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When my mets showed up in abdominal lymph nodes in Nov 05, 7 years after my initial bc, I had a pet scan that showed some activity in both hips and 1 pelvis. However, the bone scan showed all clear. Onco sent me for some hip xrays and they were fine and I had no pain. Onco said if there are mets there they are too small to show on the scan. Over the months I continued to have no pain and regular bone scans (each fine except when I broke some ribs when a friend's dog made me fall onto a patio table). Last Aug I started to hobble some and have some pain on and off in one hip. Onco ordered a bone scan. It was clear. Onco said probably arthritis, but ordered an MRI. It showed extensive mets in both hips and on the pelvis. I started radiation within a few days. During radiation and for some weeks after, the pain and hobble got very bad, but with time it all improved and now I walk fairly normal and have almost no pain. I never took anything extra for pain except ibuprofen. My story may not be typical, and may cause some worry when your bone scan comes back fine. I do not understand that part at all, and my onco did not seem to be able to explain it enough to ease my mind. I was sorry the whole issue had not been addressed 2 years ago, but the onco had continued to follow up with bone scans, etc. I am thankful I can walk fairly well again, but have been warned to not pick up anything very heavy, do leg lifts, jump jacks,etc. I also get zometa every few weeks.
Angela, you actually will see your dr fairly soon and if it is still bothering you, he will probably order more tests. If it gets worse, you could call him sooner. If it was mets to that 1 rib, I would think you would be able to identify that pain as being there and not "it is hard to tell if it is in the same spot everytime". Likely you have bumped it like your dr suggested. It may take more tests to ease your mind concerning that pain on your right side. Best wishes.
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