Trying not to worry but worried - any advice?

mamaaa

Last Thu out of no where after going to the gym I found a red/raised spot on my left breast. I thought fungal rash. But having heard about IBC I thought better to check it out right away because of the scary nature of this horrible disease. 

I made an appt with a OBGYN - my old one retired - who thought it was a hemmangioma (DUMB), told me it wasn't a rash and he wasn't sure what it was but it wasn't bad. Wheeee this made me feel even worse because clearly he had no clue.  He told if you pushed in Inflammatory breast cancer it doesnt blanch like mine does.  Oh really? I don't even think that's true.  Anyway -  I pushed  him to explain the hemangioma theory popping overnight on a 37 year old and he told me to go to a dermatologist which thankfully I called mine and they saw me an hour later.

She took a skin scrapping and said it was indeed fungal at the beginning stages of ringworm of the scalp.   It doesn't really look like typical ringworm at all but I was thinking this was probably what it was. Well that is my rational self. I have been putting on her rx cream she gave me morning and night as directed and no changing which is freaking me out My husband thinks it is fading in color some.  Maybe?  That it is lighter somehow. I can't tell 100% sometimes I think it is sometimes I think it is just the same.  But no clear change AT ALL after 5 days.

I have no other symptoms of IBC other than I feel that breast more than the other and I have some disconfort but I think part of this is my worry and muscle tension making me feel things.  It has NOT gotten bigger or spread.   The only thing spreading is my nerves.

Anyway my plan is to continue to treat for another week - my derm is out on vacation for spring break and if it doesn't change at all to go back to see her next week.
Does this sound reasonable? Hearing about all the migdiagnosis of IBC mistaken for something else coupled with the fact this darn spot is still there and I am totally freaked.

Any advice? I keep telling myself. IT IS FUNGUS and I need to give it more time. And trying to push the scary thoughts out of my mind. 

To make me even more freaked I have a friend in the hospital trying to figure out if her breast cancer is back. This might be partly why I am over reacting. 

One question though.  If it isn't changing in one or two weeks I am going to try and get this sucker biopsied.  It is small about 3/4 inch by 1/4 inch.  Is this something a dermatologist can do?   What would you guys do if it doesn't respond to antifungals.  Go to a breast specialist?  I am in Dallas.  I have MD Anderson a drive away but it would seem totally over reactionary to go there because there is nothing else going on, no swelling no spreading.    Here is the picture of the spot.   It doesn't really look typical at all for what I see in IBC.  It is very small in the breast and the breast is not bigger, not hot etc...

It has very defined borders - doesn't spread.  It is only midly elevated - no itching, no pain.  When it first popped it has some little tiny pustules almost like he pores slightly infected with some pus well not really pus more like fluid.  Those have seem to be drying and are less noticeable now.    

Anyway I appreciate anybody's input.  I am probably making too big a deal out of this.  I was happy with the fungus diagnosis but I am not happy I am not seeing any change after 5 days. 

Beesie

As you said, it doesn't look like IBC and you have no symptoms of IBC.   So why are you even thinking that it might be IBC?

Yes, it's on your breast.  But that doesn't mean that it's got anything to do with your breast.  It's on your skin, and that skin happens to be on your breast.  But that skin could just as easily have been on your arm or on your butt.  :-)  

You had a skin scrapping done.  It is a fungus. You need to give the treatment more time to work.  

Edited to Add:  Instead of googling about IBC, you might try googling about ringworm.  "How long does ringworm last once you begin treatment? After applying
topical anti-fungal creams, it may take about 2 to 4 weeks for the
medication to get rid of ringworm. Oral medications also take a few
weeks to work." How Long Does Ringworm Last?

mamaaa

I am so sorry Beesie - I don't mean to insult you guys by posting here   I have lost my mom, dad and my son and I DO over react.  Let's say I do expect the worse sometimes due to those losses. 

I am literally trying to get my friend who is in the hospital with possible bone mets to her rib better care as she is in a suburban hospital and she is being told, you hace cancer, maybe you don't.  It is a nightmare.   And I am stressed with that process too.   

