Rib-Sternum joint pain - any thoughts?

[Belinda]

Belated Easter greetings to all of you.

I am a week past my third EC treatment - for the past few weeks have been feeling like something is going on near where one of my ribs joins my sternum - it's painful, comes and goes, and during the week after chemo my somewhat obsessed brain has convinced me it could be either a bone met or a tumour in a medial node .

It feels inflamed to me but I can't be sure it's not just scar tissue even though the painful bit is a couple of inches above the scar). I have had no scans whatsoever for medial nodes, had 2 tumours on the interior upper part of my left breast (as well as the primary tumour and 6/19 axillary nodes affected). As my onc is on hols, today I made an appointment to see my surgeon tomorrow. My initial thought was to insist on a PET scan - is that the right test? January bone scans were clear.

Am a bit worried now that I might be being a bit too paranoid, after telling myself all day that I would be as pushy as needs be with my surgeon to get a PET scan. I've organised a referral from my GP today for a second opinion if he doesn't refer me for checking out.

I just keep going in circles - I am sure the 'loop' would be familiar to some of you - "I am getting through chemo, surely chemo would be preventing tumours from growing, what if it isn't, what if they need to adjust it, this is one area they haven't properly checked, how can they be sure it's the right treatment if they haven't checked it, I'll take control of my own health and insist on getting checked, what if I am just being paranoid, do I really want to know right now if there's nothing to be done except stay the course with chemo and then rads......blah blah blah..."

Any thoughts from all of you sage women would be welcome.

Bx

[PatS]

Hi Belinda -

It's definitely worth checking, if only for your peace of mind. Is it possible it's costochondritis....here's a link with a description:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cos...dritis/DS00626

Let us know what your dr. says.

Take care,
Pat

[Linda]

Of course you could ask for a PET or CT/PET or even another bone scan, although a clear scan in Jan sounds good. Those scans will ease your mind.
Could it be your body adjusting to your mast surgery? Are you doing anything new physically? Lots of things were cut in there, and there can be pain in nearby areas because of surgical healing.
Linda

[Becky]

Belinda


Did you take any white blood cell boosters like Neulasta, Neupogen or Leukine? These drugs can cause bone pain too. Also, since it is near the scar, it could easily be scar tissue. Scar tissue does not have very much elastisity like normal skin. Therefore, it does not stretch and can be very painful - especially in the area you describe. I bet stretching your arms above your head hurts.

Of course, you should get any pain checked out to be sure but I will say I had tons of aches and pains on chemo. It does a number on your whole body.