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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Shoulder Blade Pain, Enlarged Ribcage, Tenderness. Done Tests. Heavy Alcohol Drinker. History Of Breast Cancer

I am worried about my liver and wonder if you could offer an opinion and guidance. For the past 5 months I've had severe pain in my right shoulder blade area which is exacerbated by alcohol (even just one small glass of wine). My ribcage seems enlarged on the right side at the front and the back, and I sometimes have mild tenderness just below my right ribcage. My GP has done kidney and liver function blood tests in the last month, plus checked my vitamin D, calcium, platelet, albumin and thyroid levels - all normal so he said it must be muscular/skeletal.

I was a heavy social drinker from my teenage years till my early 30s, but have cut down drastically in recent months. I had an ultrasound late last year and everything was normal. I am now drinking less than 4 units a week, whereas perhaps a year ago I was drinking 30 units in an average week.

My past medical history includes a recurrent pneumothorax and breast cancer, both on the right side; I finished radiotherapy just after the pain in my shoulder really started to bother me. I am taking tamoxifen as my breast cancer was ER+, and mirtazapine to ease my anxiety and depression. I also took an overdose of paracetamol 6 months ago but no treatment was deemed necessary, and had some exposure to an unknown chemical 7 months ago.
Fri, 21 Jun 2013
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hello user,
As you have a history of breast cancer and you are on tamoxifen, had history of paracitamol overdose and other chemical exposure. I would advise you to have a ultrasonography done of your abdomen (with a focus on liver) because your last sonography is a bit old.

You should rather do ultrasonography at regular interval ,maybe every 6 months, to check for any metastasis.
And you are advised to strictly stop drinking, as it weakens the liver !!!

hope my info helped you
regards,
Dr Hari Om Chandrakar
MBBS
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Shoulder Blade Pain, Enlarged Ribcage, Tenderness. Done Tests. Heavy Alcohol Drinker. History Of Breast Cancer

Hello user, As you have a history of breast cancer and you are on tamoxifen, had history of paracitamol overdose and other chemical exposure. I would advise you to have a ultrasonography done of your abdomen (with a focus on liver) because your last sonography is a bit old. You should rather do ultrasonography at regular interval ,maybe every 6 months, to check for any metastasis. And you are advised to strictly stop drinking, as it weakens the liver !!! hope my info helped you regards, Dr Hari Om Chandrakar MBBS