Breast Cancer Symptoms - a comprehensive list from those w/bc
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That's very sweet. Thank you Vickie. :-) :-) :-) :-)
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That's very sweet Vickie. Thank you. :-) :-) :-)
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So i called the dr office. The dr reviewed the us report said it looks stable. Do another us in 6mnths. Shld i let it go? Or persist that this painful thing comes out?
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Sarram,
If you are uncomfortable with what your Dr. is telling you, feel free to get a second opinion. Only you can decide what is best for you and what you are most comfortable with.
Hang in there girl....
Vickie
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My MRI came out fine.THe mass on the left side was described as a dense breast.
Sarram - cant you do the breast MRI?
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I have an appt Thursday 8th. Imma rant and rave. Hopefully they will support my desire to investigate more. I will request an MRI. In all honestly, no i will NOT feel comfortable until i know for sure that this mass is NOT cancerous. Thank you ladies :-)
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I just added this to a waiting for test results but I saw this and I love it .
My whole garb is below but I wanted to add even though no dx yet my fatigue has been off the chart and brain fog - wow crazy. And sweets I have got through four bags ( family sized ) sweedish fish in one sitting plus chocolate bars . I was " wow girl you got to stop with this eating " but I felt like i NEEDED sugar. Oh and I always have one armpit that I cant stop the sweat from. And i also get a sharp stabbing pain that makes me grab my booby and go ow , but then it goes and it doesnt happen everyday . Although now I know I have some lumps they hurt but I think that is in my head.
Holy Moly ,
Where to start. So I moved here from the UK a few years ago , didnt have insurance, never really been sick so only concerned about getting it for the kids. Got it, registered with Dr who said you need an annual physical ( we dont do those in the UK ) so saw them and the OB/GYN in Jan this year for an overdue smear test. To my surprise she asked me to release the girls and had a prod. Then said every so calmly I am goingto write you up for a mamogram. No need to panic and go today we just like to know what we are looking at . So that I did - not panic I mean . A few follow up phone calls saying " where are you mamo results " went ignored and then I got a certified letter in the mail saying " you havent had it ! " . I was a little concerned but friends reassured me that we get baseline mamograms over here around 39 ( I am 38 ) so I waited a few more weeks and then booked it for July 10th ( ok I know so six months is a long gap but it was a baseline mamo so .... )
A little more on me if you will. I have been " sick " about a year after I moved here. Tiredness beyond comprehension. I would have to pull over picking my daughter up from school as I didnt think I could make it. Brain fog that would cause me to forget what I was saying or an inabilit to drag the words out of my brain. I actually didnt take my US driving test for a few years because I could not remember a single word I read - even stupid stuff like what side you drive on ( dont panic I knew ) but I couldnt translate that into a test format that required an A/B/C/D format . Vaious other things but no insurance no known reason I just let it slide and tried to self heal - cut out gluten and diary and voila all ok . Still have unbelievable night sweats and still do. Anyhow mentioned this all to the dc at the time so wondering if this didnt have something to do with the order for the mamo ?
So 10th July for for my forst ever mamo happily relieved that I now have insurance for thses anual things. Very excited by the free beverages and the whale music in the room. A little bit uncomftable as she tries to get my chest wall skin into a vice but hey ho done and then off to the gym. 8 days later I am again at the gym when I get a call from the imaging center saying ' hey, we got your doctors order so we want to schedule the diagnositic mamogram " I was like ' whoa there what do you mean, I havent heard from the drs" the lady was yep, you need to come back they found something. Me - blind panic, tears mid class run out and try in vain to get the drs to give me a call back. Finally the next day I get one ( after lost of calm followed by teary followed by GODDAMIT JUST GIVE ME A BLOODY CALL Back " I get an answer phone message saying 3 areas of local assymetry on right breast . This was of course a friday so I spend the whole weekend googling everything and anything to do with the few words and ranged from doom and gloom to stupid machine has a shadow or I didnt wipe all of my soap off type stuff.
Are you still reading lol. So being from the UK this whole insurance lark is a nightmare for me and I spent the next few day ( Diagnostic Mam and US ) were scheduled for that weds trying to get someone to give me an exact ( to the nearest $100 btw ) of how much it would cost and I had answers ranging from FREE ( yay ) to around $3795 ( ouch ) . Big difference and one quite frankly I couldnt take a chance with esp if it turned out to be a mistake with the first one . So I cancelled this apointment and found an imaging center that could confirm 100% that my isnurance would cover both and it was $75 . I just needed my films.
