Hello ladies
I saw my onc yesterday and reported to him that my left ribs have been really sore for almost a week and after examining me, he said it sounded like a pulled muscle. I had vigorously mopped my kitchen floor and I put it down to that, but I am wondering if there is some progression to my ribs (mets to liver, lung, eye & bones). The onc says he’s concerned with pain that does not go away, but if it continues much longer, I will ask for further investigation. Up to now I haven’t had a ct scan and wonder if this would pick up anything. My OH thinks I’m worrying for nothing, because I’m now not used to doing heavy h*******k and not using all my muscles.
Does anyone else with mets to the ribs have this ‘bruised’ experience with or without exertion.
Jen x
hi jen
i have had exactly the same pain in my rib cage , the same side as my affected breast, i cannot put any pressure on my rib cage , i have not banged it or done anything strenous, it is really worrying me and i keep feeling for lumps but its too painful, i am wondering if its connected to lymphoedema as i am affected in my breast and it has been quite sore, i am seeing my specialist on tuesday so i am going to have it checked out, isnt it just horrible when you try not to worry about something but its there niggling in the back of your mind , i will let you know how i get on but it will be interesting and scary to see what other ladies have to say !!
love galen x
Hi Jen & Galen
Yes it is very scary when we have new pains and worry that it might be BC mets progression. The usual way of diagnosing bone mets is via a bone scan, where you have an injection of radioactive isotope dye, followed a few hours later by the actual scan, where you lie on an x-ray type table and the scanner takes pics from above and below you. After these are completed, the machine puts all the pics together, which then show if you have any “hot spots”, i.e. tumours or any other bone abnormalities which have attracted the radioactive dye, and your onc will get a report within a few days. Jen, it sounds like your onc would refer you for a bone scan if your pain lasts a week or two, which is good; Galen, hope your onc does the same for you.
I was dx with liver & bone mets (skull, ribs, spine, pelvis, sacrum & hips) in October 2003, had a blast of radiotherapy for pain then, and have been on the oral bisphosphonate Bondronat ever since – although I have had a couple of episodes of severe pain which turned out to be new bone mets, this has always subsided when the Bondronat kicks in, and I’ve been relatively pain-free for over 4½ years.
Good luck to you both!
Marilyn x
Hi Ferber,
It may just be your liver mets affecting your side. I too have liver mets and I find that if I’ve been sitting too long then my ribs on my right side get very achy. I think it may be the liver pushing on my ribs. I had this ache before I got dx and it has not got any worse over the last year. It just increases some times to the point of being very uncomfy.
Hope that helps
Best Wishes
Kate
Like Kate, I sometimes get achey ribs on the right hand side which I attribute to my liver mets. Sitting hunched for too long at my computer can provoke it - and strangely enough it always seems to manifest itself before a scan is due (in this instance - 14th!) have noticed it over past few days.
Jenny
x
I too get achy ribs, just like Kate and Jenny. Always know when I’ve sat too long at the computer! Still do it though LOL.
Kay xx
My ribs feel sore on my mastectomy side. Have had an all clear bone scan so doc thinks it’s an after affect of the rads.
Irene
Many thanks for your replies and sorry for the delay in replying - had a busy weekend.
After my second bone scan in May I was told Arimidex was keeping things stable. As far as I am aware the mets are in my groin and spine, I will ask the onc next month to be more specific where the hot spots are.
Thanks to your replies, I realise it must be pressure from my liver. I have been getting more pain at the top of my abdomen over recent weeks, (usually during and after a meal) so maybe it’s more swollen than usual on the left side. I am due another liver scan in Aug, but as I haven’t had a ct scan, I just wonder if it would be worth asking for one instead?
Likewise, I can’t sit at my computer longer than an hour, but it is my spine which causes most probs. I always look for a comfy chair when we eat out and think I might buy myself a fancy cushion to use on those horrible wooden chairs - no what I mean?
Galen good luck tomorrow, please keep us posted after your appt . I hope your scan goes well next week Jenny.
Keep well and take care.
Jen xx