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Is pains after diagnosis but before surgery normal?
Fri, 03/02/2012 - 15:58
#1
I was diagnosed last Friday and am having lump/ tissue and node removed this Monday but since I've been diagnosed I've had back ache, pain in my arm and pain in the breast / chest area - is anyone else the same? I just keep thinking the worst (that it's spread) but when I saw the breast care nurse ystday for the first time she says its in my head!!! My hubby thinks it's down to stress - is it just me or are other newly diagnosed ladies getting pains?
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Hi Knoxybabes
I was diagnosed on the 19th Dec and am having chemo before surgery. But everything you have said in your post is exactly how I felt. Especially my neck, also went to my GP with pain going down my arm and abdominal pain the same week after I was diagnosed. My GP put it down to stress. I have since had all my scans to check for spread and they were all clear. I do believe that it was all down to stress and lack of sleep. The waiting for treatment etc to start is the worst time ever. All my unexplained pains have dissapeared since I have had the results of my scans.
Hope this helps, Take care!
Nicola xx
It's very common to notice aches and pains after diagnosis.... It's likely they have been there all along and ou jus go oh that's a bit sore and get on with what your doing but after you know you have cancer you go oh that's a bit sore I wonder if it's more cancer.... You may then poke and prod a bit and when it gets sorer and then you think oh this is worse than its been before..... Not sure I would say its in your head but I think we dwell on things more and worry about them more and what it could potentially be more so than we I'd before we knew we had cancer.
I think we are all a bt guilty of the poke, prod, worry syndrome.... Most people are not diagnosed with secondaries at the time of primary diagnosis... And they are goings be looking a our nodes and this is one of he biggest factors on whether you have spread toother parts of your body... If you have any positive nodes they will normally want remove them all to see how many have cancer and if there re 4 or more they normally do more scans such as a bone scan and ct scan to check for spread..... If you have less than 4 nodes with cancer they don't always do more scans as its much less likely to have spread.... You will have more information after Monday..... When they examine all the pathology but unfortunately it usually means another couple of weeks of waiting and wondering.
If you have aches and pains take some painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen if you can take them.... If th ain is relieved by this it is also much less likely to be secondary breast cancer.
Hope your feeling better soon and good luck on Monday
Lulu x
Nicola / Lulu, many thanks for your messages and advice - I do, deep down think it's stress but was wondering if it's just me getting pains or is it quite normal giving what we are going through! As you say though Lulu it's the waiting but i'm being positive so here's hoping! Have a luvly weekend. X
I certainly had pains all over, while waiting for surgery, and have seen lots of other posters here say the same.
Tell your nurses and doctors so they can consider the facts, but in the meantime put it down to stress and have a hug
Lavender
xx
Thanks Lavener - big hugs!. X
When I was diagnosed in November 2010 I also had pains under my ribs and down my side and was convinced they must all be connected and that the cancer must have spread like wildfire.
I still wasn't convinced when all the tests for spread came back clear, but when we moved house a month later we bought a new bed and guess what, the aches and pains had been due to a dodgy mattress and old Ikea bed.....
What can I say???????
Sam
Hi Sam, that made me laugh - I've thought of that and did wonder but our bed is relatively new and hasn't given me pains before - I do think maybe stress has something to do with it tho, I'm probably just panicking for no reason but I think it's just the word 'cancer' which has terrifed the life out of me! I know a few people have said on here that as soon they have received their results and a treatment plan they have felt a bit better....here's hoping eh! X
Sounds daft but once you get your treatment plan you will be less stressed about everything, you will feel more in control. I can quite honestly say that the worst for me was the week of tests for spread to see what I was dealing with. Once that was over I knew I could get on with the treatment.
You will be the same, I assure you.
sam