I pick them up , of course I look at them and yikes. No mistaking that , three def little masses on the boobies . Seeing it in black and white made me panic again and google a zillion mamaogram scans for one that look like mine . And I go from shit , what if the OB/GYN saw something nd I have left it six months or ok so what if this is just because I have lost a ton of weight ( 30lbs since Feb ) and its all the fat being distributed . Wait Mrs, wait. Patience Mrs patience. but ahhhhhh reallly, this is real fear isnt it a crippling cant breathe fear !
So story so far. Had the diagnostic mamo and US this weds. The technician said, nope they didnt go on compression
took a load more images - she said she would just need one but then when I asked to look at them - because of course now I am an expert on mamogram images thanks to google ha ha - she said do you know what I am going to say I think they are just cysts. YAY . I said great why do you think that. She said the shape of cysts are smooth. SO i say great lets blow it up - god damn it they werent smooth and I could tell she say it too but I keep smiling. She said the US tech would be able to tell me more. If they were full of fluid they were def cyst , try and be positive blah blah blah.So go into have US. Said dont bother with the gown, just had these babies squished who is worried about modesty lets just get it over and oh could she please tell me if they have fluid. Oh I am sorry she said I can not tell you that I am just a tech. I beg I plead but nothing but I keep at it and she lets slip that the first one if solid . Man ! really . She looks at the other so I say " solid too ? " in a bright cheery voice. Aha she says. Me still smiling like my mouth is gonna crack. Check my armpit I say I dont want to have to do this again , she does but I stop looking .
So here we have it. Today is now Friday , I called and they have not done the report and I have one tech saying its cysts without looking at the shape and another tricked into saying its solid and I know I have about 5 days more to get the latest. But then from what I can read its still more waiting .
Boy its good to vent. Only my husband know, dont want to feel stupid when it all comes back ok so havent share with anyone but I think even he is a little sick of my constant on line medical comments !
Thanks for listening.
Q is it comment to have BC in three sep areas . I can show the pictures ?
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Tickyloo:
Welcome to what I consider the best support site for us gals with the boobie problem, even though we wish you didn't have to join us..
I loved your writing, informative and at the same time humorous...I know underneath that you are worried (we all were when waiting, waiting, waiting) for test results.
Please post back when you have the official results, and feel free to rant/rave, yell,scream whatever to help you.
I wish you good news....
Vickie
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Have any of you ladies heard of the Halo Exam??? Where they attach two suction cups to your breast. Its like a breast pump . So they turn this machine on and it starts the suction trying to see if any fluid can be drawn out. If fluid is able to be drawn out they send it for cell testing.
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I wonder, I went to my GP Monday, had diagnostic mammo and us on Wednesday to check an area beneath my breast. this was nothing, mammo found another spot in my right breast. radiologist said looked like an enlarged lymph node in my breast, not to be worried but they wanted to biopsy that afternoon. saw bs that afternoon said was most likely just reactive lymph node, but going to biopsy. radiologist took 6 samples. should have results monday, for them to tell me its nothing they sure are moving fast
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aksmith.
Glad you found us here, even though we wish you hadn't needed to be here.
Be glad your doctors are proactive. Should there be a problem, you can rest in knowing they will find it!!!
I think, the waiting we have to go through in diagnosis is so hard for us...Most of us would like to have answers to our questioning yesterday...
Be kind to yourself this weekend, do something fun that can distract you some from thinking about this.
Let us know what your results are... we are all pulling for you and sending hugs{{{{hugs}}} your way...
Vickie
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vicks1960,
Thanks, so much, I will post when I know. I'm having more pain from biopsy than I thought I would.0 -
BUMP!!! Hell-O I am sooo fortunate I found this thread!! Thanks bluebird-essa!! I recently turned 31 and I am not dx but very worried... I don't recall any specific dates but here goes.... One day I noticed my breast would itch sooo badly i'd scratch the skin off of it. It felt like the itch was down deep in my breast and I couldn't reach it.. I'd scratch until I made myself sore/tender. One day while having one of these episodes I felt a lump#*''! If felt like I was scratching my nipple but there is no way it could be there. My left breast and my nipple itched so bad, but I never really scratched my nipple area is afraid to so i'd rub it rather hard. After a few months I mentioned it to my doctor and she gave my a half exam and said it was my fibroid to decrease my caffeine intake WTW?? I said ok thinking maybe I am just a bit paranoid... So I wend home increased my caffeine intake IDK why but I did. I decided to go back to see another doctor after I noticed more problems Such as the itching coming and going, the lump I noticed to me seemed more larger... This time I went to an OB-GYN and saw a midwife(??) She did an exam and did't do a good job and said she didn't feel anything... Then sent me for an US and mammo. The Ultrasound said there is nothing there and that's all... Then I had a mammo(isn't that backwards?) the mammo shows a area of suspicion in my left breast I was called back for additional images. After that I mentioned MRI and that was my next step. I did the MRI and was never called back... I found out why my dr's office gave them the wrong #! (read my posts) They would't tell me anything really but biopsy recommended. I made an appointment for it and was denied by in insurance so I am still waitin on my new appointment on 9/4..
