Symptoms of IBC

I agree with Bonnie. It sounds like you do have IBC symptoms. Please go to a breast specialist and have a biopsy done. Hoping you don't have it. No one wants it, but it is treatable. Leisa

Kimberly...

 Your symptoms and medical experience were very much like my own.  I had a breast lift 18 months prior to my diagnosis... so I went to my plastic surgeon to fuss about my nipple inverting and look at what I thought might be stitches popping up leaving little acne-like bumps.  My breast felt like maybe it was infected somehow... I figured a stitch or something... I was WAY WRONG.

At the mammogram the Radiologist told me herself that 'I didn't present like breast cancer'... I had a warm, lightly swollen breast, inverted nipple and little bumps that kinda had an acne look to them and one of them was oozing fluid.  My breast was tender to the touch.  She thought maybe a breast infection like mastitis.

 My plastic surgeon said to be safe, he wanted to biopsy the little acne bumps and the tissue close to my inverting nipple.  They came back positive for malignancy.  He sent me to a breast surgeon who did actual needle biopsies into my breast in 4 places...remember no tumor showed up on the mammogram.  The breast surgeon even told me that my breast was not presenting like typical cancer.  She was puzzled, but did the core biopsies given the skin biopsy being positive for malignancy.

Her core biopsies came back positive for Invasive Ductal Carcinoma/Inflammatory Breast Cancer....

So I was told by 2 doctors 'that my breast didn't present to them as having breast cancer'... 

I went to my plastic surgeon thinking 'nipple issues' I paid good money for perky boobs and I want them right!... Via the plastic surgeons concerns that I wasn't having nipple death... I was eventually diagnosed with IBC...stage 4 once all the tests were done.

This lack of knowledge of IBC is why so many women get diagnosed so late... it is a rare cancer and doctors aren't as clued into this type of breast cancer's symptoms... I had religiously had mammograms and they came back showing nothing abnormal.

Please  push for the core breast biopsy just to absolutely sooth your Soul. 

Better to rule it out and celebrate finding nothing.

Good Luck... MzJoy

I can't figure out why my post is all whacked... sorry... MzJoy

I was diagnosed with IBC yesterday. I had a biopsy 2 days ago. I also was told it was an infection and I was on antibiotic for 6 weeks. I have a very large lump (It grew very fast) and skin discoloration. My General Surgeon who performed the biopsy said stage 3 at least. I see an oncologist this coming Monday. Starting chemo and radiation and then the removal of my breast. I basically had the same symptoms you are describing. Nipples were so sensitive and then that simmered down and it turned into sharp pains in the breast.  Then the lump. I had a mammogram 2 years ago and it came out clean. Missed a year:( I even suggested a mammogram months ago and he said no it would be painful and misleading to the lab. I am so confused on why. I've been healthy for 48 years not overweight, don't smoke, eat healthy and get plenty of sleep. It's just so upsetting.  I also have breast implants. I asked if that could have hidden the lump and he said no it actually would help push it out and be more noticeable. I'm just praying that it isn't stage IV. I'm thinking positive and just going to take this a day at a time. I'm glad your test came out clear. But keep an eye on it. My lump came so quickly and it is really big.