If you are not Stage IV but have questions, you may post here
Comments
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stephanie, so glad your bone scan was clear! While a scan might miss truly miniscule mets, I'm thinking enough mets to weaken a rib to the point of fracture should have shown up pretty clearly if that's what was going on. So I think you can be pretty sure there was another reason for the fracture. Did you have a bad cough in recent months? Or can you think of anything else that happened around the time the pain started?
Does your onc check your CA27-29 regularly? While that test for tumor markers isn't always reliable, in many cases it is, so would just be one more thing that could flag a problem early, if you are still concerned.
Hopefully your rib pain will disappear entirely in the near future, especially now that you know it's been fractured and can be especially careful lifting things, etc. (((Hugs))) Deanna
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My onc just called, good news bone scan was normal. Guess all my aches and pains are from the rads!
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I am extremely overjoyed, ecstatic, Jazzed, excited, turned on,rapturous,delighted,mirthful,glad,gleeful,exhilarated,pleased,gratified,elated,thrilled, and radiantly happy at both stephaniegees' and bonnets good news!
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Oh Bonnets that's awesome, I hope that's what I'm experiencing now I have my CT scan tomorrow. He went with a CT since I have pain in my neck/upper jaw, I wish he would have ordered a bone scan to to be sure. It's right under the bottom of my right breast near the ribs. Ugh.
Happy for you! Enjoy
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JenJen, Hope so too. I have been having pain off and on for 3 or 4 months. If I reach wrong, turn wrong, have a difficult BM, I can have awful pain in my ribs on the lumpectomy side. I tend to worry cuz I had a daughter who passed at 33 from BC. Also my surgery was on the lower inner quadrant, closer to the ribs. Been 2 years since I finished rads. I have been reading of others who are experiencing various pains on that side, for years, but I did want to make sure! Pray you have a good result too. Hate waiting!
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bonnets & stephaniegee that is great news! it is so hard waiting for results isn't it? hugs to both of you
I saw my dr today, I will be having radiation and some type of chemo for the mets to my lumbar spine. Back to the drawing board
I have to do a CT scan soon to see if it has spread
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thank you for all the feedback. Sugarplum, stay positive! It must be so frustrating and disappointing but at least you have a plan and are on the road...
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Bonnet n Stephaniegee yay....to clear scan. As for me, just received phone called today, per radiologist my lump is unspecified n not a cyst either n not in my lymph node. M PCP Will refer me to sergeon to remove it. They dont know what it is. What could it be? Sigh....
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Congrats to all who had clear results, great news!
Soriya that pesky lump could still be something other that BC but it seems you won't know for sure until it is removed. Good luck with it all!
Love n hugs to all! Chrissy
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Jenjen, Just wondering what's happening with you.
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Anyone develop blood clott(s) due to their ports?0 -
Not me, did you? They always gave heparin, a thinner before and after to keep that from happening, I hope you are okay?
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Hi Almasi, unfortunately a lot of people develop clots, not just in or around the port but chemo itself can make the blood stickier so it has more possibility of clotting. There are loads of meds available to aid the body in dissolving the clots as well as meds to help prevent future clots.
Hoping you are okay.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Hi Ladies,
I am hoping you can help me. My onc and heart dr agreed for me to have a cat scan. They were looking for a blood clot on my clavicle, it is swollen. I am thinking lymph node, but the order says blood clot. Was diagnosed factor 5 Leiden positive when chemo gave me a PE in my lung. Anyway the report came back as no evidence of clot, however there is a spot on my liver and report says could be hemogian (sp). Can they diagnose this hemo from a ct or does it need to be biopsied? Guess what I need to know if I should take their word that its a hemo or press for a biopsy?
Confused and worried. Have a ct tomorrow to focus on it.
Thank you
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Hemangioma? I knew what that was a month or two ago, but forgot! I think it is an abnormal blood vessel growth, my np said on my clinic notes that I had a rare spider hemangioma on my neck in that little hollow. More commonly known as a spider vein. I thought it was just a little red spot. I don't know if that is similar. Let them do the scan, and they will tell you what they think. You don't want to go punchin holes in a perfectly good liver! I am sorry that you're worried, Michele2013.
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I had what they thought might be hemangiomas or cysts on my CT when I first diagnosed with bc. I was sent for an ultrasound which confirmed they were indeed these benign findings. It is my understanding that ultrasound is very good for sorting out liver lesions.
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Michele2013, I was diagnosed with a hemangioma on my liver a few years back. It is monitored by ultrasound just to keep an eye on it and to see if it increases in size. I was told by a specialist that I saw that it is dangerous to cut into or biopsy a hemangioma because you can bleed very heavily and it can lead to death. Dutchris is right in saying that ultrasounds are very good in sorting out liver lesions. Best of luck to you!
