So many symptoms but mammogram and ultrasound are clear ! Help
hello ,
I’m 34 years old , stop breastfeeding 1 and half year ago .So in December 22 I start examining my breast after I find out that friend got diagnosed with breast cancer, not only that but because I was having some discomfort here and there . So after the self exam I realize that my breast are totally different after pregnancy and breastfeeding for one year.
1.the right breast is smaller than the left and I think keep getting smaller
2. I find something like dimples next to the areola on the right breast .
3. I still having discharge from both nipples but from the right one is more .
4. Sometimes my right nipple looks different color and this month before my period I had some burning pain, which went away after my period start .
Also I think I have lymph node on my neck again on right side ., and sometimes I have pain in my knee, arms and headaches.
One January 10 I went for mammogram which shows this :
BREAST COMPOSITION: Breast density category C: The breasts are heterogeneously dense, which may obscure small masses.
Right breast:
- Asymmetry in the central, slightly lateral right breast, anterior depth, seen only on CC view.
So on January 23/23 I had diagnostic 3d mammogram and diagnostic ultrasound. Which shows this :
The density in the retroareolar right breast partly disperses with compression. IMPRESSION: BIRADS CATEGORY 2: BENIGN
No mammographic or sonographic evidence of malignancy.Ultrasound of all four quadrants of the right and left breast was performed including the retroareolar region. No mass or cyst is seen. No sonographic abnormality.
I’m very worried that I have breast cancer that has Mets on bones lymph nodes and who know where but is missed.
What to do should I go somewhere else and push for mri and biopsy. thank you
Comments
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I'm sorry for your concerns, but there is nothing to biopsy. It's not unusual at all to have a call-back from a first mammogram, because the radiologist has nothing to compare it to. Anything that looks different on one breast scan vs the other is called asymmetry. That just means, one side is different from the other. And yes, pregnancy and breastfeeding will leave your breasts in different condition than they were before. If you worked with a lactation consultant, see if you can speak with her again about the nipple discharge, just to see if that would be expected based on what your schedule has been.
Your other aches and pains including headaches may well be because you're using your body differently than you were before the baby. If you've gone through your gynecologist for the other mammogram and other breast concerns, consider speaking with your general physician about these other issues, including your health anxiety. Good luck.
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Hello Anny. I also had dense breasts and my tumour was not found via mammogram. However, ultrasound detected the lump. MRIs are definitely the way to go if you have that option. But I don't think it's necessary after an ultrasound that showed nothing. I think you can trust in the science. And birads 2 is a good indicator of no issues. I believe I was a 5. I do think you can rest easy but stay vigilant.
Btw, I breastfed my kids and had nipple discharge long after I stopped nursing. I think it's fairly normal.
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- I’m very scared that something is missed because my dense breast , if I didn’t have this mark dimples next to my areola probably I wouldn’t be that stressed but what cause this and another issues ?
also I spoke with my gynecologist two times about everything he said that everything looks normal and because the mammogram and ultrasound are normal I don’t need biopsy or mri , but I’m worried because I think he doesn’t take my symptoms seriously because I’m 34 years old and don’t have family breast cancer history. I was reading everything online all the forums and a lot stories of women been missed diagnosed by ultrasound and mammogram and I start don’t believe in this . I call and ask the doctors who did my mammogram and ultrasound to look it again , she said everything is normal but couldn’t answer what cause all this dimples and another issue with the breast . I can’t relax I can’t stop thinking about this, I can’t sleep normal from months and not woke up and thinking again.
In a month I’m going to my home country because I’m living in Chicago and thinking to get check there too .
Just this right breast doesn’t look normal to me and don’t know if I can believe the mammogram and ultrasound. Do you think that all this changes can be hormonal and because pregnancy, breastfeeding, loosing weight and getting older or my body trying to tell me that something bad happens with me .
0 - I’m very scared that something is missed because my dense breast , if I didn’t have this mark dimples next to my areola probably I wouldn’t be that stressed but what cause this and another issues ?
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YES. Most likely the changes in the appearance of your breasts, and the discharge and dimpling, are because of the pregnancy, weight loss, breast feeding, and hormone changes. You have had your breasts examined with multiple mammograms and with a complete ultrasound, which looked at all parts of both breasts. When mammograms and ultrasound are used together, it's extremely unlikely to miss a tumor. It's very clear that you are unhappy and afraid. You said you aren't sleeping well, which sounds like you are very anxious. Your friend's illness and the changes in your breasts have scared you, but the exams do not show any reason for concern. When you return to your home country, you might wish to see another doctor if you are still concerned. To make it easiest for them to examine you, you should get copies of your records, including the mammo and US imaging, so they can see the previous scans.
In the meantime, focus on the good parts of the day, and on your baby and your other obligations. Look for things to laugh about. Spend time outside when you can. At the end of every day, write down 3 things that were good about the day, or that you noticed that were good, like the sun shining, or you found a fruit at the market you like, or the baby did something funny. Don't spend time on the internet searching for more information on breast disease. Before you go to sleep, think of 3 things that you're grateful for. Then breathe in and out very deeply and slowly 10 times. Do this every time you find yourself worrying instead of going to sleep.
I wish you well.
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Anny: When someone close to us is diagnosed with something frightening like breast cancer, it is a very typical response to become hyper vigilant to your own health issues. Even medical students will disclose issues with health anxiety after studying or observing issues in their training. Once you start to think about and examine your breasts, all sorts of things you never noticed before become apparent. Your body has gone through an incredible transformation having created and fed a new little person. Try to accept these changes and embrace all that your body has done. Of course, do not ignore concerns, but once they have been checked out and confirmed as typical, please don’t waste your time stressing needlessly. Enjoy your child and if you cannot accept the medical reassurance that you have received, consider that you have a health anxiety that needs treatment through counseling. Give yourself time to get over your friends diagnosis, but if your fears don’t subside, talk to your medical care provider. Please remember, your response to her diagnosis is very normal. Extended and severe anxiety is not. But it is treatable. Take care of your emotional health too. All the best.
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you are all right that i got really scared and went to really scary places , trying very hard to think more positive and believe that everything is good . I hope that all the changes are normal and maybe I overlook my breast this months and every time finding something new that makes me worry, I just don’t want to miss something and to be impossible to cure and make my love ones unhappy….
thank you ! Makes me better when read your posts and hopping you are all right that is more like health anxiety.0 -
ladies do you really think that mammogram and ultrasound are enough to detect cancer in dense breast and can trust them. Because is hard for me to believe that hormones can cause one breast to become smaller when all my life been the same , and another issues . I know I’m over thinking and maybe causing me a lot of stress but the right breast looks different that the left .
I will go to another doctor in a month but can stop question myself.
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Hi anny777! We all totally understand how you feel. We are glad you find comfort here reading the others' posts. As we PM'd you, you may want to consider checking out the Topic: Anxiety, in the Not diagnosed forum. It was published by MTwoman, and there you'll find valuable information and some helpful strategies to reduce anxiety, as well as other member's stories dealing with anxiety issues.
We are wishing you well with your upcoming appointment next month. Please keep us posted on what you learn. And please, keep in mind that those experiencing symptoms that are not considered cancer should be mindful of the fact that actively reading what is posted here can sometimes lead to greater anxiety. And as we mentioned, let us know if we can help in any way. We're here for you.
The Mods
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thank you for all advices but i don’t this is just anxiety. Even if I have health anxiety is one thing and another that I’m seeing with my eyes that my right breast getting smaller and my right nipple is different color more dark more red , also when I put my hands up the skin around the nipple puckers . So when I google it’s saying that when breast shrinking it’s because the tumor is on chest wall - so if is in the chest wall plus density will be impossible mammogram and ultrasound to detect it . I don’t think hormones can cause that much damage on only one breast.
