Left breast indent

Robyn1993

hi I’m new to this and very very scared.

I recently discovered a dent around 6oclock on my left breast. It’s not visible when relaxed and not really visible when my arms raised but when I put my hand on my hip and flex it tucks right in. It’s also visible if I bend forward. I’m 26 years old with 3 kids under 5. So the thought of cancer is making me feel so emotional and overwhelmed with fear. I get a lot of pain in both breasts anyway, always have for a while but I have a fatter left armpit as well which has been that way for a while also. I have a private check on Thursday coming but I can’t stop crying, googling and can’t even eat or sleep for thinking about the outcome.

Has anyone had indents like this or swelling and it’s been nothing. I’m clinging on to any hope here

MelissaDallas

While not impossible, it is really rare to have breast cancer at 26. More likely you have changes in the appearance of your breast due to those three kids in five years. Dr. Google is not your friend.

You need to find something else to do to occupy your mind. People come here all the time who literally make themselves Ill for weeks over things that turn out to be nothing, so stop doing that to yourself.

Moderators

Dear Robyn1993,

We are sorry that these breast changes and the worry that they are causing have brought you here. As MelissaDallas says, Dr Google is not your friend. Googling breast changes can easily lead one to a cancer diagnosis. Breast cancer is rare at your age but continued worry can be helped by some medical advice. Perhaps you can bring this to your doctor's attention for more information and hopefully some peace of mind.

The Mods

Pugmama83

Robyn, I too am dealing with an indent issue at 6oclock on my left breast and pain. I have two children under 3 my youngest 4 months. My best advice would be to check with your doctor regarding your concerns. The women here are very helpful. I am waiting for a MRI and hope it is negative so I can move on until my next check up. Just though it would help to know someone else is experience indent anxiety too.

DATNY

I just want to say how impressed I am with the care you guys are taking of yourself. I never inspected my breasts in in 20s. Most likely it is nothing, when one has kids the breast cells change back and forth. But is always good to do a thoroughly examination and be aware of what is going on.

Robyn1993

I’m sorry but I’m on the edge here. Today doing a feel about myself I feel like I’ve felt a small bump in the area where the dent is. That’ll be 3 things wrong on that side. I can’t stop crying because it’s clear it’s not looking good for me

MelissaDallas

It actually isn’t clear at all. In fact, the odds are very low that there is anything wrong with you aside from pregnancy and breastfeeding changes, and/or possibly common benign breast related stuff.

Beesie

Robyn, I will second what MelissaDallas said.

Is it possible that this could be cancer? Yes, there is a very small possibility that this could be cancer. But it is likely that this is cancer? Not at all.

At your age, if you have a small bump or lump, it is 1000 times more likely to be a harmless fibroadenoma or a cyst than cancer. Or is could just be a breast change from your pregnancies - pregnancy stretches the muscles/tendons in the breast and they don't always go back into place evenly.

Any breast change should be checked out, and it's good that you are doing this. See your doctor. And stop Googling. Dr. Google is a quack who always jumps to the worst possible scenario even when the odds are 99% that everything is fine. And stop assuming that you have cancer. It's most likely that you don't. Look at it this way. If you do have breast cancer, worrying about it now and driving yourself crazy isn't going to change a thing and does nothing to help the situation - it only makes it worse for you (and your family, no doubt) while you wait. And if you don't have breast cancer, worrying about it now is a complete waste of these days when you could be enjoying your kids and your life. Whatever happens will happen and you will deal with it then. And most likely, this will turn out to be nothing serious at all.

exbrnxgrl

Robyn,

In addition to agreeing with melissadallas and beesie there’s something else to you should realize... even a doctor would not decide that things aren’t looking good for you without imaging and if needed a biopsy. Given that fact you are leaping to an improbable conclusion. As my mother would say, don’t borrow trouble

Robyn1993

hi,

obviously I’m really hoping it’s nothing cancerous. But I read that cysts and fibroadenomas do not cause denting so I guess I’m all over the place about that x

AliceBastable

And if you read that on Google, the chances of it being a crock of shit are MUCH higher than any chance you have cancer.

