 |
| Hello, Left Rib Cage! What are you doing? |
But it wasn't long until fear of metastasizing breast cancer crept into my mind. Most people don't feel DCIS, but I did. Most people don't have an 8cm tumor, but I did. I don't know what the likelihood of having an immediate reoccurence is, but this is cancer and anything goes.
Every couple of days I would compare my the bottom of my left rib cage to the right. I would push on the left and feel hardness, not swelling or fluid squishiness. I debated my next course of action.
 |
| My view - plus a dog arm |
I was so swift in calling the doctor when I found IT but now I floundered on what to do. I had already called my oncologist's office once before the mastectomy after I had bumped in to something causing pain radiating in my tumor-filled breast. I was worried the tumor had popped, cancer was spilling out everywhere, and now I would need chemotherapy. The nurse on the other end tried to patiently calm me down, but I could tell from her tone of voice she thought I was ridiculous. Evidently you can't pop a cancer tumor. Even if you run into a file box.
Anywho, I waited impatiently for my medical oncology appointment where I could ask debatably silly questions to an unsuspecting new doctor. My opportunity came last week.
The medical oncologist - whom I LOVE - said it's not uncommon for this to happen, that sometimes "your weight shifts and follows the path of least resistance." I have no idea what that means. All I heard was "no we're not sending you to radiology because you might have bone cancer."
Evidently it happens more often in larger women, but hey, why not me, too?!
She also said I had nice skin. Don't really know what to make of that last part. My husband says, "I guess she likes the pasty look."
Is your rib cage wonky? Did you ever call the doctor with important but maybe silly questions?
Hi, did you find out what was causing this as I am in the same situation. As like you I immediately thought it had spread to my rib. Hope you are recovering well.
ReplyDeleteexactly have the same view when i lay on bed then look at my toes.
ReplyDeletejust noticed it few months ago and not really know what to do with it.
thanks for sharing, it ease my mind :)
Did this ever get better?
ReplyDeleteI've had this for years and still don't know what it is. Did you ever find out? Or does anyone know?
ReplyDeleteIt's flared ribs. You can look it up very easily.
ReplyDeleteI am going through this right now and I need help to understand what is happening with my body one side (left) sticks out way further than my right it really looks like I got missing ribs but see no scares on my body ... please help me understand what to do
ReplyDeleteWhen lying in bed, I also can see my left rib cage is a bit bigger but this has been the case for more than 5 years. I showed to a general physician, she said it was just my rib cage. After reading this, I will observe and pray this is nothing
ReplyDeleteCan you please tell me what is this really iam scared now
ReplyDeleteI have same situation until now I dont know what is it im really scared now
ReplyDeletePlease I want to know also
ReplyDeleteyou might have right thoracic scoliosis
ReplyDeleteBack in January this year I fainted and landed on my left side. My lower left ribcage and shoulder hurt a bit (mostly my shoulder) but nothing seemed bruised/broken and after a few days I felt fine. My ribcage stayed a bit swollen but otherwise there was nothing worth seeing a doctor over. Didn't even need time off work.
ReplyDeleteThen I got a really severe cold a week later (the mucus was actually coming out of my eyes, which has never happened before!) that turned into bronchitis. Coughing for an entire month seemed to irritate whatever I'd done to my rib. It got more swollen and painful, the size of a fist where the last rib on the left side is, and it took forever to go down. Even after the cough went away entirely, the swelling stayed and the pain was on and off.
It's now April. The swelling goes away and then comes back every now and then. In the last week it seems to have gotten bigger. The pain is very dull usually and doesn't bother me. But when I wear a bra (which I have to for work), it hurts more. It looks like your swelling, but a bit further towards the centre.
Surely a cracked rib would have healed by now? I don't do anything that strenuous, so it's had a lot of rest. I have a desk job and just walk to and from the office. That's pretty much it. I've had loads of rest.
The other day I'd forgotten it was even there (since mostly it doesn't bother me) and was doing some very light exercise. The next day it had swollen up a lot and there are now a few small light purple dots under the skin like tiny bruises. Also, the pain was severe enough that I couldn't eat. It was like very bad PMS cramps (I have endometriosis and I'm used to bad pain, so maybe it's worse than I think and I should be more concerned?). The pain was radiating down my left side, underneath my armpit, and up the left side of my chest.
If it had been higher up or gone to my back/shoulder then I would have said minor heart attack, as I've had aneamia on and off for years due to the endo blood loss and I occasionally get edema in my ankles/feet if I sit still for too long. I was tempted to call an ambulance, but then it seemed to just fade away gradually.
The swelling is still there now, but it doesn't hurt. I don;t have any other symptoms and can carry on as normal again.
I'm not sure what to think. My doctor's office isn't taking face-to-face appointments due to the lockdown, so I can't get it examined. I had a phone appointment when it first swelled up back in February, and they told me it did sound like a cracked rib and to just use heat or ice for the pain and take regular painkillers if I needed them. So I don't know if I'm just over reacting and cracked ribs can swell up and hurt randomly months later?
I really don't want to go to E.R unless I absolutely have to. I have a severe phobia of medical stuff and also don't want to be there during all this coronavirus stuff going on.
Has anyone else cracked a rib before? Does this sound normal?
I'm 34, female, don't drink/smoke/drugs, about 5lbs overweight, have very dry skin/hair/nails from aneamia (I take iron and other supplements for that) and suicidal depression (but had that for years so don't think that's related).
I didn't include my main question (the whole point of me posting the above!): did you have swelling like this before you were diagnosed with cancer? If so, did it appear suddenly?
ReplyDeleteMine started to protrude after mastectomy as well. Doctors have no clue but think nothing of it. I tried physical therapy bc they said scoliosis but it seemed to be getting bigger.
Deleteok im very scared ive had this worry for a while now my left ribcage is bigger than my right and i look in the mirror every night at my ribcage and there is a slight difference i really need answers from y’all because im hella scared and idk wjay to do
ReplyDeleteI have the same thing happening under my left breast. I had a lumpectomy last March followed by radiation treatment. No one can figure out if this is fluid or angry tissue.
ReplyDeleteBut there is swelling under the breast...over the lower ribs. Weird...but not painful.
Love to know of anyone got answers :)