Symptoms? Get checked or not?

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tikicristi
tikicristi Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)

Hi

I am new here. I am probably overreacting but I have a very small red spot on my right breast that just appeared out of nowhere that I am worried about. It's very small, maybe 1/2" or so long, it almost looks like a scratch, but it's pretty red and right under my nipple. It itches a little but nothing too bad. I don't really have breast pain but my breasts do feel sort of heavy but I just finished my period last week, but they just feel heavy, hard to describe.

Of course, being a hypochondriac, I googled my symptoms because I am aware of IBC. A friend of mine and I were just talking a few weeks ago about a mutual aquanitence who was diagnosed with IBC - she is our age, 41, almost 42. Too, I'd read a book recently called "Firefly Lane," in which the main character gets IBC so I guess I am hyper aware of it. My mother also jsut went through breast cancer, but not IBC. She's 78 and had surgery and radiation and so far it's all gone and she's doing ok. So the worry is just in my head that my little red spot could be something.

Should I even worry about this little spot or could it just be irritation? Should I call my doctor or what type of doctor should I see?

I have my regular annual exam with my gyno already scheduled for about 2 weeks from now but should I wait that long? I guess I feel silly making an appointment if it's nothing or just a scratch or irritation, but then I read about how IBC can present itself different ways and is often misdiagnosed and very aggressive. My husband thinks I am overreacting but I am a worrier. I don't know what I should do because I feel like if I make an apt., I will just get dismised by the dr that it's nothing and still have these worries.

 Thanks for any advice.

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  • tikicristi
    tikicristi Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2010

    Since posting this, the more I look at it, the more it looks like a small (maybe 1") bug bite. Now, I did sit outside yesterday for 2 hours having coffee with friends so it's possible and I did not notice the red mark there in the morning when I got dressed but only after coming home from being outside and changing clothes. But the more I read, the more worried I become because it says that IBC is often misdiagnosed as a bug bite. It's only midly itchy and cortisone cream is helping that. How long should I give it to go away? Should I see the dr if it does not change after a couple of days? again, not sure what type of dr I should call. Thanks for any advice, I am just worried, hopefully overreacting.

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  • ibcmets
    ibcmets Member Posts: 4,286
    edited October 2010

    I had to wait 3 weeks before my obgyn appt when I had the rash, but I also had a 2.5cm tumor which is not typical at all of ibc.  I sure was nervous.  I think you'll be fine since you have an appt. in 2 weeks. Take notice of any changes---your breast getting warmer and a bit larger than the other, orange like dimple skin.  The rash will not go away with ibc.  I also heard that you will not get a fever, but if you had mastitis, you may get a slight fever.  A mammo will not show ibc, an ultrasound would be better to detect ibc on top of the biopsy which will confirm it.  Good Luck and try not to worry, keep busy.

    Terri

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  • tikicristi
    tikicristi Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2010

    Thank you for responding. I acutally have an apt. today with my regular OB/GYN just to ease my mind. The weird thing is, last night I felt like I had a slight fever - my body was hot to the touch ALL over, not just my breast but both breast, stomach, back, legs, arms, forehead. My husband said I felt feverish. But took my temp several times and it was normal, although it was 98.7 and a lot of times my normal temps run lower. Then I also started feeling achey all over - like the aches you get with the flu, my legs were achey especially. I was also itchy all over, just mild itching but it was everywhere. I also have type 1 diabetes and my blood sugars were high and that is not normal for me but it does happen when I have an infection or am sick. This morning the spot on my breast looks less red and a tiny bit smaller but it's still there but it's only been 3 days. I feel better about going in today just don't want to risk it being something and if it is an infection, then I need to get that taken care of. Thanks again, will update later. I am trying not to panic and stop reading so much info about IBC because I am getting myself worked up. That's hard for me not to do. Thanks again.

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  • tikicristi
    tikicristi Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2010

    Just an update - I am fine thank God. Went to dr. yesterday who examined the red mark on my breast and said it looks to be just some sort of abrasion not at all like IBC or mastitis - he said he's only seen about 2 cases of IBC and that's how rare it is. He checked lymph nodes and there was no swelling, no swelling elsewhere, no puckering/dimpling, not warm, etc. so he thinks it's nothing at all. I think I flipped out over nothing because I had just found out about a mutual friend who got IBC. I was having some mild breast pain but he thinks that just cyclical (I'm mid-cycle and) and it's really in both breasts and not that bad. All of my weird feverish symptoms the night before he thinks were either unrelated or I just upset myself enough to make my body react that way. I was really glad b/c I thought maybe I did have mastitis and would get that dx but he said it looked nothing at all like that and that made me feel a whole lot better since I know IBC gets misdiagnosed as that a lot of times.  

    My dr was really nice and saw how upset and worried I was and offered to make an apt with a breast surgeon for me to look at the spot next week if I wanted. He said he thought it would start to go away on it's own and sure enough, this morning it has faded considerably and looks like it's starting to go away. I told him if it doesn't by Tues or so, then I might rethink getting a 2nd check but it really does seem to be going away and looks like it was more of an abrasion like I initially thought, before I panicked. Hopefully it will continue to heal and all will be fine but it sure is scary thinking something might really be wrong when you find breast changes. Now at least I know what to look for for IBC.

     Thanks for your response - hopefully, I won't need the 2nd check. Hope you continue doing well.

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