pain relief and other resources while waiting for an answer.

Grtchibl

hello all,

I am so happy to have found this site and community and I am hoping that anyone who has been through a similar experience to mine, whether end result was ibc or something else can help. I guess first off I will start with my story and symptoms all of this started 12 days ago:

Day 1-sharp pain in right breast, very intense but brief went along with my day.

day 2 - sharp pain again in right breast ( both times it stopped me in my tracks), went back to normal, 2 hours later severe chronic pain started in entire left breast. ( the only way i know how to describe it, is it feels like i have mastitis and effing hurts) this has not resolved. pain is about 7/10 and I have not found much help to relive the pain. it does not ever go away.

days 3-6 started to notice the breast becoming "firmer" No size change yet.

day 6- went to minor emergency, told it was mastitis and given abx. (started same day)

days 7-9 - pain starting to radiate to under arm, size difference in breast way more noticeable

day 9 followed up with my gyn per the walk in clinic, he said he did not think it was mastitis ( and didn't say what he thought is was) referred me to a breast specialist.

day 10- right breast is now a full size larger than left, apt with breast specialist, she noticed the size difference and the density difference between the two, she said to continue the abx just in case but she did not think it was mastitis either or an abscess. she reviewed my mammo and us from may and she actually said that I had great breast for a mammo, very transparent. ( which was totally normal except for some asymmetrical paramchyl in right breast that the ruled was normal, birad 2) that we would do an US and if the US was not totally conclusive for a diagnosis then we would do an MRI. had US that afternoon, took about 20 minutes and I cried while she was doing it because it just hurt so bad ( just fyi), the tech left room and finally came back 20 minutes later, ( the whole convo and situation w the tech after was very odd but ill leave that out) she told me that the good news was that my US was "radiographically normal", I have never had someone say good news like that before. I clarified with her that they found nothing, like an abscess ( which is what I was hoping they would see since 2 doctors both said it wasn't mastitis) or lumps and she said nope, nothing just some density. I found this odd and asked her to clarify because the dr said basically the opposite that my breasts weren't dense at all. and she said well no your breasts are easy to read you just have some dense areas in half your breast. she said doc would follow up with me.

day 11-12 (today). still have not heard back from doctor, left a message yesterday just trying to find out if I needed to schedule another apt before the mri or they would just schedule the mri. My right breast has gotten bigger still, the pain has increased and is radiating more. I see some textural changes but to me they all look like stretchmark's and am thinking that because of they swelling they are more pronounced. there is one spot above my nipple that looks almost like a gauge ( like when you get a skin biopsy). my nipple has seemed smooshed/flattened more but not inverted and im again not sure if this is because of the swelling.

on a side note I am 36 mother of 4, and have had bilateral nipple discharge for 1 year, none of my physicians have been able to find a cause and they just say im one of those people with no know cause.

I would like to say that I have not in anyway google diagnosed myself, I am just here for help from the experts who have experience in breast problems, just like when you are a new mom you ask other moms what they learned.

1. ( this right now is the most important to me ) what has anyone found to help deal with the pain ( I have tried everything advil, aleve, asprin, topical nsaids and even rx pain meds left over from a hx surgery). and specific kind of medics or herb or anything thst I can do to help at work. ( baths help but I cant spend all day in bath).

2. anyone have any ideas or got dx with something that wasn't ibc or bc after mastitis and abscess was ruled out.

3. will the mri be able to detect the ibc or only a biopsy and should I advocate for one.

3. any good resouces for ibc photos that don't include typical orange peel or inverted nipples.

I'm sorry if my post is so long. thank you ladies for taking the time to read and hopefully respond.

sincerely,

G