For those with liver mets
 

The last few weeks I have been getting some discomfort, not pain, just discomfort under my right ribs. Not right below it, a bit further down...like around my waist. It comes and goes. Doesn't wake me up at night, I don't feel nausea, no fever and no bloating. I just recently had a breast MRI and it came back clear. But does the MRI show the liver? I'm nervous about liver mets. How do you or your oncologist know if your liver has mets? I'm assuming you need to have a full body scan or do they detect it with the monthly blood draws they do?

Re: For those with liver mets
 

A CT scan of the abdoman would be how the liver would be screened. The Breast MRI is only for the part that is in the MRI machine and you would remember that!

Sorry you have this darned discomfort/ache. My liver mets did not cause me much discomfort until they were quite bad, and then it was merely a slight side ache on my right near my lowest rib.

Sometimes your doctor can tell by palpating your liver whether there is some reason to order a CT. Other times, you may have an elevated tumor marker that starts a search for the reason.

Often a discomfort such as you describe has to do with a bowel issue. Your doctor could tell you by feeling around for the source of your pain.

Chances are this will go away soon, but try to keep track of it and see if you can discern the cause.

Re: For those with liver mets
 

StephN, was your ache persistent? Mine comes and goes. For example, last night and currently, I feel nothing at all. Also, I don't think my onc tests my blood for markers. I know they test for my liver function. It sounds like I need to ask for a test if this gets worse or becomes persistent.

Thanks for the response!

Re: For those with liver mets
 

My side ache became persistent.

The funny things is that my liver functions were all in the NORMAL range at the discovery of my liver mets. So, liver functions may not be a good indicator, Tumor Marker is the best. You can ask for a CA 27-29 or CA15-3, whichever they run in your onc's lab.

Re: For those with liver mets
 

I agree with Steph...if you have concerns, please ask for an abdominal CT. My mets were found via a full body Pet/CT but now that I am an old hand at this, the abdominal CT provides much more detail.

I didn't feel anything until my mets became numerous and large. When I did feel discomfort the symptom was an ache to my right arm.

After all the treatments and the obvious damage to my liver, my liver measurements are within the "normal" range. That pesky liver, difficult to diagnose without the proper test.

I encourage you to push for the tests that will provide you with peace of mind. No reason not to. I encourage you to be your best advocate. You would do that for a family member.

Lori

Re: For those with liver mets
 

Just curious---any explanation from your doctor how a liver met makes your right arm ache? I am always asking these kind of questions of my onc team.

Re: For those with liver mets
 

I don't have liver mets but my oncologyst uses liver enzyme test ans scan to monitor me.

Re: For those with liver mets
 

Sorry, I forgot to direct that question to Lori R.

Re: For those with liver mets
 

Nancy,
My oncologist hasn't given me too much insight into the arm ache. My understanding comes from my interventinal radiologist.

When I had the cryosurgeries, the interventional radiologist said it was "referred" pain. Kind of like when we have headache because we have a sinus infection.

I am confident the radiologist was right because following the cryosurgeries my "stomach" didn't hurt but my arm really ached. After a couple of days of healing my arm stopped hurting.

Prior to beginning the TDM-1 trial my arm started to ache so badly that I had to take something to sleep at night. After 2 rounds of TDM-1, it doesn't hurt any more. That is my arm chair quarterbacking that TDM-1 is working..while I wait for the official scan results in mid-November.

I am sure this is more info than anyone ever wanted!!!

Re: For those with liver mets
 

Thanks everyone. I go in for Herceptin tomorrow and I am having blood drawn. I'm going to request they do some marker tests and when I speak to my onc I'm going to ask for a CT scan.

Re: For those with liver mets
 

Hope all goes well tomorrow. Cann't wait for your next post

Re: For those with liver mets
 

Europa is the pain on an organ or a bone? (I know, no bones down there....giggle giggle.) I also had 30 rads, like u. I will apparently have this rib pain (from radiation scatter, according to my radiation oncologist, whom I consulted only after getting scans to rule out bone mets from my medical oncologist.

Re: For those with liver mets
 

Norkdo: I haven't had the pain in days now. But it was right around my waist, not on the bone. But it's on my right side, my cancer was on my left. So I doubt the radiation is the issue. I had blood drawn today and I am due to speak to my oncologist next week. I have a sneaking suspicion it's my bowels. I now eat a very fiber rich diet and "things" are moving rather quickly through me.

Re: For those with liver mets
 

I have liver mets..my pain is the same as Steph's was..right side just right at my bottom rib and a little underneath the edge of the rib itself. Hugs and prayers for good test results!

Re: For those with liver mets
 

Well, I'm off to the hospital tomorrow for blood work. they are doing the works. My onc is not worried and told me she really doesn't expect to see anything odd in my labs. I haven't had the pain in almost a week, so not sure if I was overreacting or this is my new normal. However my Herceptin infusion yesterday hit me like a wall. I have a low grade fever, chills, body aches and a mild headache. this has happened before but it's been a while. Ugh

Re: For those with liver mets
 

Europa,

What you described seems to be typical reactions during/after Herceptin injection. I used to always fall asleep in the infusion chair...

Check out the 'Herceptin side effects - real or perceived' thread http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...in+side+effect

Re: For those with liver mets
 

The only way to diagnose liver mets definitively is with a biopsy. I have never had tumor markers, and my liver function has always been normal. (I also never had any discomfort.)