Does Breast Cancer Hurt - honest truth from bc patients
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Hallo.and.good.morning.i'am.new.to.this.website.
i.have.pain.in.my.both.breast.but.the.right.side.of.my.breast.pains.and.rediates.to.the.back.where.my.shoulder.blades.are.and.down.the.side.i.went.for.a.utrasound.scan.and.the.doctor.said.it.was.a.mass.but.no.lumps.and.i'm.still.waiting.to.go.for.a.mammogram.but.our.machine.is.not.working.right.now.i'm.feeling.worried.and.tired.all.the.time.is.anyone.having.the.same.problem.please.advice.me
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The first time I had it, it didn't hurt.
When I got my recurrence (3 years later), it hurt really bad. I just got re-diagnosed this past Friday. That's kind of what prompted me to go ahead and ask my onco about it.
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Garrettchristina-
We want to welcome you to our community. We're sorry you find yourself here, but we're glad you've joined us. If you'd like to connect with other members recently diagnosed with a recurrence, please head over to our Just Diagnosed with a Recurrence or Metastasis forum for support!
The Mods
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This is an important topic. My first symptom was a pulling deep in my left breast. My tumor became worrisome several months later due to size and then changes in my nipple followed. I have been diagnosed with IDC, 2.9cm.
The pain has always gotten more intense. It feels like a pulled muscle. My surgery is not until January 7th. I will be having a double mastectomy.
My big concern right now is that the pain is worse. It is now affecting the whole breast and upper back, especially the shoulder blades. I asked the nurse last week, and she spoke tot he surgeon and he said not to worry about it. It is now the cancer spreading. In fact, he said I am safe to wait for the surgery date five weeks from now due to my tumor markers. I trust my doctor, but I don't think I trust the cancer and what I am feeling. It is disturbing.
Breast pain caused by a tumor can felt into the chest and ribcage, even spine. It can spread and deep within the breast tissue. Is it possible for this to be happening? Or does it not have anything to do with the tumor enlarging or spreading? Why is the pain this bad? My breast is so heavy. I can't sleep comfortable. Do I call the doctor again? Do I just sit back? This is so scary. Maybe someone has experienced this.
Please help.
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Mine hurt like some others described. Like a lightning bolt sharp pain through my breast several times a day. BAD!
I was nursing and beginning to wean when I found my lump and since the lump hurt I assumed it was a clogged duct.
I also heard from several nurses and doctors that it was "a good sign that it hurt, because cancer doesn't normally hurt".
Sometimes it DOES! Look at all these posts.
Mine was ER/PR negative and HER2+, aggressive and PAINFUL! Don't assume your pain isn't cancer.
I'm back on breastcancer.org because once again I have pain and unfortunately I still get scared. This is lymph node pain under my arm. When I was diagnosed in 2009 they believed I also had lymph node involvement but since confirming that diagnosis would not change their course of treatment they did not biopsy the nodes. A lumpectomy after chemo and sampling of lymph nodes showed pCR. They hit me with radiation as well and Herceptin for another year. A few years later hyperplasia cells showed up in the other breast. I had a bilateral mastectomy and diep flap so I could worry less. But here I am again...Worried. I hate feeling like a hypochondriac, feeling like I'm unheard, feeling like I'm crazy for being concerned, feeling bogged down with yet another medical debt.... But if this is still painful next week... I'll take my own advice and not ignore the pain. Can someone point me in the right direction for community experience with recurrence in lymph nodes after pCR?
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My breast cancer didn't hurt since I didn't know I had it. It was found on a routine mammogram. I have had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy, chemo and radiation and now I am on hormone therapy. My cancer breast hurts all the time now but my MO says it is from the radiation. The other breast has started to hurt too but I just saw my MO last month and the exam was normal. My first mammogram after treatment was in September and was normal. I have another one in March. I have always had dense breasts so I was not surprised when I was called back for more pictures and an ultrasound. I have had a stereotactic biopsy before so that didn't bother me. I was shocked when I was told I had cancer and still find the whole process surreal.
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Good evening everyone ,
Has anyone had experience with blood from the nipple ? Maybe infection or something ? I have a palpable abnormal lump on the same breast , which does not show anything abnormal on the ultrasound . Thank you for any advice .
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this is what I am currently experiencing! Lumps found a week ago... no pain in the area of the lumps but I'm having shooting pains, dull aches in my armpit... I'm assuming in the lymph nodes. Cannot be seen by the breast cancer center until next week. I'm wondering if I should pursue a different center for a quicker appointment?
