How do you know if the cancer has metastisized?

lori12946
lori12946 Member Posts: 10
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Iwas diagnose stage II breast cancer in November 2003 .Finished all my treatment Sept. 2004.Have been feeling great up to a month or so ago. Started having lower back ache but not constant and twinges in my hips. I would describe as discomfort as opposed to painful. Doc did a number of tests and say nothing is wrong. Although they did not do a bone scan. Anyone know how often they do these? I do have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis. Should I be worried or maybe push the docs more. Any opinions would be welcome.Thanks Lori

Comments

  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398
    #2
    Often the side affects include different kinds fo arthritis. How many of us read the fine print or question the doctors enough about this. They are often more concerned about getting the treatments done they don't concern themselves with the percentages. You know your own body by now and if it keeps bugging you after a couple of weeks a months keep at them. Quality to our lives is important as anything.
    Good luck,
    Tara
  • jcbeenthere
    jcbeenthere Member Posts: 19
    #3
    seems like a blood test or x-ray would be a simple answer to your concerns I had a PET scan for followup on Non-hodgkins in Sept. it was clean. one and 1/2 mos later I found a huge breast lump. I had had a mammo in April with calcifications but no worry. Treated for BC started in Nov. Each testing facility tells me there is no one test that will always detect ca. I happen to have had to of the best tests which failed to detect. My MDs are always willing to accomodate me in testing. I don't know what tests they did but I also encourage you to follow up if things don't get better in a reasonable time. Whether is is rheum arth or somethng else, you know your body. good luck,jc
  • Ellison
    Ellison Member Posts: 68
    #4
    Hi Lori,

    I agree with the rest. My cancer matasised. I was having a lot of pain on the right side of my body. I just thought it was the ostoparosis. It got to where I was having a dull headache and having trouble sleeping. Because the pain was constant I felt a little ishy to my stomach. One day I was washing dishes and it just popped into my head. Oh my could this be that I am in trouble. I got my book out and turned it to the back pages on if the cancer matacises.

    That was on a Sunday. Monday I called and made an appt. with my MD. He took x-rays of my body, told me I had severe arthritus on the left side, gave me some anti-inflamatory pain medication. It took the swelling down and the pain away.

    A few days later my oncologist called and said she wanted me to have x-rays immediately. She did not like what she saw. After I had the x-rays I went to her office for a bone marrow test. She took it form the pelvic where the cancer was. The test came back positive. I had bone scan, CT scan and skelital xrays also. I am now stage 4. I will be starting on treatment again. Hopefully this will slow it down. To make a long story short, the cancer did matasacise in the pelvic. It is now spread to other parts of the bone. I can only hope it is not in any organs.

    I say get the bone scan. You are the most imoportant person in this whole thing. Just let them know you would feel much better if they would do the test. Process of eliminitation. Did you see the x-rays. If not, maybe they could show them to you and go over the results.

    Stress is hard on our minds bodies and soul. For peace of mind, do what ever you can to be assured you do not have the re-occurance like they are saying.

    good luck
    lori e.
  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #5
    Push for the bone scan. If nothing else, it will set your mind at ease.
  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #6
    Lori, I too was diagnosed stage II breast cancer in the left breast in September, 2004. I had surgery, chemo and radiation. I just went for my follow up and my doctor immediately asked for another bone scan due to the problems I'm having with my back. Trying to ease my own mind, I read that if you have stiffness anywhere in the body and are able to work it out through exercise, it's probably just arthritis. However, if the pain does not subside, well. . .

    I'd do the bone scan again if I were you.
  • chef
    chef Member Posts: 17
    #7
    I've been working with BC for 15 years now. The first 2 times it was in the same breast. The third time it came up as a rashy dry spot on my reconstuction sight. At that time they did the full scans, chest, abs, pelvic, bone and brain. It had mastasised to several organs. You could have knocked me down with a feather. I had not a clue. I'm now having scans twice a year and bone and brain once a year. I'm on a drug called Aromasin. My next set of scans are in September. So we'll see what's happening then. What has worked for me is staying on top of it. I'm in my 5th episody with this stuff and doing good. My advice is to keep a check on it often. The chemo gave me terrible joint and bone pains. It took a year and a half for those to go away. I hope some of your acks and pains will be just the treatment. Take care

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