But I have noticed a lot of weird thing thfat's been going on with my body such as:
I sweat more that usual, like a lot more, I am fatigue all the time no matter what, My alcohol tolerance is not what it use to be much lower, memory loss, and yes I do have some pain sometimes bad..
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Ashleigh, if it turns out you do not have cancer posting in this thread can be misleading for people who read this.
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It seems that many women are posting in this thread who have not been diagnosed with breast cancer but are just in the diagnostic process. Unfortunately some have not come back to explain that their testing did not end with a diagnosis of breast cancer (which is great news, of course!). So that leads readers to think that the symptoms they describe are indicative of breast cancer when in fact they are an example of case that turns out to not be cancer.
I think the intent of this thread was great - women should know what to look for - but frankly this thread seems to have turned into a place where those who are diagnosed, and those who are not diagnosed but worried, vent about their situation and what was going on in their lives, or with their bodies, before they were diagnosed or before they came here, worried about a possible diagnosis. There is absolutely nothing to say that any of these things are actually symptoms of breast cancer.
As I said earlier in this thread, we need to be careful to emphasize that most of the time, the symptoms we have are completely unrelated to breast cancer. 60% of women have fibrocystic breasts, nipple discharge is a very common problem, breast pain is a very common problem, etc... This means that most women who are diagnosed with BC will at some point in their lives have had some other breast condition or symptom that mostly likely was not related to the later development of breast cancer.
It's also important to remember that as we age, we develop new aches and pains and memory loss and night sweats and trouble sleeping and irregular periods, etc.... Perimenopause starts for some women in their 30s and for most others, in their 40s, and that can cause all sorts of symptoms that have nothing to do with breast cancer. Most of us lead busy, stressful lives, which can cause headaches and backaches and indigestion and lack of appetite or changes in appetite and all sorts of other symptoms that have nothing to do with breast cancer. Lastly, if we do have a real reason to be concerned about breast cancer - a lump, or pain, or a call-back from a mammo - it's normal to start noticing other things with our bodies that aren't in any way connected, but are just there (and we never really noticed before) or are psychosomatic.
That's not to say that some of the very long list of symptoms on these 11 pages aren't really symptoms. Some certainly are. But it is to say that most of these things are not necessarily - and usually aren't - a sign of breast cancer.
If someone new came to this website, after a clear mammo and with no symptoms of breast cancer, there's probably close to a 100% chance that in reading through this thread, she'll be able to convince herself that she has breast cancer, or at least, has symptoms of breast cancer. That's my concern.
The most important piece of advice that I'd give is that every woman should be aware of her body, conscious of changes in her body and diliigent with her screenings.
From breastcancer.org: Symptoms of Breast Cancer
From the American Cancer Society: Signs and Symptoms of Cancer
From PubMedHealth: Breast cancer
From WebMD: Breast Problems - Topic Overview and Understanding Breast Cancer -- Symptoms
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MelissaDallas if it does turn out I have no cancer then that would be a great thing!... And thats all i'm worried about! In actuality I posted here, if you read.. Because I am not dx but extremely worried! If anyone could please pass on any info pertaining to MY SITUATION and others whom has not been dx it would be greatly appriciated
I really did think this forum was for getting information on possibilities.. If what I said is misleading I'm totally confused now than never! Guess I go back to my usual.... Oh I almost 4 got Thanks Beesie very helpful. I pray that all of you ladies are healed and healthy in no time no matter what until then I'll pray for you all!! >HUGS<0 -
Ashleigh, we know you're not diagnosed & extremely worried. That's why there are appropriate threads for that.
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Ashleigh, the "Not Diagnosed but Worried" forum is the right place for you to be. I noticed that you do have a thread in this forum that you started and where you've received support, advice and information from quite a few women.
This particular thread "Breast Cancer Symptoms - a comprehensive list from those w/bc" was set up so that women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer can share the symptoms that they had prior to diagnosis.
