Radiation and Rib Pain

Oh yes, this can be Costochondritis.  It is inflammation of the meat between the ribs.  It usually occurs a few weeks after rads ends, but you could be an early victim.  Be sure and let your radiation oncologist know, and ask for a lead apron.  They will assure you that "the waves are so accurate, nothing could be touching your body", Well, that is sorta true, but ask for the lead apron anyway, if the waves are so accurate, why do they all scurry out of the room?

I still have a bad rib, 10 years later.  It does not hurt all the time.  But if I reach over the back seat, WOW, I can't even get my breath!  So I would insist on the apron.

Gentle hugs, Shirlann 

I had rib pain from the thrid session and was told it had nothing to do with radiation.  I am convinced it was all to do with radiation and hope that it is temporary like Anet's.  If it is any consolation it did not get any worse.

I still have rib pain, mildly, and it has been 9 months since I finished rads. At 6 mo. I went and had a thermograph, and I could not believe how hot my breast still was. I will do another one in  a couple of months. I hope it shows some cooling. At least I feel I have seen proof that the effects of the radiation are still there, and this pain is not a figment of my imagination. By the way, I had very little surface damage.

Jea, I saw for myself on the Thermogram. I am now so afraid of more radiation, that instead of any more mammos I have opted for thermography. I know that it is not accepted by mainstream medicine, but if read by someone who is experienced, as my doctor is, it  can be just as good at detecting tumors. It is basically an infrared camera that takes photos of the breasts and looks for vascular irrregularities to detect cancer. My left, good breast was blue in color, my right was red and orange, showing how hot it still is. What I also like about this is that it is totally painless, and I did not want to get my breast smashed again, since it is so tender. I am not advocating this for anyone else, I just feel it is the right choice for me. A mammo did not find my tumor, I did, so I will continue to check my breasts for any changes, have the therms, and monitor everything else with a doctor I found who is into alternatives. Needless to say, my onc is not happy, but I have no plans to go back to her anyway, unless I absolutely have to because that place is so depressing!

Hi lindamemm, my breast was hot for at least 7 months.  I would cup both in my hands and the BC one was HOT.  It was amazing. 

I ASKED for a lead apron, to tuck up under my breast and cover my heart and part of my lung, but was told that there was no need because the rays were so carefully directed they would not touch my body.  Well they did.  I should have insisted.

Hugs, Shirlann

LindaMemm,

This is fascinating about the thermograhy.  I've heard of it but never knew anyone who was doing it.  Please keep us posted on how it goes.   How did you find a doctor who was doing the thermography?  

Nena The thermograph does not show a mass like mammos. It shows the vascular system. They look for symmnetry in both breasts to see what is consistant in how the blood flows. Since a tumor has to be fed by extra blood flow, it will show up as having extra feeders running to it. My doc has  a really good website that explains it. Go to drnick.net and check it out. This doctor was recommended to me by my chiropractor. She had met him at some of the seminars she regularly attends.

hi,

can you tell me please how your rib pain looks like? i also had left breast cancer diagnosed one year ago, i went through chemo and radiation, 3 months after radiation i started having rib tenderness below my left breast it's just one spot on the rib  that hurts when i press over it and when im lying on my left side, but the pain is mild and do not require any pain killer.It has been 4 months till now that im complaining of this pain. Im afraid that the cancer had come back in my ribs!!

Just wanted to update you that my rib pain and breast pain in general are getting better all the time.  Even if they stayed as they are I could live with it.  I have a feeling that had doctors explained the pain as a possibility (rather than be all defensive which made me alarmed about what was going on) I would have coped with it better at the time.

I was whining today about not being able to sleep on my mast/axillary dissection/radiation side because of rib pain (I completed rads mid January) and one of the ladies piped up that she still has rib pain 14 years out!  I know things have changed a lot since then but I have not doubt it's from the radiation even if they keep saying they only radiate the boob or foob whichever you have..............................

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. 

pdm - ask them for silvadene and then soak in a warm tub, air dry and apply the prescription.  See if that helps you. 

Dawn

 As a yoga practitioner I have always assumed that the pain on the irradiated side was not the ribs but the intercostal muscles which you need to be working and stretching *especially after radiation*....these little muscles are tight on most people and will be tight on your "good" side as well but you do not notice it because the tissue has not been damaged by radiation. Definitely try some yoga to get into that area. Keeping things stretched and moving on your treated side is key for those muscles to heal in a way that will not be as restrictive...and they will go into spasm and cause pain if they are not worked. Yes it is going to hurt a bit but with work it will not as much.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_intercostal 

 http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/1675 

Good Luck,

climber girl 

Hello, decided to do a search on radiation and rib pain; and found your thread here.  I finished rads Dec. 21st, 2010; and just now developed this rib pain; and told it was Costochondritis; alias: rib arthritis.  Didn't dawn on me til several hours later; why just this one side, where I had the breast cancer and radiation.  Low and behold, all of you here complaining of the same pain.  I'm putting up a new post saying we should all be able to have a lead apron to protect our ribs!

Thank you so much for posting everyone!

I finished 7 1/2 weeks of radiation October 2012. I noticed rib tenderness on my right side by Christmas 2012 but not pain. The pain has increased considerably over the past 3+ years. One spot directly under my breast is tender to the touch all the time now. Like Shirlann I can simple rotate my body a certain way, or laugh, or cough, and the pain is absolutely excruciating. It can literally bring me to my knees. I found this old post trying to research rib pain and breast cancer. Insist on an apron.