Topic: very sore/tender ribs

Apr 29, 2009 01:41 PM shiny wrote:

Hi Rocky,

I have had 2 "scares" related to bone mets and one to a distant enlarged lymph node. Each time the oncs took it seriously. To date am  still NED.

The last "scare" was just about a month ago. My specialist nurse and the oncs strongly recommended that I get a bone scan just to be sure. My General practicioner however, was very laid back about it. I didn't know what to think but on my team's advice I am reluctantly comming to the realisation that however anyoying,unsettling,scary etc getting "checked out" for possible Mets might be, it's best to go sooner then later (the 2 week rule, but I leave it a bit longer).

My Macmillan nurse was the one who was most compelling in her recommendation that I get used to the drill and go early to be tested. I guess because she sees the effects of people leaving too much time before going to doc and having more extensive damage to manage as a result. My pain was on the spine and some ribs. It turns out, that it is further degenerative stuff and not mets.

I do feel better for going, eventhough at the time, you don't like to make a fuss.  So if it was me, i'd go now and not wait until June. Sure you will get more girls coming on to give you their take on your question soon.

Take care of you.

Shiny

Apr 30, 2009 10:55 AM, edited Apr 30, 2009 10:56 AM by juli0212

I am also 2 years out of chemo/radiation treatment and have pain in the ribs, almost right below where my scar would be from tumor removal (1.6cm).  I had IDC/SND/EST+ and am on tamoxifen.  I did call my oncologist, as it's been now 3 weeks with the pain, one day was worse than any other...and they NP was going to see me.  I had troubles with this NP before, so I'm waiting for my regular ONCO appt. in a few weeks.  That's when we were going to also change me from Tamoxifen to an AI, due to chemo-induced menopause at age 47...now post-menopausal.  I get leg-calf cramps as well (think it's from tamoxifen), had them checked for blood clots, as it hindered walking...comes and goes.  The pain in the rib area (my tumor was SMACK against the chest wall, had to have 2 surgeries/ending in partial mastectomy) is pretty constant, and if I touch the rib, it hurts.  Not a muscle pull, I don't think.  I'll get it checked out.

Hoping for the best for everybody above...I'm very sorry about the mets in the bone, Mike.  What is your prognosis for that?  Any treatments?   (I'm still under a 0% prognosis)   ~juli

May 1, 2009 04:55 PM LauraT wrote:

Judy,

I was about to ask the same question until I read your post. I have some pain that feels like bruising on my rib cage under my armpit. When I look at it in the mirror it looks normal.  It's more of a "tenderness" kind of pain than an "ache". I'm not sure what pain from rib mets feels like, but I'm worried. I'm trying not to freak out about every little ache and pain I get, but this is wierd.

Good thoughts to us both that we're worried about nothing.

 Laura

May 2, 2009 02:51 AM, edited May 2, 2009 02:52 AM by Mazy1959

Judy,

My oncs tell me that if I have a pain bad enough to cause me worry that lasts longer than 2 weeks...then it needs checked. Also of course if it is a severe pain it should be checked right away. Pain is a symptom and  justifies having scans. My bone mets happened to be the same spot I had had pain for a long time. One night it got severely painful. Painful enough that I was crying and taking alot of pain pills . My first thoughts were that I must have a ruptured disk or something of that nature. My husband took me to ER and the mass showed on a standard xray. Soon after I had a bone biopsy and it confirmed my onc's diagnosis of mets to the 5th lumbar. . After 9 months of Aromasin and Zometa the bone healed and the tumor is no longer visible. If I were you I would call and make an appt with your onc before june. I would let your onc know that you are quite upset about your pain and that you would like scans to put your worries to rest. Pain is a symptom that something is wrong. ..I pray it's nothing. Hugs, Mazy

May 2, 2009 08:53 PM Analemma wrote:

Rockysmon, if you have pain that wakes you up at night, get it checked.  A couple of years ago I asked my orthopedic surgeon about bone mets symptoms, and that's what he said, "bone mets generally hurt at night."  Sure enough, when I got mets to my rib and spine, it hurt when I rolled over, and I couldn't lie on that side comfortably.  Call your onc and describe what you posted here, and he can tell you whether you should wait until you see him in June, or have a bone scan.  I'm guessing he will order a bone scan to rule out mets. 

