Sudden growth of large and painful lumps!?

SallyEvian

On Saturday (3.13.10) morning there was nothing - by Saturday evening a large, golf-ball sized lump was protruding out of my right breast.  It was quite tender to the touch. It is in the same breast, but not in the same place as the original tumor.

Today, Monday, it is even larger with more swelling. I find this very alarming.

I am having trouble reaching my doctor.

I completed my last session of chemotherapy just over a week ago.  Last Wednesday (3.11.2010) I had a mammogram, ultrasound and MRI.  I was examined by my doctor and plastic surgeon on Thursday. They were both very positive - both saying the tumor in my breast, as well as the one in my armpit, had shrunk so significantly they had trouble even finding them by touch.

Surgery isn't scheduled until April 23. There has been no trauma to the area (except the mammogram last Wednesday).

Can anyone offer any thoughts as to what this is? It came so suddenly. 

I am not looking for anecdotal diagnosis - just some peace of mind until I can reach my oncologist

friscosmom

I have a friend whose daughter went through BC treatment last year, she had something like this pop up, painful lump, hers ended up being just a swollen lymph node. It was nothing the doctor was extrememly concerned about but she did opt to go back and have surgery to remove that troublesome lymph node. Hopefully it's just something like that and since you haven't had surgery yet, if that's what it is they can take care of it all at the same time.

Good luck and don't worry too much until you can talk to your doc.

Cowgirl13

Sally, I would just go to your oncologists office tomorrow and let them deal with it so you can have peace of mind.  Good luck.  let us know.

SallyEvian

My oncologist was completely baffled.  She doesn't think its an infection.  All she could do for me was draw a circle around the lump and the skin that had turned pink around the swelling and asked me to watch to see if the "pink" continued to extend past the circle.  It has, and on the other side of my breast, the original tumor - which as of one week ago had shrunk to nothing that was palpable has now grown back to its original size - in one week!  My oncologist is trying to pass this off to my surgeon, but surgery isnt scheduled for over a month. My surgeon examined me last Wednesday (when there was nothing there), so I guess she isn't worried - she won't push up the surgery or reexamine me.

I'm really scared.

lvtwoqlt

I would push to see the surgeon, call the surgeons office and explain just what you wrote here and let them know that you are concerned and need to see the doctor.

Sheila

LINDAGARSIDE

I agree.  You would be best served by seeing the surgeon at this point.  If I was your surgeon, I would definitely want to know of a change this signficant.  Don't worry about anyone's busy schedule.  You are a higher priority as you are dealing about a life issue...not a scheduling issue.  Good luck...push push push.  You will be seen.  Go camp out in the waiting room.  Bring a book and a cushion.

Anonymous

Oh... I can only second what Sheila just said - push for a surgeon appointment ASAP.

Take care,

Yan

maltomlin

Hi

Just to let you know that I had exactly the same thing a couple of months ago. A lump (the size of an egg) appreared overnight, was tender etc and it was an abcess. Like you I was in panic mode and contacted the clinic, was seen immediately, but it was nothing to worry about.

But you do need to check it out.

Mal x

Sydney6

Like matomlin I recently had a lump form over night next to my sentinal node biopsy scar.  It was above where I had surgery.  I woke up on 3/4/10 with this thing & was scheduled fto have my 1 year out mammo & MRI the following day.  I called the breast surgeon & spoke with the nurse practioner who told me to go for my scans the following day & if the radiologist saw anything he would call them.  I went for the scans & was told I should follow up with my regular doctor that day which I did.  She prescribed an antibiotic & told me to put warm moist heat on it.  I have finished the antiobiotic, which definitely helped, and did the heat thing for several days.  It is much smaller at this point & no longer painful.  I have an appt. with onc on Tuesday so I'm not too stressed about it at this point.  Hope everything works out for you and it turns out to be nothing.  Good luck!

Sue

Sue

TNsurvivor

I completed RAD the Monday after Thanksgiving "09.  At the end of Jan my breast began to feel very hard, heavy, sore and my bra would make a deep indentation on the breast tissue.  I immediately went to see my Med Onc, wo said that it was just swelling and fluids and schedule my 3 month Mammo.  I had my mammo on Tuesday (3/16/10) and everything came back grreaat which makes me feel grrreat, but my breast still fell heavy, lumpy and hard in certain places.