So you are in the right forum, just not the right thread. Hopefully your symptoms all turn out to not be related to breast cancer at all.
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THANX A BUNCH...
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Beesie, you are such a wealth of knowledge. A wise institutation would grant you an honorary doctorate and you would start helping women (and men!) who are struggling through this disease. Bless you for your time, patience, and wisdom.
Going along with what you just posted, and what this thread is meant to do, I want to share my symptoms prior to diagnosis:
{ }
Nothing. Really - nada. No pain. No abnormal exhaustion or tiredness. No hot flashes or discharge or nipple inversion. No pain in my breast, under my arm, or anywhere else. In fact, I've often said that the last day I felt really good was the day I was diagnosed - and it was kinda downhill from there, what with surgery and treatment. Except for the lump I found, there were no other signs that I had BC. And I couldn't have been more shocked (sometimes, I still find it hard to believe, and it's been almost two years since my initial dx).
I came to these boards the day after my biopsy because my doctor had mentioned "sticky edges" during surgery, and I had no idea what that meant. Nor did anyone else here (bless their hearts for listening to me, and caring though!) And when I learned that it meant "spiculated edges" we all learned something new.
What I hope readers who visit here take away from this - and all these other posts - is that sometimes there are signs and symptoms, and sometimes there aren't. If you have symptoms, get them checked out (please!!) And if you don't have symptoms, get a yearly exam, just to be safe. You are your best advocate!
Peace and blessings to you all!
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Nothing. No pain, nothing on the mammo, nothing palpable. Went to get an MRI and couldn't have had a care in the world about it...other than the claustrophobia...even filled out the paperwork very sloppily (left last menstrual period blank-very unlike me...hadn't even KNOWN that menstrual cycle date affected it-that's how unconcerned and lacksadaiscial I was about the MRI. REcall that I left that and several other Qs on the medical form blank because a got a phone call from the hosptial hours later, asking me these questions. Probably the radiologist who wanted to knowhow accurate the read was!). Then boom. Phone call next day from doctor's office to come in for ultrasound as MRI showed something possibly suspcious. Could not have been more shocked. After all, I had been getting mammograms twice a year!!!! ;o)
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So in sum, here' s my list of symptoms:
1)
2)
3)
(i.e.: nothing).
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Another one here with NO symptoms. In fact I had been eating healthy and exercising after having had endometrial cancer and was feeling great--starting to feel that cancer was behind me. Went for annual mammo and BAM. Two years later other breast, again NO symptoms.
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I guess I had a few symptoms but just didn't connect the dots. I had some new night sweats but had them during menopause so I really didn't think twice about them except that they were annoying. Night sweats can also be a sign of other cancers. I also had an easier time getting yeast infections but again didn't think about it twice. That's all until I found the thickening in my breast, not a lump, just thickening.
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Grace, perhaps you didn't connect the dots because there is no connection.
Post-menopausal night sweats are very common and might actually be a good thing:
Women suffer hot flushes and night sweats for up to 10 YEARS after reaching the menopause
Night Sweats in Postmenopausal Women Linked to Reduced 20-Year Mortality Rate
And there is no evidence that yeast infections are connected to breast cancer. Yeast infections can become more common after menopause (because of the changes in the vaginal environment) and they can be chronic, so if you get one, it might re-appear and re-appear, making it seem that you are suddenly more prone to get them.
From FDA reports: Breast cancer and Yeast infection - vagina
This could just be a situation where there are a number of different things happening to your body that are all age-related, but are not necessarily connected to each other.
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No symptoms here either......first mammogram - dx - dcis
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I will be 28 in a week. My mom at 49 was diagnosed with Invasive ductal carcinoma estrogen 1 progesterone positive HERII neg clear margins neg lymph nodes. She's 3 years free after lumpectomy, rads and tamoxifen. My maternal great grandmother died at 49 of BC and her sister had it twice, in her 70's. My paternal grandfather had BC and mastectomy related to thyroid cancer treatments. No one has had any genetic testing has been done, I've declined too.
