I am having the occasional pain under the ribs on the right side & wondered if it was due to the cording I have on the arm & under the arm, it feels like I have bruised ribs. Did anyone else have this problem after mastectomy & axillary clearance? What worries me is that I had an ultrasound yesterday which should have been on the spleen, but the operator kept putting it on the right hand side away from the spleen & seemed to spend a lot of time over the liver area, I did say to him that my dad had passed from cancer of the liver, but his reply was "I'm not looking at the liver" & he concentrated over the rib pain. I am just hoping the pain is from the scars or cording. On a lighter note I will have day surgery on Tuesday to fit the port & have just been to have a pixie cut ready for chemo which will start on the 19th, my lovely hairdresser would not take any money for it & I came away with a lovely bunch of flowers. Eileen

You look about as happy as I did when I got my lovely long hair cut short lol. It does take a little getting used to but I was glad I got it done before the shock of chemo arrived. I get sore ribs but mostly at the back around my shoulders. I think its from so much sleeping and perhaps not sleeping quite the same position as before the surgery. It doesn't ache though, just tender.

Hi Eileen, I'm at the tail end of chemo (only two more treatments to go before Radiothreapy) my bc found last August 2015. I had a lumpectomy and chemo went 'OK'' till the one I had every 3 months when I developed. shingles. Although I did get the required medication in time it left me with two numb fingers on my left hand and nerve damage in my lower arm. ( I'm right handed.....phew). Anyway in the last month I have experienced pain not only in my lower legs but through the top of my body, through my chest down my arms. So the GP believes it's from the shingles and put on lyrica and endep and the oncologist gave me Celebrex for body pain. So guess what I'm saying is pain seem to travel everywhere and although not seriously bad pain it worries me to 'something' still hanging around in my body. I am just taking the Celebrex.....not wanting to take too many meds. Sorry I raved on a bit but so many weird things seems to happen throughout this process. Hope all goes well for you. Anne-Marie

Not sure how long ago you had your surgery, mine was 9 days ago, and even tough I only had lumpectomy and a single sentinel node removed I noticed a fair bit of pain arround The ribs. I wrote it off to both sleeping funny and to the way they go about identifying which node to remove. I had my surgery under local anaesthetic and was very much aware of just how much work they do on the side identifying the node they want and testing - felt like they were digging in there with a dull spoon so I am surprised it is not more painfull than it is (for me at least). I was told it would be many many weeks until rhings start to feel less tender.

I just do not like having photos taken Brenda, luckily for me I already had a short style, so thought I would go shorter then it would not be as bad when it falls out. I also have a bit of pain now & then in the back, I find I can sleep on the right side as long as I put my top half on a pillow & keep my arm out of the way. Hope your chemo is being kinder to you now & your getting your beach walks in.

Sorry to hear about your shingles Anne-Marie but glad that your nearing the end of your chemo. I will be having AC every 21 days for 3 months, then a weekly 1 for 3 months. I used to take Celebrex for the Osteoarthritis, which I have in both ankles. I found out after the bone scan that it is also in my knees, but they don't bother me at the moment. Eileen

Cording | BCNA Online Network

20 Replies

Beppie
Member
10 years ago
Hi ,

Sometimes the pain can be nerve pain, which is quite painful! If it continues see your dr. Hope all turns out well xx
skitzy
Member
10 years ago
Thank you Tracy I love reading your FB blog & forum posts I find the information you provide helps me with what is ahead for me.

I feel good but was just concerned when The u/s operator kept hovering over the liver area, I am hoping it was just the cording he could see, as the original CT scan only showed the lung node.

Hope your feeling OK. xx
skitzy
Member
10 years ago
Thank you Paula. xx
ScorpionQueen
Member
10 years ago
Hi Eileen!

Good to put a face to the name..so to speak!

I had the same soreness after my lumpectomy, and put it down to the nerve endings being damaged and general muscular tenderness after anaesthetic and surgery...but consider this, you have had a much larger procedure! they aren't gentle when they operate...your pulled this way and that! I am still stiff and sore and its nearly 4 months from surgery...

This week I have just discovered a new "cord" going from the bottom of my scar down underneath my breast to my ribs :/ Not happy!

Hopefully the tenderness will settle down for you...keep asking the doctor about it though if it's still bothering you....all this information helps them create new "side effect and symptom" logs....

Hope you are recovering well otherwise

Xx
jd48
Member
10 years ago
Hi Jacqui, I too had lumpectomy and sentine node on the 31st... (thw other side though) and initally had same shoulderpain pain you described but realised quickly it had a lot to do with my keeping my affected arm in a simewhat weird position. I realised I was constantlyl lifting and tensing that shoulder probably so as to avoid the hand touching the node surgery stitches.

Also the breast care nurse gave me this lovely pillow to use between the arm and the wound (kidney shaped with a sting on top so I rest it on the shoulder and pillow is then under the arm). Only mwntioning in case you were doing the same.

I realised the pillow cird was slipping so I was constantly tensing the arm and shoulder and stillmlifting them when using it.

Seems shoulder blade and under arm oain were being caused by it. I started avoiding the pillow unless in the car and I started consciously forcing myself to relax the left shoulder and sonce then no shoulder blade pain at all.

I mean boob and muscles arround the node "dig for gold" site hurt more as time is progressing (I had hoped for less) but the shoulder blade and lower neck pain as well as underarm pain are gone.

If you are still suffering from the shoulderblade Pain try chexking yourself wvery now and then to see if you are tensing up that arm without realising it. Maybe it helps you too :)
KristyE
Member
10 years ago
My numbness is finally resolving, I had surgery Feb 23rd. It's still there, but not sensitive like it was. I've been going to the Physio almost weekly, but she's not in the public sector. Hope you get over this part of the journey sooner rather than later!
jd48
Member
10 years ago
And same to you Eileen :)
PaulaN
Member
10 years ago
Eileen I like your hair, it suits you. Good luck for Tuesday I'll be thinking of you. Paula XXX
skitzy
Member
10 years ago
Hi Kristy I was shown how to massage my arm but have still not heard a pop yet, I am still quite numb under the arm.

I am due to see the physio again towards the end of the month. One thing I did learn from all this was not to ask my husband to massage it as boy did he hurt.

Eileen
skitzy
Member
10 years ago
Thank you Jacqui it does sound like the rib pain must be connected to the surgeries/cording.

Best of luck with your treatment.

Eileen