Breast Cancer Symptoms - a comprehensive list from those w/bc
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I am 43, nearing 44, and have had issues with my breasts since I was in my early thirties. No, really even before that. My oldest who is now 24 nurse normally, and I had no problems with her what so ever, not counting the weaning her (she was 5, with circumstances). The second child, the exerience was horrible. She was unable to handle the breast milk and I got mastisis a lot. I was 26 then. When I was 32, I had mastisis again, it was very painful and my brest doubled in size. I had no idea about it and with a father who had cancer, and colon cancer that ran on my mother's side, I had a mammogram that showed it was all cysts and the infection. Had the same infection 7 years ago, and another mammo that came back with the same issues. This time, when I noticed the signs: pain, swelling, & lumps , I let them go...after all most of the time the lumps went away on their own. well foolish idea that was. In October I started to pay more attention to one lump, still dismissing it as a cyst, but by December, I was concerned. Though the lump closest to my chest was not getting bigger that I could tell, it was not getting smaller either. Suddenly, fear set in and I again let it go. I was not going to ruin Christmas especially if it was again nothing. So I made plans to go to the hosptial in early January. They got me with a doctor who ordered a mammogram. Two spots on the right & one on the left came back as suspicious. ONe on the right turned out to be DCIS. But the LUMP never showed up. it's 5cm & unseen on the mammo or an US. It was picked up on an MRI and turned out to be IDC. Thing I am bothered by is the saying "Breast cancer doesn't hurt." Sure the heck does. At times it go so bad, that I had to take a time out. And when you work as a cook in a fast paced place "time outs" for pain are not an option.
Now I look back and am angry at myself for waiting. If I would have got it checked sooner, I would have spared myself Stage IV, since my cancer decided the breast wasn't enough, it needed to set up home in the L3 bone of my back.
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I'm in the not dx but waiting...I have noticed a few things...weight loss actually 10 lbs and brought it to my Dr attention and he said he was not to concerned due to I only lost that much in a yr...it bothered me because I had not changed my diet or was not doing anything more than I usually do....I have also had night sweats and low grade fevers....I would get cold then very tired so cold that I would cover up with 2 blankets....now recently my right breast is about 3/4 size bigger and it feels weird like a heavy numbness is the best way I can explain....has anyone had the heaviness and numbness? I hope no-one minds
me posting this due to no dx yet.0 -
jushavingun,
We don't mind you posting here at all.....I do hope you will keep on your Dr. to figure out what is going on in your breast.
I Have been fortunate to have had a fairly early diagnosis, and a year and half later (as of Apr. 19), Drs (MO/RO) both say NED!!! I am on Letrozole for another 3yr/6mo. Some SEs but it is supposed to keep the Beast at bay.
Good luck and keep us posted with your journey...
Vickie
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Bump
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Thanks Vicki good luck to u also
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Hi I am new to this forum but am soooo glad I have found it.
I have been to my go as I found a lump in left breast. She and I both measure it at 3cm. The lump itself is not painful but the surrounding tissue and breast are extremely so.
She referred me to breast clinc at local hospital. She wanted mammogram and biopsy. They refused did an ultrasound, the sonographer could feel my lump but could not get an image of it. The ( male doc) only examined my left breast and only the bottom half. He dismissed all of my symptoms with various reasons and informed me I have a prominent rib so it is making my breast lumpy. He told me it must have always been lumpy ( not true). I told him I have discharge from nipple, he said residue from breadt feeding ( I stopped 3 yrs ago) I said I have upper back and shoulder pain, he said pulled muscle. I told him pain was constant he said it must be due to menstrual cycle. I said breast and nipple itched and nipple had become elongated and areola changed shape again he said due to breadt feeding.
I have had the bad odour for over a year, fatigue, sweet cravings, feeling like milk letdown etc. nearly all of the above symptoms. I have an appointment today with gp to ask for second opinion. Your thread had made me look back over the last couple of years and I have remembered today that I felt thus lump June if last year. It was smaller then. I forgot about it due to family life ( son diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder last year after 3 yrs of battling for help). Thanks for making me think back and please wish me luck at appointment today x0 -
I also had the "recidue from breastfeeding." Insist on more investigation. Where are you?
