My doctor says its mastitis but I think IBC

Thanks Alicki.  Are you in the UK?  I would need to go private to the Royal Marsden but think that is what I might have to do.  Trouble is it's the same medical teams whether private or NHS. I don't have medical insurance but have some money put by.  I will speak to my GP about a referral.

Has anyone heard of lupus mastitis? Came across the condition when researching the arm/hand/finger swelling and tingling am now experiencing.  Also I seem to be getting a rash in different parts of my body - probably caused by stress and anxiety. Breast is now feeling less engorged and painful and the lumpy areas under the skin has also reduced.  What the heck is going on?  Am going to pop round to the local A&E and see what they say.  Thanks folks for the advice and interest.

Prior to my breasts becoming red, swollen and painful I had been under the weather for some days, very tired with flu-like symptoms and slight chills but not enough for me to stay off work.  I just dosed up on pain killers and carried on.  Then my throat started to hurt and my glands came up in my neck.  I had also had a series of mouth ulcers over the preceding weeks which I had put down to stress and over work.  So yes definitiely something going on.  The onset of these current symptoms happened a few days after those first initial flu-like symptoms, instense buring sensation in the right breast, pain radiating from the armpit along the side of the breast and feeling generally unwell. I initially put it down to a virus.  Then of course the breast got red and swollen and that is when I went to the GP after googling symptoms. Am just hoping against hope that it is something else but in my heart am pretty sure it is IBC.

I didn't go to A&E in the end.  The staff were dealing with some children and were busy so I left. (it's a small A&E in a country town) I know I am panicking hopefully unnecessarily.  Breasts feel bit better this morning, though still red less swollen though Lymph nodes still sore and further lymph nodes up on my rib cage which weren't there before. Swelling in arm is also down a little but I am having pain and discomfort in my left shoulder blade. Can mastitis can spread from one breast to the other if ths is what I have.  However a friend told me yesterday that a friend of hers was plagued by sore, red burning breasts for over a year as a result of hormonal changes during menopause.  She's coming back to me with more informaton but this has given me some hope.

I will try and stay away from google but what did I do this morning on getting up?  Opened up my laptop and googled IBC symptoms. I will be ringing my hospital first thing Monday and insisting on a earlier appointment.

Sorry to be on a downer I don't mean to fuel the general anxiety for everyone with my fears.

Take care all.

Went to A&E this afternoon as had chest pains and numbness in my arm.  Just got back home. No sign of heart trouble so doctor attributing it to what is going on with my breast.  A lady doctor examined my breasts and admitted that she could feel some thickening and that I was doing the right thing going to the breast clinic.  She also thought it a good idea to call them tomorrow to try and get an earlier appointment.  Course that has just made me more anxious. Boobs are not as swollen and rash has faded.  It was actually strangely comforting being in a hospital rather than worrying at home.  I just hope I wont have to spend more time there in the future.

Thanks faerie111

When I got home last night and when I woke early this morning my breasts felt almost back to normal, minimal rash soft and floppy. Even the tenderness had reduced and I thoughyt yey, I imagined it all. Went back to sleep for a couple of hours to wake just now to both breasts swollen, rash looking like a mass of tiny red veins under the skin and lumpy pink rash elsewhere and what even my partner admitted to  what looks like pitting in the skin (this has now faded)  Got pain in my shoulder blade and lower back.  What is going on? Can symptoms fluctute so wildly by the hour?  Please let me know how you get on at your appointment.  And good luck - hope for the best kind of news. x

Appointment tomorrow at 2.40m.  Very nervous as have now found lumps and lymph nodes popping up on rib cage and groin so whatever it is seems to be spreading.  Will post outcome tomorrow.

Breasts feel back to normal.  Rash/reddening has almost entirely faded except for under each breast.  Lymph nodes also not as tender.  Could antibiotics have worked or could it be linked to the fact that I stopped taking my anti-cholesterol medication Lipitor two days ago.  Looked up side effects and burning pains and swelling/rashes including on breasts is one of them.  Now feel like a fraud as got an emergency appointment at breast clinic based on having IBC symptoms.  Still attending my appointment at clinic though as can still feel lumps under nipple and to the side which feel different to what was there before all this started.  Hope everyone else doing well. x