new pain-should i be concerned

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harmonysun
harmonysun Member Posts: 102
edited June 2014 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

hello everyone, I had a bilateral masectomy without reconstruction 2 years ago. Very luckily no radiation or chemo. So many great gals on this site gave me so much advice and support that got me through the crazy roller coaster. The amazing strength of women on this site is so inspiring.

   I was fine and relieved for awhile. Then the past year i have gotten crazy and worrisome about every little thing. I found a lump in my neck and did a ct scan and they said i had "prominent clusters".  I asked if that was abnormal. he said it is "unusual" and we are keeping an eye on it.

   But here is my latest concern and obsession. and i guess from some things i have read on here, that if a pain lasts longer than 2 weeks to get it checked out.

  I have a constant pain at the top of my ribcage/lung/heart area on my right side. I have had this for a few months. It never goes away, because i will wake up and be aware that it is still there. If i keep myself real busy i am not so focused on it. But today i woke up and it is a very sharp pain. Could i have bone cancer?

i am 47 and have 2 young children ages  5 and 7.

please, any help or advice will be so much appreciated. thank you

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  • TriciaK
    TriciaK Member Posts: 362
    edited August 2010

    Hi,

     This may well be nothing serious, but do ask for a scan to be certain and give you peace of mind.

    I also had a bone mets scare earlier this year, had numerous scans etc and all was fine:)

    Keep thinking positive, but have it checked:)

    Tricia x

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  • tougherthanithought
    tougherthanithought Member Posts: 454
    edited August 2010

    Hi there!  What you've described sounds like what I've been experiencing.  I had a bilateral mast (with reconstruction) a little over a year ago.  A few months later I noticed a slight pain in my rib(top of implant/right side chest area) and mentioned it to my oncologist.  He said it sounds like Teitze syndrome (not sure if I've spelled it exactly right, but it sounds like Teet-zee (like the fly).  I googled it and it is an inflamation of the rib joints or something like that.  That explaination seemd reasonable to me at the time, but recently, I find myself constantly feeling the area with my fingers, which is exactly what I kept doing with the lump I found that turned out to be invasive cancer.  I'm constantly thinking," could this be a chest wall recurrence?"   I really don't want to be paranoid, but I think I will ask if we can schedule a scan when I go for Herceptin this Thursday. 

    Before I was diagnosed, I hadn't taken anything more than an aspirin, and was never sick. I never thought much about minor aches and pains, but now every little twinge or pain scares me silly. 

    If it persists much longer, I'd get it checked out.

    Good luck!

    Sherrill

    PS:  I have 2 young children too (6 and 8) 

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  • harmonysun
    harmonysun Member Posts: 102
    edited August 2010

    tricia and sherrill, thank you so much for your replies. I really appreciate it. This stupid pain occupies me from the moment i wake up and even at night i wake up. I could tolerate the pain itself, it's just the worrying about it. Just as you said Sherrill, i never took aspirin or worried and now it is different. Your children are the same ages as mine. I have had this pain for at least 2 months. Sherrill, has your pain been constant or on and off? Best thoughts for you too about that.

       Tricia, you had bonemets scare, but it turned out to be fine? what were your symptoms and what did they end up thinking it was? so happy for you it is fine!

    thank you again gals, it helps to know we're not alone with this. I am a single mom and sometimes it just makes if overwhelming to deal with these things on my own. Don't want to always be getting friends/family concerned. thank you :)

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  • Karen09
    Karen09 Member Posts: 320
    edited August 2010

    You should get it checked for sure, if nothing else, just for your piece of mind. 

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  • tougherthanithought
    tougherthanithought Member Posts: 454
    edited August 2010

    Harmonysun-

    I've had this a while, and, for a time, didn't really think about it, but just in the last few weeks I've become a little obsessed, too.  I hate to use the word "pain" because for me it's just a little sore if I rub or push on the area (this could be the reason it's sore LOL- I should just keep my hands off of it for a while, and the soreness may go away!!!) I haven't had any sharp pains like you have, but I definitely feel it. 

    I saw my breast surgeon a few weeks ago and I mentioned it to her.  She said that it does feel like my rib on my right side protrudes a little more than the left, but that could be just how I've always been.  She didn't feel a palpable lump or anything, but said If it changes or persists, we could look into it further.

    So, I will probably see about getting scanned. 

    Good luck to you.  I hope your's (and mine) turn out to be nothing!

    Sherrill

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited August 2010

    Google "costochondritis" and read if that seems to be your issues. I have it and did before my double mast, but it made me get a mammo, so it worked out....I guess. Can work up to quite a sharp pain, and as mine is on the left side we were concerned for my heart. Pain took my breath away literally at times.

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  • rachel5738
    rachel5738 Member Posts: 920
    edited August 2010

    Hi there--I have similar concern. I was actually diagnosed with cervical cancer back in March 2010 and had radical hysterectomy for it in May 2010. I had a concern with a pain on my ribs and was all freaked out. The doctor ordered a CT scan at the time (also had MRI) and nothing was identified as any problem. Fast forward to now, was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2010 (not related as per Oncologists but just bad luck) and I have the rib pain again and some lower left back pain. My hubbie thinks that it is stress and that I am compensating on one side after my partial hysterectomy on the right. However, I am worried after hearing/reading about bone mets. I had bone scan scheduled for Tuesday but it is now moved to August 30th as I start chemo tomorrow. I am very worried about bone mets and just can't seem to get it out of my head--even though originally it was "nothing".

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  • gutsy
    gutsy Member Posts: 391
    edited August 2010

    I have had the same symptoms for 6 weeks now, ribs right side under my breast. I had an ultrasound done, and it came back normal. Could it be the new diet I am on with lots of cruceferious vegetables, beans, green tea, fiber?

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited August 2010
    I can't imagine how a diet would give you bone pain....Undecided unless it's your gallbladder in rebellion, but what you're eating wouldn't aggravate a gallbladder.
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