worried about simple xray for poss bone metsposted
worried about simple xray for poss bone metsposted Well I went for my 3mth post op check up today and it was just as well cos last night I found a lump at the end of my collar bone after 6 wks of shoulder pain.
The surgeon had a feel and said he thought it was fatty deposits! But it is hard?! So he sent me for an xray and said he would look at it in a day or two (the xray that is).
I am getting myself into a bit of a state. Apparently pain in right shoulder can also be a symptom of liver mets due to nerve pressure.
I asked again about proceedure for follow up tests to detect secondaries but was given a complicated and unclear answer which he sumed up by saying the 3 mth check up would pick up on ‘symptoms’ i.e. my shoulder pain - xray.
I am also worried about the validity of normal xrays, I know these can miss ‘stuff’. To top it all of, I am sick of the dam cough and phelgm which wont go. Is it just the chemo or something more sinister? Or Mr. Paranoia paying a return visit?
Any input would be grateful.
Irene
For Irene Hi Irene
It sound like things are really difficult at the moment, maybe it would help to talk to some one about how you are feeling. Please feel free to contact our free phone helpline on 0808 800 6000 if you would like to talk to someone in confidence.
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HI Irene
I think I might have replied to one of your posts before but can’t remember!!
All I can say is that I had severe hip pain May last year and the bone scan did not pick up that it was a secondary but the xray I had done 3 months after that did!!
If you are that worried and have symptoms then I would push for a CT/PET/MRI.
Your cough etc could be just that it won’t go cos you’re run down after chemo - that happened to me - or as I think what you are worried about is - it could be a sign of lung mets which has also happened to me.
Did you have any blood tests done at your check up? (cos I think and I know I may be wrong) If you had big secondaries in your liver, enough to cause pain then your blood tests would show a difference from your previous ones.
Not really much help am I!!.
I’m surprised your follow up is done by the surgeon and not the oncologist. I would ask to see the oncologist if I were you as they will view things differently from the surgeons - again a personal opinion I know!!
It sounds as if you are not happy with your current investigtions so just go back and ask for it to be explained again.
Let us know how you get on
Kate
Fatty Lump in Collarbone Hi Irene, If it helps I’ve had a fatty lump in my collarbone for the past few years.It was diagnosed pre BC days and has stayed the same size more or less since I discovered it.Must admit though if it had just popped up recently I’d be concerned…but surely they know their fatty lumps from their lymph nodes!
Hi Irene
I had a biopsy on the lump just under my collarbone which showed that cancer had spread from a lump in my lymph glands under my arm (which had been undiagnosed as I was told it was scar tissue) to the lymph glands in my neck.
Hoping this isn’t the case with you but just letting you know my experience so that you have a bit more evidence behind you to push for further examination and a clearer explanation for this.
Best wishes
Rachael