20 and Scaring Myself

VanillaRose

Hello.

On the evening of July 4th I was taking a shower and noticed that my right breast was twice the size of what it usually is. What alarmed me wasn't just the size but also the fact that it had swelled in less then a 12 hour period as it had been normal the morning of. The next day I called my GP and was immediately told to come in. I had no lumps, redness, itching, or tenderness. Still, I was scheduled and given an order for a mammogram and an ultrasound to be done on the 10th. Between the 4th and the 10th I experienced increased swelling, mild itchiness around my nipple, and the development of what almost looked like large bug bites except they had no visible bite marks or indentations and were not feverish. No pain or soreness. Due to how young I am, they skipped the mammogram due to tissue density and went straight to the ultrasound.

Even though I could see the screen, I tried very, very hard not to look. I am not a trained sonographer or radiologist, but I do know enough of the basics from my studies at university that I knew I had the potential to see something, misinterpret it, and scare the heck out of myself. Still, I couldn't help but notice when the technician found a few spots and did the color doppler to check for vascular activity. At the time, I didn't bat an eyelash when my breast lit-up like the Las Vegas strip at night as I figured it made sense that a breast would have a high amount of vascular activity. Considering that after the ultrasound I was sent directly home I figured that it was normal.

I started looking up more information when the redness on my breast spread and it became more firmer and warm to the touch and nipple started to get puffy. That's when I found out that it isn't normal to have color on a color doppler of your breast and I really wished I would have kept my eyes on the ceiling. I really don't quite know what to think and I plan on calling the office as soon as they open this morning to tell them about the redness and corresponding feverishness.

I realize that the possibility of me having inflammatory breast cancer is less then one percent, but it just isn't presenting like an infection and is really starting to bother me. I have no pain and I can't feel any kind or puss pocket or mass below the skin and I don't have any hot spot that would indicate a surface infection. I am also already on antibiotics due to chronic illness. I am more scared that, because I am young, that they will not take it seriously and have a 'wait and see' approach.

Thank you for reading and giving me the opportunity to vent. I'm usually good with handling things like this on my own, but it is just a little to much this time without voicing my thoughts somewhere.

Thank you!!!

mustlovepoodles

When do you go back for your results? Hopefully soon. I know this is very scary.

Breast cancer is very rare in 20 year olds (<0.1%) and IBC is one of the rarest types, usually seen in age 60+. However, mastitis, infections, and skin issues are very common in young women.

Try not to Google stuff about breast cancer. Most of that info isn't even going to apply to you and it will unnecessarily frighten you. There are about a million other things this could be besides cancer!

Let us know when you get your results, okay?

westiemom

Honestly, it sounds like an infection or reaction to something, some of yoursymptoms are common with mastitis. I’m glad to hear all the precautions were taken and scans were ordered. Please keep us posted. Sending positive thoughts your way.