Hi
Sorry you are having such a lot of pain hope they can sort it out for you my rib pain has gone again but I spoke to specialist nurse and rib pain can come and go but yours seems extreme I wish you well
Like everyone else I’m so glad I came across this thread! I wish I’d been told about this pain ongoing after radiotherapy, I would have known what it was instead of worrying it was something worse!
thanks all of you xx
Hi I’m new to this site
I’ve been getting very panicky because over the past few days my ribs have become very sore and hurt when I bend over. I was so relived when I saw these posts as I thought that it may be the worst news. I had a mastectomy Jan 2017 and 15 rads stage one grade one idc and am taking tamoxife. I’m finding this journey really hard and need to move forward so every niggle and pain is another panic.
Still looking fir the new me x
Thank you for your kind words. I thought it would get easier after a year but I am finding it so difficult at the moment. I had my first mammogram since my diagnosis last week and I had a full on meltdown. I couldn’t believe it. I have always been so resilient and practical. X
Thanks to everyone for posting about this. I just keep thinking, ‘Why didn’t the doctors tell us this could happen?’ and I was certainly one of those patients who asked lots of questions of my radiologist and did a lot of research on my owe. I agree with the post that questions how this can happen, that this information is something the doctors seem to be unaware of, with all the major cancer centers and research in the U.S. and U.K. I am 2 years and 7 months post-radiation treatment and for at least 2 years I have had variously back pain, breast pain, and rib pain. It is not continuous and not excrutiating (because it only lasts a short while each time), but it occurs daily, sometimes multiple times a day. It’s always frightening because I always wonder if this time it’s going to continue in the same spot, which is the sign the doctors tell us to look for to catch metastasis. This is a lot of fear and pain to not be talking more about it. I will see my surgeon and have a mammogram in April and will tell her to put it in my record. Thanks again to you all, and I hope all our pain subsides and does not follow us the rest of our lives.
Hi, while rib pain is there for me, breast and armpit pain are greater. I HAD a lumpectomy in OCTOber 2015, finishd radiation December 17th, 2015. All was well until about MARCH 2016. MY BREAst became red, painful, the skin became orange peel and striated. Constant pain was about 4-5 (OUT of10), the acute, stabbing pain was a 7 or 8 (MADe me shriek). The doctors looked for infection, reaction to the estrogen syntheis inhibitor that I am on and took a biopsy. Eight weeks later, I WAS told to see another doctor, who sent me to another doctor. Well, I mmoved from MASsachusetts to OREGOn and started all over again. Every doctor that I saw said that they had seen this reaction to radiation before but never as bad as mine. They recommended a complete matectomy with a tissue transplant (FROM my thigh)>
I was not enthusiatic. And, along the way an Occupational Therapist that I SAw recomended a treatment used in veterinary and sports medicine: Near INfrared LIGHT. (my apoligies, my caps key seems to not release when I move to the next letter!)> IT worked! The pain is not all gone, but is more like a 0 -2, with rare spikes of 4-5. I started APRIL 2017 and over the first few weeks I noticed some iimprovement. By six weeks I HAd plateaued in my progress. As long as I use the light therapy (SEE Below), my pain is managable.
HOWever, last week I HAD my first mammogram since the 10/2015 surgery. Since then, my pain has worsened, which I HOpe is temporary. But, I wonder if my body has become sensitized to radiation.
I would like to learn from others as well as share my experieces to help others. Thank you for listening.
* NEAR INFRAred light act to increase the production of NItrous OXIDe which acts as a vasodilator. The increased blood flow brings more oxygen and nutrients while taking away more waste (SUch as damaged tissue).
I also have swelling along the ribs were I was radiated in 2008 and persistent rib pain…the pain has been a constant but the veiny swelling is new and about the size of a drink coaster. Bras are quite painful but I am large busted despite the lumpectomies and feel awkward without one.
Hi there! I’m new here. I started radiation in August 2010 and finished in October of 2010. I am still suffering from rib pain. If I don’t think about the pain it’s not there. But some days it just hurts. Even if they had told me about this side effect of radiation, I still would have gone through with it.
I am thankful to have other pink sisters to chat with.