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I still think this is probably just benign but I also know that sometimes we have inklings, health anxiety or not, that there is something going on and we're right. So with that being said maybe you can see if a breast MRI monitors the chest wall and ask for that?
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anny777, kaynotrealname gave great advice. It may also be worth a second opinion.
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yes next month I will try get mri , and I hope is not too late or to be benign. All this months I got tired of looking and checking my breast and worrying about them , but something is going on
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anny777, we hope that you very soon can get the answers you need to understand your symptoms!
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first off, thank you so much for the positivity you are all amazing and kind. You have become my light at the end of the tunnel
in March 2021 I found a lump while showering after a workout. I immediately booked an appointment for a mammogram followed by ultrasound. They told me it was fibroadenosis and I should just follow up. Since my husband back then was an oncologist, he also told me just to follow up and since he didn’t make a big deal out of it I calmed down and relaxed. Fast forward to October 2022 I went to get it checked again and had an ultrasound. The radiologist took way longer this time and asked me for an MRI. My heart sank and I immediately knew it was not good news.
3A ILC with 8/15 lymph nodes only were discovered in surgery that turned into a mastectomy instead of lumpectomy.
zoladex, chemo followed by radio. Then Femara which my brain didn’t take well and every time I start taking it I get suicidal thoughts so I discontinue it.
I honestly think it was me subconsciously refusing to be on medication. Throughout my life I would rarely take any medicine. However, I started taking the Femara again 2 weeks ago and it’s been ok.
I’m a 49 single mom of two boys, well a young man and a boy :)
I used to be a happy and fluffy person and never felt I was in my late 40s. Post treatment I feel 10 years older and cannot find the real me anywhere if that makes sense!
i realize that cancer causes trauma and I always say that the name of the disease is worse than the disease itself. I sometimes tell myself it’s just some cells that are misbehaving and I keep telling my body to “not ever do that again” :). But truth of the matter is, I’m scared.
it is past midnight my part of the world at the moment, and scrolling through your comments is what I have been doing every night to seek comfort
so thank you all for taking the time to write a few lines every now and then to help a new kid on the block like myself survive a night xo
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Awww, thanks so much for sharing your story with us, @uplifingstuff! It's hard to not have that looming anxiety in the background about a recurrence. I know you mentioned that you are having a difficult time feeling like yourself since. That's something we hear from many others who come to our free post-treatment meetups over Zoom so you're definitely not alone in that sentiment! If you were ever interested in joining to be among others that feel the same way, we meet every Monday at 8pm EST and Friday at 1pm EST. I'm not sure which time is better for you given it seems you are outside of the US, but we have folks that join us from all over the world (Kenya, Asia, etc). You can register for either dates here:
The group that you would be a good fit for is called "Bonded by Breast Cancer."
Separately, what has your emotional support been like? Have you thought about seeing a therapist to process some of the feelings and experiences you've been through since the diagnosis and treatment?
Warmly,
The Mods1 -
Hi Uplifting! I'm so glad you've found this site comforting. I just want to say welcome, let you know I'm your age although about to turn 50, and that we all get it. Finding ourselves after such a horrible experience is difficult. For me, it's taken therapy, an anti-depressant, and consistent exercise. But I still have my days and probably will for awhile if not forever. This crap is hard. But like you, I do get comfort from the company I find on sites like these. Hope you have a good evening!
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Thank you for the warm welcome 😊
@kaynotrealname thank you for your warm comment.
I have been postponing the path of antidepressants, not sure why though lol but maybe because I was waiting to move other obstacles out of the way first, for example I haven’t had my reconstruction yet and for a woman size DD to live with one breast is not typically a fun thing . my surgeon said not before 9 months from finishing Radiation, so 2 more months to go.
it’s day time here and the sun is shining so is my mood 😊
I wish you all the best 🙏🏻
@moderadores it took me a while to figure out how to get to my post 🤦🏻♀️ so thank you for the email
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