Does Breast Cancer Hurt - honest truth from bc patients
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I had a pain, but I thought it was due to an unfortunate underwire bra mishap. When I went to rub it and move the bra around, there was this huge mass. The skin looked slightly bruised, but that was it. I called my mother's breast surgeon, and the nurse said I probably gave myself a hematoma, and to put hot compresses on it, and if it didn't go away, to call them back. Well, it goes away within a couple of weeks, so I stopped using the compresses. Yay me, right?
Well, I get PMS, and back comes the mass. And this time it didn't go away with the hot compresses. So, I called them back, and the rest is history.
It's really amazing how many different ways cancer makes itself known.
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Psalm121,
Thank you so much for sharing. We read stories like yours way too often. Why is most of the health community making such poor judgment calls when it is our life at stake? That is so wrong!
Your ARNP determined that your breast exam was normal so no more testing was necessary and you had IDC? How arrogant of her. I am baffled by this attitude. I am curious, did she apologize or feel ashamed once you were diagnosed?
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I too felt my lump.I have cystic breasts so they always hurt but this one felt different.I just happen to be in my drs.office for something else when i mentioned the pain to her.she said show me.she felt it and i said ouch.She also said if it hurts its USUALLY NOTHING!!!!!!WRONG.Im glad she did say you betta go have it checked.sure enuf there it was....
BC SUKS.
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Fergy: when I think about it, my situation still makes my heart flutter. There was so many variables for how it could have turned out that it frightens me anew. I never saw that ARNP again. I did call her before my mastectomy in Sept. 2009. I dreaded the confrontation, but so wanted her to know what had happened. Turns out, she already knew about my diagnosis & hadn't even bothered to call me. I had worked with this woman & considered her a friend. She apologized & assured me she would never ignore a patient 's concerns again. I told her I hadn't called for the apology and did not accept it. My goal was to do what I could to prevent her from treating anyone else so carelessly. My concern was not for her or to reassure her at all and I didn't. I also never went back to that practice and she has since moved to another city.
I haven't shared all of these details with many people, but this is exactly the place to do so in order to educate & empower other women. We shouldn't diagnose ourselves but see to it that we are in the care of professionals that are respectful of our concerns, feelings & symptoms. Thank you for your concern for me, Fergy, it means a lot.
Sommer: are you saying that you have prominent veins on one breast? Have you seen a doctor yet?0 -
Hi Psalm
I am saying exactly that... My story began in January and I have stated this scantily. I went to my GP after my husband and my friend, noticed me going under my arm, for around six months. Both of them asked me why I was doing this on a regular basis, and I responded that I could feel something there, so I monitored for four months, to see if cyclical, it wasn't. January, my GP said she could feel a couple of lumps, sent me to the breast clinic. This is where the fun begins and I will bullet point:
1. BS stated that she couldn't feel a lump, yet she skin marked the area for mmg, and ultrasound.
2. MMG, nothing picked up, ultra sound picked up a mass, of 11mm by 4mm. Yet the breast was ultra sounded in the suspicious area, never has my axilla been ultra sounded. Mass was biopsied, ultra sound rating was birads 3. FNA came back inconclusive, then core was performed. Came back as a fibroadenoma.
3. Opted for removal of FA. Surgeon then did another physical examination, said she could feel two lumps, (my husband was in with me, so he was taking notes) that I needed a wire insertion to ensure she was removing "the correct lump"
4.. Morning of surgery: Went to have the wire procedure, the radiologist stated that I didn't need a wire insertion as the mass was only 5mm under the skin, so he skin marked me.
5. Histology came back as a complex fibroadenoma (however, I was told that it was a fibroadenoma, only because I applied for the pathology reports that I picked up this snippet of information)
6. Two weeks post surgery, which was clarified as an " elective excisional lumpectomy" I felt another hard, painful mass, which I called hubbie into feel. He felt and I insisted that I return to the clinic, where the same surgeon stated that it was post surgical issues and I should massage it out.
7. Three weeks post surgery, a venous pattern appeared, on the same breast, I reported back to clinic, with a different surgeon, same radiologist, who is the clinical director of breast screening, who could clearly feel the mass under the probe. That report came back with "Discreet mass, related to post surgical issues, highly unusual edges, may represent fat necrosis" I was then sent back down to the surgeon, who stated that it was a post surgical issue. I had told her about prominent veins and she said it was all related to the surgery.
8.. I have now contacted patient liaison services to look at the case.
