Help! Need the advice of you wise ladies!

bostonbluejay

I am looking for some advice or words of wisdom from any of the wonderful women in this forum.  I have been looking around here for a few days now just trying to find information/advice.  I'll give you a little history...about 4-6 months ago (not exactly sure of the time frame) I started to have a lot of tenderness and discomfort in my right breast.  I know that seems like a long time to go without being seen, but I was diagnosed last year with fibrocystic breasts and was told that the lumpiness/bumpiness will come and go and change with cycles and affect both breasts, so when I noticed this hard lumpy spot on the outer side of my right breast i didn't think too much of it and decided to keep an eye on it for a few cycles to see if it went away.  Well several cycles later, it's still there just the same.  Tenderness/pain is getting worse and I am now swollen on that side.  I saw my GYN Friday April 3rd, and she confirmed the hard lump/area as well as the swelling and some "density" in my lower breast which is an area that is quite painful for me.  She referred me to a surgeon.  I turn 27 next month, btw.  SO, the surgeon's office called me Monday morning (the 6th) and I saw the surgeon today (7th).  He all but dismissed me when he examined me saying that he expected to find a cyst and that he was looking for something kind of like a "grape".  He said he wouldn't call my lump a lump, but thickening rather and said to go get an Ultra Sound.  He said if the ultra sound didn't show something like what he's looking for he won't do a biopsy.  Let me rephrase that...he said he "can't really" do a biopsy.  I believe I've read cases where thickening of the breast and swelling was a sign of breast cancer.  I am realistic about the odds that it's b9 due to my age and lack of family history so I'm not crazy or irrational, but I want to know FOR SURE that it's b9.  Also, i'm pretty sure you can biopsy the area of "thickening".  Am i wrong??  As I said I'm trying to be realistic and calm and logical, but as many of you women are testament to, it CAN happen.  Should insist on a biopsy?  Get a second opinion?  Or will the US be enough?  Please help as I am scared even though I'm trying really hard not to be and am really upset because that surgeon just basically made me feel kind of silly and stupid but I know my body and this is not in the "normal" range for me.  I'm having discomfort/pain on an almost round the clock basis.   Thank you for any advice you may be able to offer!

Jamie

Also, I have a lympnode very near to the area of thickening/hardening/lump that is enlarged and sometimes painful and has been for quite sometime.  I was told It's probably "normal for me" or probably "a benign lympnode" but no tests done.  I gotta tell ya, "probably" doesn't help me sleep at night!  Can this have anything to do with anything...I mean regarding lympnodes or is that a completely separate issue?  Thanks again everyone!

scrappy_survivor

I was told my lump was a fibroid. I INSISTED on a biopsy. It was cancer. I had clear nodea at my surgery & n one were swollen either I know becuase when I had my surgery they did an ultrasound. A recent ulktrasound less then 6 months after surg. I have 2 inflammed nodes. 1 of them is 2 1/2 cms. I just had another biopsy & await the results. I would get a 2nd opinion. I ha ve never ehard of not being able to do a biopsy (not saying it is not true just that I ahve never heard of it). HTH HUGS to you

bostonbluejay

Thank you for your reply and best of luck to you on your biopsy results!!  I'll be keeping you in my thoughts!!

BethNY

First, have the ultra sound. IF the ultra sound shows nothing, I would then push to have an MRI... if the MRI is clear too, then they won't do a biopsy, if there isn't an actual area of concern.

BUT-- I don't like this breast surgeon. Go to a different facility for the ultra sound.... then try to push hard for the MRI. It's so hard when you're young to get everyone to take you seriously, but you sound intelligent, and you're being really dilligent about getting everything checked out.

Please keep in touch and let us know how everything goes.

bostonbluejay

I will let you know the results of the US.  I am calling today to make the appointment.  I just do not like this surgeon and will take your advice and see if I can see someone else.  My GYN was also very concerned because I've been on 50mg birth control pills for three years.  I didn't realize they were so strong, I was just taking what my previous dr. said I needed.  She said that's what they used to put women on in the 70's and that she was concerned about the extra estrogen exposure for so long.  She also classified my "area" (as I'm now referring to it since I don't know what to call it) as a lump.  This dr. says "thickening".  ugh!  Talk about frustrating.  It also makes me a little uncomfortable that I was referred to a General Surgeon rather than a breast specialist/surgeon.  I think I would feel more comfortable dealing with someone who is a specialist in that particular area.  Unfortunately, I don't think my insurance/medical facilities have "breast specialists".  I'll inquire.  It is so frustrating how the dr's look at you when you are young.  This surgeon didn't even examine me as thoroughly as my Gyn did.  I spent a total of between 10 and 15 minutes in his office and that included the time it took him to wheel his own little US machine in only to put it on my breast for about 20 seconds, tell me I have "enormous" breast glands.  Well great!  What the heck am I supposed to do with that information!?  So now I'm just walking around wondering what it means to have "enormous breast glands" and why if they are so enormous do I have such small boobs?  Ok, i know the two probably aren't related, but this is what happens when dr's don't explain things to patients!  So he said the radiologist's US is more accurate and stronger and to make an appt.  Awesome!  (Sarcasm inserted here)  Anyway,  thank you for the advice and letting me sort of vent about this frustration!  I'll keep you posted.

 

nash

Invasive lobular bc can present as a thickening, and is best seen on breast MRI. So Beth is right--insist on an MRI.

ILC is rare, so between that and your age, the odds are very good that your thickening is fibryocystic disease. But absolutely get it checked out, preferably at a breast clinic. There must be a bunch of breast specialists in the Boston area, and I'd be surprised if your insurance doesn't cover at least one of them.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

BethNY

UGH-- I would be fuming mad. Obviously, young women have dense breasts, which is why its better to use tools like a U/S or MRI vs a Mammo-- I would ditch the general surgeon ASAP and get to a breast specialist.

When I felt my lump at age 26, my dad knew that young women could get breast cancer, and told me to bypass every doctor and go straight to a breast surgeon-- ten days later I had the appt. In one day they did an two ultra sounds, a mammo and a biopsy, and four days later, I had the results, and sprung into action.

You may want to check out www.youngsurvival.org to look at their resource guidebook for a list of specialists in your area.