What did it feel like?

kimgod

Wondering if you could feel anything in your breast and what did it feel like?

RetrieverMomNancy

I'd recently entered my 50s and figured my breasts were drooping more, to the point that I could feel something a kin to a muscle, (or smallish chocolate bar) near the upper/outer corner of my left breast. I'd alway been on the lookout for a pea or small marble sized lump during self exams, so I didn't make the connection right away!

kimgod

Thank You RetrieverMomNancy,

Did it show up on tests? Could you move it?

LoriL

My mass felt like a little bean. Everyone thought it was a lymph node as it was way in the upper outer quadrant of my breast and was moveable. It didn't show up on mammogram or breast MRI. It did show on ultrasound, however.

Anonymous

My bc did not show up on any yearly mammo that I have had since I was 36.  I felt something like a thickening, kind of like jello gets when you leave it in the frig too long, somewhat rubbery.  I was scheduled for my yearly exam so I showed the dr. and she sent me for another mammo and ultrasound.  It still did not show up on the mammo but they could see it on the ultrasound.

RetrieverMomNancy

Kimgod,

It showed up on the mammo as a dense area, but level three (of five) in terms of being suspicious. My GP suggested I see a surgeon, who did a fine needle biopsy and ordered an ultrasound. When the FNB came back with bad news, we moved on to an MRI and core needle biopsy. Once the ILC dx was established I jumped into chemo right away, then had surgery and radiation.

Good luck to you. How far along the "path" are you?

Nancy

kimgod

Thank You ladies, God Bless you all. I appreciate your comments.

kimgod

My gyno found it at my yearly, i had noticed it but, it doesn't feel like a lump, but a bumpy cord or something kinda thick. My gyno sent me for ultrasound and mammo and both were normal. I went to surgeon and he could feel it but said i have three options, wait three months, try a hit or miss with needle or remove it. I spoke to my gyno again and she recommended a second opinion at Geisinger, went there friday and need to go back Monday for an ultrasound. If the surgeon sees it he will do needle if not he will remove it. He said waiting won't do anything for me because I am post menopausal so, it's not due to monthly hormonal changes, the lump will not go away on its own.

nash

kimgod, a while back we had a rather lengthy thread going about how our ILC felt upon physical exam. Here's a link to that thread (sorry I can't post live links--just cut and paste the info into your browser):

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/71/topic/699650?page=1

nash

Also wanted to mention that I'd suggest you ask for a breast MRI. ILC shows up very well on MRI.

Anonymous

Hey Kimgod,  I am sorry you have to go through this, the not knowing is the hardest part.  Just like the other ladies my tumor didn't show up on mammo.  I was even recalled for mammo on the other breast because of cysts and the radiologist didn't feel that I had anything to worry about from the lump ( felt like a pearl just under the areola) in my left breast.  Thank God I kept the appointment with the general surgeon.  I had a fine needle biopsy that didn't reveal anything, and then ended up waiting 3 months to have an excesional biopsy.  I then had a breast MRI, and that showed a second tumor, they did a core needle biopsy and of course that was more cancer.  Any way, I would say that Nash is right, and you should see if you can have an MRI.  If that proves to be a pain, (I had to wait 3 weeks for an appointment) and you just want to find out what is going on the ultrasound guided biopsy, or a surgical biopsy will reveal what is what.  Best of luck, and a big hug to you!  Keep us posted as to how you are doing.

Susan

Naner

Just like DenverDiva I found a hard pearl-sized lump immed. under my areola which did not show on mammogram 2 weeks earlier nor was is it felt then on careful breast exam. I promptly returned to my gyn. who assurred me it was a fibrocyctic "BB". I sought a second opinion at a breast specialty clinic and the radiologist was very confident it was a simple cyst, with no need for a biopsy, and she instructed me to return in a year for a routine mammogram. Fifteen months later when I returned, the mammographer suggested a needle biopsy which was performed by the same radiologist.  She could not get a fluid return, two days later my excisional biopsy showed ILC with dirty margins, and a week and a half later I had bilateral masts. Oddly, I later learned the radiologist herself had a delayed diagnosis of ILC years earlier.

Anonymous

ILC is such a sneaky beast.  I just want to tell everyone that they have to, have to go with their gut and be their own advocate.  I hate that mammograms are the end all be all for so many medical professionals and yet they can so easily miss ILC.  I hope and pray that there will be better tests that are affordable for my daughters.  Okay, enough of a rant.  My heart just goes out to everyone of you ILC Ladies, I hope we all live life to it's fullest!

amlg1

ILC sure is sneaky,felt nothing saw nothing.I too had gone for mamo for 22 years,even 3 months before my mamo this year had a gyno appt.,everything was fine.Had my yearly mamo in Feb.and was called back for u/s,because of enlarged nodes,nothing in breast.From there had fna of nodes,came back atypical,then an mri,which did show a mass,then a biopsy,which confirmed ILC.