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Mumrah
Welcome to the "club" that none of us would prefer to have joined, but are glad to have a place to read other's experiences and to vent when we have the need to do so.
I agree with Momine, INSIST ON MORE INVESTIGATION!!!!! Keep at it until you are satified with the answers you are given!!!!
GOOD LUCK!!!
Vickie
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Many thanks ladies, just about to leave for gp appointment. I am in Derbyshire uk. I feel that I need to know what it is and soon. Glad I have the brain sense to dig further and find out all the info I can instead of just believing the last doctor.
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Mumrah, my kid is in the UK and tells me the system there tends to put off testing. You will have to be insistent here. Hopefully your poor boob is fine, but you have several red flags there and you need some answers and soon.
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Well. Gp very sympathetic bit did not have the report yet. She said she thinks ultrasound is a good diagnostic tool and that I should leave it a month or two. And go back. She said she will check me every six months if I wish and to go back if I have any other symptoms than the pain and the lump. She thinks the same as the hospital doc and said to treat it as fribrous breast tissue. Hmmmm not sure how I feel I trust her implicitly ( as I have been many times for other issues over the years ) but I just don't feel at ease yet.
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Looking back pre-dx I thought about what symptoms I probably had but didnt think twice about them...like weight loss. I was and always am trying to lose a few pounds but I recall now that I dropped weight rather quickly w/o trying that hard. I am small so even a few pounds is too much...I also vaguely remember the fatigue but I never felt the lump and yes some women experience pain and others do not. Mumrah...when in doubt I would make sure the fibrous breast tissue dx is confirmed. Better be safe than sorry. I bet we all know of someone who waited too long and created more issues. Understand why some women did but a friend of mine's sister comes to mind because she had pain and still waited for months and months. Fear will do that to you. Anyway by the time she went to the dr she had to have a double mx and massive doses of chemo. She lived a few years after the dx. None of us wants to hear the bc dx but better to deal with it now early on than later remembering too it isnt the death sentence it used to be.
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Thanks Edwards750, I have decided to keep a daily boob diary for the next few weeks. This should show to dr that my pain is not to do with my cycle and hopefully will help with some form of diagnosis for what I am experiencing. Have been looking at fibroucystic breast disease and am findi g very conflicting info. Think I will find a forum and ask a few ladies.
Many thanks to all who replied. But just wondered for those who had back pain before diagnosis did it feel muscular or like wind trapped? And did any of you have rib pain? X0 -
Mumrah
Again, at the risk of being a nag, PLEASE keep after your doctors for a complete diagnosis (mammogram, ultrasound, MRI or what ever it takes to put your mind at ease). I would much rather do so and have peace of mind than to put off and discover the problem is very advanced.
Please keep us posted..
Vickie
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Good morning ladies, I woke up this morning and realised that I am actually very concerned. So as I spent most of last night looking at fibrocystic breast disease on net, info is so conflicting.I am going back to dr next week to insist on hormone check and a biopsy. You are right I should not sit and wait and see. Many thanks. X x
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BUMP PLEASE
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I am not diagnosed but am having symptoms similar to yeast infection and mastitis. However, the symptoms are not responding to treatment for either of those conditions. My questions are 1) Has anyone had itchy breasts where the itch kind of faded away as tenderness and pain set in; 2)Has anyone had a red rash that seemed to dry up but the skin where the rash was turned dark like a bruise? Thank you for any responses.
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BUMP please
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Bump
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Hi - This is my first time to post on this topic. I also had a lot of symptoms:
Intense surgar/chocolate cravings, memory issues, fatigue, major stress for years,body odor, PAIN (3 episodes in left breast). They were moderate in strength and I knew they should not be there. I had a very low vitamin d level (14). My IDC was found on mamogram. I also have a lot of fibercystic tissue.
I just started having pain episodes on my right breast. The first on a Monday and the 2nd the next Thursday. The first was similar to what I had on the left side (3 episodes in a 4 to 5 mo. time frame prior to surgical biopsy). But, the 2nd pains on Thursday were BURNING STABBING type of pains. I had mamogram and US but did not show anything.
Have anyone had stabbing burning pains? How low is your vitamin d level?
