Did you have any symptoms prior to being diagnosed?

Footballnut

hello all! 

I just had a mx and had lymph nodes removed thus past Monday March 17. This was 2 weeks after being told that I had cancer in my lymph nodes which was determined after an u/s biopsy 1 week before

I had no symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite etc. 

my only "symptom" was feeling a small lump in my left breast last June at approx 1:30. After having this watched with mammos and u/s, I felt another lump in my left armpit in late January this year

I guess that this is why if is so difficult for me to accept that I have breast cancer. I FEEL FINE!

As a musician by band has done several benefits for cancer over the years and I hope to continue doing do after this is behind me. Right now I am waiting for my follow up with my surgeon on April 2 and hoping for good news

I would appreciate your sharing your experience

Have a good day and all the best to you!!

Beesie

You're like most of us.  Some women do have other symptoms, but I think the majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer do feel fine before they are diagnosed. 

I also think that some of the symptoms that women mention might actually have nothing to do with their diagnosis of breast cancer.  So many women are diagnosed during the peri-menopause and pre-menopause years, or just as they are entering menopause.  Our bodies go through so many changes during those years - it's like being a teenager again.  I've read posts from quite a few women who attribute some of these changes to their diagnosis of breast cancer, and yet I know that I had those same symptoms at around that same age, but it was years before my diagnosis.

pupmom

I had no symptoms and was told repeatedly by doctors and radiologists that I had no lymph node involvement. That all changed after surgery. Fortunately I had "only" micromets. Point is that most of us were blindsided by this diagnosis. 

sloyd66

Hello Ladies,

I had no symptoms, was living life to the fullest, traveling, working, exercising all. Did regular physical exams with primary dr. as well with gyn... Wasn't til I felt a knot in my own breast when I knew something wasn't right. If you ask me I'm still healthy, I had this one knock down, I got back up and going to continue to live my life and not dwell on what happen in Oct of 2013 and the Rads in 2014 and now the HT i'm currently taking for the next five years. So far I'm doing good, and I'm going to keep doing good. It's all in the mind. Good Luck

SelenaWolf

I had absolutely no symptoms either; just a lump in my breast.  Ironically, I had never felt better and I was in very good physical condition; biked, hiked and ran regularly.  That's why cancer is so sneaky; symptoms such as you are describing often do not surface until it's too late.

proudtospin

no symptons, no lumps, routine mamo found DCIS

over 5 years out, done my AL and the surgeries, rads and such all in the past

doing much more now to exercise and try to keep health in gear as well as reducing stress level by retiring early, life is short

Chiclet92

I felt perfectly fine too.  I just found a hard lump one morning in the shower.  I did chemo (TCH) prior to my upcoming surgery and I could not wrap my mind around the fact that I felt great and that I had to take chemo and feel crummy.   I know my perspective is changing as time goes by and I've finished chemo.  I think yours will too.  It is overwhelming. 

Footballnut

Interesting that menopause was referenced. I had 1 hot flash approx 2 years ago during a band rehearsal. I felt like a bucket of water was poured over my head and was soaked just to the waist!!  Last summer I turned 50 and late last year my periods started to get irregular. Then this!!!  At least I'm meeting wonderful new people!!  :-)

encyclias

Felt a lump, that's all.  Great otherwise.

Carol

Kicks

I had nothing 'different' before my node enlarged literally overnight.  Menopause had nothing fo do with me - I went through natural menopause in 1990 at 44.  I was DXd in 2009 at 63.

Beesie

Just to clarify my earlier post, I wasn't suggesting that there was a connection between menopause and our being diagnosed with breast cancer.  It's just that breast cancer is very rare until women hit their 40s, and then we start to see more and more women being diagnosed as we go from our 40s to 50s and onwards.  The 40s is also the time when most of us enter the peri-menopause and pre-menopause years, and most of us go through menopause during our late 40s to sometime over our 50s. So if someone happens to be diagnosed at the same time as these other changes are happening, there might appear to be breast cancer symptoms that really have nothing at all to do with breast cancer but actually are just part of the normal aging process.

