Topic: Symptoms Question

Hi Pat -- just like Fitz said, sometimes there aren't symptoms.  I didn't have any for my liver mets.  Often only a scan can tell if you have mets, especially when they are small.

I have bone mets to femur, ilium, axilla, sacrum.  As far as my femur goes I've had pain off and on since first dx.  In fact first baseline PET/CT lit up on both hips.  It was recommended TWICE to do bone scan or MRI to rule out metastasis.  But my onc always blew me off and wouldn't do it.  (Saving money..profit over patient!) 

Now I find out almost 4 yrs later my right hip that I've complained about the most has a large mass on it.  I'm scheduled for surgery next week to avoid a hip fracture.  I've heard from some womenn they have constant pain if its bone mets...but that is just not always true. Obviously it can be very different for all of us.  Like I said...my hip pain has come and went.  Other times they were killing me.  Now the last 6 or 7 months I've had my right ankle and foot swelling up really bad...plus its painful!  I asked my onc if that could be bone mets too in ankle?  She said cancer can go any where but its REALLY RARE to go to the ankle/foot.  Well I just saw a "Orthopedic oncologist" and he said it is NOT that rare...and YES I can have cancer in that ankle.     

This ortho onc has ordered a "head to TOE" bone scan.  So I pray they don't find a bunch more places of bone mets!  Oh yea...I've also at times had sharp stabbing pains in the ball of my foot on the bone mets side.  It really hurts when it happens!  I've also had pain up by my pubic bone and thigh area on the same side as the bone mets.  Some days that pain is mild...others its really bad...then sometimes I don't have any?  Go figure.  In order to know for sure you have to have scans.  And please don't let you onc deny you scans if you are truly concerned about bone mets or lungs.  Be very pro-active!  I do NOT believe I would be stage IV right now had I stayed on top of my onc and not taken no for an answer.  No one knows our bodies better then us...so speak up when your concerned...it could save you alot of misery, grief, and pain.  Its hard when you TRUST your doctors and they don't always have your best interest at heart.  (Sad to say but true...not in all cases...but far too many.)

Chelee

Well I am also on Femara so I dont know whats going on. My tumor markers were up 3 points (from 37.5 to 40.5) and my onco considers 0 - 40 in the normal range so since I am 1/2 point over we are doing a "wait and see" thing until I see him again in January. I'm having lots of stomach upset (stomach pains, reflux, etc) , a pain in the rib where it joins the sternum just under the affected breast and here tonight I have middle, upper back, and left shoulder pain. Finding out about the TM going up really has stressed me out and my sister (whom I live with) may have Cushings Disease and may require surgery soon.

The Oncologist also said that one of my liver enzyme counts was up but the others werent so we are watching that as well. Stomach pain is on the left side and I believe the liver is on the right side.  Maybe I am just freaking myself out.....

I've had emphysema for a few yrs now (quit smoking 11/4/06) so I always have some trouble with getting winded with almost any kind of activity.

Like I said, its hard for me to figure out whats what.