Look forward to hearing from you. Mary
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I had very low vitamin d prior to diagnosis and I had pain. BC can and often does hurt. I craved sweets (never before was a sweet eater) and was and still am exhausted (mine is now from rads) and so keep on your doctor! Don't let it go. Please. You could save your own life. Do it.
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Hello everyone,
I am 33 yrs old female with no family history in BC. However, I have 10 unsuccessful in-vitro-fertilizaton procedures.From the last month, I started feeling slight pain in my left breast (and toward middle of the ribs) and itchiness of the nipple. The pain started around day 3 of my period, but itchiness was from before, on and off. I am very much concerned because of all those hormonal therapies I have been exposed to. I will go for my ultrasound and MRI tomorrow. If it showed nothing, would I be able to ask for the biopsy? I do not have any other symptoms except that pain. Itchiness is gone.
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They have to see something to have something to biopsy.
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Farfromeyes
IF the US and/or MRI show anything (ie;lump) they will probably suggest having a biopsy done. I hope your tests are all clear...Glad you are having them checked out, that should give you peace of mind....
Vickie
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Thank you ladies. I will post the updates.
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Is it a rule that there must be a lump? Paget's cancer is not manifested in lupms, correct?
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True pagets doesn't show as a lump (as far as I know), also some types of cancer can be indicated by orange peel texture on the skin, or redness. However the MRI and ultrasound should be able to alert the medical staff as to what is going on. If it is okay with you I would like to add you to my prayer list that God will give you a peace during your diagnosing tests!!!! What time is your appointment, so we can jump into your pocket and be with you virtually....?
Vickie
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THank you. I dont think you need a permission if you want to pray to God for somebody's well-being. I alwasy pray for my friends in trouble without them telling me that. God loves such a thing and He will reward you for that and give you the same what you wish for your friends:)
As for my results, MRI will be tomorrow. US didnt show anything on the right side. The left side has a mass in the bottom, but thank God no shadows or any indications of malignancy. The radiologist thinks it is a fibroid and told me to keep it under the eye. I asked her if I needed to do MRI.She said no, but I did it anyway. I have IVF coming soon, so I want to be sure I am healthy and not putting myself in danger.One of the ladies I know and she is a pathologyst told me that fibroids are normal for my age and most of the time they are benign, but also told me to take it out when possible. So, I pray to God to finish with the IVF successfully soon in order to address other issues.
THanks once again. I will post MRI tomorrow.
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Hello All.
I am 30 years old. Mid last yr i felt i lump on my upper left breast. I had an us and mamo done and turns out it was just a cyst. I just did my 6 mnth follow up. (During this last six - seven mnths i have been aware of this lump. It has stayed sore. Not only around my cycle, but continuously. I too have felt lil sharp pains. It seems to have grown a lil too.) So during my us the tech found my original cyst and right next to it found something else that she said was not a cyst. She asked me if i had had any trauma i told her no. I tght that was a lil weird that she would ask me that. I asked her what it was she was looking at and she said she didn't know. Im nervous. After reading everyones diff systems, i found myself relating to some of them. One, i have pain where my lump is at. Even as the water runs over it in the shower it hurts. I have been nauseous off and on a few times for no good reason. I have had itchy breasts. Oh and i have in the passed noticed fluid come out of my nipples. I nursed my daughter for a yr. Like 5 yrs later i would still be able to get a clear fluid from my breast? I am super nervous. I hope these things that i have been feeling lately are just a coincidence. My biggest fear is becoming ill and not being able to take care of my daughter. Or leaving my daughter w/out a mother. I just want to hurry up and go over the us findings w my dr! Anxious and nervous.0 -
Saram
I am glad you found us here. You will find lots of support as you go through your challenge!!! Sorry you have the symtoms that are worrysome and pray that your doctors will soon be able to give you some answers that will put your mind at ease. Please feel free to rant/rave or whatever, we have all been there and done that and know that by asking questions here, we can get some good advice on how/what to ask our care givers. Please keep us posted. We have a saying here, that 'we will be in your pocket' when you go to the drs., so be sure to have some BIG POCKETS.,.,
Good luck my friend..
Vickie
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