IBC Symptoms

snowel

Hey everyone! I'm new to this so please bare with me. I was hoping to get some advice on my current situation.

In October of 2013 I started having breast pain and a lump in my left breast (mid way up). My PCP thought it was mastitis and said it normally resolved itself within 24-72 hrs. Just in case though she set up an ultrasound for a week later. It never resolved itself and I went in for the ultrasound. The radiologist found 3 spots of concern but it was cloudy because there was inflamed/infected tissue around the spots. I was started on a course of antibiotics and told to return in 3 weeks for a second ultrasound.

At the second ultrasound they said it looked like one spot had disappeared, one was still tiny (the one closest to my areola), and the main one had gotten a little smaller. They decided to bring me back in 2 months to rescan the original lump. At the third ultrasound (beg of Jan) the lump had grown and the radiologist was a little concerned. They ordered a needle biopsy for the next day. The fluid collected was very thick (which she said was indication of an infection), but cultures never grew anything. They finally sent me to a surgeon. Surgery was scheduled for Feb 7th. On Feb 2nd the skin where the original lump was began to turn red and purple. I went to see the surgeon on the 4th and was given a second round of antibiotics to start before the surgery on the 7th. When I went in for surgery the pain, redness, and purple coloring had gotten worst instead of better. They started antibiotics through an iv and went ahead with the surgery leaving the incision open to heal from the inside out. The lump and tissue were cultured and grew nothing once again and the surgeon said they did not see any abnormal cells.

Four weeks later I noticed the lump that was closer to my areola was getting larger and a new one had appeared (off to the side of the first incision site). So now there are 2 new spots. The one closer to the first incision began to turn red and purple and hurt last Saturday so I went to see my surgeon on Tues. He said there was fluid on top so it was drained and I am on another round of antibiotics. The one closer to my areola is starting to get pink and dimple. If I press on either they are painful. I am scheduled for a second surgery to remove those two lumps on April 10th.

The doctors have basically done 4 rounds of antibiotics and 1 surgery and yet two more have appeared and my breast continues to have the same issue (just moving faster now). The first spot took 4 months before the red and purple discoloration began and the new ones only 5weeks. The surgeon said he'll remove more tissue but he believes it's just chronic infection. No one knows what is causing it and why no antibiotics are working.

I guess my question is, is it possible even though the first biopsy didn't show abnormal cells that it could be IBC and maybe something wasn't looked at? Sorry such a long post! I just wanted to fill in the history so you knew exactly what has happened. I also switched surgeons so the one who did my first surgery is not the same as the second. The new surgeon is going off of what was sent from the other office.

 

Kicks

No one here is capable of giving you medical advice - just our own experiences.

To me, it does not sound at all like you are dealing with IBC (but nothing is guaranteed).  You definately have something going on that needs to be figured out and 'handled' sooner better than later!   There are MANY possibilities. 

 Why do you think IBC?  What did your Drs say when you asked them?  IBC does not form in lumps - it forms in 'nests' or 'bands',  It is very aggressive/fast and can literally present overnight.  The standard TX plan is neoadjuvant chemo (before surgery) to get it to form a 'lump' for the surgeon to be able to get out and have clean margins.