My own thoughts:
I do feel that I am not on a cancerous path, however, the veins are very prominent, which I know may be down to a circulation issue, from a malignancy path. (I found this info on the site that you posted, thank you) I have now, monitored the pain process since surgery, it is not cyclical, it is there all the time, a discomfort, my left breast has a dark velvety patch, under the nipple, that is peeling, (I have never suffered with eczema or any skin condition and the right breast looks nothing like the left breast, all perfectly normal on the right)
My left breast, just doesn't look at all right, it is painful, swollen at times, have checked five days after menses, every month and the same problems are still there.
So, I am back to my doctors again, with my concerns, this week, I have an appointment at clinic in August now... But, I feel as though I am being dismissed. With everything being put down to post surgical issues. The only other surgery I have had has been for sterilization in the late 90's, which I recovered from quickly with no issues at all. I am healthy, and while on the outside, I have recovered, I cannot believe that I still have all of these issues, from a post surgical matter.
Veins are very prominent, very, I am not pregnant, it has been very noticeable for the last two months.
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Oh Sommer... Big hugs and a lot of loving thoughts to you.
I'm in a similar battle. A touch different but still very similar. I hope anyone in our position gets answers sooner rather than later.
I say this knowing I am waiting on a MRI report to be issued from the same place that read my CT report as my "uterus and ovaries appear normal"... I informed the breast surgeon I had a laproscopic supracervical hysterectomy June 8th, 2010... (I still have the ovaries though so hopefully those indeed are normal) 5 minutes later she asked me "Is there any chance you could be pregnant?" in relation to the vein that pops out of my right breast, the pruple tint of the right breast, the change in nipple in the right breast... the massive increase in size in the left breast (that occured over 13 days and went from an H - HH - J - JJ - K in cup size), the pink mottled look on the left , the "telangistacia" on my left breast that came up the week I tried antbiotics, the indentation along the inner edge when I lift my arm, the swollen axilla and left arm... etc. etc. The sharp stabbing pains that happen in different locations in both. The left sides pain is tied to a 1cm fibroadenoma supposedly (fna results were put on imaging report for this one and are suggestive but not deffinitive of a fibroadenoma). There is no explaination why any cold causes the front inch and a half of my left breast to feel like it is exploding from my breast.
All of these things occuring and progressing over a matter of months outside of 1 thing that has been there for over a year now.
Can I just say my favorite lines through this have been:
You're too young. Don't worry about cancer.
It's probably just some benign condition. I wouldn't worry about it.
It's pink. Not red. I wouldn't worry about it.
Maybe the swelling in the arm isjust lymphedema.
Wrap your chest with a thigh compression bandage for support.
The node is enlarged but not overly so. It is still in the upper range for what can just be "reactive". I'm not concerned.
Don't worry. If this was cancer evenutally it would be very apparent. Time will always tell.
And from the receptionist:
Are you sure you even had an FNA done? There is no record of one ever being done and certainly not two. This is so strange. I've never seen this before. (FYI the one was added to the imaging report so I at least have it... Just not the lymph node from the axilla.)
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Needless to say... I tried to go to another Dr. Another hospital. I got in, saw her... Very nice. Got reassured that the Dr I have been seeing must be right because she's "one of Toronto's finest" and not to worry. It's probably just something benign.
I keep trying to get a straight answer... But I am so tired. I feel like I am beating my head against a wall, and I am even to the point of considering going to another country to get answers.
What the Dr's want is for me to sit down, shut up, and be a GOOD GIRL. *sigh*
Shell
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Sommer, your appt this week is with general practitioner? Could you request a referral to get a second opinion? It is frightening how doctors dismiss us. In your case, your symptoms suggest something is going on & it is their responsibility to find out what & they have "dropped the ball". Ask for a whole breast ultrasound including axilla area, could your GP send you for this? Swelling & peeling of the breast is not normal & it amazes me how they think it's post~surgery related! Please keep me updated & know that I am thinking of you
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Shell, bless your heart! People are stupid & there's just no fixing 'em! I'm sorry you're going through so much, I'm thinking of you & praying your MRI resullts are negative. (((Hugs)))
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Psalm121 you are so sweet. Hugs right back at you!
I prayed they are too, yet at this point I just tend to pray it shows WHAT this is. If there is nothing that can be done for the increased size and density of the left... I need to deal with it which means surgery. No plastic surgeon worth their salt would cut into a breast that's not been fully investigated with these symptoms. Sort of the catch 22. *soft smile*
At the end of the day I know the odds are high that something needs to be done surgically. It is just the what.
Shell
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I can only thank Diane, for starting this thread, as it is important for women to read.
Cuter - wow, you've got it all going on there, haven't you? That's it, you've hit the nail on the head, a purpleish tint to my breast!
Psalm - I have already had a second opinion, - they were the ones who have put it down to a post surgical issue?????!! I am now approaching the three month since the surgery, post surgical issues, heal with time, I know this, from the sterlization procedure I had done in 99. But improvements happen.
