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SarahsMom
SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779

Oh ladies, I am back with my own story. I won't reguritate my medical history, it's in my profile.  So I am between my 6 month checks and I am having burning sensation again in my bad breast, like a white hot feeling, sometimes a sharp pain. I had it before off and on also like a pulling sensation, but it is more frequent now. The nipple is becoming sensitive, as well.  I suppose I will drag myself back to the doctor. I did mention this in July and got the brush off. I know this breast is always going to give me trouble, but I am so tired of having a great time - coffee with a friend, whatever - and then I am hyper aware of the feeling that something is going on. Also, the military accidentally mailed my records and films to my last base, so everything is gone (for an organization that can drop a laser guided bomb from 30,000 feet down someone's chimney, could they go to computerized diagnostics and records? I mean REALLY?!)  They took 11 shots of the bad breast altogether in July to start the new baseline.That upsets me so much since I have asymmetry, two dense areas and a growing number of calcs,watching for changes is critical. Oh well, everything happens for a reason, eh?

Thanks for listening to me vent, as always. You are all wonderful. 

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Comments

  • leaf
    leaf Member Posts: 8,188
    edited September 2011

    I don't wish this on anyone, especially someone who has been so kind and helpful as you, carpediem.

    Thinking of you.

  • VSM
    VSM Member Posts: 345
    edited September 2011

    You're in my thoughts dear friend!

  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited September 2011

    Thanks to Leaf and VSM, you are both wonderful and I am blessed to "know" you out here in cyberspace. You have both helped so many ladies.  I am having a really bad day, so I appreciate you kind words.  {{ hugs }}

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2011

    Big hugs to you. I'm sorry you are having a bad day.

  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited September 2011

    Thanks, Turtle. I managed to get through a million things this weekend, including throwing a dinner party last night. Life goes on!  Appreciate the hugs.

  • Soccermom4force
    Soccermom4force Member Posts: 631
    edited September 2011

    Carpediem,

    Just wanted to let you know I am thinking of you... ((carpe))$

  • JanetM
    JanetM Member Posts: 336
    edited September 2011

    Thinking of you...and sending good thoughts.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2011

    Hi Carpe- did you contact your doctor? Are you doing okay? I've missed 'seeing' you on the boards...

  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited September 2011

    Hi ladies, thank you so much for checking on me! I had to put my issues on the back burner for hubby  - he is turning 50 and had his first colonoscopy yesterday so was driving him back and forth. Of course everything was perfect, he is in perfect health. After a hyster, breast surgery, et al, my sympathy level is low for a colonoscopy, I guess - he was complaining about it and it just fell on deaf ears, I guess!  Men have a pretty easy go of it, eh? 

    Now back to me, I need to make an appt. I just hate to start all of this again, know what I mean? Ugh. 

  • leaf
    leaf Member Posts: 8,188
    edited September 2011

    At least some time went by (going through your hubby's prep and colonoscopy procedure) without the intense anxiety about your situation.  (In other words, maybe irritating distraction is better than no distraction at all??)

    Its very hard pushing for getting the very best care you can get, because you know the anxiety it will cause.  Hope they can find your records soon, and get them evaluated.  

    We all hope everything is Boringly Benign; I wish we could also wave a magic wand and eliminate the anxiety.

    We're here for you, Carpe.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2011

    I would have had a hard time drumming up sympathy for your hubby too! When my hubby had his done his only comment was that it was a pain in the, uh, bottom. That's my guy.

    It is hard to start the rounds again. I'm having my appointment with my breast surgeon on Monday and I'm surprisingly nervous about it. And kind of tired of it, if you know what I mean. Like, here we go again...I need to make a list of questions for her cause I know I'll totally forget them while I'm there. Back to you Smile, is the booby any better? I'm thinking of you and sending you positive energy.

  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited September 2011

    Thanks, ladies, you are all so wonderful to support and check on me. I am still having weird feelings and strange things, I guess something is changing and I need to get to the doc.Last night in the shower I did a good self exam and didn't feel anything, although I was really scared to check, my heart was pounding. The two thickening areas are really prevalent now, though and it is amazing when I feel my right breast how pliable and different it is. Well I am procrastinating, I have much going on in my work, school and family life right now. I feel like the cup is running over already. Sigh. 

