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armpit pain - a little swollen gland?

bopsie
bopsie Member Posts: 6
edited July 2017 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

I have been experiencing armpit pain for about 4 months.  The pain has gotten progessively worse.  It feels as though I have been innoculated.  Sometimes it just feels like there is crumbled paper under my armpit and I have to air out my armpit by flapping it once or twice and the discomfort goes away.

Sometimes, when I wake up, it doesn't hurt at all, but then gets progressively more painful throughout the day.  

I felt around my armpit and I think I found a swollen lymph node.  It is movable and it feels like it is a rubber band with a slight swollenness in the middle of it.  The other armpit has a similar lymph node, but it is not as pronounced.  

I made an appointment to have a mammo and an u/s next week.  Nothing feels particularly suspicious in that breast, and I thoroughly felt the breast.

Should I be worried?  Anyone else experience what I have?

Comments

  • CrystalLocket
    CrystalLocket Member Posts: 8
    edited January 2009

    I had pain in my armpit before my diagnosis.  My breast cancer had spread to one lymph node.  I had no lump in my breast as I had invasive lobular carcinoma.  Good luck and keep us updated.

  • bopsie
    bopsie Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2009

    Thank you Karen for replying.

    Was your armpit painful to the touch, or was there just a sensation of pain during movement, or both?  Had you felt any lump in your armpit?

    Was the pain in your armpit the reason you went to the doctor?

    Was the invastive lobular carcinoma detected by calcifications?

    Thanks again.

  • angeltam
    angeltam Member Posts: 3
    edited January 2009

    Bopsie,

    I started out with breast/nipple pain that has spread to my underarms (armpit) and it is very painful, using the arm just makes it worse. As I've ready and found out EVERYONE is different in what symptoms comes first or at all. If you have even a few for more than a week get it checked out.

    Just to let you know I do NOT know if I have IBC or not, I'm pushing to get answers myself.

    Praying things turn out B9 and you feel better soon.

  • my3girls
    my3girls Member Posts: 1,291
    edited January 2009

    Bopsie...try and stay positive...the waiting is difficult..but think that things will all be b-9. When was your last mammo? Have you had a doctor examine you?  Please make that appt as well.

    We are hear for you...hoping it will be all good news..and we can celebrate with you. But if not...we will be here to help you every step of the way.

    xoxo

    Lisa

  • CrystalLocket
    CrystalLocket Member Posts: 8
    edited January 2009

    I had many calcifications in my breasts for years, and my armpit was just sore in general (to the touch as well as an achy constant feeling that got progressively worse).  I didn't really feel a llump, but I've read that doctors can feel a lump (as the gland is swollen) if cancer is present so it's best to demand further attention to it if the doctor brushes it off.  I went to the doctor for my routine mammogram and mentioned the pain.  They found my cancer on that mammogram.  They could tell from the mammogram that it was cancer, they actually told me before I had the biopsy.  Then I had the biopsy to confirm (for insurance reasons) and then a double mastectomy (which is not nearly as painful as it sounds) last week.  I hope you find that it's nothing to be concerned about. (hugs)

  • bopsie
    bopsie Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2009

    Karen, during the mammo, was an xray taken of your armpit?  Did the mammo show just calcifications or was there an image of the tumor present?

    Angel, I pray that you are B9 and find out SOON!  Did the dr try to feel for any lumps in the armpit?

    Lisa, thank you for your support and encouragement.

  • angeltam
    angeltam Member Posts: 3
    edited January 2009

    Yes the doctor did try but I have no lumps. With IBC there aren't always lumps and that is why it's missed so often and thought to be "Breast Infections" . More often then not  a Mammo, Ultra Sound or MRI can NOT spot IBC but instead a "Deep tissue Biopsy" is needed. Although my Lymph-nodes in my armpit and around my neck are all swollen.

    If you feel it is something PUSH to get something done ASAP.

    Praying for B9 results for you as well.

  • adamash67
    adamash67 Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2009

    bopsie it's good that you are following it up, the info and advice on here is great.

    I have pain in my arm but not in the actual armpit. I have enlarged lymph nodes under each arm, more prominant in the left. I cen feel 2 or 3 ( like a cluster ) in the left. I also have a fibroadenoma in the left breast which continues to grow, and a large vein that covers the lump area and runs into the nipple. I have a follow-up appointment scheduled in 10 days as I went for my annual checkup 2 months ago and the doctor asked me to come back in 4 months as a precaution after the tests came back benign. But now that I have the nodes, the vein, and the pain in the arm I decided it was best not to wait, these have only developed in the last month.

    I find the pain does get worse during the day, my arm feels really heavy and weak as the day progresses. 

    I have my fingers crossed for you, hopefully we'll both get good results.

    Annie

  • bopsie
    bopsie Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2009

    Annie - Did you have the nodes when you went to the doctor 2 months ago?  What did you he say about them?  Are they movable?  I pray that we all who don't know what the heck is wrong with us come back with B9.

