The 5 week saga that isn’t ending

mama_k

5 weeks ago I went to my doc due to non-spontaneous bloody nipple discharge. She felt a density in my breast and sent me for a mammogram and ultrasound.

After the appointment the radiologist came in and told me I had a intraductal papilloma and we would need to do a biopsy.

2 weeks later I had an ultrasound guided core needle biopsy. While the nurse was prepping for the biopsy she had trouble finding the sub areolar lesion. When she found it she said I may not require a biopsy after all as it wasn’t what they expected.

The radiologist went ahead and performed the biopsy out of prudence I believe. He took 5 samples.

1 week later the result came back. Benign breast tissue with stromal fibrosis and periductal inflammation. The results suggested the appearance of the intraductal focus was related to the inflammation and intraductal debris. I was instructed to return to my doc in 6 months for a breast exam and follow up ultrasound.

My breast stopped being sore 2 days after the biopsy. I refrained from going to the gym for 7 days after and didn’t remove my bandage until 5 days after the biopsy. I had spontaneous bloody discharge after the biopsy as expected. However it hasn’t stopped until today, which will be explained further. To me it seemed everything had healed fine after the procedure.

Then 1 week ago on sunday, or 2 weeks post biopsy and 4 weeks after initial bloody discharge, I felt like I had mastitis. The pain started on the opposite side of my breast from the biopsy site and it started high on the breast. I went to urgent care in case there was an infection. I had no fever, my breast was not red, and it was not warm. The doc sent me home and said it was likely new blood pooling from the biopsy or the original issue that spurred the biopsy was acting up?????

By Tuesday morning the pain had reached my nipple and was the most intense pain I’ve ever felt. I have a high pain tolerance and rarely require pain meds. I was taking Advil at this point just to cope. It felt very hard around my nipple and all the way up to the original site where the pain started. My nipple was beginning to retract.

I went to my doctor who also felt the hardness. I still did not have the normal signs of infection so rather than prescribe antibiotics she booked me for another ultrasound the next day. And gave me tips on how to reduce the pain (which didn’t work.)

The radiologist again spoke to me after the ultrasound and said he didn’t see anything unusual. He noted the ducts were enlarged and the original subperiolar mass was still present.

He suggested I had a “sterile infection” due to blood in the ducts which irritated my already inflamed ducts. A result of the biopsy.

He said the first step would be to take a course of antibiotics and if things didn’t improve they would do something called a gallactogram.

The night after the ultrasound was excruciating. I almost went to emergency and asked them to cut my breast off. During the night some brown fluid discharged into my bra. I woke up feeling a bit better, the pain had subsided to a point where I could manage without pain killers.

My doc called that morning. Concurred with the radiologist and I started a round of antibiotics.

It is day 3 of antibiotics and although the pain is gone there is still a hardness around my nipple and up my breast. My nipple is circumferentially inverted. My nipple burns slightly. I have twangs of pain that come and go. There is flaky skin on and around my nipple. I noticed a crack in my nipple. I now have a spontaneous brownish discharge rather than bloody discharge.

I have readnumerous studies and reputable information about breast disease, benign and malignant. I don’t know what to do and I’ve probably read too much and am too paranoid.

The pain I felt this week wasn’t normal and isn’t something that should be discounted so easily. I’ve also read scary info that only slit nipple inversions are related to benign disease. Of course I’ve looked up Paget’s disease and am concerned about that.

I know there is something wrong that caused the bleeding in the first place. I don’t feel supported by the doctors I’ve seen. I just want answers to my original and new symptoms.

Anyway, does anyone have thoughts on what’s happened to me so far? Should I go in to the doc this week and ask to be referred to the breast clinic. I personally would feel better about seeing a specialist, however I live in Canada and don’t know what the rules are about being referred.

Any insight is appreciated as the whole experience has been incredibly stressful.