Any Input Please...Lump and Constant Pain in Left Breast
I have posted in the "Not Diagnosed but Worried" category with no response... I am just looking for anyone who can comment, give advice, etc.
Aside from a few days here and there, I have had constant left breast pain for 4 months. There is a small lump. It's at about 2 O'clock. I have been told by 2 doctors, 1 breast surgeon and 1 radiologist that it's nothing to worry about. What worries me is that is just showed up all the sudden...
Here is my story:
I am 25 years old, with no known history of BC in the family. The night before Easter of this year, I was woken up by pain in my left breast when my cat stepped on me. I didn't think much of it, but when I felt the spot I noticed a lump. I made an appointment at my gyno right away. I saw a nurse practitioner. After feeling the lump and seeing how much pain I was in, she told me it was probably a cyst but sent me for an ultrasound at a breast clinic. The radiologist told me the lump was a "swollen lymph node" and there was nothing to worry about. I questioned him - so he found another lymph node on my neck and tried to show me that they looked the same on the screen - which I did not agree with.
From there, I waited until my annual appointment at my gyno, which happened in June. (This time I saw my usual doctor, not the nurse practitioner.) I told my doctor that I was still in a lot of pain, and the lump was still there. When I say pain, I mean anything triggers it. Hugs, rolling over in my sleep, leaning against it...God forbid I ever take a soccer ball to the chest. Anyways, she told me she wasn't concerned, but sent me to a "well known" breast surgeon for a second opinion.
I saw the breast surgeon in early July. When she took a look at my ultrasound, she said "well, not much to see there," and said she didnt see anything weird, abnormal or suspicious. In fact, she said she couldn't even feel the lump, and I was like really? And she said "Yeah. Both breasts are just lumpy in general." She told me that I probably just have painful breasts, which can happen to many women, and to reduce my coffee intake and take vitamin E and evening primrose oil, and wants to see me back in 6 weeks. She also said she doesn't think it's the lymph node (which is what the radiologist saw on the US) that is causing me pain. Needless to say I was pretty disappointed with that "answer."
After 4 opinions and an ultrasound, I am still not satisfied with the findings. I have a strange feeling that all is NOT well. If there is nothing wrong, why am I in so much pain?
What the pain is like: As I said, it's worse when it's trigged (knocking, leaning, hugging, rolling over) but there is also a generalized pain that is there most of the time. Not severe, but just enough to be annoying. It's a tender soreness type of pain.
I just worry that I am being brushed off by the doctors because of my age. But things like this are taken seriously at any age...right??? I don't know what to do now. Demand a biopsy...mammogram...removal? Just wait for my follow up August 27th with the surgeon?
Comments
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I would demand a biopsy. You are probably fine but your story sounds so similar to mine. I would demand a biopsy!! That is what I did and I am glad I did since I had triple negative breast cancer!! My breast started hurting and I was getting a shooting pain. I was still breast feeding my daughter my daughter so I figured the pain was from that. Then one day my daughter bumped into my breast and it really hurt so I reached down and felt a lump. It seemed to appear out of no where. I called my Gyno and he sent me for an ultrasound. Well since I was young (35), breastfeeding, and it hurt, they brushed it off as a cyst or clogged duct. They saw the lump on an ultrasound and they said it appeared to be normal because it was perfectly round but they couldn't tell me what it was. They said it looked benign and to come back in 6 months. That didn't sit well with me so I demanded to see a breast surgeon. She tried to drain it and it was solid. They did a biopsy and it was cancer. I am not saying your lump is cancer because it is most likely not, but the only way to know for sure is to get a biopsy!!
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Thank you so much for your reply. I try to tell myself it is probably nothing. But like you said, it seemed to appear out of nowhere. I know 25 is young, and chances are rare - but not impossible! I will call the breast surgeon tomorrow. Thanks again for responding.
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Hi ldubs,
You need to get it checked. In my experience, it is not sufficient to say 'nothing to worry about' when they cannot tell you what it is. In fact, mammos are 80% accurate - so that means of course there are 20% NOT detectable my mammo - mostly young women with dense breasts. I had the pain that you describe in my left breast plus a raised area. I had already been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in my right breast and finished chemo and rads for that. I knew now that there was something wrong in my left breast. I had a mammo and ultrasound and it showed nothing. They did a biopsy because of my previous history. It turned out to be 4cm of high grade, early stage triple negative breast cancer again. I am in my 40's so older than you - but women need to be aware that they need to establish what is normal for them and then report any changes which persist over a month. In truth, your medical professionals cannot make an accurate diagnosis until they biopsy the area. As you are 25, the chances are that this is nothing - but you are right to get it checked out.
All the best to you!
Karen.
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Hi,
I am going through a similar thing to you. I have a 1 year old daughter and I am 27, since April of this year I found two hard lumps in the top inner quadrant of my left breast. I went to the doctors and was sent to the breast clinic for an ultrasound. The ultrasound came back clear and was put down to nodular glandular tissue. A month later I had pain in the same breast but near my arm pit I found another lump went back to the doctors and was sent for another ultrasound. Again I was told its normal glandular tissue. This morning I was checking my breasts and I have found two / three new lumps under my breast in the bottom inner quadrant at about the 7 o'clock position. I am really worried why these lumps keep popping up. I don't no if I sound go back to the doctors? I get pain in my breast when hugging, bending over and if my daughter rests her head on my chest. Please share your thoughts with me.
Many thanks
Holly -
I hope you persued this & had an ultra sound & biopsy? I found a lump, 6 o clock position, about a month ago. Because it hurt, every one I mentioned it to said it was a cyst because BC tumors don't cause pain. The pains are sharp fast & stabbing. The more movement, leaning over, or picking things up causes more pain.
I have had all the tests, it is cancer. I will be having surgery in a week or so.
Good luck!
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Idubs182 and Holly: I totally agree with all the above posts, demand that they do a biopsy as that is the only way to know for sure and the doctors know this as well. If you are like me I have very Fibrocystic breast tissue and I had one lump discovered not by the mammo but by ultrasound and another lump was missed by the mammo and US and only found with an MRI. I have Invasive Lobular Carcinoma and it is a very hard cancer to find compared to the dense breast tissue. It is probably nothing but you don't need to continue to worry over this. Ask for the biopsy and if you are refused go to other doctors until one will listen and address your concerns.
Love, Rayna
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