Swelling, pain and firmness in one breast
Hello all, I am new to this and hope I can get some advice from this community 
I started noticing breast pain/tenderness at Christmas time but thought nothing off it. About 2 weeks later I noticed that the same breast was slightly swollen. The pain has persisted and the swelling has stayed the same. I went to the doctor a week ago and was put on 4x500mg a day for 7 days to treat a suspected infection. I went back to the doctor yesterday as there has been no reduction to the swelling and still painful. I was given another week of antibiotics as I mentioned to the doctor that I thought the pain wasn't as bad over the weekend but today now I have constant pain again all day so it's making me doubt if it's an infection. My breast is firmer than the other and I can feel a difference on the top outside of my breast ( not a n exact lump but def a mass ) and the pain is a mix of aching and burning pain with the occasional sharpness I have no rash or redness or no nipples changes. The doctor has said she will refer me for a scan if I want her to....I don't want to waste any time if it's nothing to worry about.Any advice on whether this could be anything serious?
I have ready about Ibc but I do not have a rash or redness and I know that mainstream breast cancer doesn't usually have pain associated with it.
Thank you in advance XX
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I think I would have it checked out. You'll rest a lot easier if you know for sure it's not serious. It does sound like an infection, so perhaps the antibiotic you received isn't effective and you need a different one.
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Thanks Wren44, 2nd lot of antibioitcs havnt worked so the referral has been submitted now for a scan to see whats going on. I have read about lots of other things that could be causing the swelling and pain so m keeping an open mind into what it could be and praying its nothing serious. i still dont have any rash or dimpling so dont think it is IBC as think i would have developed these symptoms by now? thanks for your reply x
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I'd have it checked out just in case, but it could also be fibrocsytic breasts. I have had breast soreness that lasted months with that, with my breasts being firmer and more "lumpy" than usual. I found that decreasing my caffeine intake seemed to provide some relief.
That being said, getting scanned did find a small, unrelated mass that I'm getting a biopsy on this week (the radiologist is pretty sure it's benign), so I don't think screening is ever a waste of time.
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Hi geekyknitter, thanks for your post, i do drink 1-2 cups of coffee a day - do u think that is enough to be causing an issue? Did you also have swelling with fibrocystic? I have read up on that and think it could be a potential cause of my symtoms. I hope your biopsy finds that the radiologist is right and its nothing to worry about, keep me updated how it goes x
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Beachgirl2 - Hi! I had fibrocystic breasts for over 20 years and lumps would come and go. The girls were always swollen and I wore a bra 24/7. My point is that in those twenty years I had maybe four or five of those benign little cysts go rogue on me and get infected (from the inside). They would get red and hot and sometimes protrude noticeably. I still have never quite figured out how that happens... I totally freaked out my PCP a few years back because he's never seen one before. But I had. The only thing to do was to have it aspirated and then immediate relief! Just a thought.... Good luck to you!
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Hi Az85048, thanks for the post, hope you are well. With fibrocystic breasts - would both breasts be swollen and painful? i only have the swelling and pain in the one, i cant feel any lumps as such - just feels firmer where the pain is vs the other one x
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It all depends. I've had pain and swelling in one breast and not the other. Imaging should be able to tell the difference between a simple cyst and something else. There are just so many benign breast conditions along with the cancerous ones that it can be hard to tell just from a list of symptoms exactly what is going on.
In any case, I don't think getting some imaging done would be a waste of anyone's time, yours or the tech's. Even if they don't find anything, depending on your age, it might be good to have a baseline anyway and it might help alleviate your worries.
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As far as caffeine intake, I think it again depends on a lot of other factors. I was drinking a LOT of diet soda, so I cut that back a ton and went down to 1 cup of coffee a day and that seemed to help. Your mileage may vary, but you could always try decreasing your intake a little and see if it helps. I've also read about women taking evening primrose to help with breast pain.
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Thanks geekyknitter, im 29 at the moment. Hopefully the referral wont take too long to come through x
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Beachgirl2 - Not necessarily both breasts - I guess I was just lucky!
You can have fibrocystic breast disease in one or both breasts. My breasts have always mirrored one another just because they seem to be so competitive! And to be very clear, my diagnosis and surgery for bc had nothing to do with those cysts but now that I've gone through what I did, a big bonus was to get rid of the pain from those little suckers, believe me! 0 -
ha - glad you are pain free now and i wish you years and years of health and happiness x x
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Beachgirl2 - And I wish you the very same! Let us know how your biopsy goes! I'm betting on benign, so don't make a liar out of me... after all, we've just met and that would be rude!
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hi everyone, thought I would quickly update. Decided to use my private insurance and got an appointment today - seen a consultant, he examined me and said I have costochondritis! Which us inflammation between cartridge connecting my rib cage and breast bone! Symptoms of that don't appear to be what I have been experiencing but I guess he Is the expert? I didn't have a scan but left there thinking why I didn't and would have preferred one just for peace of mind but again he would have asked me to have one if he was concerned? Not sure how to feel....relief? Confusion? Embarrassment?
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i too have been diagnosed with costocondritis....had a CT scan to confirm that one...but I understand how you feel...its a very scary feeling...I did feel pain at the bottom of the breast ...tender to the touch...did not have breast swelling though...I actually had pain which felt like it was underneath the rib cage...I thought for sure I had lung cancer with that one
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Beachgirl2 - Well, I'm glad you went to see someone. I'm sorry that you don't feel more satisfied with his opinion though. I had costochondritis towards the end of my TE adventure. (Like turtle shells on my chest wasn't enough? LOL!) Mine manifested itself as feeling like I'd cracked a rib, which of course, I hadn't. It was low, off to the side and sort of under my breast on the right side. I got a lot of relief from a heating pad. Can you still get a second opinion if you think you need one?
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Exactly AZ...same for me with costocondritis...its past now for some time and I believe mine is caused and irritated by bad posture....
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eileenj - Yes, thankfully mine disappeared after my exchange surgery. No more TEs, no more costochondritis! But man, it hurt!
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i also am experiencing pain in one breast and not the other...2 cysts found by self exam and U/S at the pain site...aspiration scheduled for Tuesday...
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yes I could get a 2nd opinion. I've ad the pain for 7 weeks now and not once would I explain it as rib pain. It's very much in my breast on the top right hand side, doesn't hurt ,no pain upon breathing etc. just feels like a peculiar diagnosis for me x
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Hello beachgirl2
I just wondered if you ever got to the bottom of your pain? I'm 28. It sounds exactly the same as what I've had for 1.5 years. Jan 2016 I got very worried and went to dr but was told it was ok. In November 2016 the pain and swelling/lump was back and went back to drs and referred to hospital and was told same as you (costochondritis) but like you didnt feel it was that as I certainly wouldn't describe it as rib pain.
So now after 1.5 years, in June 2016 the pain is still very bad with that breast (right) being noticeably bigger and swollen/firmer and very painful. I'm just desperate to find a diagnosis to stop this pain as I keep thinking pain and swelling can't be good for it. And as the pain is constantly worrying is constant.
Thank you in advance :
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raevadelicious - you will not get an answer from Beachgirl2. This Thread has not been posted on in over 3 yrs and Beachgirl2 has not even been to the Site since Feb 28, 2014.
If you start a new Thread with your questions you will probably get more replies.
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