Worried about my mom and metastasis

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daughterofmom
daughterofmom Member Posts: 2
edited July 2018 in Diagnosed and Waiting for Test Results

Hello:

My single mom was diagnosed in 2012 with stage 1, oncotype 11, hormone positive breast cancer, no lymph nodes

she had a bilateral mastectomy and no radiation/chemo as they said it was not needed. she has been on tamoxifen since then.

For the past 2yrs, she has had low platelets. They have gone down to like 135. but then back to 140 and 145 and then down again to 132, etc.

The cancer hospital did not seem too concerned. Her GP last time seemed more concerned as this was the first time she ran blood work and saw the low platelets. And the GP said they would keep an eye on it. Today my mom went to the GP and said she was having back pain and the GP said they would run an xray.

The thing is though that my mom has been saying she has back pain since she was diagnosed and all other sorts of problems too. All have previously been looked at by countless doctors and we continue to go back for this test and that test. I am 20 and I am feeling frustrated and scared and overwhelmed. For one, I feel as though my mom is a hypochondriac. She has been saying she has back pain since she was first diagnosed because she knows the connection. she also brings up new things ever year. I do not mean to sound insensitive but I am just very scared each time she does this. I find it hard to eat, sleep and function.

1. Does low platelets have a connection to recurrence? or metastasis?

2. Should I be worried the back pain is related to moving to stage 4?

3. Also, the technician didn't say anything my mom said when they ran the X-ray. Would they have said anything if they had seem something concerning?

Please help me. I just feel really hopeless and scared at this point.

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  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited July 2018

    Bless your heart you are not being insensitive. You are so young to be taking this on. I know you love your Mom but you are doing everything you can to help and supporther.

    From what I understand and I’m not a doctor low platelets can be caused by an infection, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis and a host of other things. No it does not automatically mean metastasis just because she has back pain with breast cancer.

    Her GP has run an X-ray so you will know something definitive about her back pain.

    Her BC is early stage and her Oncotype number is low - both of which are good.

    Once you know the results of the X-ray the doctor should offer suggestions on how to deal with it.

    BC is scary stuff so it’s understandable how sometimes you think every ache and pain is related to BC. Unfortunately it comes with having the disease. Time seems to help. Btw I’m 7 years out next month. I had the same DX as your Mom.

    Keep us posted.


    Diane

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  • virginiab
    virginiab Member Posts: 205
    edited July 2018

    it can be really hard to wait for results and wonder what things mean. While I am not qualified to say whether or not your mom is a hypochondriac, I do believe that her practice of bringing up symptoms is a practice that could save her life if her previous cancer ever does rear its head again. It is worrisome to take your little bundle of symptoms to the doctor so that together you can sort out which may be related to the previous cancer, and it is crazy-making sometimes to wait for tests and for test results. You probably already know that most times these symptoms are nothing, or are unrelated to the cancer, but this kind of due diligence in reporting could catch something early, so it is worth doing.

    It is okay to share your fears with your mom, and maybe let her share hers with you. Bless you for being there and for caring.

    Big hugs from the prairies of Illinois!

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  • daughterofmom
    daughterofmom Member Posts: 2
    edited July 2018

    Hi all,

    Thank you so much for your responses! They were very helpful at such a stressful time. We heard from her doctor nothing to worry about on the xray and that platelets are back to normal. It is a huge relief! A very nice doctor got the results back to us very fast at least this time.

    Thank you again, and wishing you all the best.

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  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited July 2018

    Good news. Thanks for posting.

    Diane

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  • JoE777
    JoE777 Member Posts: 628
    edited July 2018


    Hey daughter, you're mom should go straight to her oncologist. X-rays don't show metastasis inside of bone. Is she taking hormone inhibitors like letrezole. They cause back pain and really horrible side effects for some women. I suffered with minor lower back pain and hip joint pain from July 2017-Feb 2018. I'm a yard athlete and thought I had hurt my back. Two rounds of x-rays and 6 weeks of physical therapy. MRI in Feb reveal 5 tumors in the sacrum of my back. Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer to the bone. Don't want to scare you but get the right tests.

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