Itching? Symptoms?

SophiaMarie

I was wondering - is the itching that’s typical with IBC feel like the skin itself itches, or is it a deeper kinda itching?

I had idc 6 years ago, with radiation. A couple of months ago I had a patch of scaley red cracking skin on the edge of that nipple (finally now just a dark area now) and a few weeks ago, part of that breast has developed an intermittent deep itchiness. Two days ago (interestingly the morning of a scheduled mammogram) that breast got all pinky red. To where I was asked if it were hot. I saw my onc that day - he just sent me to a dermatologist. Just saw her today (got in amazingly quick) and she just prescribed a steroid cream.

It’s been tender on and off, now almost seems a tad swollen...

The oncologist would’ve been more concerned if it seemed like ibc, right?

blue22

I can't speak to the quality of your oncologist, hopefully he/she is good. Did you discuss the itchiness with them? Is it only one breast?

For me the itchiness was more a deep itchiness rather than surface. It would come and go, but I had had itchiness on and off for years, it was worse when I had IBC. I think bras can definitely contribute to the itchiness...

Do you have any other symptoms? You said your breast was red, was it the whole breast or just part, what about the other breast?

SophiaMarie

it was the whole breast that was red. Only that one. And the itching is deeper - it doesn’t seem like the skin. The patch of rough skin was on the areola. It’s still there but faded.

I did have surgeries and radiation on this breast 6 years ago. I’ve been reading that there is such a thing as late skin toxicity, where there can be itching, etc. But then I read about ibc and how quickly it moves... the dermatologist prescribed a cortisone cream, and to let her know in a few weeks if it helped or not. If it could be ibc, three weeks could be too long, right?

I feel like my onc just thinks I’m paranoid. He’s good...but in his busy routine, and retiring at the end of the year.

I’m confused because of the surgeries and scar tissue, and radiation, any pain, edema, could be from those things. The redness and itching could be post radiation. Or not.

Would the whole breast be red, or more localized? Comes and goes? Just red or a rash? There’s no dimpling either

MinusTwo

With radiation over 6 years ago, I think the dermatologist is correctly your first line of treatment.