HOw to tell if you have bone mets?

sweetvickid said:

Talked with the Dr.'s nurse

Talked with the Dr.'s nurse and she talked with the Dr.  Dr. is not concerned since it is not true pain and said if it persists to let them know.  When I asked the nurse how long on persist she said another two weeks.  I said this has been going on for over 2 months I think it qualifies as persistent.  I really don't like this Dr.  When I went in for my yearly all she ever does is listen to my heart and lungs, looks at my scars and leaves.

x-ray

Hey, I would make someone check!  Good greif that's not much of a yearly check up!!  I have mets in my spine and it is painful.  Kind of like laying on a bad bruise.  Sometimes it makes my leg hurt.  Instead of worrying and wondering, just get it checked!  That will take a load off your mind.

They can see mets from my arm and leg and shoulders on a regular x-ray.  I imagine they can see the spine bones too.  That's an easy test that could really help you get rid of that nagging question.

Marty

 

CypressCynthia said:

Marty, you were really

Marty, you were really lucky.  It took me nearly 4 years to get my bone mets diagnosis and I had Xrays, bone scans, CT scans and 3 PET scans.  Finally, finally finally in 2009, one brave radiologist called it bone mets on a repeat bone scan.  A bone biopsy confirmed it.  The mets was in about 3-4 ribs.

PS

To answer the original question:

"Pain is the most common presenting symptom. Pathological fracture rarely occurs without a history of a few weeks or months of increasingly severe pain. In some cases the patient has tried to ignore or deny the symptoms. Sometimes a painful bone lesion is thought to be a "muscle pull" or a "sprain" and strong pain medicines are prescribed, allowing the patient to continue to tolerate very severe pain before the true nature of the problem is discovered. Systemic symptoms may also occur, such as hypercalcemia."  http://www.bonetumor.org/metastatic-tumors/metastatic-breast-cancer

"Breast cancer metastasis most commonly affects the spine, ribs, pelvis, and proximal long bones."  http://www.bonetumor.org/metastatic-tumors/metastatic-breast-cancer

For me, the pain was confusing.  It was persistent, but it would give me a month or so off here and there.  Each time it came back though, it was worse.  I also presented with 3-4 broken ribs (not pain first). Hope this helps!

New Flower said:

PET/CT works for me

For me PET/CT is the most sensitivetest. CT with contrast worl ok too. Please ask your doctor to order the test. You cannot rule out anythins until you run any test,

mine was pain
I had so much pain in my ribs, went to dr. A ct scan done, er doc said most lukely pulled muscle. Asked him to send to onco. Then a week later couldnt make it up a flight of stairs, pain in hack and legs.
Got home and was in so much pain sitting.
I hads mets, too numourous to count. They were from mu upper neck thru my spine, ribs, both clavicles hios pelvic and the worse area was my pelvic region!
The thing that got me most was I had bone scans, 4 major surgeries, and ct scans all within a year og the mets. Howw nothung showed, then all of a sudden it was throughout me. bSo I dont know how all of this works. At least o
Nce it was diagnosed, I didnt have to continue to wonder why I hurt so bad.
Now I am just happy when I am able to do things.

sweetvickid said:

Surprised got a call to schedule bone scan

Ater talking with the nurse who said the Dr said to wait till the pain was persistent I thought that was it.  Over the weekend I decided I was going to call this week to the cancer center and complain about the Dr. and request a different Dr.  Low and behold first thing this morning the hospital calls to schedule a bone scan!  I am still going to change Dr.'s after I get the results back.  My first oncologist was great he took the time to talk to me, explain things and his attitude was we were in this together and I had a voice in decisions.  The one I have now never seems interested.  She whizzes in and out and if you try and talk about side effects she would blow them off as just side effects.

I am glad that you are being

I am glad that you are being vigilant and having this checked out. Hoping for the best!   Hugs!!!! 

sweetvickid said:

bone scan clean

bone scan clear and oncologist said see you gp.  Will never go to her again.  Have a meeting scheduled to talk with the head of the cancer clinic.

good news

Congrats. Very good news. Good luck with head department. Keep us posted

sweetvickid said:

bone scan clean

bone scan clear and oncologist said see you gp.  Will never go to her again.  Have a meeting scheduled to talk with the head of the cancer clinic.

So happy that your scan was

So happy that your scan was clear!!!  Sorry you had a creepy onc, but you will find a keeper.  Big, big hugs!!!