I have had a rather nasty exchange this afternoon with a doctor's receptionist, who stated that it is not urgent and that I need to call back on Friday, for an appointment for next week. In the UK we call it, the "8am rush"
On and on my battle goes, the patient liaison service, can take up to six weeks to come back from their findings. In the meantime, we are left with this.
So, am onto it, called the breast care nurse, who states go back to your doctor, so I have to beg an appointment... Am doing all I can. I know it is not normal.
Shell_ My favourite lines are:
Pain is part of being a woman
I did not say there were two lumps, I said it was lumpy.
I don't think I am dealing with a post surgical issue, I think the original issue has been overlooked and the fibroadenoma, was picked up routinely, so they removed that. My symptoms that took me to the doctor in the first place, are still there. I will certainly be insisting on a an all over ultra sound.
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Oh Sommer. Big hugs!
Pain is NOT part of being a woman. @$$hats! Are these men or women saying this to you?
And have you noticed the fibroademonas are NEVER large enough or placed correctly to correlate to the rest of the symptoms but once they see it they run with it. Don't you love it?
Um Sommer have you seen this study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8202095 - Long-term risk of breast cancer in women with fibroadenoma. Another article on it is here http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/FindCancerEarly/WomensHealth/Non-CancerousBreastConditions/non-cancerous-breast-conditions-fibroadenomas
"Fibroadenomas can be diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) or core needle biopsy. Most fibroadenomas are simple fibroadenomas. They look the same all over when seen under a microscope. They do not increase breast cancer risk. But some fibroadenomas contain other components (macrocysts, sclerosing adenosis, calcifications, or apocrine changes). Women with these complex fibroadenomas have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer (about 1½ to 2 times the risk of women with no breast changes)."
I found them because I went looking.
My cytologly reads:
Microscopic Findings:
Cellular preparation.
Ductal cells present.
Apocrine metaplastic cells present.
Cyst lining cells present.
Myoepithelial cells present.With the 1½ to 2 times the risk from that, my mothers fathers family being Ashkinazi Jewish (and mothers brother passed from pancreatic cancer), extremely large breasts that are dense, etc. etc. I have about 10 or 11 things that raised my risk. Supposedly 1 more which should have reduced after I stopped taking it years ago but studies were only done on those using Depoprovera for 2 years or less and I was 4 1/2-5 years every 12 weeks not every 13 like they changed it to. Basically it ammounts to any one of those could increase my chance to double or more chance of it. Yet they pat me on the head and (I'd say basically but a student Dr actually did it)tell me to get my anxiety checked with physical symptoms you can see from 20 feet away, let alone 2.
Feel free to PM me if you need to vent. I don't want to hijack this thread too much.
Shell
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Hi Shell,
I shall read your links, as I have a funny feeling about these tumours, and certainly, to hear from the surgeons mouth "Good news, it is only a fibroadenoma" then to receive my pathology reports, which stated a complex fibroadenoma???
Infuriating isn't it? Oh and the best is here, that medical records are not released, if they feel that they could damage your mental well being????
I'll look at the links, then write you. Thank you so much. Hugs back to you.
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One last post. They are suppose to release them here in Canada BUT any Doctor can make a case to not do so for that same reason.
Mine are actually holding reports back from other Doctors whom I signed release of information for. We're nearing 3 months of failing to provide the reports. Which is how the lymph node path report never got another copy out there in the world.
And you are quite welcome!
S
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I find it impossible to deal with, when I read that the girls in the US, get the copies of all their path reports. It is infuriating!
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Sommer,
I'm sorry if my post sounded that you didn't know....of course you do. I meant the "professionals " should know it's not normal. And you most certainly are doing all you can. The limitations we are dealing with daily are so frustrating. I'm sorry dear lady, forgiven?
Shell,
Thanks for the links, I'll read them as well. I always had extremely dense breast tissue, which I also think is another risk.
Take care, talk to y'all soon.0 -
Oh gosh, Psalm, I never thought for a moment that you were writing me in anything other than a kind manner, there is absolutely nothing to forgive. You did nothing at all to upset me! If you misread my "????!!!" that was because I am just completely discombobulated with the surgeons and stuff that has been placed in my path. You shared your very important experience and for that I am nothing other than grateful.
Hugs to you!
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Sommer
Hugs right back
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Everyone's story and description helps another. This is like connecting other ancer patient's dots to make your own connection.
I know for certain the surgeon left a positive margin and my breast cancer was and still is multifocal. The pain has always been there. Your stories remind me of the frustration of trying to get a full ultrasound of both breasts and armpits and all around the chest and neck. But they just see you as a spot on a breast, nothing more. Once that first mass was showing on the mammo, the US should have been extremely thorough and then an MRI for both. Why not? Why the H*#* not? I will never understand.
