Freaked out about breast pain and IBC

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Chippy621
Chippy621 Member Posts: 8
edited November 2019 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

I am 29 years old and have a 2 year old daughter and husband. For the past month I have been having intermittent breast ‘pain’ in my right breast. I say ‘pain’ because it is fairly mild pain but also just a strange overall sensation in my right breast. It is not constant, comes and goes. It also extends to my underarm somewhat and when I press in one spot under my arm is feels bruise-like, but I feel no lymph nodes swollen. I went to my ob/gyn about it on Oct 10 and they ordered an ultrasound but I ended up not doing the ultrasound because the pain went away. Then about a week ago I noticed the come and go pain and sensation was back. I can’t even explain the pain—not tender like pms feel, not stabbing, not sore muscular like. Its sort of like come and go random bruise pain that occurs without touching it. I have no other IBC symptoms of swelling or redness or rash. I scheduled the ultrasound and go on this coming Wednesday. However, I have convinced myself that this must be the early stages of IBC. I’m thoroughly consumed with dwelling on it. Anyone’s IBC start like this with just come and go pains and strange overall breast sensation?

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited November 2019

    Please try to stay away from everything you read on the internet about IBC. Chances are slim that is your problem. Try to find something fun to engage your mind until your ULS. Binge watch TV, read a book to your daughter, go shopping - whatever works for you.

    But don't cancel this time. Your doc ordered an ULS to see what's going on - or not. Stick to the plan.

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited November 2019

    I'm confused on why you think you might have IBC.

    "I have no other IBC symptoms of swelling or redness or rash." Those are by far the most common symptoms of IBC. And IBC usually progresses very quickly. Breast pain, on the other hand, can come and go and can have a dozen different causes. So what you describe doesn't even remotely sound like it could be IBC.

    That said, you should get this checked out. One possibility is that you have a benign mass, such as a cyst or fibroadenoma, that isn't large enough to be palpable, but because of it's location, could be causing occasional pain. The only time I've ever had breast pain (other than every month before my period) the cause was the tiniest little cyst.

    Odds are that this is just fibrocystic breast pain. Or, since from your description you say it is more a a sensation than a pain, it could also be muscular or even be a tingling/vibration/numbness caused by pressure from your bra.

    Get it checked out, but don't worry about IBC.

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  • Chippy621
    Chippy621 Member Posts: 8
    edited November 2019

    I worry about it because I know it can start differently for everyone so I am worried this could be the start

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited November 2019

    Why IBC? If it can “start differently for everyone”, why not lobular breast cancer? IDC? DCIS? Papillary

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  • AliceBastable
    AliceBastable Member Posts: 3,461
    edited November 2019

    Any number of benign conditions, menstrual fluctuations, ill-fitting bra, and sleep position are all MUCH more likely to be at the root of it than IBC. If your finger was occasionally sore, would you jump to cancer as the likely culprit?

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  • Chippy621
    Chippy621 Member Posts: 8
    edited November 2019

    Slight update and maybe better explanation of things:

    I've been having intermittent breast pain on the right side for a month and a half. It comes out of no where and is generally on the top part of my breast above the nipple. It is not a stabbing feeling, it's like a dull strange bruise like feeling, but not even quite that. Very difficult to explain. Sometimes I have the pain in my underarm and sometimes I get a stabby itchy feeling in the breast as well. I had an ultrasound yesterday that revealed nothing. It was normal, including the axillary nodes. If I press on one area at the inner 9oclock area it feels bruise like. If I put pretty intense pressure on the breast, I can get white milky substance out, and have been able to do so since about July. Sometimes, the breast just has an overall strange sensation. None of it is cycle related as far as I can tell. I have no other symptoms, but I'm really concerned of IBC or IDC because I know they are often not seen on scans. Should I be pushing for more tests and answers? Or is this all likely nothing? I'm afraid for something to be missed and brushed off as "nothing".

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  • LoriCA
    LoriCA Member Posts: 923
    edited November 2019

    I can't speak for IDC symptoms, others here know more about that and can give you better advice. You don't have any IBC symptoms so you really need to stop stressing yourself thinking about IBC. Yes it usually doesn't show on scans, but it has very definite symptoms that progress rapidly and you've exhibited none of those symptoms.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited November 2019

    Chippy - no to your questions. Everyone above has given you good advice. If your jaw hurts, you think of a tooth cavity and not cancer of the jaw. If your ears hurt, you think of a sinus infection and not cancer of the brain. Climb back down & quit reading on the www.

    You need to follow the path that your OB/Gyn set out in October. Reschedule the ULS, or call your doc for new orders if they've expired. Unfortunately everything that follows from that is one step at a time and you can't rush it. It's hell waiting for test results. So figure out how to put away your worst fears and go with the flow.

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  • blue22
    blue22 Member Posts: 280
    edited November 2019

    Hi Chippy,

    It sounds like you had the ultrasound, and they found nothing. To give you a comparison, and hopefully put your mind at ease, when I had my ultrasound & mammogram, I was told right away they were pretty sure I had cancer, and to come back first thing the very next morning to get a biopsy. If it hadn't been so late in the day, they would have probably done the biopsy right then.

    I understand you are worried and scared, Did your doctors find any other explanation for the pain? Do you have any other tests scheduled?

    I don't think you should ignore the pain, you should try to get to the bottom of that, but don't jump to the worst conclusion.


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  • Chippy621
    Chippy621 Member Posts: 8
    edited November 2019

    Thanks for being kind in your response. No they don’t really have any other explanation for it. I plan to make a repeat visit with my ob/gyn to discuss next steps.

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