Footballnut

hi beesie. Who knows what's causing BC at what seems to be increasing at an alarming rate in my neck of the woods. Scary!  I do agree that sometimes what might be similar to BC symptoms might be linked to aging. UGH!!   As ive told my husband aging is not just a number anymore!!  :-(

Lojo

No symptoms here - other than the lump, but it didn't feel different to me than all the other lumps (though it did to my ob/gyn). I was in great shape- probably the best since my days as a college athlete, happy, a little sleep deprived, but nothing terrible, etc. The only other coincidental difference was I had an arthritis flare up in the months before diagnosis - shoulder, big toe, costochronditis. Not sure if it's related or not, as the tumor had certainly been there a decade or so, according to my surgeon. (not visible on mammograms)

Blessings2011

Had 20 years of annual "clear" mammograms, despite having heavy, dense, fibrocystic breasts. 

PCP denied my repeated requests for ultrasounds or MRIs. 

Eight months after the last "clear" mammo, I had spontaneous bleeding from my left nipple, leading to a dx of multi-focal IDC and DCIS.

Anonymous

I had no symptoms at all, no palpable lump (even the BS couldn't find it). BC was found on mammogram - although I was at that point having them every 6 months. I only wish biopsy had been offered earlier instead of more frequent mammos - it might have been found at a smaller, less invasive stage.

noonrider

I first found my lump two years ago. Had a mammogram, was told it was nothing. I didn't know I should have asked for an ultrasound. Why should I have to know that? Around the same time I found the lump I started having shooting pains from the area of my lump - at 11:00 - that were very sharp, and would shoot down the outside of my breast. They would only last a few seconds and would happen a couple times a day. I wasn't tired. I wasn't "sick". The day after I was diagnosed my best friend called me "How are you feeling?" she asked. Ummm fine, because I'm NOT SICK! My doctor told me the pain was likely because there are nerve endings being affected by the tumor. 
I was diagnosed with DCIS and IDC last week, Friday Mary 21st and am scheduled for surgery on Weds April 2nd.  

Nancyinct

I had no symptoms at the time of my dx but one year prior I had a discharge from my breast and the year before that I had a breast infection which is what young nursing mothers get. I was 50 years old at that time. I've always had mammos every year and the next year (which was last year) I had extensive DCIS. I can't help thinking and wondering of those issues I had were precursors to this dx.

AmyQ

Count me as another with no symptoms.  I had a cyst which was benign and not at all related to the cancer, in the same breast.  Thankfully, I was and still am, healthy but with cancer.

wifessupport

My wife had symptoms prior to getting diagnosed, for about 9 months or so she was losing weight.  We attributed that to stress.  We also got all blood work done and went to her PCP to check out if she was diabetic as it runs in her family or if she had thyroid problem.  However, the results for all that came out negative.  The DR. said nothing to worry and did not offer a mammogram as she was less than 40.  However, after about 6 months after her checkup, she started noticing a hardened breast.  Thats when we got concerned.  

Looking back, feels like how we missed that weight loss.  

BookWoman

Another one here with no symptoms--found with mammogram. I was finally starting to feel good, eating right doing lots of walking after having endometrial cancer the previous year. Silly me, I was thinking I was done with cancer.

Footballnut

it's just unbelievable to me how one can feel so good while having something such as cancer going on inside!

I am told that bc is increasing in our area especially in young women!!  Horrific!

Tomorrow I see my surgeon for the first time since my modified radical mastectomy Monday March 17. 

Even though I've had surgery I still can't believe that this is real!!

I appreciate everyone sharing!!!!

Kicks

You haven't seen your surgeon in the 2 weeks since surgery?  Really?

Footballnut

kicks that is correct. My surgery was March 17 and my first visit with my surgeon is tomorrow wed April 2. Having  said that I have had home care daily the first week following surgery and then every other day the following week

I will also see my nurse tomorrow after seeing the surgeon to see if her visits need to continue

She cleaned and changed my dressings and removed my drains and staples. She is wonderful and made this process so much easier!!

