can a breast lump cause loss of pulse in same side?

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Godsrosbud
Godsrosbud Member Posts: 7
edited June 2018 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

Hi everyone,

I recently found a lump on my right breast about 11 o'clock outer edge. For two weeks prior to this I was feeling like crap. Kind of like I was going to catch a cold but the symptoms never come. It's now been four weeks and I still feel like crap, I had a doctors appointment on Friday and mentioned all of my symptoms.

She felt the lump in my breast. And then went to take my pulse in that arm on my wrist. But she couldn't find it. I have a pulse in my left wrist, but no pulse in my right breast. She asked me if I had ever been told I didn't have a pulse in my right wrist. I said no, that's something I would remember!

Anyway, she has scheduled me for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. But I have a few concerns, my first concern is that the lump can really only be felt prominently if I am putting up with my arm over my head. Will the ultrasound be able to pick it up if it's done in a lying flat position? Also, she asked if the lump was "movable" I'm not sure if it's movable or not. I mean I can move it around, but my breast moves with it does that make sense?

My second question, does anyone know if the lump in my breast could be the possible cause for my lack of pulse on my right wrist? Anybody experience to that?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and share any input that you might have. Still waiting to hear from the doctors office as to when my ultrasound and mammogram are scheduled.

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  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited August 2017

    US will be able to see it in any position but if you position yourself so that you can feel it best the tech will find it faster.

    A breast US exam includes the axilla on the same side. Mention the lack of pulse to the tech and they can look at the axillary vessels for problems at the same time.

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  • Godsrosbud
    Godsrosbud Member Posts: 7
    edited August 2017

    thank you! I hadn't thought of mentioning lack of pulse to the tech!!

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  • Beatmon
    Beatmon Member Posts: 1,562
    edited August 2017

    Did the Dr. Check for your pulse in the bend (anticubital) of your arm? Is the color good in your hand? Feeling? It is hard to believe he/she couldn't find a pulse and was notalarmed. Surely they just missed it. (Not doubting your story, just hopeful you have blood flow to your arm). Let us know how you are doing.

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  • Godsrosbud
    Godsrosbud Member Posts: 7
    edited August 2017

    yes, she even used her scope and had her partner come in and try as well. She was alarmed but she said she wanted to wait until after the us and see what it said. My arm is a little more swollen than the left, and colder than the other as well.I have some shoulder discomfort but no numbness to speak of. I will say I live in a very small town. Some medical care is not something that we have a variety of choices to select from. Depending on what the mammogram and ultrasound show, if it's something I need to seek care for, I will be going and hour and a half to a larger city

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  • Godsrosbud
    Godsrosbud Member Posts: 7
    edited August 2017

    yes, she even used her scope and had her partner come in and try as well. She was alarmed but she said she wanted to wait until after the us and see what it said. My arm is a little more swollen than the left, and colder than the other as well.I have some shoulder discomfort but no numbness to speak of. I will say I live in a very small town. Some medical care is not something that we have a variety of choices to select from. Depending on what the mammogram and ultrasound show, if it's something I need to seek care for, I will be going and hour and a half to a larger city

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  • Mojojennijo
    Mojojennijo Member Posts: 173
    edited August 2017

    Did they have your arm up or down on your lap? This could be totally unrelated to what is going on for youbut I have experienced this I used to have no pulse in my left arm when they lifted my arm up for pulse. I had some tears on my rotator cuff and impingement and when they would lift my arm to take my pulse they couldn't feel it.

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  • Godsrosbud
    Godsrosbud Member Posts: 7
    edited August 2017

    Hi, she tried with my arm laying in my lap and then had me place it on the table which was about shoulder level. The other dr had me do the same in my lap, on the table, then had me stand and also had me raid my arm above my head. I do have a weak pulse in the right neck compared to the left side.

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  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited August 2017

    Godsrosbud

    Is this pulse deficit definately new or did you just never notice it before?

    Do you have any history of congenital heart or other congenital vascular defects?

    Prior surgery in the chest?

    Any acquired vascular disease?

    Are the blood pressures taken in each arm the same or different?