I never even knew there were so many different kinds of b/c.I am in treatment now.

hrf

My experience with ILC was similar to amlg1. A node popped out under my arm. No one felt anything in my breast + nothing on the mammogram, nothing on the u/s. MRI showed a suspicious area. I didn't even know about ILC!!!! There is too much faith in the mammograms and ILC doesn't show on mammogram until it is very big.

YoYo44

Hi ladies,

I will chime in too.  I actually had a large lump, finally, that I felt.  It was between 3.5 and 4 cm.  Dr.s weren't sure of exact sizing due to lumpy other breast and no surgery yet. Was visible on US and Mamo but appeared smaller than it was by mamo. May be one lymph node involved, don't know yet.  Still not fully staged.

But it came out of nowhere.  I felt so shocked and dumb I could not understand it.  I have always had kind of lumpy bumpy breasts, especially during my period so I am used to them feeling, I guess thick, is the word.  But then all of a sudden I had a bump.  I actually thought it would turn out to be grade 3 and fast growing but was shocked that it is (so far-being retested as we speak) low grade. 

I am now on neoadjuvant treatment with 12xTaxol + 3 month Zoladex. Some sort of surgery/AC/etc to follow. Just finished Tx3 last week and I can now feel the tumour getting smaller and softer and more ropey.  So now I can understand how it developed and turned into this bump.  Such a strange and shocking thing.

I am 44, this was my first mamogram ever, no family history whatsoever, had one son at 37 and no other apparent risk factors.  I had not seen a doc for about 6 years (silly Quebec medical system) but had no other heath concerns and thought I was totally healthy except for a about 15lbs overweight.

Oh well.  I am fighting the good fight and will beat this sucker!!

HensonChi

HRF....mine was the same.  I felt nothing but a bump popped out under my arm.  The cancer was in one lymph node.  They finally found the primary 1.2 cm.  in the breast.

Anonymous

Hi All,

I too was 44 when I found the lump.  Mine seemed to come out of nowhere too.  I was fortunate in that it appeared just under the areola, and was actually visable under the skin.  I had never had a mammo either, and it did no good in this case anyway.  The lump was on the left side, like I said clearly visable, but when I arrived for the recall mammo, they only wanted views of the right side.  I questioned this and was told by the tech that the orders were only for the right side.  I was so mad.  She checked with the radiologist, and he said no only do the right side.  I had some large cysts there.  They did u/s that day too, and that showed the cysts very clearly.  After all of that the Radiologist met with my husband and I and told us that all was clear, just follow up with yearly mammos.  I said what about the lump on the left side?  He said, "Oh, that is so superficial it probably has something to do with your skin."  I could have easily felt like I was off the hook at that point and just moved on with my life, but that just didn't feel right.  My primary provider had refered me to a general surgeon, so I went ahead and kept that appointment, glad I did.

YoYo44, and all of you other amazing ILC ladies hang in there and tell your stories so other women will know that there are times when mammograms don't give us a pass.  I will keep a good thought for all.

Susan

Shannon-GA

Hello to everyone.  I'm getting more scared reading your stories and the ones in the link that Nash was so kind to provide.  I found a lump and an area of thickening in my right upper breast toward my underarm on July 1st.  The mammo/us on 7/16 showed nothing except "heterogeneously dense breast tissue."  Since I could feel the lump, I went to a breast surgeon who said it was a swollen lymph node and since I had no other symptoms (no mass in the breast), no family history and I'm fairly young (37), he wanted to wait 4 weeks to see if it changes at all and then he will decide at that point what to do.  It's been 3 weeks, I have an appt next week to see him again.  Within the past week I have felt 4 more lumps that have appeared near the original one and feel the same....more lymph nodes? 

I know I can't get any answers on here, but reading your stories is scaring the heck out of me...lol.  I feel for each and every one of you and I hope you all the best.

fortunate1

A lump for me too, in dense lumpy breasts. Nothing ever showed in mammograms (including the tumor in a mammo only 9 months previously). This one seemed different and I showed it to my PCP. It was found by ultrasound and confirmed and reconfirmed by biopsy, MRI, PT/Cat scan.

I had never heard of lobular and trusted the mammograms to sort out all my lumps. 

spar2

I felt a large thickened area with irregular edges, it did not show on mammogram but did on ultrasound and MRI.  I don't trust mammograms anymore either.

Anonymous

Hey all,

Shannon-GA while all of this is scary and can fill you to the brim with anxiety, know that you have a whole group of sisters out here pulling for you!  The stories are a lot to take in, but the point is you have to listen to your own body, and be your own advocate no matter what any medical professional says to you.  If something doesn't feel right keep seeking to find out what it is until you know that it is benign, and your mind is at ease.

Best of luck, my thoughts are with you.

Susan

Shannon-GA

Thank you Susan, your response is very much appreciated.  You are absolutely correct about listening to one's own body.  The radiologist told me to come back in 6 months, but I was not going to wait 6 months.  I'd rather find out now what is causing it than to drive myself into the loony bin waiting for 6 months. 

hollyann

Hugs Shannon..i am in Alpharetta where are you?.....i wish you well and B9 ersults!.......If you are in the Atlanta area please go see Dr Brenda Simpson at Breast Care Specialists.....They are at 975 Johnson Ferry Rd..........i see her and she is wonderful.......

rreynolds1

Hi Shannon-GA,

I was told that 70% of all lumps are not cancer.  Enjoy today.  My mom used to say, "You can't solve a problem you don't have yet."  Try to get your mind on something else and don't keep reading stuff from those of us who have already been diagnosed.  You will have time for that should it turn out to be BC and if that happens we will be here for you.  Don't worry about the 1 month wait.  Mine was discovered in mid-Feb and I just finished radiation.  I have been told that breast cancer takes its time.

Be happy.  All any of us has for sure is today.  Don't waste it worrying about what may never come to pass.

Roseann

Shannon-GA

Hi Hollyann - I'm just south of Atlanta in the PTC area.  I'll keep that name in mind, I appreciate the suggestion.  I'm happy with my surgeon for now, so I think I'll stick with him.

Thanks Roseann, and you are right.  I've been trying to stay on the Not Yet Diagnosed But Worried forum, but ventured over here and this thread caught my eye.  I think I'll stay on the other forum.  I do try to keep in mind that the wonderful posters on here are the ones that were diagnosed and that those that found lumps that turned out benign are most likely not posting on here.  Even though my searching and reading is a bit unnerving at times, it has been a huge eye opener of how little I knew about bc and has been a great learning experience,  I wish you the best of luck and my thoughts are with you.

tifan

Hi,

Just to chime in, I found my own lump although it felt more like the proverbial "thickening" that people mention when referring to ILC.  I would say it felt kind of like the candy swedish fish, somewhat firm but long and spread out, and soft-ish, not hard like a pea.  My gyno felt it and said "oh, that is more of an ill-defined area rather than a lump" but she did know to worry about it and sent me for a diagnostic ultrasound and mammogram.  (the mass never did show up on mammogram, but was seen on ultrasound).

as an aside, I was premenopausal when diagnosed, but had been having drenching night sweats for about 3 years prior to the diagnosis.  I never considered telling a dr. about them because I figured it was perimenopause but now I am in chemopause / tamoxifen-pause, and the night sweats from hot flashes are way different than the night sweats I was getting before I was diagnosed, I think my original night sweats were due to the cancer.  I am mentioning this only because I think people should know about possible less common symptoms that may be a sign of malignancy.

Shannon, I hope you get results that are b-9 but if not, you can come back here for great support and information, and hopefully with a recognition that you are up for whatever lies ahead.  You are not alone.

nash

Tifan, I had night sweats prior to diagnosis, too. Also lots of fatigue. In fact, I felt so lousy (hair was turning very grey, only 38 years old) that I knew I had cancer. By the time I found the lump, it was sort of a relief, b/c at least I knew where the crap was. Of course, the docs poo-pooed all this and said it was all unrelated. I beg to differ. Anyhow....

Shannon, don't worry about coming here and getting info. If it helps you cope, then go for it. I'm the same way--I went so far as looking up pictures of malignant u/s results to compare it to what I saw on the screen during my u/s. I just like to have lots of info and prepare for the worst. If it ends up not being the worst, then I learned something in the process. We all have to do what suits us as individuals. 

pap-leb

hiii... im from lebanon i  discovered 1 month earlier that i have breast cancer .. im 29 years old and have a baby aged 9 months.. the idea was soo chocking for me although im well educated and so on... but we always think that such things cannot happen to us.. i have a 5 cm mass in my upper left breast with 2 sattelites nodes.. i passed through ct scan bone scan and breast IRM.. today i went to see my surgeon and we scheduled a mastectomy for next monday on the 24th.. im really under pressure its all new for me... breast reconstruction, chemotherapy and these words... thank u all for ur support

Anonymous

pap-leb, you are among friends here.  We all have had our various experiences, but we are sisters in this struggle.  Do you know yet if your cancer is ductal or lobular?  As hard as this all is, know that women are made of iron.  We nurture our babies in out wombs, and give birth to them, and we work, and love and laugh.  We are strong, I am glad you found this site, there is so much wisdom here.  There is a forum for young women, you might check that out.  Also, there is a lot of information about all of the related issues, and I have found that it goes right along with what my doctors have said, not a lot of confusion.

 Keep us posted on how you are doing, and when your surgery is.  I will keep a good thought for you.

Susan

Shannon-GA

I'm sneaking back in here, I couldn't help myself.  Thanks ladies for the kind words.  Nash, I agree, I have to know everything.  I want to be prepared.  If it turns out that everything is ok (fingers crossed), then I've at least learned something in the process.  I think I've looked at just about anything and everything available out there.  Ok ladies, I'm going to head back into the background and lurk.  Take care.