48 year old wife in hospital now. Need advice.

concerned-husband

My wife is in the hospital since Friday. They are treating her with antibiotics for Mastitis. All of the Nurses and Doctors are saying how strange she got this because she is not breastfeeding. No they are treating her with antibiotics for MRSA.

Within a few hours her right breast swelled, got a rash, very red, the texture is like an orange peel and is extremely painful. She has all the systems of Mastitis and IBC. We have asked the Doctors about IBC and they just say that it is extremely rare.

My question is how do you get the Doctors to consider IBC so we don't waist time and what is the first test to try to determine if it is IBC?

I appreciate any response.

Concerned Husband

ALittleBitBritish

Insist they refer your wife to a breast surgeon so he / she can examine your wife. The Breast surgeon can decide what tests to perform.

You really will have to advocate for your wife.

Piece of mind is everything, express your concerns to the doctors and best wishes.

Ali

Moderators

We agree with ALittleBitBritish that you will need to advocate for your wife. If they do not connect you with a breast surgeon directly, you may consider requesting diagnostic testing (e.g. mammogram, ultrasound, MRI) from the hospital. We hope that it is a mastitis, perhaps around a hormonal change.... Please do let us know!

concerned-husband

Thank you for the responses.

My wife had a Mammogram about a month ago and they have done ultrasounds on her since being in the hospital. The Mammogram did not show any lumps but it is my understanding that sometimes IBC does not have lumbs. Is that correct?

The ultrasounds have not identified any abscesses.

Today we asked the doctor about the possibility of it being IBC she said that if it was IBC she would not be improving with the antibiotics. My wife had a high temperature and now the stronger antibiotics has got rid of the fever. Is this correct?

I am going to see her doctor at the hospital in the morning and want to be prepared.

ALittleBitBritish

if your wife's breast tissue is dense, like mine was, mammograms and Ultrasounds can have a hard time seeing anything going on.

Ask the doctors if her tissue is dense, if it is then ask for an MRI it is better imaging.

I don't know about IBC, You can still ask for a referral to a breast surgeon for piece of mind.

Best wishes,

Ali

concerned-husband

I noticed you're from San Diego. We live in North County and my wife is at Scripps in Encinitas.

ALittleBitBritish

I hope your wife is doing better.

I haven't been to Scripps in Encinitas, so I have no idea what the care is like there.

I am in Scripps Ranch, my treatment was on the East Coast, in the DC area, but now I see an oncologist at Naval Medical Center (Balboa Hospital) for follow ups.

Keep us posted on how things go, fingers crossed this isn't cancer.

Italychick

I don't know who is seeing your wife, but Dr. Ujwala Rajgopahl did my lumpectomy, and I think she is fabulous. She is at the Scripps Encinitas location. She expedited everything for me, and was the most attentive to my situation.

Best of luck, and I hope everything turns out okay.

Italychick

sorry, one other comment. Dr. Rajgopahl did tell me she had one woman present with what looked like breast cancer and it was a mycotoxin infection in her breast

concerned-husband

Thank you all for the responses and good wishes.

Hi ItalyChick. Thank you for the information. We just spoke to the hospital doctor and asked to see Dr. Rojgopahl. She said she would have her or one of her colleagues come see her.

Italychick

Great, I hope she can be of help! Keep us updated - I will be following your posts.

Kicks

High fever that goes down with antibiotics says some sort of infection(s) - not IBC. There are MANY possibilities as to what is going on as clearly something is, but IBC is highly unlikely. (Of course, anything is possible.)

IBC IS rare - only between 1% - 5% of ALL diagnosed types of BC. I am IBC - nothing at all like my experience.

Italychick

concerned-husband, any update?

Sonjat

It was my experience that IBC didn't show up on mammogram or ultrasound, even on the day of biopsy. Does she have a hardened area on her breast all? Ultrasound guided biopsy of lymph nodes and breast if they can target the area would be my choice. Please keep us posted.