  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited October 2011

    Green Sea Turtle, VSM and others have checked on me, and I appreciate it, ladies. All of you on tnis board are amazing. 

    Just providing an update....life has been crazy on the job, travel and home front so I've put off the inevitable.  Flying back across the country yesterday, I think because I was settled with nothing to think about or do for the first time in a while - I was really noticing the sensations going on in my bad breast.  The burning sensation around the nipple is definitely stronger and happening more frequently and there is some occasional pain in the breast now, radiating a little.  I still can't feel any lumps, etc. This is probably TMI (is there such a thing out here, LOL!!) but I want to throw it out in case anyone might recognize the symptom - the other night I was having the burning sensation and looked at my nipple, noticed it was a purplish color.  Went back to normal soon after.  

    So....guess it's time to go in. I called and the first appt is Nov 3rd, so I will just keep an eye on things til then. 

  • leaf
    leaf Member Posts: 8,188
    edited October 2011

    Crossing our fingers for you, Carpe.  Its good to check out new symptoms.

  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited October 2011

    Thanks, Leaf - you are one of my favorite voices on the board. Thanks for being here for us! :-)

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited October 2011

    It's good to 'hear' from you! I'm sorry you are having increasing symptoms. It sounds like something is bothering the nerves in your breast. I'm glad you're getting them checked out too, as disheartening as it can be to do so. And more waiting until the appointment! But you're had a lot of practice at that, unfortunately. Undecided Hugs...

  • VSM
    VSM Member Posts: 345
    edited October 2011

    You know I'm out here--my thoughts are on you!

  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited October 2011

    Thanks, Ladies! That is an interesting thought about the nerves, hmmm. I wonder if a nerve is being pinched by one of these areas of increasing density? I know some of this stuff I will just have to live with as things morph and change in that breast.  Sigh.  Thanks again for being here for me, it's nice to talk to ladies who understand and care!

  • leaf
    leaf Member Posts: 8,188
    edited October 2011

    Nerves and sensation are sure strange things.  I'm not saying you had an amputation, but you've probably had surgery, thus some nerves cut. I'm sure you've heard of the phantom limb syndrome, where people who have had an amputation know they have had an amputation, but they still sense things in their missing limb.   In a Radiolab podcast, a person had their arm amputated, but has very painful cramping in their arm. He went to Dr. Ramachandran, a neurologist.  (This was NOT a delusion.  The patient knew perfectly well his arm was amputated.) The neurologist trained the patient for the pain, using smoke and mirrors.  http://www.radiolab.org/2006/may/05/phantom-limbs/

  • soulswithin
    soulswithin Member Posts: 154
    edited October 2011

    Hi Carp, yes i am having sensations like that also. It was much better when it was still numb! Have a recent one year mri and everything is good. But the radiation and 3 surgeries on it really destroyed some of the nipple and the surgery area. I believe the pain, discomfort and leatherlike changes are coming back stronger as the nerves start growing back.they did note on my mri though some fluid in the area, nurse saying thats not uncommon, just keep an eye on it. We just cant seem to get back to normal no matter how hard we try! Take care all.

  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited October 2011

    Thanks to Leaf and Souls, I really appreciate your responses and information.  I hope it is a nerve issue, I didn't think about them growing back after surgery, or still feeling things that aren't there.  It's been 4 years but things do change, with weight fluctuations, hormonal changes, et al. I am staying busy so that time goes by quickly and I don't hyper focus on the issue, it is what it is, I am doing my best to keep things under control.  Hope all of you ladies on this thread had a wonderful weekend, hugs to you and thanks for being here!

  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited November 2011

    Finally getting to the doc next week, this has been unreal. They cancelled on me once, I had to cancel the last time due to a sick child, so now will be going in on Nov 30th.  I have isolated the issue to the nipple area for sure on the "bad breast", and we can now throw itching into the mix - so a white hot burning sensation, pain and itching, maybe twice a day I will feel something weird going on there. Praying for an ultrasound, that breast is way too dense for a mammo to tell us anything. I would feel so much better psychologically with a clean ultrasound. But we'll see how it goes. Well hey, it's almost January, which is my 6 month check up! I considered putting this off til then but I decided to go in. If something is wrong, I would beat myself up tooo badly. 

