Large swelling under armpit scared

JUSTME5
JUSTME5 Member Posts: 7
edited August 2017 in Lymphedema

My mom had dcis (intermediate to high grade and In one place there was microinvasion of 1 mm, comedo necrosis as well ) in a few ducts in her left breast back in 2012, lymph nodes were taken out and tested as well and were all clean. A mastectomy was performed without radiation and she's been on tamoxifen for 5 years already. Her last mammogram from November 2015 were perfectly clean. Now she has a really big area in armpit on the same side of surgery that is swollen, but it's not like a hard lump but a big soft swollen mass, almost like a little breast between armpit and the scar (about an egg size. She says it's been there for almost a year but only recently got bigger. Sadly she didn't think it was a cause for concern but I'm really paranoid when it comes to things like that. So today shes been to the doctor (a surgeon, not an oncologist), he examined it and he said it "looks like breast tissue" and he also wrote that there aren't abnormalities on chest wall. He scheduled for her an ultrasound test and mammogram. Her general feeling is good, she doesn't feel sick at all. I can't stop thinking about it and I cried all day long :(((((( I don't know how'll I cope until the results. I can't think of anything else.

I'm really scared it might be a reoccurrence

At first I thought maybe it's lymphedema and then I was told that it usually affects the entire hand and arm and not just under the arm.. so i wanted to ask you girls of anyone had something Similar with lymphedema affecting only the armpit area?

Sacred and confused :(

Thank you!!

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Comments

  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited August 2017

    Justme5, lymphedema can affect the underarm area, the side, the chest/breast, and/or the back on the affected side. Some women have only truncal lymphedema (that is, their arm and hand is not affected). Others have localized swelling in only one spot--for instance, there are some women whose lymphedema is just a small area near the elbow. So, yes, lymphedema could be your mom's problem.

    Lymphedema can "flare" too, if your mom was doing something strenuous with that arm, for instance. So the fact that it's larger recently doesn't rule out lymphedema.

    That said, always great when you can get the testing to rule out other concerns. If none of that turns up any answers, do make sure she gets a referral to a well-qualified lymphedema therapist soon. Here's how to find one near you:

    http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified...

    Greet your mom for us, and please do keep us posted. Gentle hugs to both of you,
    Binney

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  • JUSTME5
    JUSTME5 Member Posts: 7
    edited August 2017

    hey binney4 thank you so much for your reply!

    I thought it was soemthing that doctors could easily identify when seeing it. My mom actually works REALLY hard with that hand (in a factory) and there's a lot of pressure on it. But she's been doing it for many years, so lymphedema can suddenly appear anyways?

    Thanks a lot I really appreciate it!

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited August 2017

    Hi, Justme,

    Goodness, yes--lymphedema can show up years later. A very nasty surprise. We've had women here with new lymphedema 26 years out. As for doctors recognizing it, that's one of the bigger problems we face. Surgeons don't often see it, since they usually release patients shortly after surgery. Oncologists figure it's the surgeon's problem. Radiation oncologists rarely consider it, especially since radiation itself can cause some transient swelling. Our medical schools spend very little time on the lymph system, so even our PCPs are unlikely to know much about it or be able to diagnose it readily (much less be able to refer us to the appropriately-trained therapist). So, just one of those things we need to gain knowledge about and advocate for ourselves.

    Do let us know what you discover!

    Gentle hugs,
    Binney

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  • Jennie93
    Jennie93 Member Posts: 1,018
    edited August 2017

    Justme - yes! I have LE in one specific spot. And it appeared overnight. It's right in front of the armpit, between the armpit and the top end of the scar. It waxes and wanes, so to speak, on its own schedule, nothing I do seems to make any difference. The swelling is soft and tender, downright painful if anything pokes it.

    As far as getting anyone to diagnose it?? HA! That was a ridiculously long frustrating process. You really do need a real LE specialist.




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