rib pain

[sassy]

For the last week or so, I have had soreness at rib area on mast side. Soreness runs along and below surgical area, with one particularly tender spot on rib. Could this be bone mets? What are sysmptoms of bone mets? Finished 12 taxol/herceptin 4 weeks ago on herceptin only now. See both radiologist and oncologist on Monday to schedule radiation and check up. Will ask them then but wondering if anyone can give me any info now. Worry is a demon.

Sassy
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[tammymarie1971]

Hi Sassy, I can totally understand the fear of bone mets, However you are going to have to decide now how you are going to handle your fears from here on out.... I have gone through exactly the same fears and they will RULE you if you let them!!!!! So make a deal with yourself that if a pain stays longer than ..say...2 weeks or whatever you decide... then and only then will you start to worry enough to go get it checked out. I don't mean to undermine your fears I know they are REAL but I just felt that as someone who has been there a few times!! that I wanted to pass on what I've learned to someone just starting this journey...and a journey it will be. Fear will always try to be your constant travel companion, you have the power to kick it in the ass!!
Anyway, that enough ranting..
As for the pain your experiencing now it is quite possible to be nerves regenerating form your surgery or a side effect from the chemo!!
Take care Sassy!
Tammy

[StephN]

Sassy -
Taxol can cause all sorts of aches and pains. I know - I took it for 27 treatments along with Navelbine and Herceptin to kick out my liver and bone mets.
About 4 months after ending this treatment and reaching NED I experienced very severe pain in my right lower ribs in my side. It was very tender to the touch. My med onc could not feel any sort of lump forming from the outside (I don't have very much meat there, so easy to feel something) but he ordered a bone scan immediately. That scan came out completely negative, much to all our delight.
Chances were good that I did have a recurrence, but not so far and that is more than three years off chemo now.
BTW - I still get pains in that area, but don't worry about it as I am used to it! Since I have regular CT scans, I figure if there is something it will show on the scan. We just eventually learn to live with new aches and pains.

[sassy]

Thanks Tammy and Steph,

I'll be glad to talk to onc Monday, appreciate your thoughts and advice. I know worry doesn't help, so I'll do laundry (my therapy) and try not to worry.

Sassy
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[Val Pfeiffer]

Sassy--
At least you knew it was your ribs. My ribs also were sore after my mastectomy, and I thought it was scar tissue. When I asked my surgeon about it, I laughed so hard when he said it was my ribs...I was accustomed to having a breast over that area, and I wasn't familiar with how it felt to have exposed ribs!!

The surgeon told me it's normal to have soreness there. Hope you feel better soon :-)

Val

[sassy]

Val,

I probably would have known it was a rib before mast--not much in the way!

Sassy
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[Val Pfeiffer]

Sassy--
Believe me, I didn't have much there either! The pain was there for about two weeks and then it went away.

Are you starting to feel less soreness?

Val

[sassy]

Can't really tell any change in soreness, it started getting sore last Monday. I over did it with work etc. that day and felt like somebody had beat me all over. After a couple of days and some rest, the rest of my body felt OK, but ribs remained sore with one spot especially tender. Like I said, I have a regular appointment with onc Monday, so at least I can ask him about it then.

My husband knows its weighing on my mind, so he took my sons and I to Charlotte NC for the day shopping and out to dinner. That did help to take my mind off of it. Ambien tonight and doc tomorrow!

Thanks for asking.

Sassy
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