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Pinkrabbit, even if you had cancer it would have likely been there for years before causing symptoms or a lump or even showing on breast imaging. This is not an emergency. I'd be thrilled to get in someplace in a week. You don't need to be seen sooner
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Hello ladies,
It's been awhile since I've been on this site. I go for my 6 month F/U mammogram appointment next month. I'm still waiting after mammogram in February with subsequent F/U spot mammogram on right breast. Showed 1mm cluster of microcalcifications between 8/9 o'clock down deep against chest wall. They rated me BIRADS 3. Now the reason I'm on this thread is because before my February mammogram I experienced pain in that breast like someone was stabbing me with a knitting needle. Still have them periodically, and have in the last 2-3 weeks noticed a fullness under my right armpit. Have had itching and just funny feeling to the skin under the arm and the side of the breast close to my arm. I also should report that last year and this year have we really craving sugar. At Halloween I finished of what was left of the Halloween candy in about 3 days that was roughly 5-6 pounds of candy. Have found myself eating lots of ice cream. I have sat down and eaten almost a full container in one sitting. And here's the kicker, I'm not gaining weight. Any thoughts on this??
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my first cancer hurt a lot, this new one doesn't
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I had pain, like sharp stabbing pain, but only noticed itafter I was diagnosed. Likewise I started having some discharge, after the diagnosis. My aunt was diagnosed at the same time and she had pain too.
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Brand new here and have been reading this thread for a few days. I'm a former mammographer ( left my job to raise my children 17 years ago). I can't tell you how many times I have assured a worried patient that "breast cancer doesn't hurt". I would like to apologize to every single one of them. I have been having intermittent stabbing breast pain for 9 months or so. It has increased pretty rapidly in the last several months, which has caused me to rethink my understanding of breast pain. Usually, progression of a symptom means progression of a "process". I finally went to my doctor today and she feels "thickening " in the area of the pain, and swelling in my underarm area. Thankfully, she took me seriously and ordered a mammo and ultrasound at a local breast center. I just wanted to thank you all for giving me the courage to make a new appointment. I would have felt silly going in for pain, but it has gotten kind of disruptive. Hopefully it will be something simple, but I am glad to know that there is a pl place to come with questions
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I guess I'm on the fence about calling what I felt pain. I didn't experience any "unsolicited" pain in my breast. I was lying in bed reading one night and moved my hand/arm to better prop up the book. When my wrist touched the lump, it felt painful (very mildly). Honestly, I was just shocked that there was a lump there as I had never noticed anything like it before. The pain more alerted me that it was not just normal tissue. It wasn't the pain that brought me in to get it checked out, it was the lump where I'd never seen one before. I was 38, so had never had a mammo before. I don't remember feeling any pain after the first time I felt the lump either.
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Beebelynn: Don't feel bad about it. My own MO sat right in the room with me and told me the same thing. Now THAT pissed me off.
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THANK YOU! I was not crazy but I had a PCP (nurse practitioner as it became impossible to see my doctor after 30 years of being his patient) that made me think I was. I had sharp stabbing pain in my breast almost a year before I was diagnosed. I had a mammogram (regularly scheduled) and it showed nothing. i went in and complained again (more than once) and was reminded it was nothing. Months later I discovered the tumor in the exact same spot. The pain increased over time and my oncologist said it was the tumor laying on a nerve. When it started to shrink during chemo the pain subsided. I don't think I had the tumor months before as my cancer is a very fast growing aggressive triple negative kind but I think that some changes were going on in my breast and now looking back the doctor should have listened to me and at least done an ultrasound since mammograms don't pick up everything. Wow, I'm digressing here. A little pent up anger from not being taken seriously, being written off as a complainer, and a wimp on pain.
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Does breast cancer hurt? Yes, for me both times I felt stabbing, pinching pain in my breast before I was diagnosed. In fact, the second time the pinching pain that I felt was the reason I immediately called for a diagnostic US and mammogram. It felt familiar.....and sure enough, it was breast cancer again
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Well, I got results from my thermography the other day. The right breast was TH2(normal), left breast was TH3+ (medium-high risk). I have been having steadily increasing pain, itching and burning in the left breast for months. I can't wear a regular bra anymore as of this week. The chiropractor who performed the thermogram said "Everything looks fine. Luckily, breast cancer doesn't hurt, so we'll do a follow up in 6 months." I was so shocked by her dismissive comments, since I was reading the report when she came in that was describing the increased vascularity and out of normal range temperature differences between my two breasts. It recommended immediate follow up with mammo and/or ultrasound (The exam was read by a specialist in California). I think I understand now that she doesn't really understand how the exam works, and while a TH3 might not always be cause for concern, breast thermography is a study of comparison (one breast to the other) . The difference in the images of my two breasts is obvious, yet she was inclined to shrug it off because I have pain. This lady just wanted to sell me supplements.Thankfully my gyn is exploring until she finds the cause of the pain. I'm praying that it's benign and treatable. I'm glad to have the confidence that you ladies have given me to pursue answers.. This thread is so important!
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beebelynn, you are lucky to have a gyn that can use more mainstream tools for evaluation. The National Institute of Health has put out a warning to patients that thermography is not a substitute for mammography. I know how both work, I went to pharmacy school. Chiropractors are not breast specialists, but they are wonderful at other areas of medicine. Hopefully, you gyn can give you direction.
