Terrified.. Newlywed... Cannot sleep

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MrsMurph
MrsMurph Member Posts: 12
edited August 2019 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

I don't know where to begin. I'll try my best here.

I'm 28, turning 29 in January. Just got married 9/29. I've been having all sorts of widespread body burning and spasms since the second week of August that sent me down a rabbit hole of believing I have ms. I suffer from anxiety and depression, so my mds brushed most off to that but still proceeded to move forward with neuro tests to rule it out. C-Spine MRI, EMG/NCS of my arms, brain and brain stem MRI, and an EEG. All coming back clear. About two and a half weeks ago my symptoms started to somewhat subside. I started feeling a bit better. Then one night I got in bed and felt a searing hot, stabbing pain run through my left breast. The burning moved into my armpit. The pain then briefly jumped to the right side as well, but predominantly in the left. I decided to self exam and found a lump at 6 o'clock on the left. I am a DD (formerly DDD before weight loss) and have dense, fibrocystic breasts. However there is a noticeable difference in the left. I started my period Monday and it ended today. I went to my gp and she referred me for u/s and mammo at the breast center this coming Wednesday. She's noted breast thickening on the outer edges on both sides, severe fibrocystic breasts and a nodule at 6 o'clock on the left. She says it feels like a large cluster of “lychee balls" and laughed and said not to worry. I'm sorry but I'm pretty worried. I have stabbing, burning breast, armpits, and rib pains. Convinced my body pain is from bone mets everywhere. Literally can't sleep. Husband thinks I'm insane.

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  • Racy
    Racy Member Posts: 2,651
    edited October 2017

    Hello MrsMurph. It is possible that your symptoms, especially the pains, are not related to cancer but it is good that you are having the breast lump investigated. You are not insane.

    I'm not sure what to make of your doctor laughing. I hope it means you don't have anything serious. At least she has taken the matter seriously enough to refer you for tests.

    Let us know the outcome of your tests on Wednesday.


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  • MrsMurph
    MrsMurph Member Posts: 12
    edited October 2017

    Thank you for replying Racy. I’ve never been so scared in my life. My maternal grandmother passed from bc in her 50s. I’m so upset I can’t function.

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited October 2017

    MrsMurph, I am sorry that you're here and worried about your breast health. Do get any new or concerning symptoms checked out, but if they don't find anything that correlates with your pain, you might want to read through this thread: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/83/topics/857903?page=1#post_5028462

    as there are many common, b9 causes of breast pain. Good luck!

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  • Racy
    Racy Member Posts: 2,651
    edited October 2017

    MrsMurph, I understand how you feel; almost paralised with fear.

    When you have your scans on Wednesday, the radiologist will either decide the area of concern is benign, or will recommend a biopsy which, unfortunately, will mean more waiting.

    Be sure to ask for your Birads score and a copy of the radiologist's report. This will give you more information about the likelihood of the area being cancer. Birads 4 or 5 is of most concern but even then does not automatically mean cancer. It means a biopsy is needed.

    Thinking of you at this stressful time.

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  • MrsMurph
    MrsMurph Member Posts: 12
    edited October 2017

    Hi Racy,

    So, I went to get my u/s and mammo and the tech said "It looks like we're just doing an u/s", and I got upset and said I was told I would be getting both and she said only the u/s was ordered. She rolled around for a while and I actually had to ask about the nodule and she said "Your provider didn't mention a nodule, just breast thickening", so I had to show her where it was. She took images and left and said she was going to show the Dr. She came back in and said I was free to go, and that the Dr only saw dense breasts and didn't even see any nodules/cysts. I was very upset and in tears and said I have a family hx, and I would really like an MRI or mammogram to be sure as I was having a lot of non-cyclic pain and my lymph node in my arm pit felt painful and swollen. I questioned her on those symptoms as well. She said she could not authorize further testing as my provider didn't order it, and that she is young with bc hx as well and that dense breast tissue is totally normal, however couldn't offer any explanation about anything else. I am so frustrated. Since then I have had horrible stabbing pains in my ribs, arms, and shoulder blades/back. It is mostly a burning sensation and occasional sharp bug biting sensation in both breasts now. Now I go see a new GYN tomorrow morning to tell her about my continuing symptoms and see if I can get more comprehensive imaging done. I am so scared that I have mets. Anyway, I will update as I find more out. Can't function.

    Jenna

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

    MrsMurph

    If it makes you feel any better it would be very unusual to have wide spread metastatic disease to bone without an obvious mass on physical exam and ultrasound. Did they look at those lymph nodes during the US exam?

    That being said, for your reassurance I believe an MRI would be very helpful. It will show the entirety of both breasts, the chest wall and the lymph nodes under each arm. If that is completely normal it might help you to accept what you are experiencing is not related to breast cancer. And if that is the case you might want to have those symptoms evaluated as well.

    As I have mentioned to others, some insurance companies may not pay for an MRI if you have not first had a mammogram and ultrasound or if you have had those and they were read as normal. Call your insurance company for details regarding this. If you pay for an exam yourself I don't believe they can prevent you from having it done.

