Normal ultrasound but still worried

Kirst85

Hi There

Im feeling really worried and not sure what my next step should be. Any advice would be appreciated. So in march I found a dimple under my right boob. I found it on the Sat and went to GP on the Monday and got a referral to the one stop clinic. I had also been having a crusty discharge from that nipple. That week I came out in a sunburn type rash near my right armpit. It was burning and painful and made my armpit swell up. I was given antibiotics but the rash had died down the following day anyway. However the swelling persisted and my arm started to swell. I went to the GP who sent me to have thrombosis ruled out at the hospital which they did and they also ruled out infection. During this time my right breast had started to shrink. It felt like the tissue inside had started to disappear (the doctor at the breast clinic confirmed this).

Anyway, I went for my breast referral on the 19th April. As I'm 32 they just did an ultrasound. It was over really quickly and the the woman who did it said she was happy with that and didn't need to do anymore tests and left the room abruptly. I almost felt I'd wasted her time being there. I went back to the initial doctor who had given me the manual exam before the u/s and he was happy for me not to need a follow up appointment. So this is all really positive stuff and their confidence made me feel like I shouldn't take up anymore of their time.he reckoned it had all been an inflammatory response to a mild infection. I asked about the dimple and he said they can be caused by loads of things but didn't specifically tell me what caused mine.

Anyway it's now a few weeks later and I am still getting discharge. This morning I woke up with a stain on my top where it had been coming out. The very tip of my nipple keeps pulling in slight ly and I have discomfort in my armpit. My problem is the doctors were so confident from one ultrasound that nothing was wrong but gave me such a vague explanation and sent me on my way. I don't want to be a pain by going back but I do know that certain things can't be found on an ultrasound. Will the doctor think I'm being a hypochondriac if I go back when u/s was completely clear? Also if his diagnosis is right would I still be having these symptoms at this time?

vampeyes

Kirst85,

First - {HUGS}.

Second - this is your health and your body that you know. I say go back and push for a mammogram and/or more tests to be done. Breast cancer does not discriminate to age or gender.

Good luck and I will send positve thoughts that it is nothing like they are saying.

Cheryl

Beatmon

Who cares what they think. You are theone that needs to feel confidante in your care

Kirst85

Thanks for your comments. It's weird I never really thought of it like that. I'm in Scotland and because of reading so many stories of the NHS being under so much strain you start to feel like you don't want to be a further burden on it. And you notice the doctors being a bit more dismissive.

KM09

even I have a clear ultrasound no explanation of dimple (visible only while bending or flexing)... I am 40 and just weaned off my baby 2 months back so they did not order mammo. CBE done by doc showed no mass either..

I read a lot about ultrasound as screening tool in younger/ breastfeeding women..most of the literature vouch for the accuracy of it.. my doc thinks that MRI is done only when mammo and US show a mass .. else there is high possibility of false positives...

Right now I am given 6 months follow up... my indent also look like it’s in a crease in a stretch mark.. and depending on lighting it looks different...

What s the reason for nipple discharge doctor gave?

Kirst85

My dimple is visible whenever arm is lifted above head. He didn't give explanation for discharge. I think he was covering everything off with the inflammatory reaction to infection. My problem is that there are certain cancers such as ILC that can't always be found easily by u/s. The chances of me having that are extremely low but the fact that I'm having ongoing symptoms and no real diagnosis (more of a guess) I'd like to have anything serious ruled out. I feel like I don't want to be a pain but I equally wouldn't want to have to blame myself if something serious was missed because I didn't push hard enough x

kmartin3243

You're not being a hypochondriac at all. I would definitely get it examined again. I am sorry that you're dealing with this right now. Your health is very important and you obviously still have ongoing symptoms.

Kirst85

So I went to the GP yesterday and he reckons I have mastitis but he reckons it's a separate issue from the breast issues I had before. He thinks I've had a run of bad luck. He did say that my right breast is pretty empty of tissue and wants me to keep an eye on it for 4 weeks and if it doesn't get any better he will refer me back to breast clinic. I asked him about the likelihood of ILC as it can cause breast shrinkage, doesn't always present as a lump and doesn't always show up on u/s. He said it's unlikely but not impossible so that's why we will keep an eye on it. He has also sent a swab home with me to get sample of discharge. I find it strange that i have these two breast issues when I've never breastfed but I did feel listened to and that was half the battle for me.