hi everybody , i was diagnosed with IDC grade 3 and 2 lymph nodes affecred and lump measured 2.5cm in june 2007 i had 8 sessions of chemotherapy and had a great response it totally shrunk the tumour , i had a wle in november and 20 sessions of radiotherapy january and started herceptin in april , over the last few weeks i have had pain in my ribs which i put down to lymphodema , they really hurt to touch, i had an appt yesterday and mentioned this to my specialist, he sent me for a chest xray and is arranging a bone scan i am terrified and find myself in that horrible position of waiting for results is that what bone mets feels like ? anybody had this pain ,any reasurrance would be nice
love galen
Hi Galen,
Sorry i don’t have any experience of bone mets to share with you, but thought i’d answer you as I just saw your post pop onto the screen. You must be so worried, and it’s such an awful time waiting for scans and results to come. How soon will you know the results, any idea?
Sending you a big hug
Jacquie
Hi Galen
I am sorry that you have this further worry, I am sure your fellow users will be along soon with their experiences and support. Also, please do call our helpline for further support and advice from our specialist nurses on 0808 800 6000 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat 9am-2pm.
Best wishes
Lucy
It is an awful place to be Galen - what stress we could be saved if we could have answers without all the waiting! Of course there can be many reasons why you are having the rib pain, including the effects from radiotherapy which can go on for some time. Nerves are damaged from this, and from surgery and can take time to settle and repair. I think it is good that your oncologist is being cautious and arranging xrays and bonescans. I hope the results are going to be good and put your mind at rest. I do have extensive bone mets - dx in 2002 but long before that (dx originally in 1990) I used to get a lot of pain in the rib area which was not due to bone mets at all.
Dawn
xxx
thank you so much for your replies, i have to wait for my appt for bone scan and they said they would make an appointment for me when all my results are back, so i dont know how long, i am struggling to concentrate on anything xxx
Hello Galen,
As Dawn said this may well be the effects of radiotherapy. My partner, Juliet, had really bad rib pain starting a few months after her rads. Was very tender to the touch. She had a chest x-ray which was clear. This was about 2 years ago and she still has some pain in that area -although it has gradually got much better.
Really hope this is the case with you too.
Sharon x
Hi Galen
I finished rads in May and I have pain around the ribs which are tender to touch. I am not sure whether it is the muscle or ribs themselves but definitely to do with the rads. I had DCIS, no nodes no chemo so I am really confident mine isnt secondaries. I am no expert at all, but I would have thought if a tumour was growing inside the tiny confined space of a rib bone, the pain would be constant and severe. Tender to touch sounds more like soft tissue or ligaments/tendons? As for the specialist arranging bone scans, they will do that as soon as you mention pain as a precaution.
Cathy
Just to add, rads do cause a lot of inflammation in both soft and hard tissue, so I would really think that in your case, much more likely rads than anything else so soon after successful treatment?
x
Hi Galen,
Snap!! I have found myself in exactly the same position as you are. I have been experiencing v.painful ribs lately and also I have pain in a couple of areas of my back and hips. I mentioned this to my gp when I saw him about something unrelated on mon. I said it feels like I have been punched in the ribs or something (not that I ever have!). He was quite concerned as a previous ct and bone scan had shown ‘hot spots’. So, he’s referred me to my onc for an urgent appt as he thinks I need a bone scan and/or c-xray.
Whilst I wait for this appt I am slowly going out of my mind! My imagination is really working overtime, especially as I have lost friends recently to this awful disease, I know everyone gets aches and pains from time to time but I guess with our history its understandable that we should become concerned.
I wish you well as you wait for your appt.
Take care and be sure to let us know how you get on,
Kelly
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Hi everybody , thank you for your reassuring messages and support , kelly so sorry to hear you are in the same boat, its the waiting game all over again !! i was feeling so much better and now i am in despair again !! anyway i am having a bone scan on the 17th july , day before my birthday ! and i should get my results around tuesday they hope, i hope you go on ok kelly please let me know ,
love galen xx
Feeling of deja vu here! I am in exactly the same situation galen, I too was diagnosed last June, 8 chemo, lump shrunk to nothing, WLE and rads in Jan (only difference is that I am triple neg so no more drugs). I went for my first 6 month check up couple of weeks ago, ultrasound is clear but I mentioned that I had sore ribs and surgeon said that this can be from rads. But I also said that I had a sore spot of my back which he found (basically directly behind my bad boob, under my bra strap) so he sent me for precautionary bone scan which I had on Tuesday. Now got the horrible bit of waiting for results which as always, seem to take forever so will post when I know response. But there does seem to be a recurring theme here…
M
Hi Galen & catflap,
horrid though it is, its reassurring when you know others are in the same boat. I have my appt with the onc on July 24th and I guess he’ll decide what scans and stuff I need then. My gp wants me to have a ct and bone scan so hopefully thats what the onc will recommend. Starting to get ever more worried now as not sure I’ll be prepared for the results!
Anyway, galen I wish you all the very best for your scan on the 17th. I will be thinking of you and keeoing everything crossed.
Catflap - I wish you all the very best as you await your results. I think we all detest waiting for results so I certainly feel for you, and no doubt I’ll be playing the waiting game myself in a couple of weeks.
Take care and keep in touch,
Kelly
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