Red patch IBC? Feeling so low :(
hi, I'm posting again
I have a medium pink patch on the middle centre outside (just beyond where the breasts touch). It's about the size of when you put your thumb and index finger together to make a circle. I have large breasts (J cup) so it doesn't take up much of my breast.It looks like a mild sunburn.
I have had the patch for 2-3 months with no changes and no other symptoms except random pains at times (especially when I am extremely anxious) and actually sometimes botharmpits are tender and a bit on outsides of breasts - and collarbone). The patch is completely smooth, but coloured.
I am terrified. For the last two weeks I have had constant diarrhea, nausea, insomnia, weight loss, and general depression from this. I am so scared it's IBC and won't be detected
I've had three rounds of antibiotics with no changes (2 oral and one topical).
My doctor said he won't refer me for a biopsy, as a surgeon would “laugh".
He said he had no idea what it is and a dermatologist is a 6 month wait (I am in Canada and you can't easily get a second opinion or force a biopsy).
He said there is a skin specialist at my clinic I can see in a month or two.
Anyways,... I don't know what to do. My doctor seemed like he'd never heard of IBC. I see my doctor again Monday afternoon and will ask for a mammogram and breast ultrasound and blood work. I hope he will be on board.
My life has been really hard the last two weeks and I can't maintain this level of stress. I just don't understand why I have his and why antibiotics aren't helping and feel so powerless.
I am 35 and have a 1 year old and a 3 year old and I want to get out of this funk.
ETA: last week my son was tested for heart problems and we are still waiting for results, my husband is getting tested for prostate cancer next week after asevere bladder infection scare and last week he broke his leg. I am pretty overwhelmed.
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Hi Mjm, sorry to hear about all these things hitting you at once. One thing you can put your mind at rest about is IBC. It is a very fast and aggressive form of breast cancer that will change within days/weeks very rapidly. If you've had no changes for a couple months, you don't have IBC. I can fully understand you wanting to know what is causing this so don't give up asking for that mammogram/ultrasound and blood work. If for nothing else, but to ease your mind. I hope all goes well for you and your family, and you can find out what is causing this issue with your breast.
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@shellsatthebeach Thank you so much for responding.
I’ve read so much about IBC and with all the stress of everything else going on in my family... my arms, head, chest and the muscles along the side of my ribs -under my armpits- ache. I feel like so much of thee pains are stress induced (if I focus too much on one potential symptom [like a burning sensation], I’ll start to feel it. And that makes my mind go crazy.
What you wrote helped a lot.
The pink area hasn’t changed at all since it appeared 2-3 months ago, and the only other symptoms are the aches and pains I’ve started having.
Worry and anxiety is such an awful thing and I know My anxiety is making this already hard time even harder for my husband.
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Hi Mjm, I just wanted to send you some virtual hugs. I don’t have any answers for what the red patch could be but wanted to echo what another poster mentioned about how totally unlikely it is to be IBC given the length of time with no change.
Stress and anxiety can wreak utter havoc on a body. I think people totally underestimate just how physically harmful being stressed can be. Suddenly you’re feeling pain in places you never felt before and it’s a vicious cycle of stress and more aches and pains. It’s very likely that all of your pain in your breastsare now amplified because of your emotional state. Every little twinge becomes a major problem in our minds when you’re already so scared. I wish I could help more but try your best not to overly worry about this. You’re making yourself sick, literally. I think requesting a mammogram and ultra sound is the right way to go for your peace of mind. Keep us updated.
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update:
Went back to my doctor and explained everything, including my panic and how it’s affecting me.
He took me much more seriously this time.
He said what you guys said, that he doesn’t think it’s cancer because although it can lay dormant before symptoms arise, once symptoms show up it would get very angry in the 2-3 months it’s been there and there has been no change.
He showed me that when the red spot is pressed on, it blanches... which I guess is a good sign, he did a full manual breast exam and noticed dense tissue at the sides of my breasts (but said that’s normal with women with large breasts and with breastfeeding mothers). Nothing else from that was noted. He did a manual exam to check my lymph nodes and nothing is swollen or painful in those areas.
He said the red spot shouldn’t be there and he has ideas for what it could be, but isn’t sure ... so we are going to work to find answers.
I am seeing a skin specialist (not derm) at my clinic in a few weeks, I have a requisition for bloodwork and he has scheduled both a mamagram and ultrasound at a breast assessment clinic at the end of the month.
