years, with no liver pain and normal liver function tests throughout, so I’m thinking that pain isn’t always that reliable a marker for mets. It’s good that you’ll be able to speak to your onc this week, and hopefully, s/he’ll send you for a scan (ultra-sound, CT or MRI) if s/he thinks there’s any possibility of BC spread to your liver. Until then, you might find it useful to use BCC’s help-line to speak to someone who can give you some additional support & information.
Thanks Marilyn, I am so worried. I also want to know if anybody has had secondary cancer from stage 1 tumour with no lymph involvment? This is what i had and was apparantly isolated and at 9mm and i think thats why nobody seems to be taking me seriously!
Hi Emily,I get a lot of discomfort in that area.I’ve got IBS and thats what I put it down to.As I’ve had it more or less since my chemo finished 4+ yrs ago I’ve given up worrying that it could be liver mets! I think we’re all a little paranoid after a BC dx. It gets a bit better as the years pass by but I dont think it ever leaves us.If I were you I’d listen to your GP who doesnt think its anything to worry about and get a good nights sleep!..I know how you feel- I’ve been there!
As Marilf has kindly mentioned, if you need some additional extra support please don’t hesitate to give the BCC helpline a call. Here you will be able to share your fears and concerns with one of our trained members of staff. The number is free phone 0808 800 6000 and the line is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturdays 9am to 2pm.
When I was diagnosed with liver mets, I was also burping a lot and this appartently is a classic sign. My liver function was normal, but my onc could also feel the swollen outer lip of my liver when examining me. Try not to worry, easier said than done!
GPS ! Mention to the onc what you are experiecing it could be anything and is not likely to be liver mets - but if there is something to be checked out it is much bettter to be done now than months and months later. It is awlays possible to go from stage 1 to mets - but it is far less likely which is why gps are such a pain,…but your onc will have a good look at you and be able to reassure you properly - not glibly.
Can only second what Cathy says - you do need reassurance that it isn’t liver mets and hopefully your onc can give you that. I have liver mets but (as others have said) have never really had any pain - just occasionally have a “stitch-like” pain on my right side.
Hii Emily,
I am in the same position as you. Noticed tenderness just below my rib cage last Saturday. I’m on holiday with some girlfriends in Portugal and getting more and more worried as it isn’t improving. Mind you, me constantly poking it doesn’t help I’m sure!!
I have an appointment with my onc on 8th Oct, so at least I know he’ll check me out properly then.
I don’t think its anything to with radiation as it is well below the breast area. Everyyging is telling me its my liver.
I have just been to my onc and there is nothing to worry about and im absolutly fine, as im young just am getting alot of side effects! Katie61, im sure that you will be ok too…good luck and be sure to let us know how you are.
Hi all,
Good news here too! I went to the local medical centre, still in Portugal, and they did an ultrasound of my abdomen within a few hours, what a great service. Everything looked perfect and they are giving me pictures and a report to bring home. It was very reassuring as I had got myself in a total knot about it.
I will still raise it with the onc when I see him in 10 days. I am also going to ask can I get annual CT and bone scans as I think I would get a lot of peace of mind from a clear result. My 1st anniversary of DX is December and having 1st mammo then, so hopefully can have the others too.
Thanks for all the support girls.
Katie x x
hope you dont mind me encroaching on your posts .but I am having dreadful discomfort in my hips and pelvic area I wasnt due for my first check since DX last october
until 14 th November but I called the breast nurse as I am so uncomfortable and she has brought the appt forward to next tuesday 30 th September I am on Tamoxifen and had no periods for months and then woo they are back !!..as my mum died of Ovarian cancer I am stressed to the max my mind is all over the place is it my bones is it OV ??? I try to tell myself that it is just me being paranoid as my dear friend died 4 weeks ago just 40,and this week another friend has had surgery for kidney cancer and my other friends daughter who is 29 and been treated for bowel cancer for a year has now suspicious areas on her lungs …I cant get away from it all this sadness and badnews ,so I am hoping that its not three in a row !!I I am so sorry for rambling on and there are loads of people suffering far worse than me ,but needed to get it off my chest …feel better for it so thanks guys for letting me .Phew!!!
Hi Ann g
Cant say I was very reassured .I had no Ultrasound breast care nurse said I dont get one until 2 yrs after DX ??? Cant have mammo as recon implants .Doc just felt my breasts and under my arms said they seemed fine ?and will see me in 6 months Ididnt have any lumps that could be felt when I was first DX so what was he feeling for?? bone ache he thinks is osteo arthritis and has got me an appt with an ortho in Nov .Said that I had periods whilst taking Tamoxifen and was worried cos of my mums dx …he didnt seem fussed said of I get any more to get in touch and he will referv me to Gynae.Have come out feeling no better and still in agony and feel like I am paranoid and the BCA Nurse must be sick of me …more stressed today than when I went yesterday wish I hadnt gone …I have been so tearful today it has really got to me sorry for going on but I dont know wht to think xxxxxx
A friend of mine has osteo arthritis from the chemo drugs and can hardly walk or get upstairs and is only in her 40’s. I think it is very common. She has to see a rheumatologist every couple of months and have pain killing injections into her knees and hips. Just another side effect of chemo that they don’t seem to tell you about before hand! Some oncs still deny that it comes from the chemo, but more and more are now admitting it because they are seeing so many women with the same problems. Hope you feel better soon.
Hi Maz,
I am so sorry you weren’t reassured by your doctor. You cling on for these appointments, and to come away feeling none the wiser is depressing in the extreme. Did he examine your abdomen/pelvis? My onc always seems to want to poke around in my tummy (uterus area) as well as checking breasts, armpits, neck and liver area. Not sure why - I assumed it was because Tamoxifen can cause thickening of womb lining etc. On the subject of periods, I’ve been on Tamoxifen since January, and my periods stopped last summer on chemo (I’m 45). Well they’ve returned with a vengeance recently, and I asked my onc about it. He said if it’s following a monthly pattern that’s fine - it’s just that i’m a more fertile spring chicken than we thought! If there’s continuous bleeding or spotting between periods, then I need to get it checked out.
Hope this reassures you. Big hug
Jacquie x
Heavens me too! Seen onc today with a whole list of symptoms, including stomach pain and constant dry cough, so you can imagine which ceiling I am on at the moment!
Anyway onc is sending me for a CT scan - so although I will worry like hell in the interim at least I’ll get an answer relatively soon. Last time I had really bad stomach pain and diarroea(sp?) it turned out to be e-coli! I am sure there are not many people who feel as relieved to learn they have e coli as I did!