MoniJoy
Hi monijoy, I finished rads in Oct 16 and find I can go for a while with no pain then I suddenly stretch over to far or the wrong way and the pain is there I guess it’s something we are all going to have to live with, but your right I would never have not had the treatment x
Hi I had radiotherapy 6 years ago and developed chest and breast pain this summer. I thought the cancer was back and Was sent to the John Radcliffe for tests. X rays ultra sound. Seems that I have costochondritis and the rib pain radiates into the breast even the nipple and am told this won’t go back to normal. So stuck with rib and chest pain and scared to even lift my shopping bag in case I make it worse. Does anyone have a better prog Isis than this.
I have started wearing genie bras that are soft and dont dig in. I am 38c but they do fit larger ladies. Worth a look for the comfort factor. I can’t bear a normal bra any more
Mine seemed to go on for a good nine months but gradually receded and went away after about a year
I just had 20 days of radiation and yes I had rib pain and a pain right in the middle where the heart is. That has gone away, but I still have rib pain on the side of surgery. I have been wearing sports bras, they work. I can’t go back to a regular bra either. It’s like every day I wake up to a new area of pain. My surgery was in May. I was told that it is cummulative with the side effects from radiation. So I will feel crappy for a long while.
My ribs a really painful from too to bottom i finished rads end of Jan this year i was told in June it is costochondritis its worse than ever even a sports bra hurts im wondering if tge cold damp weather makes it worse??? Don’t suppose there is anything that we can do about aa its a common thing after radiotherapy x
Hi, just found this thread. I’m 5 years on from surgery on left breast, have had what I call cramp, in the area where the bra sides touch, whenever I move in certain ways. Comes and goes, very sharp, also pain in breast all the time, much worse when anyone touches me or even hugs, using pain patches at times to help this when it’s very bad. Nipple sensitivity really bad but discovered M&S foam bras for after surgery and they are brilliant! They really help with pain in both nipple and breast and make wearing a bra possible, I’m quite large breasted. Was hospitalised last year with pneumonia - they told me my lungs are damaged and am waiting scans because of strange cardiac waves so they think my heart may also be damaged.
Not taking any cancer medications and am indeed back on hrt (after consultation and agreement). It seems rib damage, breast pain, lung and heart damage my be more common than usually admitted by t’authorities until pressed about it.
On the plus side, I am alive and otherwise fairly well, so sucking it up and trying to get on with life and enjoy whatever I can.
My surgery was in July 2014 and I had a lumpectomy on the right side, with 4 weeks of radiotherapy. I did suffer terrible burns at the time but once that was healed up I had expected things would settle down. WRONG. I get terrible cramp on the right side, from my back around to my chest below my bra level. It completely stops me in my tracks. I have pains all around my rib area and my abdomen on the right hand side is often very hard and appears to be bigger than the left. Chuck in some lymphoedema and it all really gets me down.
I had 30 days of radiation in 2013 following lumpectomy and chemo on left breast. Over the last few months I have been very aware of painful ribs, both sides. Very tender to touch but they don’t ache. GP (like most) wont accept cancer treatment as cause for anything. I feel so encouraged after reading all your posts, to know that I am not on my own with this awful pain. Best wishes to all my new friends (from Sydney Australia)
Yes it came on a year or so after the rads ended. It was mild but not often. More recently it is much less
often but the pain can be greater and takes my breath away at times but it passes.
I think it is going away finally . Depends on the individual
Hi Lolly, I’m having similar issues. Mainly with one rib in particular. I was told it is permanent. I get multiple rib pain occasionally as well. It will be interesting to hear what my Doctor says tomorrow. I finished my radiotherapy in March 20. Wishing you well, take care of yourself.
I had in and off intense level 9 rib pain for the past six months. X-rays showed nothing. Finally I begged my oncologist for another test. The cat scan showed I have 5 rib fractures in the same area that I received radiation. The scan also says I have Osteoradionecrosis. Bone death from radiation. My ribs on the left side are slowly dying my doctors say this is rare and so far they don’t know what to do about it My radiation oncologist at first said there is nothing they can do
I had a course of radiation to my left side 18 years ago and a repeat course in April 2021. I guess this is why they recommend only one course of radiation in an area. My radiologist assured me my body could handle a second course.
I will soon be disabled. My ribs break if I just lift my left arm over my head. I am a very active 60 year old.
I am devastated I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.
has anyone else been diagnosed with Osteoradionecrosis of the ribs?