Hi,
I haven’t posted for a while as had a relatively “paranoia free” few months. I was DX in Dec 2007, finished treatment 11 months ago and not on anything now as it was triple negative.
Since about a week ago I have noticed that my ribs on one side (BC side) are quite sore when I touch them. Its both back and front and there does seem to be one small central area which is the worst bit.
Needless to say I am now paranoid about bone mets and I’m just wondering if anyone else had this? If it persists or gets worse I will get it checked out, but I havent passed the 2 week mark yet so I’m hoping it will disappear next week!
Had a simular thing back in Dec/Jan finished rads in July had a bone scan in Jan and it came back clear, the outcome was that it was due to the rads, its still sore now but I dont worry quite so much. I felt that when I touched that side it was as if it was bruised but there wasnt any bruise. Get in touch with your bcn if you are worried and they will point you in the right direction. I decided better safe than sorry in the end because I was worried.
I’ve had rib pain since starting chemo last June for primary BC, it has got better since I’ve been taking neurological pain pills, but it is still there. Had another bone scan last week and everything, thankfully, is still clear so its not mets.
Just hoped to reassure you that it might be something other than mets.
Good luck with it and hope it disappears soon for you. Every ache and pain is such a worry since BC.
I was dx around the same time as you and developed rib pain this year. About 2 months ago it was waking me in the night it was so sore. My consultant assures me it is rads side effects.
Hi I am 2years post dx 31/05/07 and I still get rib pain. It sometimes wakens me at night and it due to rads.Just another of the side effects which might never go away. I am NED so don’t worry about the pain. Good luck and of course try not to worry.(if only it was easy).
Marion x
i had bc 12 months ago i didnt have chemo just rads i have just started to get cramp in my ribs ive been told its from the rads but it doesnt stop you worrying does it
I suffer really bad from pain in my ribs too, but I havnt had rads or chemo. I had a mastectomy and hormone therapy. I get told all the time that its nothing to worry about but I clearly am. Im not having an MRI or anything as everytime that some one gives me a physical examination and says im fine. The pain is still there and I think that they think am just being paranoid or down to the “hormone therapy”. Needless to say it really annoys me!
Hi All
I was diagnosed Jan 2008, six courses of TAC, bilateral mastectomy with axillary clearance on right side followed by 15 lots of rads. I am triple negative so no further treatment. I have had pain in my back on the right side and base of my ribs are sore the same side. My Doc thought it was gallstones, so chest X-ray which was clear, then abdominal ultrasound which was clear. Now I am booked in for a bone scan. I must say I am quite relieved that this seems to be a lasting result of rads. There are so many permanent side effects you don’t get told about until you have them, peripheral neuropathy for instance, I have it in both feet, was originally told it would get better. Twelve months after finishing chemo my hair still isn’t back to normal, very thin on the crown so I have to wear a hat in the sun, got my head burnt on holiday! Feel a lot happier about the rib pain after reading all these posts, I was terrified it was mets.
is the pain on the site of rads ? mine is on the opposite side ! my onc at first thought it was from rads but was told its usually on the sirte of radiation .so a mystery ,like you i had severe pain and it wakes me up .ive had bone scan that was clear now im tohave ct next month as i have lumps developing as well so am really hoping its nothing major ,i do have liver spots as well but this isnt due to that .
Hi there
Yes the pain is the same side as rads but quite a bit below the site more under my ribs. Ultrasound on liver was clear but my bowels are still not right and I finished chemo last June, that and the pain in my side and shoulder was why I am worried about liver mets. Now my Doc tells me after two blood tests six weeks apart my blood viscosity is higher than it should be so he has referred me to my Oncologist. Bone scan on Friday then 12 month surgery check up next Wednesday, as it is a 50 mile round trip to the hospital I feel like taking a tent and sleeping bag in.
All in all it is very difficult to put the big ‘C’ to the back of your mind, having to put on two boobs whenever I go to work or want to wear anything a bit summery and fitted doesn’t help either. Sorry to moan on but I am feeling a bit down at the moment.
Any one out there taking part as a survivor in the 24 hour relay for Cancer Research? I am doing the survivors’ lap in Plymouth on 18th July. Love to hear from anyone else whose taking part.