KellyGreen

I put off a screening mammo for two years just lazy thinking "but I'm not 40 yet!"  Feeling great, absolutely no symptoms, no family history...and found a lump while in the shower in January. Had a diagnostic mammo which showed calcifications. Because the radiologist is a friend of my DHs, he did a biopsy by Valentines Day and found DCIS. I had BMX on March 26th. And in the meantime I got a letter as a follow up to the mammo saying that they "see an irregularity that they don't think is cancer but I should come back in 6 months for another". So if not for our radiologist friend I would not have found this out for at least 6 months. So much has changed in the past two months!! And while I had no "symptoms" that lump sure didn't feel right. My husband and PCP couldn't even feel it; and the BS said the DCIS was microscopic and I shouldn't have been able to feel it. My DH is a PA and my mom, MIL and SIL are nurses so I've always been careful about not bringing up every ache and pain so as not to be a hypochondriac! But this was just different and I'm glad I immediately got it checked out!

Infobabe

Kelly, DCIS shouldn't form a lump since it is microscopic following the milk duct.  

My first mammogram said the same thing.  The second said normal.  What I think the first mammo was saying is that your breast us all changed from the BMX and this mammo is the new base.

Footballnut

Saw my surgeon today - first time since surgery

Here's where we stand. The cancer was idc or invasive ductal carcinoma which is the most common. 2 of 21 lymph nodes had cancer cells so it did start to spread. I will be getting chemo as a precautionary measure and expect to have an appt with an oncologist in approx 1 week to discuss treatment. The surgeon wouldn't share anything else ie stage or grade of tumour. We will probably get that from the oncologist. I'm healing well but he drew a lot of fluid out. About 2oz. Yuch!! So next stage will start soon. I'll keep u posted. I guess that it's fairly good news. It could have worse so I'm thankful.

:-)

tangandchris

Hello

I found my lump on 10/12/13, Saturday afternoon in the shower. It literally seemed to pop up over night as the day before in the shower I didn't feel a thing. I was 39 years old. About 2 months prior to feeling the lump, one evening I experienced extreme breast pain, that felt like a burning sensation. It was bad enough for me to lay down, and I remember being alarmed by the pain. When I woke up the next day it was gone, and I never felt it again. I had actually forgotten about the pain until after my MX.

I am convinced this had to do with the BC, but other than that I never had any symptoms.

Footballnut..and to all those newly dx'd. This is such a shock to most of us and it comes in stages ((hugs))

MakeLemonade

I am another that had no symptoms other than finding a lump the end of February.  "Clear" mammos all these years.  No lumps felt at annual GYN appt in December.  I felt the lump while doing a "once in a blue moon" self exam and that started this roller coaster ride from hell.

I am 56 and am only starting to go through menopause.  Had started having "warm" flashes, not true hot flashes.  I had also been dealing with my back and finally had that looked at.  Diagnosis of spondylolisthesis the beginning of January, with physical therapy to strengthen my core to start.  I improved SO MUCH with the physical therapy!  I remember towards the beginning of Feb. being in the food store and wondering what was different ... oh yeah, no pain for the first time since June!  Older dog started having seizures, but we got that under control with medication.  Things were finally starting to look up and I was looking forward to getting through this stupid winter and walking the dogs every day again ... something I hadn't been able to do because of my back pain since August. 

And then this stupid effing cancer. 

Not only the cancer to deal with, but I can't do all of the exercises I need to do for my back yet, so I have regressed a bit.  Not as bad as it was as I can do a few of them to keep my core a little bit engaged, but not like the point I had gotten to!

Daninayd

I had no symptoms before my diagnose. I found a small lump on the breast and went to get a mamogram and ultrasound. The lump turned out to be a syst but they found 4 tumors after 4 biosies. I was in great health and shape prior to the diagnose. I had and still have a hard time to comprehend what exactly hit me. Horrible, sneaky disease.

Daninayd

To Footballnut: you are just very early ini the process of healing and recovering from the surgery. I hope that you have a speedy recovery. Did you start a reconstruction process or you decided to wait?

Footballnut

hi daninayd

I will not have reconstruction or implants. I will just wear prosthetics. I'm cool with that

Since I was born with nothing on the right side I'm okay with having nothing 

:-)