Though I woud never say this, but think I may go to...... no am not going to asurgeon that is not a breast speciast, learned that the hard way.
And I will not engage with another medical person who does nnot KNOW that breast cancer can indeed hurt and know at least as much as I do from reading on bco all the symptoms.
Live and learn.
Keep them coming ladies and men, we need to hear more details, it's all right to expound.
If you are reading and do not want to share, just please bump this thread so more will get to read the info. Just write bump and submit to get it back to top of topics. Thanks. Also see the thread in the introduction at top, Symptoms of Breast Cancer: A comprehensive list from bc people.
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Diane,
This thread has been so important.
I wrote a letter off to what we call here in the UK Patient Liaison service, and today, I got somewhere, the chief executive of our local trust called me, and asked me what I would like to move this forward. Of course, I said I would like a thorough and complete ultra sound scan of my whole underarm area and the whole breast. I told her I had lost complete faith in the clinic I had attended and she was very understanding of my concerns. She will address my whole list of concerns, but her primary purpose today, was to get me a new appointment with a consultant of my choice. I found one, not too far from me, who is seeing me next Friday.
I have been patient, with pain, with concerns, written off in a calm and professional manner, and today I feel relieved that I can now begin to find out what is going on. Four months this has been going on.
Thanks ladies, for all of the posts on here, whatever I have going on, now will be resolved, I hope and I can and will have answers, it will put my mind at rest, whatever the outcome.
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Oh thank goodness Sommer! I am so glad for you!
Big hugs,
Shell
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Hi Shell
At least, now I can get somewhere. It took a while. I have had to nicely press! Hope you're well.
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I am just waiting. Easiest way I can put it.
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It's a hard one, isn't it?
Hugs from across the pond.
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Rediculously so. I think it is that I know the report will already have been issued. LONG ago.
Who leaves someone waiting 21 days for an MRI report? I mean really...
Hugs back at ya!
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Hi Cutter & Summer I hope you both get the answer you need! And Soon! The waiting is so very hard. I was just DX with DCISMI or T1mi N0. I am still waiting for Her2 testing, possibility of maybe running another test or 2. I'm in what they call a gray area. It's not the better DX & it's not bad either. They don't know quite what to do with me yet. I will definitely be having 6 weeks of RADS but the rest is unknown. I'm still having pain from the surgery though! At least it's out of me except for some stray cells possibly!
Please keep us posted! You have to be your own advocate! Even in the US! Hugs!0 -
Hi Julz,
It is terrible, isn't it? I think all this pain and mental anguish cannot help any person.
Hugs back to you too!
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Hugs back Julz!
I see you joined a while back but can't really go back to an eariler time in your posts. Did you have a benign condition previously?
Shell
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Cuter I was 41 & had my first mammo after my base line mammo at 40. I was called back for compression views of micro calcification's in my Left Breast right behind my nipple. Had to wait 5 weeks to get those closer mammo pics done! I was worried & had a lot of time to wait. I found BCO then. I ended up having to have a stereo tactic core needle biopsy. Only one spot was seen clear enough to biopsy. Since both were close together & the results of the path came back B9. I was put on 6 month mammos for a year. Then about 2 months after the biopsy I had some achyness in the same breast back by my arm pit side of breast. I felt a small lump. I went back in for another mammo & US. Just fibrocystic changes. Guess what .... The same achyness area with those fibrocystic changes is the same area same breast they just found my BC in!?!?!?! Things that make me go mmmmmm! Nothing looked like they did 4 years ago.....but was all that the start of what was just found?!?! Who knows! So that's what happened & how I came to be here! I made some totally best friends too!
(edited to fix some spelling & a word or 2)
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julz thank you so much for answering that. Especially in this thread. I think it is important for those who are told it's b9 to keep up with new symptoms, and keep monitoring.
I've made some awesome friends on here as well.
Shell
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This is my first post..discovered a large lump on my right breast Sat. April 28/12...saw my doctor May1st & he booked me for a mammo,utlrasound & biobsy the very next day. Appointment with my surgeon May 22 & May 24th the 5 cm lump & 3 lymph nodes were removed. June 5th I am sceduled for a CT &Full Body Bone Scan & then meet with my surgeon June 6th who I hope will have my Pathology report. He has already told me I will probably have 1 month of radiation but an oncologist will decide further treatments after he has seen all reports. So far my cancer does not have a name.
I still have a drain in my body, my breast hurts & I get shooting pains near the incision & sometimes in my arm. After reading these posts I feel a little better knowing the pain is normal. I have been trying to stay off of the painkillers but nights are difficult.
In the meantime I am trying to carry on with my life but I am so afraid.
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