May 3, 2009 06:05 PM Brenda_R wrote:

Just curious. Does costochondritis cause rib pain and tenderness on the sides of your ribcage?  I've been having problems with the sides of my ribs hurting and have sore spots on each side. Worse on the BC side and I thought maybe due to rads, but no reason for the other side to hurt.

May 7, 2009 11:56 AM, edited May 7, 2009 11:58 AM by SCMartin

I was wondering if anyone has had rib pain from Arimidex. I have one sore rib on the left under my breast. I have had it about 2 weeks. It only hurts if I press on it or stretch my arm really high straight up. It does not hurt at night when sleeping or when lying on that side. I have been on Arimidex for 2 and a half years. I will be starting on Zometa next month and will have two infusions a year. The pain has not gotten any worse but is still there when pressed.  Maybe I should stop pressing that spot! I did have chemo and radiation.

May 7, 2009 04:33 PM rockysmom wrote:

Thank you for all your thoughts/input.

I did have some rib pain after rads, but this is in areas not radiated. Could this still be costochondritis ?

I don't think I'm allowed to have deep tissue massage as I have truncal lymphedema. But I do go to a chiropractor- I could ask him.

thanks!

May 8, 2009 11:01 PM bbmom wrote:

I've been having more of a pressure under the last rib on my left side. I have one spot that's tender to touch, but not real painful. My cancer was in the right breast so my rads was on the right side. I'm scheduled for a bone scan next week because of pain in my lower back. I guess if there's anything gong on with the rib they'll see that too.

May 28, 2009 12:58 AM carolerparks wrote:

Judy, I seem to be experiencing the same pain you described, going on two weeks now. The pain area increases I little each day.  It just didn't occur to me to be related to my bc (guess just my typical denial mode). Just had mammo in December & I completed the tamoxifen. My pain feels just like I bruised my ribs, but no discoloration or swelling. I have been very active playing tennis and jogging with my 14 yr old daughter, but I haven't had any injury & play tennis right handed (pain on left). I was recently laid off from my job and lost insurance coverage, so I am hesitant to make an appointment with my doctor. I'll be watching this thread & hope all is well for everyone.

Carole,  in Texas.

"Always do what scares you most."

May 17, 2011 06:24 PM, edited May 17, 2011 06:29 PM by 3rdtimesacharm

Hi everyone I'm new to this site I am actuailly an OVCA survivor i'm in my 2nd recurrence and i just recently started having rib pain under my left breast, i had an X Ray done which showed nothing at all and my regular physician is having me do an MRI on Thursday to see if the problem can be found, I have a very hard time breathing and it hurts like H _ _ _ when i laugh real hard ( i have to hold my side and calm myself down or else i can't breathe at all, and when i lay on either side at night i can feel a pulsing in my side and it hurts like mad....this pain is new to me and i'm a bit scared at the thought that this could be a sign of breast cancer.( i know that when a person has either one of these diseases there is a 50% chance that they will get the other...i'm really scared and not sure what to do i have thought about talking to my Oncologist about this but with my family Dr. already ordering the MRI and he is also a colleague of my Oncologist (he is the one that referred me to him) and he gets all the feedback anyhow i figured that i might not need to contact him in this case (although i just might anyhow since i won't see him until next week anyhow..is there anything else that i can do about this pain is there any way to stop the hurting so i can at least get comfortable on my side and get a good nights sleep without being in so much pain......i was just reading another post after i submitted this and i have the same thing, i have tenderness from the front all the way to the back and it is on the puffy side, i also had a fall about 2 weeks ago and i landed on my back (my neighbor was being a smart ass and caused me to fall backwards when he broke the chair i was in), but i have the exact same thing that one of the other ladies has described. 

Jan 19, 2012 09:56 PM 3jaysmom wrote:

im still having pain soreness, so the ortho is going to run the radioactive bone scan for me.. soon as i scheduale the appt!!!

  he also told me he's "pretty sure" its not mets, or anything, my last pet dcan showed nothing... but that was awhile ago.. i want the test, to just stop worrying.........3jays