I am sure I have cancer and my doctors won’t listen
Hello everyone, looking for some insight and some advice for my situation. I started with nipple sensitivity in 2015 as well as breast fullness and heaviness. I went to the dr got an ultrasound and they said it’s hormonal. There are times where only my left breast hurts and aches and my nipple is erect. My husband can’t hug me someday s. I tell my dr that my boob feels like a rock, I have researched this now for a couple of months because this has gone on way too long.. my breast shouldn’t feel
This way, I went to a Dr today and he pretty much told me that he’s only ordering ultrasound and no mammogram or biopsy. I read stories of women who are only dx through biopsy because it wouldn't show up. I feel like a hypochondriac But other women’s experiences match my symptoms. I need to take action now. I cried and told him to please order me a mammogram, he says he put it in the order but the diagnostic center called to schedule only an ultrasound. I am scared, frustrated, and I really need some support and guidance. Thank you all for this incredible space.
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You should call your doctor and tell him they only called in for ultra sound. It's also possible that cancer will not show on mammo as well. How old are you? The other option would be to see another doctor, perhaps a female and get a second opinion. Find a breast specialist.
Best of luck.
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I agree w Goldie about finding a breast specialist. She is also right that a mammogram may not show anything. An ultrasound gets a much better picture of what is going on to determine if a biopsy is in order. My tumor was very small and never showed up on mammogram....even a week before surgery. It showed up on MRI which then led to ultrasound. It sounds like you may be actually getting the best procedure. A breast specialist can help you sort things out re: diagnostics and any treatment. Hoping for the best for you.
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If your boob is rock hard a mammogram is going to be unpleasant at best, and possibly impossible or ineffective. And if they did find anything on a mammo it would be followed by a ultrasound to determine if what was seen is cancer or some other kind of mass. My mammogram showed absolutely nothing since I was young and had dense tissue. It was pointless, but I think it's just the sequence doctors prescribe - mammogram then ultrasound, then biopsy if needed.
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I agree that you should see a breast specialist. I had a mass on the right that showed up by mammogram. That's what brought me in for an ultrasound and then a biopsy. However, my breast surgeon decided we should do an MRI of the left side to make sure we weren't missing anything. The MRI detected a mass twice the size of the one on the right side that was undetected by mammogram. They looked back at 3 years of my mammograms to see if they had missed something, but they hadn't. The breast tissue on the left side was very dense. So that's why the mass wasn't able to be detected by mammogram. A breast specialist would know which tests and/or scans would be necessary according to the symptoms you are having. Wishing the best of luck to you. Sending hugs.
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Need to know age? I am assuming you are too young for a mammogram which is why Dr. won't do one? I can say if you have had an ultrasound it would show if anything was up---possibly even better than a mammogram depending on density of your breasts. If my assumption are right (forgive if not), it is most likely something hormonal happening. Our bodies go through many changes over the years. Sometimes have to figure out what it is. My feeling from your post it that it's unlikely to be a cancer.
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I had a mammogram and when something showed they ordered an ultrasound to get a better look so it sounds like you skipped ahead. If anything is found on the ultrasound a biopsy will take place and you'll get that mammogram if that happens because they do one after a biopsy. I agree with the other ladies here who say you should see a breast specialist if you can.
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Thank you for your feedback. I just called and it looks like my doctor did not put a code for a mammogram. I am on the phone now to schedule my ultrasound. My hope was that because, in my mind this is really serious, that the doctor would take out his arsenal but I do understand that this is the protocol and there shouldn't be too much picking or prodding. I am under a medical discount plan, we are waiting for my husbands insurance to start in 90 days. I was having so much anxiety that I needed to take action and not prolong any further. I am going to look into a breast specialist as soon as we get insurance if the mammogram and ultrasound come back negative.
I feel that I waited too long thinking it was hormonal and that being that I am young for BC diagnosis, that it will also be aggressive. I have fibromyalgia and I attributed symptoms to that as well. If anyone has any words of encouragement I would gladly take them, I would truly appreciate it in these moments.
I am so glad I found this website, I read through some of the posts and it gives me hope, even in face of the most daunting catastrophic thoughts of what the outcome could be. I am a huge overthinker and catastrophizing is what I naturally do. Sending everyone a big hug!
oh and I forgot to mention, I am 31 years old, no children, and I have two aunts on my dads side that passed away from breast cancers in their 30's. All of this hits close to home for me and why I am beating myself up for not having advocated for myself or researched more about symptoms.
