Still have the rib pain

nitewind · 06-02-2008, 04:56 PM

Don't know if you remember but in early May I was concerned about pain in my rib. This is on the side where my breast cancer was. There's some swelling. My pc sent me for an x-ray about three weeks ago and it came back okay. I'm just getting a little worried because I still have the pain, it's terribly sore to the touch. Just wondered what you would do, see the doc again or just let it go and see if it goes away? I sure wish I wasn't a natural born worrier.
Hugs
Susan

Mary Jo · 06-02-2008, 05:46 PM

Hello,

I'm sorry you are having to worry about this. I know how it goes. If it's not one thing it's another...right? Oh the days of having a headache, a stomach ache, dizziness or WHATEVER and NOT having to think the dreaded .... "what if!" I hear ya.......I surely do.

Anyway, as to your rib problem. If it is sore to the touch, swollen and you are concerned I think you need to definitely see the doctor. If for no other reason but for peace of mind.

Sending you hugs and TONS of understanding.

God's Peace surround you friend,

Mary Jo

Chelee · 06-02-2008, 10:26 PM

Susan, I had my MRM on 1-3-06 and I still to this day have rib pain. I've had PET/CT, MRI's & ultrasounds. Those scans were for other reasons but nothing ever showed up to explain the rib pain. (So it did help relieve my worries.)

My onc did tell me once that she hears this complaint from women all the time that have had mastectomies & lumpectomies. When I googled rib pain I found so many women with the same complaint which is exactly what my onc told me. That's a serious surgery and alot of tissue & nerves that are cut into. Not to mention added damage from radiation in that same area.

One women on John Hopkins "ask the expert" said she is one year out from rads and her ribs are very sore to touch but they can't find anything wrong? The reply to her was that this is common and many women complain of this pain as far as two years out. I'm not sure this helps but I just wanted you to know this seems to be very common. I've dealt with this for over 2 yrs now so I can feel for you.

All that being said just make sure you are always pro-active and continue to let your onc and surgeon know it continues to hurt. If the x-ray didn't give you the peace of mind you need then push for other scans of the area. After all my scans, tests, etc I have just chalked it up to the MRM. Are bodies have been put through so much. If it continues to bother you let your onc's know about it. Its awful to have to worry about something all the time. That not knowing will drive you crazy. Hang in there.

Sending warm healing thoughts and prayers your way.

Chelee

madubois63 · 06-03-2008, 04:44 AM

Susan - I have a lypoma (fatty deposit - totally b9) just under the mastectomy site on my rib. It's not big, but just big enough that if I'm feeling a little bloated my bra can irritate it. Get it checked out, but hopefully it's something silly like a lypoma...

nitewind · 06-03-2008, 08:34 AM

Thanks to all for your replies. Like I said, I'm a natural born worrier but your replies made me feel better.
Hope everyone is having a great day.
Hugs

Believe51 · 06-04-2008, 08:56 AM

Thinking about you and wishing you are feeling better. Even if you were not a natural born worrier, having cancer makes us all worry about many many things, always best to check things out. Sending lots of love and prayers with a giant cyber hug to 'ya. Smile>>Believe51

kcherub · 09-14-2008, 06:23 PM

I just wanted to pop in this thread again. I went to see my ONC. last week, and it seems that I have chondrocostitis (inflammed rib cartilage). Not sure what causes it, but stress can be a factor. They prescribed me prescription strength Motrin.

I hope it gets better, as it was starting to cause shooting pains under my arm. You know I freaked out on that one!

Take care,

Sherryg683 · 09-14-2008, 06:44 PM

My ribs on my lumpectomy side still hurt, you can't hardly touch them and laying on that side is still uncomfortable...My surgery was January 06. After many scans and nothing showing, I figure it's just another pain that I've inherited with this cancer diagnosis...sherryg683

Jackie07 · 09-14-2008, 06:52 PM

I think I started a thread today about my rib pain also. Let's see if anybody provided any advice there. I am hoping it was caused by the skin stretch after Mastectomy since I was (now even more) very flat-chested.