MelissaDallas

Here's the thing Robyn. I DID have (ovarian) cancer. I even got “the talk" before my surgery that, based on my imaging, they believed I likely would only get “debulking" surgery and that I had a poor prognosis and might wake up with a chemo port in my belly or even a colostomy with a stoma and a bag. Never once did I bawl uncontrollably, puke, starve myself or stew all night for days on end thinking the worst. Most of the women I have interacted with here who were diagnosed with cancer over many years did not either. You don't even have a medically valid reason to believe otherwise. Go play with your kids. Binge Netflix. Take a walk. Knock it off

Robyn1993

I’m sorry to hear what you had to go through. And glad it’s all looking good for you now! I know I shouldn’t get worked up but I had a dream of my partner saying I had lost my life to this then I find all this when I checked my breasts.. it seems to me like a sign or a vision. I have a swollen left armpit, a lump and an indent. To me that surely can’t be benign

It’s got to the point I don’t want to go on Thursday now as I don’t want to hear bad news. I’m a mess and I really can’t stop thinking about it.

MelissaDallas

“To me”...means little.

Go to your doctor’s appointment so you can get your mind put at ease.

What you are doing, by automatically going to worst case scenario, all logic to the contrary, is called catastrophizing.

What is Catastrophizing?

By John M. Grohol, Psy.D.
Last updated: 8 Oct 2018~ 2 MIN READ

Catastrophizing is an irrational thought a lot of us have in believing that something is far worse than it actually is. Catastrophizing can generally can take two different forms: making a catastrophe out of a current situation, and imagining making a catastrophe out of a future situation.

The first of these is making a catastrophe out of a situation. For instance, if you're a salesperson and haven't made a sale in awhile, you may believe you are a complete and utter failure and you will lose your job. In reality, it may only be a temporary situation, and there are things that you can do to change this situation. Another example is believing that if you make one small mistake at your job, you may get fired. This kind of
catastrophizing takes a current situation and gives it a truly negative "spin."

The second kind of catastrophizing is closely linked to the first, but it is more mental and more future oriented. This kind of catastrophizing occurs when we look to the future and anticipate all the things that are going to go wrong. We then create a reality around those thoughts (e.g. "It's bound to all go wrong for me…"). Because we believe something will go wrong, we make it go wrong.

Falling prey to catastrophizing is like striking out in your mind before you even get to the plate. Both of these types of catastrophizing limit your opportunities in life, work, relationships and more. It can affect our entire outlook in life, and creates a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure, disappointment, and underachievement.

Both types may lead you to self-pity, to an irrational, negative belief about the situation, and to a feeling of hopelessness about your future prospects. Further, both of these types of catastrophizing will define either the presence or absence of alternative possibilities, and possibly paralyze you from going further with efforts toward your goals in life.

Helping Yourself with Catastophizing

You can do things to help yourself stop catastrophizing and learning to accept a situation for what it is, both for things happening to you right now, as well as things that will happen to you in the future.

The first step to dealing with catastrophizing is to recognize when you're doing it. The sooner you start tracking this, the quicker you'll be able to start focusing on stopping it. It may be helpful to start recording your negative thoughts to yourself on a pad of paper, journal, on your smartphone, or in an app. Write down what happened as objectively as possible, what you thought about the situation, and then what your reaction or behaviors were.

Over a week's time, you'll begin to see a pattern emerge of when you're most likely to catastrophize, and some of the thoughts or situations that most likely lead to it.

MinusTwo

Great article Melissa. Thanks for posting. I hope Robyn will read and take to heart.

Beesie

"I have a swollen left armpit, a lump and an indent. To me that surely can't be benign "

Are you are doctor? No? Then you don't know and whatever you are thinking is pure speculation.