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Thanks ladies, I am not the one with the clot - it's a family member. She had one when she had her early-stage cancer years ago and had to go on blood thinners. So she got another one now at stage IV in the exact same spot. Do they remove your port when this happens? They gave her those nasty blood thinners you have to stab yourself in the tummy to take. Ugh.0 -
oh and scanxiety - her last 2 CTs have been good. Now she has a PET scan due. I am scared that the CT was not showing everything and that the PET scan will be different. Does that happen?0 -
Almasi, I think everybody was answering michele's question. I don't know if they remove the port unless there is actually a problem with the port itself, or some kind of dire circumstance, like an infection in it. As far as the difference between which one is might show more or different, they often use P/t ~CT scan in tadem. they kind of "overlap".
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Thanks for clearing the Michele thing up.The PET she will be having is a PET-CT. At diagnosis she has a PET-CT, then for months she has had only CTs. The CTs show significant improvements. I worry that the CTs may have missed things which the next PET-CT will reveal. Basically I am anxious that the cancer has not improved the way we thought it had.
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The pet just actually mostly shows 'where' stuff is, and the ct scan shows it more 3 dimensional, and is a good indicator if it is stable or shrinking. There probably won't be any surprises. It is just that pet scans are really really expensive. More than likely, you can trust them to do more imaging if there is something more concerning to them.
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I have a question please. I am having some memory-type issues more frequently lately. Things like not being able to think of words, usually nouns, leaving a bag of groceries in the parking lot, etc. I'm wondering if this is just the Femara or if I need to be concerned about brain mets. Thanks.
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Mary, that sounds like it's from the Femara to me -- the lack of estrogen giving you one more typical menopause type symptom -- either that or just too many things on your plate and in your head, which is how I frequently rationalize those frustrating memory issues. I don't think minor memory issues -- even increasing ones -- are a typical symptom of brain mets (as unexplained headaches or vision or balance issues might be, for example); but, of course, run it by your onc for his or her reassurance. (((Hugs))) Deanna
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Thanks, Deanna. None of those other things thankfully. I appreciate your response.
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Mary I have had this increasingly since chemo, which also threw me into full blown menopause.
I recently had another surgery to remove implants that were very painful (my body had lots of infections with them so I think they just weren't meant to be for me)
I had the DIEP surgery almost three weeks ago and feel spacier and like my memory and concentration is worse than ever. I think anesthesia and pain meds triggered it and it is worse than ever. I believe as I heal physically (which I hear takes several more weeks) and emotionally I will regain at least the semi-scattered brain I had before this.
Also I think the fact that we linger with fears of metasticis or new cancers it creates a lot of stress in our focus and memory.
I think this fear will subside as we get further away from diagnosis and treatment and follow up surgeries etc. Finding a new normal I belueve will happen, I started getting there again and then this surgery took me back a few steps. But just keep moving forward, don't fear asking your doctor or other women questions and in time I think we will hopefully all improve.
Take care
Julieh
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Thank you all. Interestingly, I got an email from Breast Cancer Trials about a study on cognitive skills in breast cancer patients. I filled out the required demographic and other info today and am awaiting the actual assessment of cognitive skills. I'll get the results which should be helpful. If anyone else is interested, some info is below.
Work-Related Cognitive Problems Experienced by Breast Cancer Survivors
The Relationship Between Biopsychosocial Functioning and Work-Related Cognitive Limitation Among Employed Breast Cancer Survivors: Case Control Study. (NCT02303145)
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I was diagnosed with Grade 2 (Nottingham 6/9), Stage pT1b IDC on 12/5/14. I've had a lumpectomy, re-excision and sentinel node biopsy. I now have clean margins and negative nodes. My Oncotype DX is 18. I met with my medical oncologist for the first time today. He said my odds of recurrence or metastasis is 11% and that chemo would only decrease those odds 2%, so he is recommending against it. I can accept that. What I can't accept is that when I asked him how we would monitor for metastatic disease, he answered "We don't. We wait for patients to become symptomatic before we look for mets, as there is no survival advantage to early detection of metastases." Is this really the best way handle this?
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chtease, although it's hard to grasp at first, your med onc is correct, and there are several good reasons for this, including not wanting to unnecessarily expose you to scanning radiation. Also, once you kind of get past that fear of it coming back, it's much better to just live and enjoy your life, rather than constantly being reminded of bc and worrying about the next scan.
Something your onc may not have told you that many of us do is, if you have an unexplained pain that lasts for more than 3 weeks, get it checked out. That way, you will be very on top of any changes that merit a scan or other followup. And you will find that most aches and pains seem to resolve within that three week time period.
And great news that in your case the benefit of chemo doesn't outweigh its risks. You should be very happy about that. (((Hugs))) Deanna
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any long term survivors of multiple mets (I.e.in many places) reading? Looking for inspiration and hope. Mum has mets in Brian, lung, liver and bones. Diagnosed two years ago. The internet would have me believe she is reaching the upper limits of a prognosis, but I know google is evil.
Wishing you all a new year full of laughter and love.
I hope my post doesn't cause upset...I am just grappling about wanting hope.
Xx
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