Very sharp pain in clavicle, hoping not mets

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jenlee
jenlee Member Posts: 504
edited April 2016 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

So at first I thought i'd slept strange, somehow making my clavicle sensitive. A few weeks after that, I started weight training and that really hurts, to the point that it feels like it might snap. Very sore in one spot when palpated. I'm seeing the ONC tomorrow. What would be next, a bone scan? Wondering what someone looks like without a clavicle. I guess that would be the least of my problems. Any thoughts from those who have been here?


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  • floaton
    floaton Member Posts: 181
    edited November 2015

    I went through something similar this summer, and it ended up fine - a muscle strain from overuse / sleeping funny but man did it feel like it was the actual bone that hurt and it scared me enough to go see my mo who ordered tumor markers and a bone scan. Once those came back ok, I had 2 different massage therapists really have at it (this is not my cancer/lymphedema side), and it has gotten better with time, although I can still flare it up again fairly easily. Hugs and best wishes that yours is nothing serious either!

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited November 2015

    What did MO say? I hope all turns out ok

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  • Racy
    Racy Member Posts: 2,651
    edited November 2015

    I am not a doctor but it's a hopeful sign that it only hurts when you move. Also, you have had good treatment.

    Of course, your clavicle will not be removed!

    You are doing the right thing by getting it checked out. Try not to strain it in the meantime.

    Let us know how you get on.

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  • jenlee
    jenlee Member Posts: 504
    edited November 2015

    I saw the MO on Friday and he sent me over for an x-ray, PROMISING that he'd call me before he went home for the weekend. Which, surprise, he didn't. My husband wants me to call his service, but I'm thinking I can hang in there until tomorrow. Thank you all so much for the support!


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  • jenlee
    jenlee Member Posts: 504
    edited November 2015

    Just found out at about 5 pm today that it's a fracture. Yay, fracture. Believe it or not, my husband actually got the info for me. After calling the MO's office twice today (and being reprimanded because he's busy), I called my husband, who is away on business in Japan. He was just waking up and I told him that it was getting difficult to function with this hanging over my head. I was terrified that I'd get a difficult call while driving my 11 yr old daughter and get in an accident, or just have my daughter wonder about the call. My husband called was told that the doctor was busy and I'd have to wait until tomorrow. He was having none of that and nicely but firmly told them that wouldn't be a good idea. He asked the receptionist if she'd every had cancer, or chemo, or mastectomies and of course the answer was no. She put the nurse on, who of course was unwilling to talk about it with my husband. Hell with HIPPA, and everything else, 'cause I finally did hear it from my husband, not my MO (now former MO) that it is not cancer. I suspect that they'd never do this to people if they or their family members had every gone thru this kind of waiting.

    Sadly, this is not the first time with this guy. He kept me waiting for two weeks, waiting to hear about a thyroid scan. I am not high maintenance and never call, so if I have a worry ever other year, I expect people to be professional about it.


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  • Racy
    Racy Member Posts: 2,651
    edited November 2015

    jenlee, good on you for terminating that relationship. And congratulations on having a non-mets related fracture ;).

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited November 2015

    Glad it's a fracture. I fired my former MO too; it was the best decision I ever made. My current one actually CARES!!!

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  • jenlee
    jenlee Member Posts: 504
    edited November 2015

    Thank you all for your support. Yes I did have a bone density scan over the summer and I need to find a doctor who cares to work with me.

    This scare made me realize (1) that I need to take better care of myself (2) that I need to better support those women who continue to fight this horrible disease.

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  • GoldenGirls
    GoldenGirls Member Posts: 608
    edited November 2015

    Hi Jenlee,

    I don't mean to be an alarmist but wanted to share my mom's story. She was 11+ years out from her original dx when she complained about pain in her clavicle. At first she thought she'd slept funny. The pain persisted so she finally went to the hospital for an xray. There was fracture, but because of her history of cancer the doctor insisted she come back the following day for a CT scan just to be sure there wasn't anything else going on, especially since she couldn't really pinpoint how/when she'd fractured it. The CT scan found bone mets and cancer in her nodes behind the clavicle that weren't seen on xray. The mets were later confirmed with a biopsy of the clavicle bone. Turns out the fracture happened because of the bone being weakened from cancer that she didn't even know was there.

    My mother had also just had her bone density done a few months earlier and was told her "bones were strong like that of a 25 year old". We didn't even think for one second that her clavicle pain could be related to cancer but are glad the doctor took the extra step to be sure. She's been on treatment for her mets ever since.

    Wishing you well.

    *edited to add that xrays and scans show bone mets differently and many will not show up on an xray unless they are large. We've learned that the hard way over these last 3 years.

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  • jenlee
    jenlee Member Posts: 504
    edited November 2015

    thank you, I was thinking I need further follow up tooas the pain is significant

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  • lisa-e
    lisa-e Member Posts: 819
    edited November 2015

    Jenlee, I agree with GoldenGirls. it seems to me that you need to follow up on this, to determine what caused the fracture. Your clavical shouldn't spontaneously fracture.

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  • Partyoffive
    Partyoffive Member Posts: 188
    edited November 2015

    jenlee-as someone whose clavicle met was missed on an xray u should find a new mo and get a bone scan. Anyone who has had cancer and has an unexplained injury should be looked at very closely and u should not have to beg your dr for your tests results. I hope it is just a fluke and u heal and don't have to worry anymore.

    Good luck!

    Kristin

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  • GoldenGirls
    GoldenGirls Member Posts: 608
    edited January 2016

    Hi Jenlee. Hope you enjoyed the holidays. Just wanted to check in and see how you are. Hoping all is well.

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  • jenlee
    jenlee Member Posts: 504
    edited April 2016

    Hi All, sorry I forgot to follow up on this. I had an MRI & bone scan in January and both were negative. Still hurting when I work out, so we're thinking it's a pulled muscle. Getting another opinion anyway.

    Thank you SO much for your support.


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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited April 2016

    Great news...anything but mets!!!

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