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  • Godsrosbud
    Godsrosbud Member Posts: 7
    edited August 2017

    Hi,


    Tbh not sure if it's new or not. I do t normally take my pulse and I haven't been to a dr in years. So it may not be anything new but this is the first time I am hearing about it.

    No history of heart problems and no surgeries in chest. They didn't take my bp on that arm just pulse:

    Got a call from the dr this morning and my mama and us are scheduled for Thursday

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2017

    May I make a suggestion? When you have your mammo/ultrasound, ask them to take your blood pressure on both arms. If there is a significant difference in your right arm (>15mm), you may have a vascular problem. Over the past year or so I've had many BP readings (left arm only as I had lymph nodes removed on the right side) and have been asked if I feel ok. My BP was very, very low. This past January I was hospitalized for what was thought to be colon cancer (it wasn't - whew) and referred to a surgeon who was very concerned by my lack of a good pulse (I coudn't feel it at all) and almost non-existant BP in my left arm.He referred me to a vascular surgeon (who had me see a neurologist for transcranial ultrasound) and I was diagnosed with subclavian stenosis. Like you, I also have a cold arm/hand and shoulder and upper arm pain and fatigue.

    All this is to to say this may not be your problem, but it is something you should follow up. Bilateral BP readings are non-invasive, simple and not time consuming.

    Best of luck on Thursday for benign results!

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  • sas-schatzi
    sas-schatzi Member Posts: 19,603
    edited August 2017

    As many have suggested here of different testing and thoughts all are valid. You didn't mention your age. I always like to start with age. You state you haven't been seen by a doc in many years, but if the radial pulse had been absent the last time you were examined, it would have been noticed.

    So, you are dealing with two problems , but the problems maybe related. Testing will show what the total problem is. But in the mean time consider the pulse problem. Throughout the body we have redundant circulation to the extremities of the forearm and many other places . The amazing body. Redundant in this message means the body has ways of providing life giving circulation to an area when an area has been cut off.

    In the arm the main artery in the upper arm is called the brachial. In x amount of the population it splits above the crook in the arm, and x amount of the population it splits just below the crook of the arm. The artery feeds both sides of he hand. There is the ulnar artery on the little finger side and the radial artery that feeds the thumb side. It meets in the middle of the palm . So, if there is an interruption of circulation the right can help the left, and the the left can help the right. To appoint.

    If you place fingers on the ulnar --little finger side at the wrist, you can feel a pulse.

    The importance is presence. If both are absent the hand is in jeapordy.

    You don't describe that

    BUT you describe swelling and coldness. BUT and it's a HUGE but you didn't describe discoloration.

    If there was a complete block on the Brachial artery coming off the axillary artery , You would have much greater symptoms. Not to say that you don't have a problem. But since no one tested the ulnar artery. I question at what level the dysfunction is..

    Plus, since the ulnar wasn't assessed we don't know. the whole picture. The ulnar is intact , other wise you would be in great distress.

    But since you didn't describe worse symptoms, i.e. hand turning blue. You are at least for the moment good.

    If symptoms change or worsen go to the ER. Do not hesitate or second guess your self.

    You could have a clot in the system. OR pressure on the artery from a tumor. BUT your desrcription doesn't follow that pattern either because there would be much more symptoms in the hand. i.e pain, extremity turning from whit to blue , coldness would be horribly uncomfortable. These symptoms need to be seen right away.

    Not written to create fear..... meant to help

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  • Godsrosbud
    Godsrosbud Member Posts: 7
    edited August 2017

    thank you so much for all the information. Will for sure be following up on everything. Had my mammogram and us today. 11cm mass at 11:30. The radiologist said she was to worried about the findings on either the Mamo or us but wants to do a biopsy because of the size. So I go back in 2 weeks to have a us guided biopsy done.

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  • Territ272
    Territ272 Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2018

    Hi, I have a B.S. in Kinesiology for exercise nutrition and wellness, I have taken exercise prescription and clinical exercise physiology. We where told not to use radial pulse in arm on side of the client had breast cancer for fitness test. This sounds very normal, it is very weak and not to be trusted for accuracy.

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