Best wishes to all
Nonny
Hi there, just to let you know after a 2nd op for wider margins following a WLE to remove grade 3 tumor and lymphs, the rib pain was so severe I ended up in A&E. They did blood tests and xrays but dismissed it as “muscular”. A week later and still suffering, I went for results of 2nd op (which was clear) and told surgeon about pain I was in - he ordered a bone scan for me and unfortunately they found some secondaries in 4 hot spots - ribs, hip and pelvis. Now on a daily bone strengthening tablet and keeping to the same chemo regime (FEC)and will start tamoxifen after last chemo in August. Just had a CT scan to check major organs for any spread and awaiting results. Not put this on to panic anyone but dont suffer in silence if you are in pain. The secondaries in bones are not curable but are treatable and I am not panicking about them anymore - it sounds worse than it is and by the way the pain has gone completely!! Rib pain can be a number of things and not always secondaries by any means - I am thankful for the early diagnosis tho. Love to everyone on this rotten journey xx
Had my scan on Friday last, First the radioactive injection, the nurse couldn’t fine a vein to put the cannula in as I only have one arm that can be used, have lymphoedema in the other, and she had to call for help, felt a bit like a pin cusion when they finished. After four house hanging around the hospital had usual bone scan, same as when I was first diagnosed and was told to wait while it was ‘looked at’, then told I was to have a SPECT bone scan which took half an hour follwed by a CT scan. Needless to say nobody would tell me anything, just saying when the scans have been examined the results will be sent to your Consultant and he will be in touch probably the end of next week! Thanks a bundle, as you can imagine I am now thinking the worst, why did they need the other scans if the first one was OK? Did they see something suspicious on it or is it just belt and braces? The waiting is enough to make you ill on its own. I have got my fingers, toes and everything else crossed.
Nonny
P.S. My side, ribs and back are still hurting!!
Hi Nonny,
Like you my bowels haven’t been right since chemo - been plagued with IBS and been having pain at the bottom of my ribs on the rt side on and off for years now. Iv been told the large intestine runs across there so fingers crossed theres a easy explaination for you -could be a mixture of rads and IBS…fingers crossed,
Josie x
Still waiting for results of scans. Told it usually takes about three weeks for results to be sent to GP. Perhaps if they find something it is quicker, hope no news is good news. Don’t these people understand the anxiety these waits cause! Hey Ho on we go. Pain seems to be getting worse, when I see my GP next I’ll mention IBS perhaps the chemo started it off, I’ve not had it before.
I had to go for an ultrasound recently on my neck (which was fine…:D) but i mentioned i had also been having problems with my ears feeling blocked… and straight away she asked me if i had had docetaxol (taxotare etc…) as apparantly long term problems with your ears, ribs and stomach are all quite common side effects once treatment has finished…
Hi Nonny
Hope your results wait will soon be over and sorry to hear about the rib pain.
I’ve suffered quite a bit since my 2nd taxotere with rib pain, even going to A&E because it was so worrying at first. After many tests and xrays they came to the conclusion it was neurological pain and gave me appropriate medication which helped. I don’t have the pain now, its just a general aching since having the mx last November.
As for bowels, well I never know where I am with mine - one day diarreah, then constipation, sometimes chronic stomach cramping when I have to fly to the loo. Needless to say I don’t like to go too far from home, just in case. I don’t bother to mention this any more as I just put it down to all the treatment, I am still on Herceptin and I think that can also cause stomach probs.
At last got my results! ALL CLEAR. My GP has suggested my oncologist sees me a bit earlier than my next check up and suggested that the rib pain is a direct result of the radiotherapy. As I have an appointment on 25th September (the earliest they could manage when I rang to say I was on holiday the beginning of August when I should have had an appointment) I don’t think there is really any point.
Well, saw my Oncologist on Friday last (I usually end up with one of his minions so I felt honoured) and he poked and prodded where the pain is and boy did I jump when he hit each spot, I love the way they just mutter ‘sorry’ and do it again just to make sure. The upshot was he sent me for a couple more blood tests, needless to say the vampire had difficulty finding a vein in my left arm as usual, which was left black and blue! Maybe I should just have a valve fitted in a vein somewhere so they can tap in whenever they want to! The Oncologist has also arranged for a full body CT scan after I get back from holiday on the 11th August. Reassuring me all they way that there is nothing to sorry about, he said the body scan was just to make extra sure as he felt it necessary so that I would not be ‘under diagnosed’. Hey ho at least he is being very thorough, I just wanted him to say that it is a usual side effect of Taxotere, (I finished TAC last June) and nothing at all to worry about.
This has been going on since February now, and not getting any better, worse if anything.
Will keep you posted on how things progress.