Swollen, sore mass: Urgent Care or wait until Tuesday?
History: I am 48, still get periods, breastfed two children who are now 9 and 14. In 2003, I had a lump in my right breast. Mammogram, ultrasound, needle biopsy determined it was fibroadenoma. Whew! Had surgery to remove it. Zero issues with either breast since. Until a few days ago. I came down with a random, sudden low-grade fever. Chills, a bit of fatigue, but nothing too awful. I couldn't figure out what it was, but it went away the next day. A few hours later i notice my right breast is tender. I don't think twice about it because my period is due, and boobs are weird. Then, that evening, the fever comes back. It's still low, but at 100.8 it's higher than it was the night before. My breast is considerably more tender, and sore to the touch. It's the right side of my right breast, the same area where I had the fibroadenoma removed.
I keep thinking it's just period related, and assume it will go away in time. I feel for a lump and all I can feel is a thick, dense mass with no discernible borders. Now I am slightly alarmed. It feels like mastitis and clogged milk ducts, that's the closest way I can think to describe it. But I haven't breastfed my "baby" in over six years (she nursed until she was about 3.5 years old). When I got in the shower last night, I was shocked to see that the sore area is indeed red and inflamed. In the mirror, I can see that the redness wraps around most of the right side of my right breast. Now I'm freaking the f out. My fever is gone, which is a slight relief. However, I can't get past the fear that I might have inflammatory breast cancer. I should add that I cannot stay away from Dr. Google and I also have a tendency to assume the worst immediately.
I obviously know I need to see a doctor soon, but I'm assuming I will need diagnostic imaging and likely a biopsy. I am a single mom to two daughters, and I have sole physical custody. We have lost six close family members in the past five years, four to cancer. My mom was one of them, and she beat colorectal cancer in 2007 but succumbed to a short, awful battle with uterine cancer in 2016. No family history of breast cancer. My kids are emotionally fragile due to all the loss and trauma they've endured and I do NOT want to freak them out by suddenly dragging them to urgent care on a holiday weekend.
I'm scared and anxious but I'm holding it together fine, probably because I have had so much practice over the past few years. Am I being foolish by deciding to wait until Tuesday to see a doctor? Would urgent care even be able to do anything?
Thank you so much for reading. This is my first post here and I was so relieved to find this forum.
Edit: I seriously doubt it's relevant, but since lymphatic vessels can be a factor in IBC, I wanted to add that I was diagnosed with secondary lymphedema in June 2017. I've never had cancer before so I don't know how/why I developed it. I had two c-sections, 2004 and 2009, and a hypertensive brain bleed in 2015 (fortunately did not need surgery for that, just 8 days in CCU/ICU combined).
Comments
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I think that the most they could do in urgent care would be to write you a prescription for imaging (diagnostic mammogram+u/s). I would be surprised if they had the expertise to weigh in either way themselves.
That might be worth doing IF you knew there was an imaging center where you could follow up before Tuesday anyway, or if there were an urgent care near you that had that kind of diagnostic imaging on site.
Overall though, I don't think you're being crazy to wait until Tuesday. If you have access to a nurse advice line through your insurance, that might be worth calling for your peace of mind.
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Fever is an indication of an infection. You can still get breast infections even if you're not actively breast feeding. Urgent care would probably start you on antibiotics. If you start on antibiotics asap, and see improvement, you'd be able to rule out IBC, which by the way is incredibly rare. If it were me and I was that anxious, I'd go to urgent care
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Sjacobs146 is right. I was thinking about it too narrowly. If urgent care is an option for you, that seems like it could help you get some useful information.
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Yeah..... it's the fever. With symptoms like that plus a fever I am not sure I would wait.
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Go immediately to urgent care now as your fever could really spike. Don't worry about what they can and can't do--it is the place to start. You could become extremely ill if you let this go on without being seen by medical care. I say this so strongly because I care that you get the help you need.
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I think you should go in asap. If you have lymphedema, you are susceptible to cellulitis, which can be very serious. I have lymphedema and have been told to watch for any signs of infection.
Good luck.
Trish
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Thank you everyone for your supportive replies. I have been taking my temperature every couple of hours since noon, and at noon it was 99.1 but has been consistently remaining right around 98.6 ever since. I no longer have the chills I had a few days ago. I'm not trying to be irresponsible by not going in immediately, I just don't want to alarm my daughters *IF* I can hold off until Tuesday. Given my lack of fever today, and feeling otherwise fine, would you still recommend I go to urgent care today?
Edited to add: I'm not sure if it's relevant, but just in case, my lymphedema is very minor and is only in my ankles at this time. It was much worse months ago but I have lost 30 lbs. (on purpose, LOL) and that must have helped. The fever is gone but no changes to the soreness/redness on/in my breast. -
HI IF U HAVE A BREAST SURGEON THAT U KNOW WOULD SEE U ON TUESDAY.... I WOULD WAIT.. I FIND THAT URGENT CARE DOESNT DO TOO MUCH ESPECIALLY FOR ANYTHING TO DO WITH BREASTS.. UNLESS U FEEL THAT U HAVE AN INFECTION..THEN HOPEFULLY THEY WOULD GIVE U ANTIBIOTICS..?? IF U DO NOT HAVE A BREAST SURGEON.. FIND ONE TODAY..!! THAT U CAN CALL ON MONDAY & MAKE AN APPOINTMENT ASAP.. JUST MY THOUGHTS... ~ GOOD LUCK AND DONT PANIC.. HOPE PS MANY DRS ARE WORKING ON MONDAY.. I GO TO A HUGE CANCER CENTER..AND MOST ARE ALL IN ON MONDAY.
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