Rib pain and tightness after breast cancer – has anyone else experienced this?

[NicsB]

Rib pain and tightness after breast cancer – has anyone else experienced this?

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping someone might recognise what I’m experiencing.

I was treated for breast cancer in 2023 and had lymph nodes removed on the affected side. Since then I’ve developed cording and also have arthritis in the shoulder on the same side.

A recent PET scan didn’t show anything concerning, which I’m incredibly grateful for, but I’m still struggling with a horrible tightness around my rib cage on my cancer side. It feels as though everything is constricted and sore.

The worst part is when I’m constipated. If I have to strain on the toilet, I get an excruciating stabbing pain in my rib cage that literally makes me jump up. It’s so severe that I have to stop and try to relax before I can continue. The area remains very tender afterwards.

Has anyone else experienced this kind of rib or chest wall pain after breast cancer surgery or lymph node removal? Did anyone find out what was causing it, or find anything that helped?

I know everyone’s experience is different, but I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s had something similar.

Thank you so much.

[MistyK]

Hi NicsB

I had a double mastectomy (without any reconstruction) in 2022 re a different cancer in each breast simultaneously (which I insisted on, as strong family history, so thought - let’s just get rid).

I had axillary clearance on left side that showed one positive node severely affected - again, my choice given the option of that or just radiotherapy and again thought, get rid. Went on to develop lymphoedema

Anyway, with surgery over and wounds healed, I managed to completely resolve the cording I developed along both arms with diligently doing the recommended ‘cording’ exercises.

Thereafter, I have always had a tender left rib (just the one, I think), sometimes painful upon turning in bed and rising which then eases off (although whenever I palpate to check, residual tenderness is always present). I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve raised this with oncologist, breast care nurses, doctors. I’ve had bone scans, ultrasound and a CT scan since which showed nothing sinister but have been refused an MRI multiple times as being an inappropriate monitoring tool. What else is there to check for soft tissue mets in a targeted area, when mammograms are no longer an option, obviously (which in any case, failed annually - as did ultrasounds - to detect my cancers)?

I’m always told it is just scar tissue or possibly bone damage from left chest wall radiotherapy (so they don’t know for sure, then). Of course I continuously worry that I’m missing my chance to halt something developing when I could have caught it early. Then again, I could just be a worrywart and (hopefully) never develop any cancers again.

I also developed thick keloid scarring at the chest/armpit margins each side which often feels tight until I give them a bit of a massage.

My chest skin in general remains taut and sensitive because there is very little else around my bones, since I requested the surgeon remove every scrap of breast tissue he could reach !

I hope you find my experience of interest (I can’t say reassuring, since I have no definitive answer as to the cause, nor any resolution).

Hope yours either wears off eventually, or you get a clear answer.

Good luck (gently)

[NicsB]

Thank you MistyK, it’s kind of you to share your story and it certainly helps me not feel quite so alone with these symptoms. AS for being a ‘worrywart’, I think we have earned that right frankly! We just need to help keep it at bay I guess and not at the forefront of every niggle. I wondered if you might share what specific stretches you were given for cording please? I did not receive any other than to stretch my arm in the shower and run my hand across the wall as if it were a windscreen wiper! Thank you again and I wish you great health on all accounts!