A month ago I woke up with right sided chest (not breast) pain along sternum 2nd to fifth ribs. Hurts to breath, lay on side, twist chest at all. Achy but occasionally stabbing. Can't push on exactly where it hurts or rub it away like a sore muscle. Classic costal chondritis (inflamed cartilage where ribs meet sternum). Didn't go to doctor and was on vacation for s week. Discovered vertically oriented lump over 4th rib, 8 cm from nipple. 2 o'clock position. Lump is painless, rubbery, fixed to pectoral muscles. It feels lobulated and like long thin strings extend up towards 3rd rib and down towards 5th. About 2 cm across, maybe 1 cm high. I've been having awful drenching night sweats. 5-10/month for at least 6 months. Normal chest X-ray and routine labs by PCP. At breast ultrasound last week radiologist placed probe for 30 seconds and said, "Nothing's there." I sat up. It is. Feel it. "Nope, look, nothing. You can come back if it gets bigger." Seeing PCP this week and asking for MRI. Have apt for next month with breast surgeon.
I don't feel scared. My period came and went and if anything the lump has only grown. I want to know what this is. I don't if my symptoms are related to one another. My chest still hurts. I am following up best I can. Reading stories here about negative ultrasound gave me the resolve to request MRI and make apt with surgeon. Looking for input, advice, similar stories.0 -
Still living my story. I have not had a dx yet... I have an ultrasound of the left breast tomorrow. Reading through this puts a lot of things to the forefront for me.
Almost exactly two years ago, my left breast starting hurting... strangely. It felt as others have stated, like they were lactating. I had my full hysterectomy about 10 years ago (age 29). It hurt to drive... even dreamed that I was nursing again. Then it started swelling. I tried to wear bigger clothes so that it wasn't as noticeable. When I went to the doctor, we went through all the "normal" situations... antibiotics for infection, anti-viral for shingles.
The doctor felt a lump, small, and sent me for an ultrasound. Ultrasound didn't show anything, just changes/evidence of the breast reduction I had approximately 7 years ago. Doctor recommended a mammagram. Nothing showed on the mammagram, but I still was having problems with the breast, so I was sent for an MRI. MRI came back as BI-RADS 2, 5 mm focus in each breast with a probably lymph node with fatty hilam in right. (not the breast I was having problems with). Recommendation was to have a follow up mammagram in a year.
Fast forward 18 months with no major problem. Went in for my physical/breast exam. Doctor could not feel a lump, which was odd to me. He scheduled my follow up mammagram as a screening. In the shower, found the lump again, which had me a little worried, but knew the mammagram was coming up.
When I went to the mammagram, they asked the normal questions. When I mentioned the find, the tech immediately called my doctor to get an order for diagnostic rather than screening. Mammagram came back as new asymmetry 5 mm mid depth, probably lymph node. (left breast... the one with the original problems) Nothing on the right.
I had not considered some of my other symptoms as possibly being related. My blood test over the summer showed my vitamin d very low. I also have had increasing forgetfulness. I can be thinking of something I need to look up on our computer system, open a window, and have already completely forgotten what I was doing in the first place. This type of thing is happening SEVERAL times a day. While I don't think anyone wants a diagnosis of any type of cancer, I almost find it comforting that if it is, I may not be simply losing my mind.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, ladies (and a couple gentlemen). It has actually helped me sort out some things in my mind.
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Melissa, Vicks and Beesie. Thank you for attempting to keep the thread on point. I checked out for a long while, will not be around much either way. Still doing very well. But I am able to change some info at the thread's original post to help now.
Please, I hope no one not diagnoses takes offense or is hurt. A simple confusion of the intent is all it has been. We read quick, jump in fast and share, we are all open hearts.
I will again point out, hopefully even better this time, that the list needs to be posted on by those that have been diagnosed. That is the title. Breast Cancer Sysmptoms - a comprehensive list from those with breast cancer.
The list is in the "Not dx but worried" forum because this information is intended for those seekers who are wanting more info during health challenges.
The main point of the thread is so we all know there can be a myriad of symptoms that hits one person and then another never has one reason to think they are dealing with breast cancer.
The other reason is because there are so many misleading myths on what the symptoms are or are not, women and men are thrown off track of what could be an earlier diagnosis.
Please only post your symptoms if diagnosed. The readers searching out your information (if you are diagnosed!) will have an easier time making their way through the thread.
For others, please keep coming back to bc.org for support and info. There are threads specific to NOT DX BUT WORRIED where you can share and rant and cry an worry, as we all do at beginning and intermittently over the years. I hope you find what you are seeking here on this thread.
We all support and give you the the encouragement to be certain you are heard and checked for breast cancer if you even think it could be real. Accept no less than being heard and taken seriously.
And Beesie is right, even though someone has all the given symptoms for bc and some of them not so standard, that does not mean it is breast cancer. Just breathe.
edited for typos, same hour
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hey blue, are you still taking the rasberry seeds? do you notice any change now after having taken them for some time, been wondering
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