Persistent breast/armpit soreness. Your thoughts?
Hi everyone. I appreciate this forum where we can ask questions if we're not diagnosed, but concerned.
In May, I began having left sided breast and armpit tenderness or soreness. It is not constant, but it is persistent. It has been there every day, on and off during the day, for over two months. It is not a sharp pain, but a dull aching type pain. One day a few days ago it was a little sharper, but has gone back to the usual ache. It is on the left side of my left breast, I'd say on the border of my armpit.
I saw a NP at my OBs office who felt no lump or anything unusual, but ordered a mammo and ultrasound to be safe. I had those done and they were normal (she compared these images with my baseline images from 2 1/2 years ago). That has given me some relief.
But, I have to say that the persistence of it still has me concerned. Could there be something there that they're not feeling/seeing (I know mammo and ultrasound still can miss things). I have very dense breasts. I know it is often said that breast cancer doesn't cause soreness or pain, but all you have to do is read these boards to know that's not always the case.
I'd just like your thoughts. Has anyone experienced something similar? Should I pursue further testing--an MRI? I don't know if they'd even approve one for me. Just not sure if I should just accept this as something "normal" or keep looking for answers. There has to be something causing this. I'm 38, btw.
Thanks.
Comments
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I am dealing with the same thing! Ugh! It began back in March and has been constant since then only it is my right boob. It feels like I have a rubber band running from the bottom of my boob to my armpit. Nonstop achiness with occassional sharp twinges. Normal mammogram and ultrasound. Dense breasts. I feel a lump but the doc I saw didn't. It is maddening! I think I will pursue more testing for myself since it has been going on six months now. Good luck! I hate subtle or ambiguous symptoms.
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It is frustrating. I wish I could either figure out what is causing it or it would would just go away. The frequent feeling of it is just a constant reminder that it's still there! And, it can get quite bothersome at times. Sometimes I feel a strange sensation in my entire breast and even around my nipple area. I don't know if I'm so hyperaware right now that I'm just feeling everything! I have my annual appt on 9/5. I may just wait until then to have another breast exam and talk about more testing. Unless, of course, it gets worse before that. I'm just not sure what to do.
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Yes. My MRI looked okay on that side.
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What does your doctor say? If you haven't spoken with your doctor, why not follow up with him/her with your concerns?
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I found a lump and had all kinds of tests. All ok so far but I have also had the aching, throbbing, burning/itching on my left side (same as my lump). I would love to hear any of your responses. I hope we all get to the bottom of it! Best wishes to you!!
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I went back to my OBs office and saw the same NP I saw 2 months ago. I asked for another thorough breast exam which she did. She is not feeling anything abnormal. She reviewed the results of my mammo and ultrasound which were normal. I asked about further testing and she told me what I already knew which is that there's no way my insurance will pay for a MRI without an established medical reason to do one. She said she's had trouble getting them approved lately for women with a history of bc! She originally said she'd bring me back in 6 months and if nothing is better we'll repeat everything then. She then changed that to 2 months. My annual happens to be on 9/5, so I'll see how I'm doing then. Since my original post I've begun to also have pain in my right armpit--it is different than the left-sided aching I am having (I thought it was a lymph node, but she doesn't feel one). I am going to try very hard to get my mind off of this for a while including reading so much online. I've got myself so worried and convinced I've got some insidious cancer that I'm making myself sick. Hopefully, this will resolve on its own and if it does not, in another couple of months we'll start testing all over. Good luck to everyone.
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did you ever get a diagnosis for this? I have the EXACT same thing. I've been to four doctors and no one can give me an answer. I'm in so much pain
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