Thanks for putting me in my place and give me a reality check  I will give more time to the antifungals.   I wish all of you brave ladies the best in your fight.   

fayth

Mamaaa,...

Do not feel bad about posting here to ask for help. 6 years ago, I had a mastitis like infection in my breast. I was told by a doctor that it was just an infection and put me on antibiotics. I was not breast feeding so I really thought it was rare, however, the antibiotics worked so I didn't give it another thought. I was only in my mid 30's, and it continued to happen on an off a few times. This past January, it happened again and my 'new' Dr sent me for a mammogram. Biopsy recommended came back positive for cancer,... I think it has been there for a long time and misdiagnosed. Take anything on your breast seriously. I didn't. This Friday I have my breast removed because the 4cm area of DCIS is to large to remove on its own. I truly hope that your skin issue is not cancer related, but don't let anyone tell you it is nothing.

Kicks

Does not look at all like any pictures I've seen of IBC nor does it look in any way like my IBC did.

You saidmthe Dermotologist tested it and it's a fungus.  Use the meds you've been given and if it doesn't completely work within the time the Dr old you to use it -then call the Dermo back.  You might need to use it longer or change to a different one.  As Bessie said - there are oral anti-fungal meds also.

Remember that Inflammatory Breast Cancer is rare - only between 1% and 5% of all diagnosed types of breast cancer.

mamaaa

Thank you ladies.  I will keep vigilant but not freak out.  Hoping the right fungus meds gets at it soon for my peace of mind.  Glad to hear that it is not looking like IBC to you guys who I consider the experts.    

I am now focused on my friend.  You would not believe the mess they have going on at that hospital.  She is a 5 yr survivor with many issues in the last few months, unbelievable bone pain in her rib - came in oncologist did CT scan showed nothing but bone scan showed hot spot - oncologist/radiology said cancer on her rib.  Now the internal medecine doctor and a orthopedic surgeon are saying they don't think it's cancer and refuse to do a bone biopsy to confirm.  Although the CT scan shows no fractures or nothing.  So I am on the phone with a good specialist because thankfully they are releasing her from the banana republic hospital she is in and I am hoping to get her seem by someone competent.   This def. makes me feel like we need to be our own advocates.   However I need to walk the fine line of doing that without going into paranoia.   

Blessings to all of you and thank you for taking time to reassure me. 

mamaaa

fayth - I am so sorry.  Praying for your upcoming surgery and treatment.  I will def. stay on top of it.   HUGS!

ibcmets

Mamaaa,

It looks like an isolated spot.  Mine looked like a bug bite and was itchy & inflammed.  Within weeks, my breast was larger than the other breast.  It looks as if you are being practical getting it looked at.  I would not worry, but glad you are getting it checked out.

Terri

Beesie

mamaaa, it's always important to get something like this checked out. So it's good that you saw your dermatologist - if you had come here not yet having seen a doctor, seeing the dermatologist is exactly what I would have suggested.  So it's not that this shouldn't be checked out and taken seriously.  But my advice on something like this is always to go down the most obvious path first - and from what you've said, it seems that IBC is way down the list of possibilities, whereas this is much more likely to be a skin condition... especially since a skin scraping has been done and this has been found to be fungal.  So worrying about IBC after you've already had that testing done seems like you are worrying yourself unnecessarily.  And none of us need to be doing that!

Good luck and hope the rash/ringworm clears up soon.

mamaaa

Thank you - you are totally right!  

mamaaa

I think the color is starting to fade a bit as of last night.  So that's great!  I will keep watching but feeling better. I will be thrilled when it's gone. 

I have found that keeping track if anything on the breast is challenging - hard to photograph and hard to track size with the folds Etc. 

Jmomma

Hi Mamaa,

I just came across your post because I am worried about a similar situation on my breast. How did everything turn out for you? Was it fungal, and if so, how long did the fungal treatment take to clear up the rash? Thanks