Scared......again!

Mandyhiero

I had hoped I wouldn’t be back on the forum for a while but yet, here I am. Some background info, I’m 35 and have two kids. All of my problems started back in November of 2017. I had found a dimple in my right breast that after mammogram and ultrasound turned out to be lazy ligaments. Fast forward to earlier this year and I had what the breast surgeon thought to be an enlarged lymph node where my breast meets my arm (if that makes sense) but nothing to worry about. I had put it all in the back of my mind until a couple of weeks ago when I started getting some weird pains on the inner lower part of my breast. I just put that off to being hormonal and tried not to worry about it.
Last week we went on vacation to Florida and I swam a lot in the ocean and played with my kids and nieces and nephews. So when the pains didn’t go away and it hurt into my neck and my arm, I thought, I’ve just played a little too hard, took some Tylenol and tried to forget about it. Through the week I had some itchiness and pain and once again, thought it had to be that I was on my period and the itchiness was from being in a wet bathing suit at the beach. I should mention it also hurts to press on the area. Almost like a bruise feels when you press on it. I don’t really feel anything different from the left breast. I think I will call the doctor first thing Monday morning or at least go see the breast navigator at the building that I work in, but I want to know if maybe I’m just jumping the gun and letting my anxiety get the best of me, or if it really is a legitimate concern to have, that maybe the ultrasound and mammogram may have missed something. Should I push for more tests, or just let it go?

MiaMay

decided to find your post. You posted on a thread I commented on. We are in similar situations.

Prayers. Hope we both get benign results.

Mandyhiero

Thank you so much! I hope we do too! I go September 5. I’m crossing my fingers for both of us!

MiaMay

I hope you come back and let us know.

I see my doc again next week and I will insist on an MRI.

I think insurance won’t cover it so it will come out of pocket. But I can’t let this go.

Hope days go quickly until September 5

Mandyhiero

I don't blame you for insisting on the MRI. I may do the same. I can't shake the feeling that something is really wrong, but I'm hoping it's maybe just my health anxiety creeping up again. But I don't think the pain I'm feeling is normal. Especially since it's just in the one breast. 🤷🏼

Please keep me updated and I will do the same!

Ken1018

Hi ladies. Please come back and post updates. I am also going thru something similar. I have something going on in my right Axillary my underarm. But now, I am having the same pain in my neck, soulder, upper arm and pain under my arm that shoots into my breast and hurts so bad.

The thing is now I'm getting it on the left side. And sometimes I can't use either of my arms and hands.

Such similar stories.

Be strong!

MiaMay

Mandyhiero, I will!! We gotta lift each other up.

Ken1018, I hope you make an appointment. Let us know what happens. I’ll keep everyone updated.

Courage dear hearts!

Rizz

mandyhiero

Have you seen your Dr how was it what did he say plz update

Mandyhiero

Just wanted to update you all on what the breast surgeon said. I realized I posted on the wrong post so I thought in case you all didn’t read it, I would post it here so you might see it.She did a breast exam, (probably the 6th one I've had in a year), looked at my mammogram from last November, and told me the rib pain and breast pain I'm experiencing is normal and she's not concerned at all about it. She told me to take evening primrose oil for the pain. I told her that I was concerned that sometimes cancer doesn't show up on mammograms and ultrasounds and that people have MRI's that often detect their breast cancer and she said that they must have had a palpable lump because that's the only reason they do MRI's for breast imaging. She said that if she really thought there was a chance of breast cancer that she would tell me but otherwise I would have to pay out of pocket for an MRI because insurance wouldn't pay for it. I'm still having pain, some itchiness, and I feel like my right breast looks like it's shrunk a little, but I guess that could be all in my head. The indentation is still there too. So, I'm back to square one and still a little worried. I guess I'll just keep an eye on it and try to put it to the back of my mind. At this point I don't think there's anything else I can do.

Veeder14

Hi Mandyhiero,

I hear your concern. It's not true that Breast MRI's are only ordered for palpable lumps, and some cancers like mine only showed up on MRI. I did not have a palpable lump but because of my BRAC2 gene mutation I have enhanced imaging and rotate MRI with Mammograms. You could change doctors and see if a new doctor might order you an MRI.

Rizz

I think a second opinion will be a good idea

Mandyhiero

Veeder14, did you have any symptoms? If so, what were they and how old were you when diagnosed? I have no one in my family that has bc so they keep telling me that the odds of me having breast cancer are low.

I keep thinking I’ll just give it a little bit before I go to the doctor again bc maybe I’m blowing things out of proportion but then I keep worrying about it. I feel dumb every time I go be seen about it bc I feel like they think I’m being a hypochondriac and just brush me off. I know something is wrong, maybe it isn’t cancer, but this isn’t normal. I have pain in my right breast every day. I don’t have any in my left breast at all until the week before my period and then it goes away. The thing that scares me the most is it’s the same breast where the indention is, so I keep worrying myself about it. I thought IBC for the longest time, because isn’t that everyone’s worst fear when you think about breast cancer? I have itching most every day, but not always the same spot, and no other classic signs of IBC so that calmed me some about that. But, I’ve read that some women have had itching with other types of breast cancers.

I’m 35 with two girls, 4 and almost 2 and I want to be here for them but all I can think is the longer I get put off by doctors, the more it could be growing. I know, I’ve got the cart before the horse. But I’m honestly terrified that that’s what is happening. I just want to quit worrying about it and enjoy life, but it’s always in the back of my mind.

Rizz

Same here when I asked for Mri my Bs was behaving like I am stupid ... they are surgeons they should know that there are cancers like lobular and ibc that are not usually present with traditional lumps and are hard to detect with mamo and US

MiaMay

my appointment was yesterday. A breast MRI was refused. He feels very confident that the indentation is just how my anatomy has formed due to my weight.

I am obese and my weight has fluctuated by fifty pounds in the last year (up and down). It is still going to be followed. I'll have more imaging in six months and then six months from that. It is hard not wanting definite answers but I decided I was going to trust my doctor. It was my OB. He has always erred on the side of caution with me. He is not a risk taker so I believe if he felt there was a shred of chance of anything dangerous he would do more tests.

It still is difficult not knowing exactly why my skin is pulled in or why I have pain. But for the next six months at least, I'm letting it go. He said if it gets worse or changes we will revisit the issue before then. I specifically asked about ILC and he felt if i had it bad enough to pull in skin then he would feel the hardening of tissue even though It doesnt form a lump,there would be thickening.

I don't know but I'm letting it go at least for six months and then I'll push for answers again.