Could it be... NEED advice

angeltam

I have swollen lymph nodes all around my neck and underarms.I had a mammogram but they said it looked fine although my lymph nodes were swollen and should be talked with between me and my doctor. Well I also showed the lady a red patch on my breast that itched and she recommended some cream. I have tried it along with MANY others that the doctor has put me on and NOTHING. Now after a month I have what looks like a sunburn PEELING on BOTH breast (was just on one side and small) it covers about 95 % of both breast now and the itchy feeling is awful and my nipples itch as well. I'm getting pain in my breast and my rt underarm, the are red and warm to touch. I now see two places on my skin that look bunched together and some other spots that look fuller not round but like a line (thicken look).

what started out as a small spot has NOW GROWN to BOTH breast and I'm scared to death! I will NOT go back to my doctor because I do NOT think he knows what he is doing.... Who can I see and can I demand that they see me TODAY (in the morning). I can't sleep at all. This has been going on for about a month.

By the way there are NO other signs of dry skin or anything else like this on any other part of my body.

I have has a hysterectomy in 96 and been on hormones since and am on thyroid medicine for the past 6 years.

runalot08

Angeltam,

Please have it looked into further. Try to get to a breast specialist.  I do not know much here but anything new, abnormal, or something that does not go away should be looked at.  Since you are on this thread then you must know something about IBC.  There will be someone along here that can probably help you better but I wanted to let you know your post was read.  Others are very willing to give advice and encouragement here.

Vickie

angeltam

Vickie,

Thank you very much it means a lot. I knew nothing at all about IBC but after not getting any help from my Dr.... I had to start somewhere and I put all my symptoms on line (one of those symptom checkers) and it came up a 98 % match with IBC and another infection but I'm unsure about an infection because I've been on so many different antibiotics and had blood work that showed no infection....

runalot08

Keep with it especially if you have tried the antibiotics.  I have been seeking answers since August and am still nowhere.  My MRI came back clean which is a good thing but there is still an underlying problem.  My breast is not continuously red. I am leaning towards the fact that it is not IBC as we were once worried.  Just telling you so that you know that it could be other things.  IBC is an ugly guy/gal.  No one wants it.  I was hoping for you maybe an  implant thing as that is what we are thinking about mine but sounds so much worse than what I am going though.  Other ladies on this site that have IBC will be able to help you out greatly as to the steps needed to RULE IT OUT FOR YOU.  I say that loudly so that you can feel better.  I hope we find that you have some other weird thing going on like me and it is not bc.  I am here for mental or moral support if needed even though I can not be of technical assistance aside from the experience of on going mammos us MRI biopsies etc.  I know all about that ) 

Vickie

angeltam

I'm praying the same.. It's something else. My implants are not leaking and they are the saline type. I've not had a reaction to them and I've had them for about 15 years (replacing them once but with same kind and not because anything had happened just because I thought I needed too). It could very well be some rare infection and need "special" antibiotics... anything can happen with me it seems.

No matter what I just want to sort this out and get some plan of treatment started to clear this bothersome problem up.

Thanks again Vickie for the support it's greatly appreciated.

angeltam

Just an update... I called one of our hospital's and they gave me a number to a Breast Center. I just got done talking with them and they want me to go get the films that were taken a few weeks ago (when they call back) they are going to talk with the doctors there and see if they can fit me in today and said that the next best thing is to get to the ER and they'll have to send someone there to see me. They agree that it does sound like IBC but STRESSED that it can very well be something else and that they ARE going to help. I just cried knowing something IS going to done no matter what or at least I AM HEARD.

My regular doctor just called and they are wanting to "check" on me and return a call I placed to them 2 days ago. They are worried they say now and are going to talk to a doctor about seeing me and when I told them I already called a Breast Center they said "Okay well let me talk with the doctor since we've already seen you".  They've made me wait for over 6 months with the lump and a month with the redness that has now gone to both breast and gotten worse. No, way!

Thanks for allowing me to vent.

Thank you Vickie... I'll keep you posted.

rosied51

Hi Angeltam,

 I know how frustrating it can be, trust me I am dealing with Dr's that are incompetent. I too have red breasts and they think that because they are both red well then it can not be IBC because it does happen in both.I've learned more from online than from my Dr's keep on pushing for answers.

runalot08

Angeltam,

I am so glad you have gotten somewhere.  I am sure you had with the crying a huge sigh of relief that you are moving forward and in the vicinity of appropriate action.  I would probably dump the other doc also especially since these others are willing to go out of their way to work with you.  That is what you want...people that you know are doing it for you not for themselves.  I hope you have a good feeling with the new ones it really makes all the difference.  It has for me.  it settles the mind a little trusting the doc.  Keep on letting everyone know how it is going. 

On the implant matter,  I got them in about 5 years ago and no problem like this since.  my doc said weird things can happen with them that do not always show up till later or even not in both breasts.  She said they could be somewhere in there hitting nerves on the chest wall or any other place and causing the pain and the inconsistent swelling and redness could be somehow inadvertently be caused by this.  She has done mammos, us, ct, biopsy, and sent me out of country for my MRI I just got.  She understands my concern about bc and my personal and family history and is doing everything she can to rule out bc before we remove the implants.  I really hope that this could be something else for you.  None the less you need to be proactive as you are and get everything you can to rule out the nasty.  I hope you got a call from the breast center with an appt.  I am now in Japan so you day is my night.  Hoping they called you while I was out

Vickie