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hello y'all I am 41 yrs old I have had mammograms in the past they found two knots in my left breast and one in my right. I have had ultrasounds and they have told me it was nothing to be scared of. Then lost insurance. As of right now I have not had a mammo in two years. I now have an indent in bottom of my left breast. About 7 o'clock . it is swollon. And the pain is almost unbearable. I am also feeling some pain in my right breast. The pain shots in my left breast from indent to nipple. The indent is located next to wear one of the knots was two years ago at the last mammp. I still have no insurance. I have an appointment at the health department Thursday morning. I am really scared this time. I have been reading this site and I am more concerned now. My grandma and her sisters and brother all passed of l passed of lung cancer. My grandfather passed of brain cancer. My mother has had cancer but it was tumors in her back. I am a smoker. Pack and half a day. My kids r grown. My tubes tied almost 20 yrs ago. I have always been one to enjoy life and deal with the results later. I don't usually do exams. I would not have noticed the indent if it would not have started hurting. I have been told for years I have dense breast tissue. I have not had any MRI or other test except the ultrasound. I am also scared that cause I don't not have insurance they will not give me other tests needed to actually be 100 % sure. I am going through menopause also. Not really sure what to expect. I have raised 3 wonderful productive young men. And now have my first grandson. I really appericate every one of u ladies that have shared on here. It has helped a lot. I have never been one to talk about my aches and pains. Thank u to who all have shared.
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Hi Tonia - Welcome to BC.org. We are sorry that your concerns brought you here but glad that you reached out!
Until your appointment, you may want to take a look at the article Help for People Without Health Insurance from out main site. Hope it all goes well!
Best wishes,
From the Mods
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I am not sure I can call it pain, but something definitely didn't feel quite right and that's how I found my lump. I definitely had the shooting pain, which I figured was a pulled muscle or hormones. I now feel a discomfort on the opposite side of the lump, enough that I rub it when it bothers me and sometimes feels like a burning sensation. Sometimes I feel like it has gotten bigger since the biopsy, mabye the biopsy angered it. lol Maybe it's my imagination? From what I read my symptoms mask that of mastitis or inflammatory breast cancer. As of right now I know I have cancer and have a lumpectomy scheduled for the 18th, after this I will find out the details.
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Ladies, I'm so frustrated right now. I could really use your advice! I'm 33 years old, with no family history. For the past 2 months my right breast, in a very specific area, has been in constant pain and also has shooting pain. I thought it would resolve itself. Well a few days ago I started swelling in that same side of my breast. I could feel something but it wasn't a lump it was more like a raised swollen lumpy area. The swelling was so bad yesterday I was probably a cup bigger in that breast alone. Today the swelling has gone down thankfully but the pain is still there. Today I got a clean mammogram and a clean ultrasound. The doctor said no infection in that area. No cysts. While I'm laying on the table cringing in pain while she's pushing the ultrasound wand in that area she says the tissue here looks normal. I'm thinking how can that be? So I told her I'd like to see somebody else about my symptoms and I'm going to see a breast surgeon tomorrow. Anyone else have this problem? Any specific things I should ask the breast surgeon or request of him? I could really use some advice. I have no idea what to do next!! I'm thankful it's not an obvious lump or obvious cancer which is a blessing. The mystery pain is very frustrating though. Thanks in advance this forum is wonderful. You all are so supportive of each other it's beautiful.
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I had no pain or symptoms.
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Sunshine, try to limit the amount of phytoestrogens in your diet: soy products - it is in everything from salad dressing to yogurt; limited the number of protein bars that you eat - they are full of soy protein isolate; limited the amount of caffeine that you drink per day or get off of caffeine altogether; make sure that you are getting an hour of walking or running per day; drink the recommended water amount per day; eat plenty of fresh fruits and veggies per day; if you smoke - try to cut back or stop; if you drink - try to cut back and stop. Make time for yoga or some type of relaxation every day. And, somethings weird things just happen to us, and resolve themselves without an answer. If you take hormones, time to check in with an endocrine doctor. Eat clean, drink healthy, exercise regularly, get enough sleep.
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Sunshine - here are links that you will find help on. https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/83
If is does prove to be breast cancer, come back and tell your story here. and on here https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/83/topics...
If you read more on these threads you will find stories to help too.
Hoping it is hormone overload, an easy turnaround.
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No pain with mine
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no pain here. A flipped implant and, if you will, intuition sent me to first mammogram/us/biopsy, in which I was diagnosed three days later with dcia
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hi there i havent been diagnosed with breast cancer but same time i feel im talking to a brick wall u hear so many stories ads on tv always be breast aware so go to the doctor send me for ultrasound tell me its cysts too many to count and send me home didnt test them or do anything but yet im in agony everyday cant even wear a bra that uncomfortable pain goes right through to my shoulder blades under my arm which looks a bit puffy and up my neck and this hardness just below my collarbone ive had xrays all normal ive no appetite cant sleep worried sick so far ive had 4procedures 2 on each breast 4 and half yrs later im still having problems but yet ive never experienced anything like this before.
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Yes, it did for me. Had the pain for 3 years, although in recent year it became intermittent. Cancer is low grade, must have been there all this time.
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