MJo · 09-15-2008, 05:55 AM

I have rib pain on and off on the side of my lumpectomy -- sometimes it's really painful. I'm sure that having rib pain on your mastectomy side isn't unusual. However I don't think you are being a worrier. I think you are being vigilant. Vigilant is a good thing.

Stephanie B. · 09-15-2008, 08:27 AM

What side is your pain on? I had rib pain on my right side and it is due to my liver mets. You might want to ask your onc just to be safe.

Stephanie B.

DonnaD · 09-15-2008, 08:39 AM

Susan,
I was just about to post on this very subject. There was a post dealing with this before (as Jackie 07 mentioned). I am sorry you too are still dealing with this. So am I and many others on the site!

Were the x-rays you had a series of rib x-rays, or a standard chest x-ray? I have two fractured ribs in the radiated area (left side) that did not show up on a chest x-ray but did show up on rib X-rays and then on a CT.

Articles suggest that 1% can develop rib fractures from radiation. My radiation onc said she feels it is much higher than that, possibly as high as 25%.

I had another CT in June and it show the ribs were healing. In July I started having severe rib pain again. I assume I re-injured them doing too much. I go in next week for my 6 month muga and will have another series of rib x-rays done to be sure it is not a new fracture. My concern is why aren't they healing and can this be a re occurrence to the bone? In all likely hood it is the same fracture but those nagging questions keeping coming up and I can't let them go. As Mary Jo mentioned the "what if's".

You can read about fractures occurring from radiation at the site below or just goggle rib fractures from bc radiation.
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a787159702~db=all~order=page

Donna

Becky · 09-15-2008, 10:07 AM

DonnaD

It is probably not a bone recurrence as bc that goes to the bone (first) is almost always hormone positive.

This is not a diehard rule as hormone neg does go there but usually not first . Hormone + loves the bones and negative - not so much.

It is just a setback in healing. With low estrogen and everything else (including the rads) that will be slow to heal. But... you need to know how the healing is going and maybe some bone hardeners and Calcium with Vit D are in order?

Love to you

CoachPlayWin · 09-15-2008, 10:24 AM

Becky,
Interesting info about bone mets being generally hormone positive. I've never heard that; where can I find info about that? I've had some discomfort in my hips and back recently and am going in for a bone scan tomorrow. Of course, I've been worrying like crazy, and have been searching for any information possible.

DonnaD · 09-15-2008, 10:28 AM

Becky,
Thanks for the words of wisdom. I feel so much better after reading your post. I am on Vit D and a month ago started Fosamax, even though the bone density came back fine. Just really want to get back to my normal life. I am walking daily but can't do any other exercise.

Hope you and your family are doing well. Thanks again!
Love,
Donna

Brenda_D · 09-15-2008, 10:52 AM

Hi Becky.
I've also not heard that about hormone negative bc. Can you tell us where hormone neg usually goes first?

Lien · 09-15-2008, 01:38 PM

Hi All

I have had rib pain on and off. I had my surgery in Jan. 04, had a spell of painfull ribs that lasted weeks in March 05 and another spell last Spring. It comes and goes. I like it better when it goes. Ofcourse, I worry. Boy do I worry! But so far, it has resolved itself.

Hugs

Lien

sassy · 09-15-2008, 05:07 PM

I too still have rib pain. My surgery was in Feb 05. Like Donna, I had fractured ribs. Most of the pain is on my mast side, comes and goes. It seems that mine is more pronounced when I am tired. If I don't get enough sleep, it seems to bother me more. Less if I am well rested.

Becky · 09-15-2008, 05:16 PM

I saw Dr. Clifford Hudis from Sloan speak. Part of his talk is experience and intuition on what they know about bc. His example was a young triple negative woman who recurred with bone mets. He frankly said "any oncologist knows that if someone presents only with bone mets, it is highly unlikely they are hormone negative. When we biopsied this woman, she was hormone positive and responded well to Tamoxifen".

That's where I picked up that tidbit and I doubt it is really wrong when said by him in front of thousands.

Catherine · 09-15-2008, 09:35 PM

I have what I have been calling discomfort on my right side. This was the action spot for mrm and radiation. Still can not sleep on that side 2 years since surgery. Never thought of it as rib pain. Nice to know others have it too. No discomfort on the left side with the simple mast.

Catherine