    Happy Turkey Week, hope you all can rest and enjoy! 

  • VSM
    VSM Member Posts: 345
    edited November 2011

    Guess it's that time of year...I just double checked and my 6-month is in the middle of December.  Glad everyone is there so we can go through this together.  Carpediem, you know I'm glad you're going in instead of waiting!

    I'm sending wishes of family, friends, and many joys of which to be thankful this week--Happy T-day everyone!!

  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited November 2011

    Oh gosh,  I wish you lived in DC so we could do this stuff together!! :-)  Remember that I shifted my 6 months to Jul/Jan to prevent from having a pending follow up, etc hanging over my holiday season. So much for that theory! Here we go again!

    Have a great week, friend! 

  • dragonfly55
    dragonfly55 Member Posts: 235
    edited November 2011

    Hi Carpe, I am just reading this thread now. You've been dealing with these irritations for quite a while and it sounds like the feelings are changing and more intense. Good thing the docs are checking it out. Maybe they schedule for u/s and mammo so theycan a better look. It will also give you a baseline and your other records are lost in space. I hope they will find out what's happening quickly and you'll get some relief soon.



    Wishing you good health. Take care of you.

  • janemutzbauer
    janemutzbauer Member Posts: 2
    edited November 2011

    I'm new to the forum but having read your problem, I know how you feel, but  I am having a burning pain and sensitive nipple on the opposite breast. I had stage 111a, triple positive, 2 surgeries, chemo, radiation, herceptin, tamoxifen etc. Now after almost 5 years, this new pain on the other side. I had a mommogram and ultrasound both clear but am still in pain. I've also been told I have dense breast tissue which is harder to read on a mommogram. My cancer was discovered on a mommogram, but I had no lump.; just calcifications so the pain I felt was for good reason then. I don't want to think every little pain I get is cancer but you can understand that with our histories, it's natural to worry. I'm going to see my family doctor for a possible second opinion, and see what she thinks I should do. Wish me luck and I wish you the same!  

  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited November 2011

    HI dragonfly! Thanks so much for the words of support. I am getting nervous now as the appointment gets closer, so much idle time with the long holiday weekend, would rather have my usual chaotic schedule, I think!  The weather here is nice, so I've been out raking leaves and winterizing my garden, and of course today I spent a long time in the kitchen :-) 

    Jane, I am so very sorry you are having issues in your other breast now, you've already been through enough for one lifetime!  I hope it is absolutely nothing and you get the "all clear" so you can enjoy the holidays.  Sending you positive thoughts and hugs!

    My left breast is a mess  - 75% dense, two areas of increasing thickness (?), increasing calcs and already had a ductal excision. The other side is crystal clear and hardly dense at all, it is such a puzzle to me. I try not to hyper focus on the bad side so I don't imagine things.  Actually, if I feel burning pain or whatever, I think about the other side and whether I am feeling the same thing. It sounds weird but helps me isolate that yes, I do feel something.  This is all such a mental burden. I am also high risk due to family history, having a baby late, decades of birth control.  Sigh. 

    Anyhow, hope your appt goes well, when are you going in to see your doc? Hugs!   

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2011

    Good luck with your appointment on Wed. Carpe! I'm so sorry about your bad boob ( bad boob, bad!) I hope you get a definitive answer after your appointment. Big hugs to you (gently, while not smooshing the hurt boob). I've been having benign breast pain and my doctor recommended evening primrose for it. I laughed and told her that someone I knew on a message board swears by it. Here's hoping it helps me out too. And what is it you take to help you sleep? I think I need to get some of that too.

    I'm keeping you and VSM company- my 6 month MRI is Friday. Woo-hoo...

    Jane, I'm sorry you are having problems on your other side. Is it possible to have your doctor get you an MRI? With your history and having dense breasts, I think that would be the best thing for you. Take care of yourself.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2011

    Hey Miss Diem, just wanted to send you a hug and well wishes for today...

  • CameoBarbie
    CameoBarbie Member Posts: 125
    edited December 2011

    Me too, Carpediem.  Hope everything is well.   Have a good weekend. Waiting here with you.

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