Nipple discharge for 2 years

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Purplecarrot89
Purplecarrot89 Member Posts: 10
edited October 2020 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

Hi all,

Hoping to receive guidance on my situation. I noticed a yellow crust over my left nipple in august of 2018. I was not pregnant, it was spontaneous, and only on one breast. Saw my doctor and she ordered an ultrasound which showed nothing. 6 months later, discharge still there, she referred me to a breast surgeon. This breast surgeon is a highly praised MD Anderson surgeon, and she has over 20 years of experience. She poked and prodded around, concluded it was fungal. She told me to put anti fungal on it and be on my way.

Of course, I researched and saw that it could be Pagets. Went back to her and she biopsied the discharge, and sure enough it was a fungal infection. I ignored it for a few months, got pregnant and didn't pay attention to it anymore. I've also received 2 other biopsies on the breast due to itchy spots and red spots, all came back b9. Fast forward to a few days ago, the discharge is there. Spontaneous, yellow crust, and feeling slight pain around the Arreola sometimes. I don't want to go back to the breast surgeon because I have a feeling she's going to write me off again.
Is this something I should pursue, when before it was just a fungal infection? There's no blood, just yellow/white tinge. I should believe the highly praised breast surgeon, right?

Comments

  • AliceBastable
    AliceBastable Member Posts: 3,461
    edited October 2020

    if the discharge was tested and found to be fungal, that doctor didn't write you off, she diagnosed you. Fungal problems can be a long term pain in the butt. It's basically the same as athlete's foot or jock itch. You have to treat it with the anti-fungal as soon as it appears, and sometimes before it reappears when it's a chronic problem.

  • Purplecarrot89
    Purplecarrot89 Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2020

    Thank you for your reply. I just have seen so many posts on here about others being misdiagnosed, I just would hate to fall through the cracks.

  • Purplecarrot89
    Purplecarrot89 Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2020

    I have tried to search around for fungal infections on the nipple producing a yellow crust and I’m finding nothing. At what point do I seek a second opinion? If this is common, why can’t I find anything on ot

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited October 2020

    If you don't trust your doctor, you should of course seek a second opinion. You stated she is a "highly praised MD Anderson surgeon" - but if YOU don't trust her, you need to find someone else.

  • Purplecarrot89
    Purplecarrot89 Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2020

    I am a hypochondriac, so I’m not sure if it’s just me double guessing her or if I have a valid concern. I have twin toddlers, so my health anxiety is a bit heightened.

  • AliceBastable
    AliceBastable Member Posts: 3,461
    edited October 2020

    Fungal problems can appear just about anywhere on the body where it's a warm or moist environment - feet, genital area, breasts, armpits, etc. I don't know if there would be anything specific to breasts with fungal issues on a Google search. I'm always amazed that so many people don't trust their doctors but put so much faith in google.

  • Purplecarrot89
    Purplecarrot89 Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2020

    I mainly was searching these boards on here to see if anyone dealt with anything similar. That’s when I couldn’t find anything similar to my situation, other than pushing for all tests possible and listen to your gut. It’s hard when my gut tells me it’s being missed.

  • barbara4
    barbara4 Member Posts: 61
    edited October 2020

    Hi purplecarrot,

    Did you have a mammogram? A ductogram ? I had nipple discharge but it was not crusty. Mine was spontaneous yellow an thick.

    Barb

  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited October 2020

    I agree with AliceBastable. The MD Anderson doctor did not "write you off", she diagnosed you. In fact, she diagnosed you twice, once based on her 20 years experience and a physical exam, and then when you challenged her because of what you found on Dr. Google, she performed a biopsy, which confirmed her previous diagnosis. Sounds like this doctor was very responsive and in no way brushed you off. What else would you have expected her to do?

    Fungal nipple discharge is not uncommon. I found quite a few references on this site and there are many internet sites that discuss it. Fungal infections can be very stubborn and they can recur. You said that after the biopsy "I ignored it for a few months, got pregnant and didn't pay attention to it anymore.". Did you ever use an anti-fungal? And did the discharge remain all this time and you just ignored it, or did it go away and has it started up again?


  • barbara4
    barbara4 Member Posts: 61
    edited October 2020

    Oh so you had a biopsy. I read too quickly. Please dismiss my post about the mammogran.

    Barb

  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited October 2020

    The biopsy was done on the discharge, and showed it to be a fungal infection.

  • Purplecarrot89
    Purplecarrot89 Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2020

    Thank you for the feedback. When searching breast discharge, I came across many posts you replied to, Beesie, and you are always so helpful and kind!

    I essentially ignored it because i was told it was normal, and when I was breastfeeding, I couldn’t tell between dried milk or discharge. I guess at this point I was hoping for a mammogram or ductogram, but I guess it could be a persistent fungal issue. They said it was superficial.

    Beesie, you said there are references on this site about this? Do you mind sharing those? All I’ve found are the fear inducing ones calling cancer a fungus. :/

    I guess what pushed me was seeing how other people have had discharged biopsied, but wasn’t diagnosed until a ductogram, mammogram, etc.

  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited October 2020

    You know that you have some kind of health anxiety, so I don’t think “trusting your gut” is going to be helpful, because your gut (your anxiety) lies to you. Anxiety, OCD — they lie. See if a therapist can help you work through this. Stop reading a cancer forum, use the anti-fungal, and try to find a way to be outside with the sun on the infected area for a few minutes each day. Fungi hate sunlight. And your toddlers will think you are hilarious.

  • Purplecarrot89
    Purplecarrot89 Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2020

    Thank you for your feedback, ShetlandPony! :)

  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited October 2020

    Purplecarrot, if you never treated the fungus, then it makes perfect sense that it's still there. Why wouldn't it be? As a rule, a fungus won't go away on it's own.

    I've found a lot of references here to people having nipple fungus, but I won't post the links because these are posts within other threads and the other content isn't relevant to your situation. Since you are a hypocondri


  • Purplecarrot89
    Purplecarrot89 Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2020

    Hi Beesie, it looks like your comment cut off.

  • Purplecarrot89
    Purplecarrot89 Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2020

    So do you think since I've had the fungus for so long, that it may have gone into the ducts? I ran into a thread on here that was 37 pages long saying fungus causes cancer. Not sure how accurate it is.

  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited October 2020

    Purplecarrot, if you never treated the fungus, then it makes perfect sense that it's still there. Why wouldn't it be? As a rule, a fungus won't go away on it's own.

    I've found a lot of references here to people having nipple fungus, but I won't post the links because these are posts within other threads and the other content isn't relevant to your situation. Since you are a hypochondriac, the other content will just give you more things to worry about. As for other people having discharge biopsied but not being diagnosed until they had a mammogram or ductogram, did the biopsy on the discharge show a fungal infection? A biopsy of the discharge is the normal way to diagnose a fungal infection.

    Why don't you try an anti-fungal, as the breast surgeon suggested, and see what happens? Since your symptoms are the same as they were two years ago when you saw the doctor, as a first step it seems to make sense to follow the doctor's advice.



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