Hi, I’ve been an onlooker of this forum since I was diagnosed in 2007 but never really posted anything. I just feel like I could do with some support from people who understand how I’m feeling.
I have had pain in my hips for about a year now. I mentioned it to my oncologist last year when the pain was only in one hip and I had a bone scan that was clear. Since then the pain has got worse and is now constant and I also have shooting pains down my legs. I went to see the GP several weeks ago and she suggested that I see my oncologist again as it had been a while since my last scan. My oncologist has sent me for a bone scan and if that is clear I will have an MRI. Is it possible for bone mets not to show up on a bone scan?
I have recently seperated from my husband and I’m finding this waiting all a bit difficult as he has always been there in the past with all my hospital appointments.
I know I’m not really asking many questions here, I suppose I just need a bit of a moan! x
Bone scans are very good at picking up any cancer activity and earlier than would show up in a CT scan - the problem is more false positives than false negatives. Although I can’t say it’s never happened, it’s hard to imagine something established enough to cause pain that wouldn’t show up on a bone scan. So if it didn’t show up last year, chances are it isn’t bone mets. Sometimes (and this happened to me) bone mets are misdiagnosed as arthritis or wear and tear, especially when in the joints, so it is worth reading the report very carefully to check this doesn’t happen.
There is a condition caused by chemo that results in pain in the hips - you might remember that Jenni Murray, the Woman’s Hour presenter had it, which eventually spread to both hips. Of course there are plenty of innocent causes of hip pain as well, and an MRI should be able to tell you what the problem is.
I empathise entirely with your feelings - it’s so scary having these pains, and sometimes it seems as though the “experts” don’t really know what to do - whether to use a ct scan, bone scan ot mri. For myself, i was sent for a ct scan when I had a recurrence which i was told supposed to show up anything, which was normal. I had a bone scan when i was worried about pain in my back in 2004 immediately following my original dx. When i complained of hip pain to my onc last October he just sent me for a blood test and xray, both of which were fine - but i was surprised he didn’t send me for a bone scan - he said it wasn’t necessary. I think that sometimes they don’t send us for these things because they might show up things that aren’t actually cancer related. It sounds to me as though your onc is covering all the bases, which is probably a good thing. I have never had an MRI scan, i really don’t know what one would show that a bone scan doesn’t.
whatever the test though i think the waiting is the worst part, and it must be hard for you to have no one at home to share it with. I am thinking about you and hope it all goes ok. Am sending you lots of cyber hugs (((( ))). Lots of love, Mo x
Hi Mo - just fyi, an MRI will be able to show a detailed cross sectional image of soft tissue and bone, down to individual blood vessels. A bone scan is just an small image of the whole skeleton, where indistinct hot spots show up where there is unusual cellular activity - so anything showing on a bone scan would need to be confirmed by a much more detailed scan - MRI or CT.
Thank you very much for your replies. I know that having a clear bone scan last year is a huge positive but I still keep thinking that the pain had only just started then so maybe something was too small to show up. At least I don’t have too much longer to wait for the results. I have an appointment Monday morning so the wait is almost over.
Finty, I hadn’t heard about the condition from chemo that can result in pain in the hips but it is reassuring to hear of other possible causes ( I know there are probably many).
It’s funny because I’ve had this pain for so long now and haven’t really thought too much about it but since the minute I had an appointment with the oncologist it’s all that’s been on my mind! I suppose it’s just something we have to get used to after a diagnosis of breast cancer.
Well if it’s any reassurance my mets showed up on a bone scan and I have never had any pain from them - it would have been some time before they got big enough to cause any. Bone scans pick up cells that are unusually active so can detect very, very small tumours.
finty x
I’m also in this situation, waiting for a bone scan with pain in my scar/underarm area. I wasn’t really worried about bone mets until Dr said be “moderately relieved” (!!!) I am ordering a bone scan but probably nothing to worry about. He found a very sore area in rib under scar.
My Mum died very suddenly last week and I don’t want to further burden my family with my worries which hopefully will prove to be groundless.
Scan is day before Mum’s funeral. Do they give results striaght away or will I have to wait until my clinic appt which isn’t for another 5 weeks?
i too am about to have a bone scan on wens im sure it mostly old age creeping up on me but doc want to be sure its nothing more than arthritis which i know i already have as i have had that for yrs in joints but this pain is down bc side just under the ribs and down my side better safe than sorry i say and if it shows up anything im sure ill deal with it too
littlemrs sorry about your loss xxxxxhope you get the right results
The waiting for scans and results is terrible isnt it - hopefully you will all get good news.
littlemrs - what terrible timing having to go for the scan the day before your mum’s funeral, I really feel for you. I’m afraid that I have always had to wait for my clinic appointments to get the results, I think it might take them some time to read the scans and type the reports up.