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited October 2017

    MrsMurphy, I have read numerous times on these boards that mammography wasn't offered to young women, because it isn't great "seeing" through dense tissue. If you are speaking to your new gyn, why don't you talk to her about 3d mammo (tomosythensis), which is much better at dense tissue. I do understand your frustration and hope your new provider can be of more assistance to you.

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  • Racy
    Racy Member Posts: 2,651
    edited October 2017

    MrsMurph, I'm sorry if you were not treated well by the tech who did your ultrasound.

    Have you booked a follow up visit with the referring doctor? And did you get a copy of the radiologist's report? If not, please attend to these matters.

    I hope you are able to have good communication with your gynaecologist and primary doctor so that your concerns are addressed to your satisfaction.

    And let us know what's in that report.


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  • Racy
    Racy Member Posts: 2,651
    edited October 2017

    I imagine your distress is now magnified as a result of your experience at the radiology clinic. Try to get past that by telling yourself that you will continue taking steps until you get the answers you need.

    At this stage, you have been told that you don't have cancer. Try to let that advice also help to reduce your distress.

    The pattern of pains you are experiencing doesn't sound like cancer. Could your anxiety and distress be causing some of these symptoms?

    I am not in any way dismissing your concerns but want to encourage you to try to reduce your emotional response so that you can proceed calmly step by step towards resolving this situation You will also feel better if you are able to be calmer.

    I note you are being treated for psychological problems which also may heighten your distress. Can you use strategies you have learnt such as mindfulness to help allay your distress during this time?

    If you do have cancer, I am confident it will be found, assuming your doctors are good ones! If in doubt about that, get new doctors.

    Also, you can ask for a referral to a breast surgeon.

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  • MrsMurph
    MrsMurph Member Posts: 12
    edited October 2017

    Hi djmammo,

    Thank you for that. They looked at the nodes and I guess they noted that they were seen but that they weren't notable by their size. This morning I woke up with a slightly swollen, painful node in my anterior cervical neck area as well. I saw the GYN and she has referred me to a breast specialist in our area to evaluate and order any further tests. She felt the nodes and said they didn't feel suspicious of malignancy (squishy, palpable). Hoping to get some answers soon. Thanks for your reply.

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  • MrsMurph
    MrsMurph Member Posts: 12
    edited October 2017

    Hi Racy,

    I followed up with my GYN this morning and she read the report to me, however I do not have a copy of it yet. She referred me to a breast specialist so I am waiting to hear from them to schedule an appointment. I have a swollen small node in my neck that just popped up overnight. Pretty worried but just have to hang in here to see what the specialist has to say. The Dr didn't seem concerned about how the nodes felt... But still losing my mind. Trying to breathe. Thank you for all of your help. I'm trying to manage my anxiety and depression as best as I can.

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  • MrsMurph
    MrsMurph Member Posts: 12
    edited November 2017

    Hi djmammo,

    This is my report:

    Clinical History:Bilateral upper outer quadrant thickening and left axillary pain.

    Findings: Real-time grayscale ultrasound was performed in the areas of clinical concern. No mass, cyst, or other sonographic abnormality was detected, No suspicious axillary adenopathy.

    Impression: No sonographic evidence of malignancy. No imaging correlate to the clinical abnormality. Recommend clinical follow up. Recommend annual screening mammography to begin at age 40 or as clinically appropriate.

    BI-RADS Category:1 Negative


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

    MrsMurph

    That's great news!

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  • MrsMurph
    MrsMurph Member Posts: 12
    edited November 2017

    I hope so! Should this be promising that it is not cancer? I am worried about the lymph nodes. The node in my neck is an anterior cervical swollen node..

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  • Racy
    Racy Member Posts: 2,651
    edited November 2017

    MrsMurph, that report appears to be thorough and conclusive. Your doctor can discuss it with you.

    It is good that you are following up on your concerns but I think you can breathe easier based on that report.

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

    MrsMurph

    With normal breast and axillary imaging, that cervical node, even if actually enlarged, would be unrelated to your breast symptoms.

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  • Bird-of-light
    Bird-of-light Member Posts: 167
    edited August 2019

    djmammo,

    I have a hard and painful lymph node about an inch or two under my ear near my jaw line on the side the cancer was. Should I be concerned

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  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited August 2019

    Bird-of-light

    Enlarged nodes should always be evaluated, just remember it may not be related to your prior breast cancer.

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  • bluepearl
    bluepearl Member Posts: 961
    edited August 2019

    I am so glad everything turned out not cancer!!! That said, nerve pain feels like burning, stabbing, itching and numbness so you may want to follow up on that. It could be your high level of anxiety and/or depression, which can create bodily pains. The function of nodes is to trap "disease". When my ear lobe gets infected by wearing pierced earrings, I get sore nodes under my jaw. I have stopped wearing earings. Teeth can do it was well. And bug bites,

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  • Bird-of-light
    Bird-of-light Member Posts: 167
    edited August 2019

    djmammo,

    The BS says she will see me in a week if it is still hard. Thanks

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