Clavicle/collarbone pain
 

Hi all!
I finished a year of Herceptin (after mastectomy and 4 rounds of EC, Stage I no nodes) on Wednesday and had minor bone pain throughout treatment, increasing towards the end. The pain was usually in the lower half of my body, however, for the last few weeks I've had increasing pain in the clavicle area. I saw my onc last Tuesday and advised him of this, he said to expect all kinds of funny feelings after going off Herceptin and that he'd see me in 7 weeks. I'm leaving Friday for a month holiday overseas, and am concerned about this pain which seems to be increasing. I'm hoping it just might be that I lifted something heavy or possibly from my portacath which is on my right side, but the pain is on both sides and I am now constantly aware of it (it's not awful pain, 2 out of 10 right now) but it's there and I've never ever had anything like this. Of course you know what I'm thinking. Can't find any lumps. Has anyone else experienced this and if so what was the problem? Thanks for any input you may have.

Jade

Jade;

I had a tumor in my clavicular node and it was not painful in any way. Other than the lump which my onc found I never would have known it was there. So, perhaps having pain is a good thing. One thing that did happen to me recently is a tremendous pain down my middle chest....I thought I was having a heart attack. I went through numerous tests.....for heart, blood clot etc. and in the end it turned out to be chostocondritis which is an inflammation of the cartalige where it joins the breastbone. Who has ever heard of this? I took advil for it and put on a little heat. So....we have sometimes these little things that scare the heck out of us. Still......be seen about it before your trip so you can relax.

Cathy

I had bone mets in my clavical and I never felt it. Well maybe I felt it a little when I was on the Carbo/Taxol/Herceptin - but only when it was killing everything. Herceptin has caused me a lot of bone pain, so I never know what to think about it being the Herceptin or the mets. Sorry if that's not very useful...

Being Stage 1, maybe it's just nothing like your Onc says. Can you give us more info about your dx?

Thanks Cathy and Julie for your responses. I was dx in Nov. 04 with Stage I Grade 3 Her2+++ ER/PR-, so I'm almost 2 years out. This @!$^% disease is turning me into a hypochondriac, don't you just hate the fear and anxiety that pervades our lives now? What makes me nervous is that the left (mast) side is definitely more symptomatic, and of course not knowing what to expect. I'll make sure I have good insurance while I'm away just in case. Both of you are further down the road than me and I have to say I am amazed and humbled by your courage, having read all your posts. Hopefully it's just the Herceptin and when I get the all-clear I'll stop being such a wimp. I've finished treatment now, all that's left is the scans which will be scheduled next time I see the onc in 7 weeks.

Chostocondritis! Who indeed has ever heard of that?!! What a huge relief it must have been to get that dx! We know more about our anatomies than we ever thought we would or wanted to know!

I wish you and all the other brave women here to be NED forever. You have suffered so much and still manage to reach out and help others. Thank you so much.

Jade

Jade
My advice is if it bothers you for more than a week, get it checked.... I was a little over 1 1/2 years out when I was diagnosed with mets to the clavicle area....I also was stage 1 ER PR - and Her2 +++, all nodes neg...I went from stage one to stage IV in the blink of an eye...I am still maintaining on Herceptin and Xeloda occasionally after 3 years since the mets were found....the earlier found and treated, the better.....not to worry you, but not knowing is sometimes a bigger stress....it is probably nothing, but get it checked if it doesn't resolve.