Hiya, I was diagnosed yesterday with invasive BC in 3 lumps on left breast and am awaiting an MRI to check the lymph nodes and other breast before surgery.
I have had this nagging dull pain/burning underneath my bottom rib and the area below it on the right hand side. I am assuming that this is the liver area? I don’t know whether to just call the clinic tomorrow and mention it to them? It has been bothering me all day today and I don’t want to seem like I am being over paranoid about stuff. I’ve been feeling completely wiped out for the last couple of weeks so not sure if it may be linked to anything or general tiredness!
Hi Paula,
Sorry you have to join us in the club that none of us wanted to join.
Of course you’re feeling wiped out, as this is just the most awful time for any of us.
I was diagnosed 7 1/2 years ago (see my profile for details if you like) and remember the horror of it all as if it was yesterday - as I suspect we all do.
I never imagined a time that bc would not be my immediate thought on waking and my last before falling in to a fitful sleep.
Of course I can’t advise you on the cause of your pain but I can only say that initially at least, I thought that every little pain or ache anywhere, must be secondary spread or another primary.
It is only with the passage of time that this is not the case with me.
I certainly don’t think you’re being paranoid - you’re actually reacting in a very understandable way to an awful, shocking situation.
Whilst we all share the same s*** disease, all of our journeys will be different and unique but we share common fears and thoughts - and you’ll never be alone here.
I think I’d have to ring the clinic and seek their advice Paula - they’ll understand your anxiety, I’m sure.
Please take care Paula and keep in touch - pm if you prefer.
Feel free to ask anything, even if you think it’s silly - trust me it won’t be x
Sorry that you have been diagnosed. It is worth mentioning your concerns but hopefully it will be nothing.
I have liver mets ( and had them from my initial diagnosis last year), I have no pain in the liver area and most people with liver mets don’t until the late stages. To reassure you further it is a very small proportion of people who have mets at their original diagnosis so there is a very good chance that your discomfort is totally unrelated.
It is a hard time for you at the moment as your brain goes into overdrive, it is much easier once treatment begins and you can focus on getting through that.
Hi Paula, I was diagnosed while on chemo with ibs - my main symptom being a pain just under my ribs on the right side. Apparantly the large intestine goes across there. I must say I was delighted with the diagnosis as I’d convinced myself that it was my liver!!
Josie x
Hiya, well almost a month on and I am getting more probs with this mild pain/discomfort. I can feel it every time I bend forward and it feels like I am bruised beneath my ribs. Had enough now so I am going to contact the BCN tomorrow or my gp. I had bloods done a month ago when I was diagnosed and they were ok, but something is playing me up and it may be entirely innocent, but just want to get it checked all the same.
I’ve now also got this cough (but no cold) and my lungs feel all irritated, so feeling a bit naff at the mo! Saying all that I will probably be snowed in for the next couple of days judging by the amount of snow fallen in 3 hours!
I think its a good idea to get it checked out and hope its something very innocent.
I have had symptoms like yours several times and have been scanned, thankfully scans have been alright. The discomfort has been put down to gallstones that were spotted in an ultra sound. The symptoms are very similar.
Sorry to read about your dx Paula, it all takes time to sink in doesn’t it.
I would like to share my experience. After my 2nd chemo I developed an awful pain in my side, under my breast on the rhs and had ultrasounds and chest xrays. Nothing showed up and chemo progressed. A few months later I was still experiencing the same pain and had tried many different pain killers, none of which helped. Eventually my surgeon decided it was nerve pain and prescribed me a tablet called Lyrica or Pregabalin. The pain went overnight like a miracle.
I have also had CT scans for a cough which was persistent, and apart from a little bit of radiotherapy damage (nothing significant to cause coughing) I have been treated for reflux and now my cough has all but gone.
I do still have the pain in the ribs, but because of all my coughing over several months an xray confirmed a fractured rib caused by the cough.
So although it is hard to stop worrying, it isn’t always sinister and I hope you get this sorted quickly to reassure you.
Thanks for replying. I called my BC nurse today and she suggested I tell them at my pre-op appt tomorrow as they may be able to do an ultrasound just to check everything is ok.
It may all be innocent as you say, whatever it may be, something is bothering me so best to get it checked. Will update if I do get is scanned.
Thanks, the bloods seem to be fine, but they have arranged an ultrasound for me on Thursday. I am quite nervous about it actually, I just have a feeling something is going on around where my liver is, I just hope I do not have mets.
xxxxxx
hope its nothing, i have lots of aches and pains and worry all time i.e lungs cos had cough, liver cos pain in back, hopefully im just being paranoid. Fingers crossed for you and i think but not totally sure that when my aunty had mets in liver they said they could see it by blood test xx
i too have been having a discomfort under my right ribs and feels almost like when you’re pregnant and your baby pushes against the ribs! it doesn’t go away with pain killers but isn’t there constantly. my bcn says it’s highly unlikely to develope liver mets whilst on chemo (as i only started feeling the discomfort after the first) and my routine blood tests are ok. would they show up in a routine test? seeing a doctor on friday for an examination to see what it is. i don’t have any other symptoms.
Paula xx
Hiya, I had an ultrasound of the liver and I was told I have a nice 1cm gall stone…th best news I had for ages…lol. I was just relieved it was nothing else. I also have soe wierd bundle of vessels on my liver, but nothing to worry about apparently.