What now??

The breast symptoms you described do occur with IBC and you do not have to have a lump to have IBC.  You certainly should have this checked out as soon as possible. Hopefully it is not IBC, but on the small chance that it is, time is critical. Hoping and praying that you have good results with all your tests.

Hugs,

Monika 

I strongly agree the other ladies.  See a breast surgeon who is familiar with IBC.  You have all the symptons I had.  I have IBC stage IIIB and am a 7 year survivor.  Early detection can save your life.  Best wishes.    Marylouise

Hi Momcat,

 I'm just going to jump right in here. Your story so far sounds a bit like what I've been through these past 2 months.

My right breast became red and swollen, I got the run around for a bit but finally saw a specialist and basically what they did for me was to give me antibiotics (all told on was on them for about a month, including a week of I.V. antibiotics) and at the same time get me ready for a biopsy.

I write this not to freak you out, but to encourage you to be vigilant about your symptoms...

Are they not following up with your course of antibiotics to see how it went? In my case they were checking each week and then making decisions.

For me they were hesistant to biopsy incase it was infected.... but really, although it seemed for awhile that the anitbiotics were helping---i.e. that it might just be an infection---in the end even the I.V. antibiotics didn't get rid of the redness.

For me the biopsy ended up coming back this past Monday as positive for bc. 

I am only just learning about this stuff... but honestly, in my case I could have easily wasted time if I had listened to the first doctor I saw who said it was just an infection.

Luckily I found a second doctor who got me a referrral to a breast oncology specialist...

I don't want give you medical advice or sound pushy but... really, it's important to have someone who is a specialist take a look at this, don't just let it go. 

This website might be helpful to you: http://www.eraseibc.org/videos.html

And this quote, that I've seen on an IBC list that I find very poignant:

"Any cellulitis of the breast that occurs in a non-gravid (not pregnant),
non-lactating (not breastfeeding), woman should be assumed to be
inflammatory breast cancer until biopsy proves otherwise." Robert W.
Carlson, MD, Stanford University; Chair, NCCN Breast Cancer Treatment
Guidelines.

Best of luck to you. Let us know how it goes.

Are you being followed by a breast specialist? (typically breast surgeon)  If so, it would be good to contact them immediately and explain your symptoms.  While it is reasonable to do a 7 day course of antibiotics, since it might be an infection, you should be seen so the Dr. can evaluate your symptoms.  How are you feeling otherwise?  Any fever?  Is the breast enlarged?  If the symptoms respond to antibiotics....no need to worry, it is likely an infection.  If not, it's time to push for a punch biopsy to get to the bottom of things.  Hoping this goes away and it proves to be nothing.

Momcat1962 Don't delay take the good advice above and see a specialist as  God_is_good (Bonnie) suggested.  She is right, with IBC time matters.

If it is IBC, you have these wonderful ladies here to help you thru!  (And many wonderful women who have other forms of breast cancer.)

Call on Monday and let us know, keep us updated!  We want to know........

Wishing you the very best!

Susie

Sorry to hear you are having more problems similar to the first.  Underarm tenderness was another symptom I had, which was inflammed lymph nodes. I had 5 positive nodes.  I would definitely want to go see a breast specialist.  Hoping you can get some answers.  NJ