  • adamash67
    adamash67 Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2009

    Bopsie I don't know if I had the nodes when I went last time as they didn't check them.

    I had a mammogram, ultrasound, and a fine needle biopsy which came back with no abnormal cells. My doctor asked me to come back in 4 months unless there were further changes in the meantime.

    It was only after I had a look on the web about self examination that I realised after all these years I had never checked my armpits for nodes. So I did and that is when I found them. It has been about 4 weeks since then, I waited 2 weeks to see if they would go away and then I ummed and ahhed about what to do. I called my doctor and told the receptionist and she booked me into the first available. So here I am waiting and checking the area every single day. Paranoid much????? Lol.

    I hope for us that we have good news when we finally have our appointments.

  • adamash67
    adamash67 Member Posts: 6
    edited February 2009

    Bopsie how did you go with your tests? Hope all is well with you, have my fingers crossed.

  • bopsie
    bopsie Member Posts: 6
    edited February 2009

    adamash67 - Have you seen the doctor yet regarding the nodes?  I hope that they said there were normal.

    My general practitioner felt my node and said that it felt completely normal.  I had my blood tested anyway.  I am scared of the results.

    My mammo and u/s of just the node appeared normal.  The radiologist said that he would have seen something.  He said all the nodes that were looked at were small and appeared normal.

    Here's the thing: the u/s was just of the node.  The u/s tech just gingerly touched the area where the node was.  She barely moved the u/s wand.  So, I feel that the u/s was incomplete.  She should have u/s my entire armpit including the breast where the pain was.

    I have an appt with my breast surgeon on Tomorrow.  

    I am very scared that I have this pain under my armpit.  It is very, very painful.

  • adamash67
    adamash67 Member Posts: 6
    edited February 2009

    Bopsie when you see your breast surgeon make sure you tell them your concerns. I would think that they would want a more complete ultrasound than the one you have. They need to explain where this pain is coming from and the reason behind it. It's so frustrating waiting for people to do their jobs properly, especially when it concerns your health.

    I have my appointment in 3 hours, I live in Australia, so the time difference is a bit confusing when I post on here. I get to come on here when everyone else is asleep.

    I'm nervous about today. I don't want them to find anything but I don't not want them to find anything. I'd hate to go there and be told all of this is nothing, but I don't want it to be something either. Aaaarrrggghhhh the confusion!!!!!!!!!!

    I'll let you know how it goes later.

    Thinking of you and hoping you get answers soon.

  • bopsie
    bopsie Member Posts: 6
    edited February 2009

    Wishing you the best!

  • thoma11
    thoma11 Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2014

    I have some questions ladies. I have been having pain in my breasts and now in my right arm pit. I had a monogram a few months back where they found nodules and then did a diagnostic mammogram. The radiologist then told me that he didn't feel an ultrasound was necessary at that point. These nodules were in both breasts on the outside. Now the pain in my right breast and under my arm have been pretty intense. Should I push for further testing? Could this pain just be a symptom of menopause? In 47 with no history of breast cancers in the family but other cancers prominent.

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,739
    edited October 2014

    HI thoma. We haven't seen much activity on this topic of late. Feel free to created a new topic with your question so that hopefully you will get some more responses. Welcome to the BCO community. The Mods

  • mtks
    mtks Member Posts: 61
    edited March 2017

    hi its been 6 1/2 years since my diagnosis of ILC/ stage 1. I have had arm pit achiness since august 2016. Now it is constant achiness with palatable extremely tender areas. It was pain that brought me to my disease in 2010. US showed normal but back in 2010 my mammo and US showed no signs. That's the sneaky lobular disease. Hopefully to find out more at my oncology appt Thursday. Anyone with familiar symptom or advise

  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 228
    edited March 2017

    mtks,

    this thread hasn't been active in 2 1/2 years. If you want to chat with women with similar symptoms, you might try the ILC forum. Hope you Thursday appointment goes well! ((hugs))

  • rkyobo
    rkyobo Member Posts: 3
    edited April 2017

    mtks, what did you find out? I am having pain in my armpit, and can feel swollen glands as well. I'm worried, as I'm at the age my other sisters were diagnosed. I had prophylactic bilateral mastectomy five years ago due to strong immediate family incidence of breast cancer. The surgeon left some breast tissue on the left underarm area, and that is where I am feeling the pain. I noticed a lump about three months ago, and went for an U/S, but they said all was well....just fatty tissue. There was slight tenderness at the time, but now there is pain even when I'm not palpating it. I'm embarrassed to go back for another U/S, but getting worried enough to do it.

    rkyobo

  • Slewis
    Slewis Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2017

    Hi did you receive an update on this

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,389
    edited July 2017

    Hey guys - this has not been an active thread. One post in 2014, otherwise all back to 2009.

    It's unlikely you'll receive answers this far down the road - 8 years. I would take MT Woman's advice and either find a current thread or start one yourself.

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