I just don’t know!

Qwerty2019

Hi,

I am 25 years old, I have three children age 6, 3 and 8 months. I'm breast feeding my youngest. One day when I was feeding her I noticed a rash on my left breast. It isn't raised or itchy and up close it looks like lots of little pinky purple veins. There are no other symptoms it literally just looks different because of this pinky purple veiny 'rash'

I went to the doctors and the doctor felt and said there was no lump, that my boobs both look pretty similar (although I do feel the breast in question for the first time in 8 months now looks the same size as the other. The other has always been the bigger one) and no funny shape to them and made me lift my arms etc. With me breast feeding she assumed it might be mastitis but said it isn't too bad as I haven't started to feel unwell with it and should go away on its own and to comeback in a week if it hasn't gone. This was the 2nd nearly 3rd week of it being there at this point

So a week later it still hadn't gone. I saw a different doctor, she had a look, said as there isn't a lump she isn't worried and then gave me antibiotics for mastitis and told me to come back in a week if it hadn't gone.

Another week later and it still hadn't gone, I saw her again and she said that she was referring me to the breast clinic and that we need answers. She said she wasn't worried with their being no lump but I know Inflammatory Breast Cancer doesn't always have a lump. It's 7/8 weeks now and still no sign of it going.

I have an appointment on the 18th of this month so in two days time. Does anybody have any experience of this. I think it's cancer and I'm terrified

Beesie

I'm sorry you are going through this.

You say that the rash hasn't gone away. Has it gotten bigger and spread over a larger area of the breast? Has your breast become swollen and inflamed? IBC tends to develop very quickly, and if your rash has remained stable for 7-8 weeks, and if the only symptom is the rash, it really doesn't sound like IBC. Mastitis or a skin rash seems much more likely. It might be that a dermatologist is more likely to find the answer rather than a breast clinic.

Good luck with your appointment in two days. If nothing is found, I'd recommend seeing a Dermatologist.

Qwerty2019

I don’t think it’s got worse? It doesn’t seem to look like it has. It’s like little pink veins under the skin when you look close and if I stand back in front of my partner for example he can see a big red area (covers a little bit over where the breast pad would cover.)

I don’t think it’s swollen, it’s gone the same size as my right (which has always been a bit bigger!) but I’m not sure if that’s linked.

It isn’t like a rash it’s literally like veins under the skin. Pink veins. All round the breast and only the breast.

Beesie

Sounds a lot more like mastitis or a side effect from breast feeding than IBC or breast cancer.

Qwerty2019

thanks for your reply,

I’ve got my appointment today, will the person I see at the BC clinic give me an idea if they think it is/isn’t? I’m nervous as hell. If it’s mastitis could it stay for 7-8 weeks? Could it stay that long and not hurt for that long? I didn’t even know that was possible as I’ve had mastitis before and that made me very oll

gb2115

so it's more like little veins are becoming visible? It could just be changes to the breast from breastfeeding. I pumped for a year (which is different I know) but my breasts definitely looked weird from it.

Just a thought.

Qwerty2019

So I had my appointment. The doctor felt something but wasn’t worried about the rash, with how bright the room is, he didn’t notice the red as much. He sent me for an ultrasound scan and it came up in the area he scanned. They don’t know what it is and told me to go back to the doctors if it doesn’t go

donnaleeNC

Sorry if this sounds dense, but when you say "it came up in the area he scanned," do you mean the lump? If so, then "They don't know what it is and told me to go back to the doctors if it doesn't go [away]" is not an acceptable recommendation for a lump, even at your age. Perhaps you could request a mammogram, which I'm sure will be uncomfortable given that your breast sounds irritated, but it is more comfortable than worrying. Just my two cents. Take care.

Qwerty2019

oh no! I didn't check as I was sorting the little ones out but it should have said “it came up clear where they scanned" as he marked where he felt a lump/knot I can't actually remember the term he used it was really over whelming. Then they checked that specific area and I was clear.