A swollen armpit, a lump and an indent could all be caused by an infection. I'm not saying that's what it is - obviously I don't know - but I'm making the point that you are wrong in thinking that this can't be benign.

As for the dream, we dream about things we are stressed about. You are right however that your dream is a sign. It's a sign that you are worried and can't stop thinking about this, to the point that it is invading your dreams. Dreams - either good ones or bad ones -rarely come true.

exbrnxgrl

Robyn,

Again, not even a doctor would reach conclusions or make a diagnosis without imaging and a biopsy. How can you possibly reach any conclusions? Chances are overwhelming that it will be something that is NOT breast cancer

AliceBastable

I've had endometrial, breast, and kidney cancers (plus basal cell) and never got myself in such a nervous state. I went out of my way to do fun things between appointments, tests, and surgeries. Worry is a time and energy thief.

Robyn1993

thanks for your replies. I have 3 more sleeps until I can be seen privately. I know In my gut it’s not going to what I want to hear. I’ve tried switching off thinking about it and doing other things but keep finding myself walking about in circles all worked up. I can’t sleep either. I’m not a mentally strong person or a strong person in general so if this is cancer I really don’t know how I’ll manage.

exbrnxgrl

Robyn,

If, that's a very big if, you do have breast cancer you will do what we all have done. You will pull up your big girl panties and deal with it. You are an adult and you are responsible for yourself (though support of family and friends is important). Regardless of what the situation with your breast turns out to be, seeing a therapist might be helpful so that you can deal with life's inevitable ups and downs from a position of strength and maturity. I am not trying to diminish your concerns as I know they feel very real to youjust suggesting that whether you have bc or not, this seems like a good time to deal with your extreme anxieties.

AliceBastable

Robyn1993

Unless your gut has a medical degree and experience in diagnosing and treating breast cancer, why on earth would you listen to it?

Robyn1993

hi,

all day yesterday I had terrible shooting pains in the left breast, also fed when bending over. I woke last night with unbearable pain in the liver, gallbladder area and ended up in out of hours to be checked. I’ve made the mistake of googling and reading how breast cancer can spread to the liver and have got it in my head that it’s what’s happening to me. I’ve even managed to change my appointment to tomorrow but In a clinic further away because I can’t keep going on like this. I’m so scared and haven’t stopped shaking since last night. Absolutely nothing I try is taking my mind off of it

blue22

Robyn,

Constant worrying and going to the worst case scenario does not help. When your mind goes to dark places, remind yourself that you are doing what you can for now, you have an appointment, and try to let it go. I suggest finding something that calms you down and takes your mind off of this until you can see a doctor.

MelissaDallas

Robyn1993, you ostensibly came here for our layperson informed information about breast issues/testing and support. You are not listening to anything logical and factual that we tell you. Instead, you seem to just want us to validate your irrational fear. Now in a week you have somehow gone from an “indent” that you have to stand on your head and do advanced yoga poses and hold your mouth just right to somehow see to stage IV liver metasteses. We can only be supportive with factual issues. We can’t fix your anxiety issues and your continuing to post without even acknowledging our logical posts to you is disrespectful to the people who have tried to help you. Validating irrational things and fear is NOT being supportive and we won’t do that. As far as what other posters have suggested to you regarding therapy for anxiety, you should consider that, not only are you unnecessarily making yourself miserable and sick, you are likely teaching your three little children to likewise be anxious, fearful and overreacting people

Robyn1993

hi ladies. Just an update to say I had a specialist examine my breast then an ultrasound, which looked clear. And the specialist was happy with my breast in general. I’m sorry for all the dramatics and panic, it just really is so scary. Thank you so much for your messages and support. I feel like I can relax a bit now and it’s happy tears for a change. I really can’t thank you enough for reaching out when I felt so lost and low! x

Beesie

Thanks for the update, Robyn. It's always nice to know how things turn out.

Glad that the appointment went well and that everything looks fine, and that you are reassured!