I am sure I have cancer and my doctors won’t listen
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Dense breast tissue describes how the tissue looks on imaging. It is not something you can feel. Most - as in over 80% - of young women have dense breast tissue, so this is extremely common and perfectly normal for your age. The issue is that mammograms are not particularly effective on dense breast tissue because dense tissue shows up as being white, and abnormalities in the breast tissue also tend to show up as being white. This is why ultrasounds are usually given to young women rather than mammograms. Breast density tends to reduce with age, although about 1/2 of women over age 40 still have either heterogeneously dense or extremely dense breasts.
Given today's results, in all likelihood you are dealing with extremely painful fibrocystic breasts. An MRI might be appropriate as one additional check to rule out cancer, as much as is possible.
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Is nipple sensitivity the symptom that is worrying you so much.
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I am picking up a copy of my scan tomorrow morning. I want to make sure I have all the information to take to my next appointment I figured I would use my savings for the specialist and additional tests because its out of my current network. I was also told that my the insurance would not cover an MRI unless I had visible changes (lumps, skin changes).
Nipple sensitivity is up there, I think the sensation changes and hearing someone describe it in a way I couldn't (light suntan) who was dx with breast cancer is really what sent me here and on a search. As I researched I found stories of women who had symptoms other than lumps. I was surprised and thought that breast cancer only came with a lump or certain skin changes and so I didn't attribute things to cancer for a long time. I noticed changes gradually until I could not ignore it anymore. I sometimes walk around holding my breast up because of the pain or lifting my bra strap constantly to get relief- I don't want to shower because of the sensitivity and I don't want to be intimate because it hurts even brushing up on it. I even got some kind of joggers nipple once from just wearing my regular bra and doing regular activities. Never has bled or had discharge. My left side has always been an issue- when I was 17 I had chostondriosis (causes painful chest symptoms) and I have that on top of all of this which I feel as a pressure inside my chest. I started thinking that maybe the chest pressure and the breast pain are related as usually I have chest pain not pressure with chostondriosis. I just feel like something is horribly wrong with my breast and somedays just want to cut it off. and rip off my chest.
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Congratulations on the clean, NON-CANCEROUS results! Now please go live your best life.
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Agree, sounds like painful fibrocystic breasts. Very common. I had it a lot. Not cancer.
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I'm also in agreement. Fibrocystic breasts. Try stopping all caffeine - it worked for me.
Since you have been 'questing' since 2015 and the answer is always the same "NOT CANCER", I hope you can move on now.
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You might look into taking a molecular iodine supplement (e.g. Luggol's solution, iodoral, or Violet) to help your fibrocystic symptoms. If you do, also look into selenium for balance. You could ask your doctors about it. I'm glad your scans came back clean, but sorry you are still in such pain and worried.
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Sperdayz...sorry you are going through this. its very common to have dense breasts when you are young. Mammograms are usually not valid when you have dense breasts. Ultrasounds are better and MRIs are the best screening tool for dense breasts. Where did you go for diagnosing?
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The use of Cat Scan is inappropriate in the initial diagnosis of breast cancer.
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I went to a local diagnostic center for both tests. I want to believe this is fibrocystic but I can't accept that my left breast is so affected while my right is almost unaffected.
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Breasts are not usually uniform. So your left breast hurting more than your right doesnt mean anything other than your left breast is may be more fibrocystic than your right.
Pay for an MRI (seeing as you have been torturing yourself since 2015), and then accept those results (if they say no cancer) and move on.
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SuperDayz - you need some kind of treatment for the pain. So pursue treatment for pain due to fibrocystic breasts. Walking around in pain for two weeks every month is no way to live. And if the treatment works and gets rid of your pain, you have even more assurance that it wasn't cancer. Did the ultrasound find nothing at all, or did it find a non-cancerous cyst?
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I seeked treatment for fibromyalgia and hashimotos for 8 months. Changed my diet completely and fixed my hormones which was excess estrogen. When I told my dr the pain persisted he suggested I take a supplement called Estrovite and evening primrose oil but at that point i felt like we are just pulling at strings because my hormone panel last time came back normal for all hormones. I do have both and I am also upping my water intake and doing lymphatic massages daily.My drs want to give me pain medicine or antidepressants to treat it. My naturopath has been the best but even he is confused.Both test found nothing at all, just dense breast
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My left and right side are completely different from each other - one has lots of bumps and cysts, the other not so much. The cysts on the left do cause pain, usually due to my cycle.
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I am not sure this is fibrocystic? I don’t have cysts, or at least they didn’t mention anything.
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My breasts were always extremely painful and fibrocystic. Lots of pain in my 20s and 30s, but I didn't start getting cysts until I entered peri-menopause in my early 40s - and then over the next few years I had developed more cysts than I can remember.
Cysts are just one element of having fibrocystic breasts but there are many others. Some women have everything, some women have only one or two of the symptoms. Everything else you describe is quite consistent with having fibrocystic breasts.