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Super, don’t beat up on yourself. Given your age, there would be no reason to expect bc (not impossible, but less likely) However, because of family history, you may want to consider genetic testing. If you have one of the gene mutations that increase risk of bc, you can be monitored closely. This was true for me and because I have the BRCA1 mutation, i was having mammogram and breast MRI (alternating every 6 mo) and this caught my bc very early and helped w my surgical decision for BMX as BRCA1 puts recurrence risk at 85% for both breasts. Otherwise, only lumpectomy & rads would have been recommended. I’m hoping you find good care and that your issues are not related to bc.
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SuperDayz - hopefully this is nothing and I would not say your symptoms are typical of a BC diagnosis, though I also wouldn't say it's impossible so I think you are being appropriately diligent in following up on this. If it does turn out to be BC, rest assured that many women have faced down a BC diagnosis, gotten treatment, and moved on with life, and we are all here for support if you wind up needing us. If this does turn out to be nothing, make sure you mention your family history of young BC to your doctor when your insurance starts.
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Thank you for taking the time to reply, I know I am worrying myself event thinking I will have stage V cancer by now and will only have months to live. I am trying really hard to not fall apart over this.
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Worrying and stressing is not going to change anything, in fact it could make things worse, stress is not good for any of us nor our bodies. Take a deep breath and concentrate more on the positive. Do you have to wait 90 days for the US (ultra sound).
I got cancer in 2008, stage IV in 2014 and still going strong. And there is a gal here on the threads that has been stage IV from the get go, for 18 years.
And from some of you other gals, I never knew an US would show more than a mammo! I've never had one. Then why don't they just do those from the start? I would think an US would be less invasive to our bodies
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Hey there! I just want to say that I too am the queen of over-thinking! I am having a core biopsy on Tues and my mind has gone to very dark places! The ladies on here that help and give advice are angels and they are wise! Let them help you through this difficult time by truly listening and applying what they tell you! I cannot tell you how often I have gone back a re-read something for encouragement!
I hope and pray for a positive outcome to your story! And it sounds like you have the ball rolling now, so try and rest in the fact you are doing all that you can for now with the right people in play to help you!
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Goldie, most ultrasound devices are hand-held and they are used to scan the area that is being investigated (as diagnostic rather than screening). There are a few automated (whole) breast ultrasound devices (ABUS or AWBUS) on the market that can be used for screening, but they are not very common yet. Ultrasound does not show calcifications (so mammos are still important), but is good at finding anomalies in dense breast tissue.
Hoping for good outcomes for Super and Joyful!
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Superdayz, it's concerning that you say you are SURE you have cancer. Maybe you could read some of the posts on benign breast issues and they'd help you gain some perspective.
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best wishes for tomorrow xx
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in my panic- I felt that way. I read a post of someone saying that they felt pain in the shower their nipple and it being their first symptoms. Another that stated that she felt like she was sleeping on a hard rock. And in both cases there’s were dismissed because they were told the same as me. That really lit a fire under my butt to find out what it is. My last scan was nov. 2017. I have tried to cut out coffee, gluten, bought better bras, and it helped some but it’s still there/ reminding me it can be cancer,
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SuperDayz
I am 32 and have the same issues. Nipple sensitivity and hardness in one breast. I also have itching and a dent that’s been there for years. I’ve had a mammogram and multiple ultrasounds and they have found nothing. They are telling me it’s nothing sinister. I am still worried like you.
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Hi Ataraneh , I am sorry to hear you are going through the same thing. It’s very scary feeling all of this and being told that they can’t find anything, I hear some cancers can be sneaky when it come to scans. can I ask, what does your nipple sensitivity feel like? Mine is only on my left side and I don’t even want to hug people and I avoid the shower hitting it- it’s usually during my period but it’s only my left breast.
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Super - please keep us updated on the outcome here.
I just wanted to pipe in as someone who was dismissed because I was "too young for BC", and I didn't have a "family history" (my maternal grandmother died of MBC, one of her daughters died of unrelated issues at age 50 and her other daughter (my mother) has not yet had BC). I had a diagnostic mammo & US 03/2017 and was told to go home. I didn't get a copy of the report, so I never knew about dense breast tissue, that mammogram is sometimes not effective, and that an MRI might have helped my situation. 10 months later I was diagnosed stage 3C.
