Fretting

kmakm

It's the middle of the night and I'm having a quiet fret about rib pain.

I woke up from my BMX & recon (27/4/18) with a sore lower left rib. I queried it with my PS when he deigned to speak to me but he dismissed it with a 'we did a lot of pulling and stretching in the area'.

It's never gone away, coming and going at various times. However the last few weeks the pain has got stronger and more frequent and I've started to have a worry.

I know it can't be bone mets but there's this little niggle in my mind, those stories you hear about people thinking they had a gym injury or something like that, only to discover months later that it's not that at all.

I don't want this worry to eat me up so I went to my GP this morning, confessed to being a cliche and explained. She was totally understanding and very sympathetic, examined me (I am very sore on the left) thoroughly and suggested that I have an xray of the area to start to find out what's going on.

She also said I had "quite prominent ribs". What does that mean?!

But now it's the middle of the night, my rib hurts, and every tiny throb of pain in my body is magnified a thousandfold.

Fret fret fret...

Sister

I wasn't here in the middle of the night @kmakm - I hope you managed to get some sleep.  I'm sure it's nothing but you're doing the right thing to get it checked out.  If it helps at all, I have a vague memory of crying in the recovery room from the agonising pain along my rib bone near where the drain was.  While it settled down it has never gone away and there are times when it's quite sore.  I do wonder if there has been some collateral damage to that area - nerves, muscle..?

Everything is worse in the middle of the night.

Take care

Kiwi Angel

@kmakm hope u got some sleep love. It sucks doesn’t it - even when we try to be logical every little pain sends our brain to the darkest of places. I are doing the right thing getting it checked xoxo 

kmakm

Thank you sweet friends, @Sister & @Kiwi Angel, got to sleep eventually. 

kezmusc

Morning @kmakm,

Good to see you finally got to sleep.  It is somewhat elusive that thing called a good nights sleep.  The gremlins sneak in and play with your mind.  Could you ask for a bone scan?  Less radiation and you would get the full body all clear.  I needed these the second year just to put my mind at ease.  As soon as everything started to ache my brain went where it shouldn't.  Even now it has been 9 months since my last bone scan and as more things start to hurt, click and crunch some days it takes a bit to push that to the side. I am getting better at it though 

xoxoxo

Blossom1961

Hi K, I love how the dr dismisses us when we have pains. My rib cage hurt as well and the response was, “of course it does”. Six months later my osteo checked me out and said my whole rib cage had been pulled out of alignment. She started it healing and then with stretches, breathing techniques and light exercises it finished healing itself. If you get no joy from your tests, try my osteo at Chirnside Park. She is brilliant. Love M

TonyaM

kmakm,I think prominent ribs means you are skinny! We all know about the fretting- bc has now programmed us to do that every time we get a pain. The surgeons were probably leaning on your ribs during surgery!- maybe a cracked rib or a torn intercostal muscle?
etc etc-get the xray and end the misery!

arpie

So sorry to hear of your distress, @kmakm - glad you finally got to sleep.  I had a shocker last night - forgot to take my oil.

I think I'd be asking for CT or MRI as well!

It is not good enough when our very real fears are pooh poohed by our health professionals.

All the best for your xrays xx  

BlackWidow

Know the feeling @kmakm - everything seems so much worse in the night and the mind goes into overdrive, doesn't it ?  Good to get it checked out for the peace of mind.  Me ?  My mx site is damned sore right now but I am telling myself it is the extreme cold we are experiencing in Victoria.  Besides, I have collected a bug along the way so that would not be helping.  I will try to keep warm and hope it all resolves itself. 
Look forward to hearing good news from you.

kmakm

@kezmusc Thanks luv. How would I get a body scan? I haven't had a single scan beyond mammogram, ultrasounds, SNB on the boob, and a CT to check for viable veins for the DIEP. All my docs seem allergic to them...

kmakm

@Blossom1961 I'm seeing an osteopath for the first time on Monday. I'll mention it to her for sure. Very interesting. Thank you. K xox 

kmakm

@TonyaM I wish!! I am SO not skinny... Yep, xray tomorrow. K xox

kmakm

@arpie Don't think I'd get one if I asked. Can't afford it anyway. I'll start with an xray and see how I go. Hope you sleep better tonight. K xox

kmakm

It's The Whale of Doom in the middle of the night for sure! I'll let you know how I get on.

Yes, winter has well & truly arrived in Victoria. Very chilly now. Hope you feel better soon. K xox 

iserbrown

Hopefully it's nothing to worry yourself sick about! 
Nerves are upset and the lymphatic system is looking for new pathways as well as a myriad of other ailments as a result of treatment.
There's a lot that our bodies have been through and need adjustment let alone us, the emotional being!
Kate be proud of yourself on how far you have come. 
Wishing you peace of mind
Take care take a deep breath and hopefully restful sleep when the results are in
Best wishes 

primek

You've done the right thing. Your worries won't settle until things are at least excluded. It's not unheard of for women on AI to fracture a rib with no actual injury. So it's best checked to  exclude.