Am I overly worrisome? What are the symptoms for mets?

[CLTann]

I have 0.8 cm IDC and mastec Sept 05. No nodes involvement. No radiation and no chemo. On Arimidex since Oct 05. ER/PR/Her2 +++ all positive. Age 60. I am in the lucky catagory of 95% safe from recurrence.

Lately, I had occasional dry cough, particularly going outside in cold weather -- suspicion of lung met. No cough during sleep. The coughs are infrequent.

About brain, there were occasional sharp but very short needle like nerve hits. Those occur about two times a day during work.

On bones, the hip bone is sore sometimes, not painful. By gently hitting the area, I seem to get some relief.

Cancer patients always worry about any signs of change, and I probably worry more since the only preventive treatment is Arimidex. Otherwise, I am quite energetic, have good sleeps, do walking exercise everyday and feel fine. Many of you veterans have gone through the symptom stages please give me some advise on whether I have reasons to be worrisome. In fact, I now have weaned from sleeping pills which were used for the past ten years before cancer discovery. I know I can insist to have new tests done but I don't want to get unnecessary radiation. I had my routine vist one month ago and my onc said there was no reason to do any test at that time.

Thank you for helping.

Ann

[madubois63]

Yes, we do seem tow worry a lot, but we have cause. It seems highly unlikely that you have met's, but speak to your onc about getting further tests to ease your mind. I would get an MRI of the brain since you are experiencing the sharp pain. As to the hip pain, I am sorry to say, but we are all getting old. Maybe a bone density test is called for and something like Actenol?? From my experience, the dry cough does not sound like met's - maybe allergies? I changed my son's mattress, and pillows and his cough went away. When I discovered the met's in my lungs, I could not breath without coughing - constantly. I could not bend over or lay down flat. And change in the angle of my lungs would set off a coughing fit. Once again, talk to your onc. I do not believe we can be to overly worrisome when it comes to our own health. I wish I listened to my body more carefully sooner than I did.



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-:¦:- ((¸¸.Maryann -:¦:-´´

[janet/FL]

Ann writes: About brain, there were occasional sharp but very short needle like nerve hits. Those occur about two times a day during work

Janet Replies
I don't know about brain mets but that is also a symptom of Temporal Arteritis which if caught early is very curable. My Mother's doctor failed to detect it in time and that is why I try to warn those with the above symptom to have this checked out.
Below is a link on the web.
http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/TemporalArteritis.asp

Janet

[John]

A side effect of Aridimex is a cough. My wife took Aridemex for two years. She had the same cough. I worried at first too, then did some research and found a side effect was a cough. Still made me worry. A quick CT scan or have the doctor listen to your lungs should help.

[Sheila]

My Mom was on Arimidex for 3-4 months, and she had a cough and joint pains the whole time. She finally went off it.