Hi Girls
Can anyone please tell me what kind of pain to expect with rib mets?
Thank you
x
Hi LancsLass,
Difficult question - when my bone mets were discovered they had already spread extensively, including my ribs. I didn’t have any real pain until one day I had bad sciatica. It was the investigations that followed that discovered the bone mets. So I would some some get no pain, and others may have a lot of pain around the ribs that are not related to bone mets at all. Which is why if the pain goes on for more than a couple of weeks it is best to mention it to someone - preferably your oncologist if you still have contact with the hospital. Do you want to tell us what sort of pain you have?
Dawn
xx
Hi Dawn
Thank you for your reply. I am coming up to 5 years on Arimidex and over the past few weeks I have noticed a similar little niggly pain which comes and goes that I have always had on the site of my mastectomy. When I press all my ribs, front, back and side they just feel tender. If I am slouched (as I am now) on my chair at work I can feel little stinging pains that come and go.
Sorry to appear so vague…I did see my surgeon for my 6 monthly check up, but to be honest…and I know that I am totally stupid I was too terrified to say anything as I know that I would be sent straight away for a scan…how daft is that x
Debbie x
Hi,
When I was diagnosed with bone mets at the same time as my original diagnosis, I didn’t think I had any pain either. However, looking back on it at a later date, I had a couple of days with back pain and had to wear flat shoes (must have been my spine mets) and had had a niggling discomfort at the bottom of my ribs on and off for a week or so. Nothing for me to worry about and that some arnica and paracetamol didn’t sort at the time. When I was actually diagnosed, I had no pain at all so it could have been coincidence. Who knows?? Like Dawn says, and she’s an expert in such matters, some people have a lot of pain and others like me have none. If you have it for more than 2 weeks, get in touch with GP or oncology team.
I’m 3.5 yrs on from diagnosis and with the treatment my mets appear stable at the mo. My surgeon has told me to go back in 6 mths for my next checkup and I’m on 3 mthly ones at oncology. I feel basically fine.
Hope this reassures you, whatever the outcome.
Liz
Thank you girls, advice very much appreciated.
x
Hi Debbie,
That was a bit like the pain I had but mine was on completely the opposite side to my mx. They found some ribs affected on the mx side but they never gave me any problems at all.
Equally, my mum has been on arimidex for 7 yrs and has been getting a lot of bone pain and aches. Inevitably, even though she has arthritis, we were concerned. They did a bone scan and it just showed the arthritis wear and tear so it’s put down to arimidex. Even if it had been bone mets, she wasn’t unduly worried as she’d seem me with them for all these years.
Do go and get it looked at - you’ll worry either way !
Liz