Is bilateral IBC possible???

Alexsilverman22

My younger sister in 22 years old. About a month ago her breasts began to turn red, inflamed, and painful. They've grown almost twice their size, her nipples have become completely inverted and her skin and nipples on both breasts has thickened and dimpled like an orange peel. When the first symptoms took place the doctor suspected an infection like mastitis and put her on a 10 day oral antibiotic. The antibiotics did not improve and her symptoms became worse which ended her up in the hospital. She has now been in the hospital for 3 days, undergone multiple ultrasound, blood tests, and gone through an entire course of the strongest antibiotics possible. Her ultrasound showed no abcess or pus, and the antibiotics have shown no progress. The doctors have now ruled out infection. They truly do not believe she could have inflammatory breast cancer because she is having symptoms equally in both breasts and because bilateral IBC is too rare. My question is to anyone out there that may have an answer, can IBC be bilateral??? Her symptoms are not improving and no antibiotics are working! We have ruled out mastitis, cellulitis and any other type of breast infection. Doctors are now trying to blame her birth control. She's been taking the same birth control since she was 15, stopped taking it for a year, and started it back up a few months ago and doctors now think she is having a “drug reaction" to her birth control. Is that seriously possible? I am becoming frustrated and very concerned.This is my baby sister who is ONLY 22 years old! Could this be IBC? Is bilateral IBC possible? Please help me. Thank you in advance.

fifthyear

I read awhile back that if the woman is pregnant, there is an unknown condition that causes both breasts to mimic IBC symptoms, and it goes away a few months AFTER giving birth. Not sure if this is the case with your sister but something to investigate. Good luck to your sister and your family

amarantha

Well I had it bilateral, so yes. But I sure hope such is not the case for your sister.