Itchy, flattened nipple, thick patch on areola

Options
TRACYLG
TRACYLG Member Posts: 9
edited February 2018 in Not Diagnosed But Worried
  • Hi there - I have been experiencing symptoms for several months now that first started as insane itching on my left nipple only. Dr gave me a steroid cream which has helped off and on, but I have also noticed that my left nipple has changed and now looks different than my right one. It is flatter (not inverted) and there is a rough patch on part of the areola as well, and there is halo like ring around the nipple on the areola. My last exam was 6 months ago and my gyno told me it isn't Paget's. I don't think my nipple was as flat at that time, and feel like it has changed since I saw him. I am going for my annual 3D mammogram in a few weeks, and I feel like I am just worrying too much, but I have a huge family history. I'm wondering if anyone else has had similar symptoms and if your nipple inverted, over what period of time did that occur? Also, just a note that my gynecologist is also an oncologist and has followed me closely because of my family history. Thanks so much.
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Lezlie21
    Lezlie21 Member Posts: 16
    edited August 2017

    You lucked out with your Gynecologist! That is a great team to have in this situation. May I ask your age? I have had itchiness that drove me insane for 7 weeks and all the sudden slowly subsiding with nothing changing. My doc things its fibrocistic disease, and said to lay off caffeine, that would make it worse, but mam scheduled. I decided to test that theory out. I drank even more caffeine. I was only having coffee, and a half a DC a day. Now 10 ozs coffee, full diet coke and sometimes a half, the pain and itchiness subsides, not increases like she said it would if I drank more, if it is FC disease. So there! I say.. However, yes, my nipples used to poke out, be full. Now they sorta lay flat and inside now. Weird. Also the right one discharged clear fluid and the areola is much thicker on that one than the other. The other I can pick up the skin, this right one, I cant.

    I think the 3D will be great to have. Just know that the survival rate and outcomes are soooo much better these days. You will be in great hands and I will support you though this! Know you can come here any time to vent. It is good you are keeping up on this, given your family history. Hang in there and try not to worry. You got this!


    Leslie

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TRACYLG
    TRACYLG Member Posts: 9
    edited August 2017

    Hi Leslie - Thank you for your response. I am 47 years old. My maternal grandmother and one of her sisters had breast cancer, the other one ovarian. My mom passed from lung cancer 20 years ago. I am actually BRCA negative (tested because of family history + Ashkenazi Jewish heritage), and my sister is BRCA negative, but my aunt and cousin were both positive. Even though theoretically I am back in the regular pool statistically since I am BRCA negative, my gyno is still treating me as high risk given the family history. I know I worry too much, and hopefully this is nothing, but I have also read of people with the exact same symptoms who ended up being positive for some sort of BC. My itching has actually subsided over the past month or so, so now I am thinking I am making too big of a deal about it, but I also feel like you can never be too careful...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TRACYLG
    TRACYLG Member Posts: 9
    edited September 2017

    Hi. Not sure if anyone is still following this, but I don't know what to do and am looking for some guidance. I had both a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound, and there were no findings. The radiologist did examine me and can feel a rough/thickened patch of skin on my areola, so I'm not crazy. She briefly explained about Paget's and suggested that I could follow up with my dermatologist if I wanted. But she left it up to me, she definitely didn't seem too concerned. I don't know if I am overreacting and should just let this go, or if I should go back to the dermatologist. My symptoms are intermittent itching (some days I have none) on one section of the areola and nipple, and a slightly rough/thicker patch of skin on the areola. Sometimes the nipple is a darker shade of red than my other one, but not always. I have tried two different creams from the dermatologist and they seem to work somewhat, but then the symptoms come back when I stop using them. I feel like I am making all of this up in my head. Has anyone been diagnosed with Paget's without a red, crusty, angry lesion? Thank you!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited September 2017

    Hi Tracy, so I would go based on what the radiologist recommended. If you want to continue to pursue treatment (and who wouldn't if you continue to have symptoms), then continue working with the dermatologist. It sounds like the radiologist wasn't concerned about Paget's (or any type of bc, based on the diagnostic), so I might try not to focus on what you think it is, but on what the dermatologist thinks it is (and how she intends to treat it). You got some relief from the creams she prescribed, but a rebound of the symptoms upon discontinuation. That actually might give the dermatologist more information for her diagnostic process. I am sorry that you are still having symptoms, but congratulations on having clear diagnostics and "no paget's" per the radiologist!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TRACYLG
    TRACYLG Member Posts: 9
    edited February 2018

    Hi there. So I finally went back to the dermatologist and she wants to do a biopsy based on the fact that this itching has been going on for over a year and my family history of BC. She told me that there would be a scar, do you know how bad that would be? I feel like I have no other choice but to do it, but now I am scared. She told me that with Paget's, there is often an underlying BC that is often undetected on ultrasound and mammogram.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited February 2018

    Sorry, I don't have any idea about the scar from a punch biopsy! Your dermatologist should be able to tell you though. Good luck!


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited February 2018

    TRACYLG and others

    Admittedly this is a little outside my field of expertise but I have personally had a punch biopsy (forearm, sutured closed) as well as one where a scalpel was used to unceremoniously slice an odd looking patch of skin from my face (both benign).

    I too wondered about the scarring but for aftercare they cave me several packets of sterile (and let me emphasize sterile here) petroleum jelly and was told to keep the areas covered with the jelly at all times during healing. To this day I cannot find either of the 2 biopsy sites.

    Click Here for a page from the American Academy of Dermatologists about wound care and how to minimize scarring.

    (Please follow your doctors advice when given, as this page is a set of general guidelines.)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories