Possible skin biopsy for IBC

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runalot08
runalot08 Member Posts: 163

Alright ladies I am back.  I have done a few posts before.  My first one was about swelling and pain in my left breast with a pea size lump under the areola at about the 8 O'Clock spot.  They biopsied that last month and it came back benign.  Since then I have had increased pain and the swelling has gotten worse in that breast.  I knew that I had two enlarged nodes one under each arm. 

Yesterday, I had another appt. and finally a wonderful doc. (We are military overseas and I have seen four Doc's about this since July...  The doc's keep moving!!)  My breast was more swollen than the last time I was in to the doc. and she found that more nodes were popping up under my left arm. (small)  While she was doing the exam the way I had my arm laying it started to hurt then she pushed on some spots that sent nerve pain shooting through my arm pit.  She agreed that the breast is indeed swollen but the redness was not there.  It tends to come and go.

Her plan is to rule out infection and put me on z-pak antibiotics.  If this does not work then she is going to schedule the OR and do skin a biopsy  for IBC.  She said she would take part of the areola, the edge of the areola, and part of the boob all in one slice.  My question is... Is there a best place for these kind of biopsies?  I know that if they do not get the right part it can come back negative even though it is there.  I told her that at this point I really do not care what my boob looks like and can she take multiple slices?  She kind of giggled so I am not sure if she will.

Since I started the antibiotics yesterday my breast has gotten worse.  Larger more pain it is actually in my shoulder and arm at times.  I am starting to get scared of what I have been thinking since August before the first biopsy.

Any suggestions or knowledge of the best area to be biopsied?  I am going to post this in the IBC section also in case they have ideas since they have already gone through the diagnosis and biopsy stage too.

Thank you everyone!

Comments

  • leaf
    leaf Member Posts: 8,188
    edited November 2008

    I really don't know runalot.  I would imagine they would do the biopsy where the symptoms are the worst, or where there is redness.  But I'm no expert on this.

    I know this is awful to go through.  Hang in there!

  • runalot08
    runalot08 Member Posts: 163
    edited November 2008

    Thanks Leaf,  I think that I am going to assume that this lady knows what she is doing.  I finished the antibiotics the other day and unfortunately there was no change.  I see the doc tomorrow.  I will find out when she wants to do the biopsy.

    I 'll let all know:)

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