If you feel that something is wrong, BC or otherwise, you stomp your feet and put up a giant fuss until you get someone to listen to you. This is your body and your life, you only get one shot, and you deserve to be heard. No matter what.
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I have my mammogram and ultrasound on Tuesday, I am shaking right now even thinking about it. I am really worried about the results and the fact that it has been years and I am imagining it has spread all over my body. I am trying to remain calm but I am struggling.
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SuperDayz, you mention that your left breast pain is "usually during your period". Does the breast fullness, heaviness and nipple sensitivity also fluctuate, getting worse around your period? And while this affects your left breast more, do you sometimes have some of the same issues (but perhaps to not the same extent) with your right breast?
If so, for some of us with severely fibrocystic breasts, that's unfortunately the normal way our breasts react to our monthly hormonal changes. And while usually this affects both breasts, in some people one breast can be much more affected than the other.
https://www.medicinenet.com/fibrocystic_breast_condition/article.htm
https://www.healthline.com/health/fibrocystic-breast-disease
https://www.webmd.com/women/guide/what-are-fibrocystic-breast-changes#1
I had severely fibrocystic breasts from my 20s through my 40s. Your description perfectly fits my experience. Having heavy painful fibrocystic breasts is no fun, but it's better than this being breast cancer. So I hope that your imaging is clear and that this does turn out to be fibrocystic breast condition. Good luck with the imaging! And I hope you get answers.
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SuperDayz my nipple pain is only on the right. It is extremely sensitive to where I don’t want anything to touch it. It bothers me without a bra on or in the shower. It itches sometimes too. Sometimes there are sharp pains too. It also gets worse and better but not related to my cycle. It peels a tiny bit too, but so does the other side and I wouldn’t notice it if I weren’t looking very closely at it. I want an MRI but insurance will not pay for it. So I could pay out of pocket but my husband doesn’t want too because the doctors say it isn’t necessary.
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Beasie, I thought it could be fibrocystic breasts at one point but I really thought hormonal changes are on both breasts. My right breasts itches and stings right before my period and feels heavy but my left breast is its own mess of symptoms and it fluctuates throughout the month, which concerns me. I get sharp pains all the time aside from my other symptoms. I would ask on different facebook posts and look it up and no one describes the nipple sensitivity of just brushing up against something being painful. My bra on my left side feels also feels tighter on that side during that time, which is almost two weeks out of the month.
When you laid faced down would they feel hard or like a lump?
This calmed my anxiety, I am hoping this is what it is.
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Ataraneh, I understand how you feel. I am hoping this scan is clear but I also know that I would still need to have an MRI for me to really accept it. Where I live, we have an access to healthcare plan option that is not insurance but is a medical discount program. That is the one I am on now and it reduced the cost of all of tests from 10000 to 200.
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Tomorrow is my mammogram and ultrasound. I am trying to stay calm but I am imagining the worst. I my original post I listed some of my symptoms but I reread it and left out some things. This is for those who are looking at posts or searching for answers. I stated with nipple sensitivity and a felling of fullness starting in my left breast. my right breast was only slightly affected during my periods but the left has been my wonky boob For the last couple of years. My drs notes Say I started to complain of pain in 2017 but think it was before then.i noticed that through the years my left breast alsO feels diffetent, such as when I am out of the shower or just walking around. Someone in article about breast cancer described it as a light sun tan and that is what I feel. Throughout the month my left breast can be itchy, feels heavy, dull aches and pain, sensitive nipples(erect nipple at times), sense of feeling In breast has changed (constant). This has all happened slowly over the years and I didn’t worry as I had a clean scan in 2017 and figured my dr was right and its hormonal maybe mixed in with my chostochndrisis. But I have a feeling that this may not be what i thought it was, i was on the look out for lumps and skin changes but never foundanything. I am So terriblyworried
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Good luck tomorrow SuperDayz.
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let us know how it goes! Praying for you
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both my 3 Dmammogram and ultrasound cane out clear. Do I ask for MRI? I am relived but still need answers. I have heard of CT scan with contrast? I want to know how I can best advocate for myself for a definite answer.the tech told me I had dense breast tissue and a lot of it. She went over the area that's tender and said I had a lot of breast tissue. This worries me, I didn't think I had dense breast. I am much more aware but still feel lost.
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I am the same. What was your mammogram score
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