Petrified

Dawny74

It's gonna be a long story and I apologize.

I have a history of cystic breasts. I've been having mammograms done since I was 38 (I'm 44 now) because my maternal aunt had breast cancer (and beat it). I've had cysts drained and reappeared. This last October, I had a mammogram done and ultrasound - I almost always get ultrasounds because of those cysts. The radiologist wanted a biopsy done. As I've had a stroke, I'm on aspirin therapy, so I had to wait like 5 days. I went back and a different doctor was present. He noticed that one of the spots had disappeared, so he canceled the biopsy.

Almost exactly a month later, I discover a rather large, hard lump - it roughly the area where the one had disappeared. My primary sent me to a different place to get a mammogram and subsequent ultrasound. I felt it, my primary felt it, the techs felt it, the doctor felt it - but nothing was seen on either images.

I have recurring boils and at the time of the appearance of this lump, I had an infected one in the arm pit. They all thought the lump that was felt was from the infection - like scar tissue. The lump never went away. It aches occasionally.

A week ago thursday, I got out of the shower and noticed the entire area around my areola was bright red. I dismissed it as being from the hot shower. It never went away. Having Rheumatoid Arthritis, along with other health conditions I KNOW BETTER than to look at Google. But, the docs offices were closed and I didn't know if this was something I needed to go to Prompt Care for. First thing I see, Inflammatory Breast Cancer. I panic, really really panic. I go to Prompt Care, they think it's Mastitis. The redness, the warmth, the areola changes color when it hardens to a white/pale yellow type color. They put me Keflex antibiotic and tell me to see my primary on Monday.

Everything still existed when I called the primary on Monday. They look, they too feel that it's infection - they give me an antibiotic shot and tell me that things should look better the next afternoon. But, at the same time, they're concerned that the lump is still present. So, they immediately send me for a mammogram and ultrasound. 5 hours I spent with doctors this last Monday. They see it this time, plus a few other spots.

Because I still take aspirin, they wanted to do the biopsy this coming Monday. But, they called me and said they wanted to do it yesterday (Friday) instead. They did nothing with the areola or surrounding redness. Under the nipple feels really hard - like a thickening. There's some dimpling, but only in the red. It doesn't feel rough compared to the other side though. It's not itchy and no pain at all.

Anyway, I had 3 biopsies yesterday - I was only aware of two areas, didn't know about the 3rd until I got there. The 3rd was an attempt to drain, but it wouldn't drain, so they biopsied it. Two on one breast at 10 and 11 o'clock. and one on the other at about 1 0'clock. The one with the two biopsies is rather swollen. Looks much bigger than the other side.

I am petrified as I wait for results. I am due to fly out this week to see my son before his first Army deployment. I can't see any other results other than cancer. Honestly, I've looked for silver linings - hope. I can't find them. There are rare circumstances of Rheumatoid Arthritis causing nodules in the breast - but it's rare.

I'm sorry that I've rambled. I think my family is sick of my rambling, too. My health has been a giant battle for the last 7 years. OA, RA, Fibro, Degenerative disc disease, Stroke, I need my gall bladder removed (but every single time that surgery is scheduled something happens and it's always a breast issue - for instance, I have surgery scheduled on Feb 14th to have it out and now I'm dealing with this). I suddenly went deaf from autoimmune inner ear disease about a year ago. It's just been a huge battle and now I wait this out. I pray and pray and pray and pray and pray that it's not cancer.

Salamandra

How incredibly stressful!

I hope that you get good results. I also think that the waiting time is so incredibly hard. Whatever gets you through, do it. Sending HUGE supportive thoughts through the ether!

Sherrie-Is49

Wow! Well I am in similar boat with the "boils" and because they seem to have ZERO bacteria, my primary chalks it up to auto immune issues (I have at least 5 AI diseases).. I cannot possibly withstand a mammo right now. My Gyno wants me to get mammo. I refuse, because until I had the very first one I never had these evil things on me. Plus, how can I stomach getting the girls mashed with these monsters on them.. I can't. Even when these calm down any pressure or bump against them makes me almost throw up the pain is so unreal. Of course due to my wonderful immune system they never fully heal...3-4 years if this now. No pain meds and no answers.. Always some new issue with me and auto immunity too, like next week will have some new symptom.. sigh.

Anyways, my primary is the one basically blowing me off about these abscesses.. I tried to go to dermatologist a few days ago in my circle of doctors, but they demand a referral even though they are part of the same system. 14 years for me with battle of auto immune issues and about 3-4 yrs with the abscesses/boils on my breasts (and other places). Hope my primary gets this referral in to derm soon and even considers an ultra sound on the twins. I am really sick and in pain unlike I ever imagined (even when I had my pancreas freak out on me twice admitting me into the hospital, or the many other things we auto immune types go through it does not hurt as much as these things (HUGE things)).

Prayers for you! Hope all is getting taken care of.. I know replying to older thread...

Moderators

Sherrie-Is49, we are really sorry to hear all you are going through. We are rooting for you to get an ultrasound, and a medical team who can diagnose and treat the issue!