Sorry to hear about the timing of everything littlemrs - I’ve had bone scan results reported to me within a week so I’d ask to have them earlier than 5 weeks - that really is a long time to wait when you have all the family pressures of bereavement as well so I’d ask for another appt if you can. Thinking of you…
thanks to others for info on the scans - really useful
I have just been reading your post re bone scan and the loss of your dear mum, and my situation is so very much the same as i was told on the 11/04/11 i was to have a bone scan due to neck and rib pain but then my mum was rushed to hospital on 12/04/11 and sadly died suddenly on the 17/04/11, i never got to talk to her about it and feel so alone cos she would always just give me hug and tell me everything would be ok bless her.I have now received my appointment for 26/04/11 and feel so lost.
Hope all goes well for you littlemrs
Hi Littlemrs and Vicky
How awful for both of you to lose your Mums in such a way and especially when you have the added anxiety of going for bone scans. I really don’t know what I can say to make it any easier for either of you but I do hope you have other family members or friends who can help you during this time. Wishing you both well and also good luck with your scan results.
Nicky x
Thanks Nicky for your reply,
I have got a fantastic family but just feel they have also been through enough and now this, it is just so hard to stay positive about any thing any more but I am sure i will get there in the end.
Vixyliz, I’m so sorry to hear about your Mum. Maybe you can draw strength from your memories of her? I hope your appt wasn’t too stressful. I’ve had my scan, waiting for results now. Hugs from me ((( ))). Look after yourself.
Thank you luvy, I am finding everything so difficult at the moment because of double bank hols my mums funeral has not been able to take place until 03/05/11 so still got that to deal with and I had my bone scan on 26/04 so like you still waiting for results but wasn’t told how long I would have to wait?? just feel like every thing is a struggle at the moment but I am sure I will get there as we always do.
I’m not feeling so positive now. Not sure if it’s because of bereavement or wait for BC clinic appt at end of month. I had one of those dark nights of the soul and got in a terrible panic thinking about my children and my partner. He’s vulnerable emotionally and my kids have been asking why I’ve had a bone scan. I’ve played it down to kids saying it’s just routine. Can’t dump my worries on them. My partner and I have talked but not in much detail as I feel putting my fears into words makes them real. I’m imagining more chemo, having to tell family, worrying about being very sick again with chemo… I’m not normally like this and can give myself a talking to and keep things in proportion.
I thought I might phone BC nurse to see if my appt could be moved but with all the bank holidays maybe my scan report won’t be ready, all she’ll be able to do is say try not to worry.
Trying to keep busy (I work full time so that’s easy to do!) and enjoy this lovely weather.
My sister was diagnosed in October with BC. She’s had a bone scan which showed hot spots on ribs, back and hip. She’s finished chemo but yet to have a mastecomy,followed by radio threapy. She’s waiting for results of a 2nd PET scan to see if the hot spots have diminished. I know the tumour has shrunk in her breast, but it’s the results of the bone scan that’s worrying.
I got my bone scan result on Thursday. As I feared (expected?) it shows an “area of concern” where I’ve had discomfort on rib under my masectomy scar. Now waiting for MRI appt to confirm cancer then CT scan. Weirdly, I felt a great sense of relief when my consultant told me results. I’ve waited so long for them and had got myself in a real tizzy. partly because i didn’t want to talk to anyone about it until I knew what i was facing (apart from my lovely husband). Luckily my consultant is straightforward in how she talks to me and doesn’t fudge answers to my questions so I feel I can trust her reassurances.
As long as it isn’t anywhere else it looks like I won’t need chemo which was my dread as it made me so ill and I don’t want to take time off work. Next problem is talking to my kids (2 away from home) so they know what is going on but don’t get worried. I had to break BC diagnosis on phone to the eldest one and that was awful for both of us as she was so far away and very upset. Hopefully I can visit this week and talk in person so they know it isn’t as bad as it sounds. Also don’t want them to hear others gossiping. After BC diagnosis I had “friends” ringing me up to ask if it was true!!!
The next door is opening, not sure yet where the door leads to but I learnt a lot of things during my 1st treatment so this feels like another step on my journey.