Rib damage ? or implant damage

[Maree]

Hi everyone

I had a bone scan in November 2007 and all was clear. I d o not and have never had any mets. Then on Christmas day whilst playing backyard cricket i fell over and landed heavily on my right hand side bruising my face (that was the part of me that landed hardest) About two days later i noticed that i had a very localised painful spot on my ribs just above the line of my breast implant. It also hurts whn i breathe in. At times i also have a burning sensation in that area. My sister who is a nurse suggested that i may have broken a rib. I was also thinking that perhaps i may have damaged my implant by landing so heavily on it. Has anyone else ever experienced anything like tis on/near their implant area. I have not seen my doctor as i was waiting to see if the pain settled afer a couple of weeks. Does anyone have the experience of being diagnosed with mets so soon after having had a clear scan. Thanks for your help and any suggestions. Maree

[Bill]

Hey Maree! I don't know the specifics of bone mets occuring so soon after a scan, my wife had a bone scan every 6 months, but from your post, it sounds like you need to get to a doctor and have a simple X-ray for your own peace of mind. It does sound painful, but don't worry unduly. Please keep us posted. Peace and comfort to you, Bill

[DonnaD]

Maree
I don't know anything about implants but I may be able to help with fractured ribs. I had a clear CT in Feb. After finishing radiation in May I had a very bad cough that lasted a month, plus I was a bit zealous with exercise and activities. During that time I noticed pain in my ribs. My onc did a simple x-ray in June that did not show anything. The pain persisted and when I would breath in I could hear a clicking sound. My onc then ordered a rib x ray series in Oct. It showed fractures. A CT was next in Nov. to be sure it was not the spread of the cancer. After many consultations they decided things were caused by radiation that weaken my bones. A follow up CT was just done last week and all is stable. The ribs are very slow to heal.

Did you have radiation? With the fall it might be best to check it out. It is hard not to think of a reoccurence. Many say this feeling will ease as time goes on. I am still waiting

Good luck and let us know how you are doing.
Donna

[Sheila]

Maree
Like Donna D, I sneezed and found out later that I had broken a rib....you do need to get this checked out, but make sure it is a RIB xray, not a chest xray....if it is a rib fx, it will also light up as a hot spot on a bone scan, but then they just think its mets. As far as the implant goes, if it ruptured, I would think it would be comparable to a flat tire (sorry for the anology), but if there was a slight tear, it could be very gradual leaking, which could be dangerous if the implant is silicone.
Best to get it checked. Hope you feel better (and your team won!)