Since I saw him (and got your messages) I haven’t been as stressed and pain is my breasts has been almost non-exsistent (except some swelling tenderness feelings in both breasts). I have lost a lot of weight and am still feeling sick, but it’s getting better.
I am scared for the tests.. but answers would be nice
Still no results back about the rest of my family.
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bumping for those who were looking at my other thread.
Still really scared.
Pink patch on breast looks like a few pictures I've seen of early stage IBC. A small pink patch with a lighter coloured area that looks like a healing mosquito bite. Take up maybe 1/16 or my breast
Still no texture at all to the area ( completely smooth), no itching or swelling (that I, the doc or my husband can notice), no heat, no changes what so ever since I first saw it, no nipple changes, no swollen lymph nodes... amen no pain except when i am pushing on the breast a lot or hyper focused on it. Sometimes it’s a medium pink sometimes it’s very faint.
Mammogram and ultrasound isn't until next Friday ☹️
My husband goes for his ultrasound tomorrow.
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1-877 GO KOMEN HELPLINE
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still no changes to the breast (no itching, thickening, heat, swelling, texture of the skin, nipple issues or lymph node issues) or the pale pink patch of skin. It still blanches when I press on it.
That breast does look a little larger but I think that is how it's always been. Just slightly. Not swollen looking.
I do have a tiny bit of what looks like broken blood vessels - but although slightly more noticeable on the breast with the pale pink patch, I did notice some on both breasts.
Both breast feel sore at time, sometimes the same time, sometimes alternating. The more stressed I am terrified more uncomfortable I feel in my breast (soreness).
I am still nursing, but down to once a day now - for the last couple weeks, but no still have a lot of milk.
I've read so many stories of IBC not being caught, that I am literally sick with worry.
For the past almost two months I have only had one day without diarrhea, I am having nightmares, reduced appetite... it's affecting my marriage. Ugh
Still haven't heard back about my sons heart test or my husbands prostate exam.
I start counselling on Thursday and Friday I go in for a mammogram and breast ultrasound (my gp said he would be asking the breast assessment clinic to ultrasound the area where the pink is).
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Didyou ever get an answer for this? Hope all was ok x
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Bambi,
This thread has been inactive for over three years. It is unclear who you are asking but the op has not signed in to bco in two years.
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hi, I just thought I’d chance it as sometimes it sends them an email notification as I’m going through similar that’s all
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Bambi - if you go to My Profile land fill out your diagnosis and treatment to date, and ask a question about what you are concerns you, you are more likely to get an answer on a very old thread - or a new one for that matter. There's lots of support on BCO, but you need to give us more information.
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hey,
wanted to respond because I remember so vividly what that time was like.So, since that time I have had 2 biopsies (one where they shaved some of the skin on my breast off and tested it - big scar now- and a punch biopsy), I have also had a 2 manual breast exams, 2 Pap tests, a mammogram and a breast ultrasound.
Everything has come back benign.
The first biopsy came back benign, but inconclusive as to what it was.
I then got pregnant and it went away completely.
After I had my baby, it came back bigger than before. Even though it had been quite a while, it scared me that it was back and bigger (still with no other symptoms than redness). I was seeing a new family doctor at that time (my original doctor moved) so I pushed hard for a punch biopsy (I really wish I would have done this from the start).
This biopsy came back benign, but strongly suggesting Granuloma Annulare. This is a benign skin condition that is typically raised, painful and itchy and even in a ring shape. Mine was not at all like that. I joined a group on FB for people who have GA and learned that it’s not well known in the medical field, and can look quite different from what a quick google search showed and many people have it like mine (not raised, itchy or bumpy)
Then I got pregnant again (with my 4th child) and again it went away completely.
That baby is now 4 months old and the redness is back in a small area again.This time, I’m not concerned. I’m annoyed, but I know I’m okay.
I would say do whatever necessary to make yourself feel better (tests etc) but stay off of google. It’s scary in times like this
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Thank you so much for responding, I’m going through the same thing in early pregnancy. I’ve tried hydrocortisone and antibiotics no change. Got my breast appointment next week and praying so hard. Mine is about the size of yours, not raised or bumpy and been there for about 8 weeks by the time of my breast appointment no change.
Glad yours all turned out ok although frustrating! X
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