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Hello SuperDayz,
I think we are in common. I am 32. My breasts are feeling full and painful usually 1 week before my period starts. However, last December, 3 weeks before my period starts, I felt nipple sensitivity like I need to wear bra even when I sleep. My breasts are tender and heavy but I feel it mostly in my left. I have occasional stabbing pain in my left most of the time. From near the armpit straight to my nipple. I walk sometimes holding my boobs. Then I started having pain in my left neck,shoulder and arm, all in my left side. Jan 20 I had an ultrasound, my result is BI RADS 3 and had lots of cysts (I dont know if this is what you meant by fibrocystic) . And my mistake because I had an ultrasound during the 4th day of period, and it the procedure was uncomfortable for me
Until now I have aches in my shoulder and left breast. The aches subsided after my last period, but it's still there. These symptoms make me worried everyday and I feel like I have BC , that on my next Ultrasound in 6 months would turn to BIRADS 4 or 5. I am really scared.
I hope mine is just normal (which my doctor said might be hormonal)
I hope yours too.
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Thank you all for your generous feedback and guidance. I woke up with anxiety and saw my notifications and it instantly calmed me just to read your posts. I am feeling good the last two days, I have been doing lymphatic massage and i am supposed to get my period any day and my left breast has had little pain and tenderness and doesent feel like a rock or on fire (This is big for me). My right breast actually feels fuller and I can feel pains underarms on my right and left. I see my dr today to go over test results and discuss next steps. I am willing to pay out of pocket for a MRI, does it have to be a specific kind?
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About breast MRI: https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=breastmr
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thank you
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Do consider genetic testing because of your family history. Depending on the results, they may want to screen earlier and more frequently. Glad the preliminary results look benign.
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I also had fibrocystic breasts, and starting in my 30s had such painful breasts and nipples that I'd resort to freezing my bras before wearing. I had tenderness in my armpits as well. Had multiple cysts diagnosed via ultrasounds and asperated ( final count 11) between 35 and 48. Always had dense breasts. What you're describing sounds exactly like the fibrocystic changes I experienced. I seemed to develop larger cysts more breast fullness and more tenderness with increased caffeine intake. My right breast was always more tender than the left.
My BC was detected by 3D screening mammogram, then had ultra sound, MRI and biopsy to confirm. I had no pain or tenderness in the lead up to my BC diagnosis, and actually all breast pain stopped once I went through menopause at 50.
I hope all is benign and you find ways to relieve the discomfort you are feeling.
Debbie
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your responses are really putting my symptoms into perspective. I am going to do the genetic testing as soon as I recover from all these costs lol would have probably been ok with the Mammo and ultrasound but the only thing pushing me is the change in sensation in my left breast. This is my mammogram results. The second Page says Birads : category 1 negative My dr ordered me MRI with breast contrast, I am waiting for the call from the diagnostic center to schedule.
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calabrez, yes so painful. We sound very similar. I have pain that will radiate to other parts- it’s terrible. Hopefully you can get some answers soon, I am trying the selenium supplement as someone suggested on here, I will do anything to get rid of this pain.
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I have a friend whose Dr. orders MRIs every 3 years just for screening because she has dense breasts. So I think you can push the insurance company to pay if your dr agrees to do it. Its more work for the dr. I pushed my dr for CT scans due to pains in my arm and side. They didn't want to do it at first and I pushed. Insurance denied them, they appealed, and then they approved them. I was/am so upset that it is so hard for women to get proper scanning. I'm so mad because this year was my first 3d and my cancer was found. I had no idea 3d was around for a few years and my place just didn't have the technology. When I showed up for my annual mammo they asked me if I wanted 3d. I'm like, l don't know, do I? Than they had the nerve to tell me it was my responsibility to know if my insurance covered it and I have the largest insurance company in NJ and I work for the state. So of course I said yes, even if I had to pay some money, which I didn't have to, and low and behold I have cancer that has been there for years. I also found out that for some cancers MRI will show much more than mammo and US. Especially LCIS and DCIS. I had fibrocystic breasts my whole life. They were filled with a bunch of lumps. Are your breasts lumpy? I don't recall if you said they were. That is also why I would ignore any lumps and just rely on mammo, not knowing how unreliable they are, especially for ILC. Fibrocystic breasts are not the same thing as cysts in breasts. Cysts are filled with fluid. I had one fluid filled cyst that was easily detected on mammo and US. That being said, it doesn't sound like you have cancer. Most often there are no symptoms or slight symptoms. And with those drastic symptoms I would imagine they would see something on US.
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it is very frustrating to hear these stories, that women can go years without it being detected or wait months for a screening. It opened my eyes a lot to read these stories, I want to educate women and men on getting screened. I have learned so much and I think the general population should be informed of more than the general info we have been getting for years. I feel fortunate that my MRI was scheduled so quickly, it’s for the Monday the 27th and my dr put in the order yesterday. I am hearing of some women waiting 3 months.. that is torturous.
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However remember Super - the majority of women(and men I expect) test NEGATIVE. The waiting is horrible, but the results are usually good. On this site, you're seeing the people who hang around for treatment & advice. Those who are negative usually fade into the sunset so you never hear that side.
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Getting ready for my MRI today. So incredibly nervous. This waiting does not get easier, I am hoping my dr gets the results soon. The MRI sheet said they fax it within 24 hours to my dr. Praying and praying some more.
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It should get easier, since there seems to be no great reason for concern. I would try to view this as the final “crossing it off the list so I can rest easy item.
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Why would you be worried when you already know you do not have cancer? I'd be looking forward to getting answers under those circumstances.
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