waiting to go to breast clinc re pain and lump found by doctor - noticed yesterday that the boob that hurts is now noticeably bigger than the other - is this a bad sign or not?
Hi Lindy - i don’t want to scare you as i know you were concerned about this being IBC…
When i was diagnosed my breast suddenly started getting bigger - between me first going to the GP and being diagnosed a fortnight later it got so my breast was swollen so much that the flower print pattern on my bra was actually there as an indentation on my breast…
Are you having any other symptoms…? Is the skin hot to the touch? Is the nipple becoming inverted? Are there any changes to the skin texture? I would say mine looked like a giant strawberry… sort of dimply and pink.
I think you are meant to be seeing your gp tomorrow…?
thanks for your reply - no other signs just still painfull and now noticably bigger than other - in the past couple of months it has worn off after 3 or 4 days now been well over 3 weeks with no signs of going and new development yesterday when noticed one bigger than other - yes I do have an appointment tomorrow
and will be making sure GP is aware of new development
Hi all
Thought i would post a comment i am having pain in my left breast and it is swollen. Just wanted to hear what you felt at this stage as i feel a bit silly as ive always been very welland dont want to over react. On one hand i am panicking and on the other i tell myself i will be fine. How did you all feel at this stage waiting for an appointment at breast clinic.
The discussions are really helpful, never thoght i would be in this situation always hear about other people.
Bella
Hi bella - sorry to hear that you are going through this worry too… 
Just wanted to explain a bit more about how quickly my symptoms happened…
I used to have to go for annual mammograms anyway due to a very bad family history of BC. So i used to check myself regulary, knew that as well as lumps in the breast you had to keep an eye on lumps in the underarm, skin changes, nipple changes etc etc…
About 2 months before i was diagnosed i noticed there was a lump in my armpit - it actually made it hurt to raise my arm. Literally two or three days later it went again… I had just been on the verge of having it investigated…
So for the next couple of months i actually kept more of an eye on my breasts. And they were normal - absolutely nothing unusual.
Last April we went on holiday to Majorca and the bathroom had a huge mirror where you couldn’t avoid seeing yourself… I remember commenting to my husband on the last day of the holiday that this year none of us had managed to burn ourselves (normally at least one of us ends up with that “oops missed a bit” sunburn… And i said that as i stood infront of this big mirror looking at my perfectly normal, non pink etc etc etc breasts…
We got home the next day - and unfortunatly the following day my mum died… I then went into that grief filled phase where i could have grown 2 heads and would not have noticed…
Because it was a busy time with bank holidays we couldn’t have the funeral for almost a fortnight - but the day before mum’s funeral i went for a shower - again in a place with a large mirror… As i got out i spotted myself in the mirror - and my left breast was totally pink - literally just the breast…
I went to my gp as soon as i got back home and he thought it was mastitus - although i was very sceptical and said i was concerned it was IBC… He persuaded me to try antibiotics as the change had been so rapid. Over that week the breast grew bigger, got painful and the nipple started to invert. When i went back another gp at the practice took one look and said she though i needed to go to the breast clinic. And i was diagnosed about 2 days later…
I’m really just explaining this to let you know how quickly the changes happened in my case…
Update - saw GP yesterday and as is sods law by the time I got there breast swelling had gone down considerably and only a slight difference - she probably thinks I’m making it up and getting paranoid, pain also not as bad, in fact period started yesterday and today hardly any discomfort at all - hope these are good signs well Im telling myself they are. Doc examined me and said nothing has changed (into which I read lump still same size) - Mentioned inflammatory breast cancer to her and she fobbed me off by saying sorry she didn’t know what I was talking about and wasn’t aware of the term - I l didn’t argue the point and sat there like an idiot - so mad at myself why do I find it so hard to talk about - She was however a little surprised when I told her appointment not until 13th May and said she thought I would be seen sooner - she said she would write to breast clinic and see if it was possible to move appointment forward BUT could not promise anything - so hey oh back playing the waiting game with loads of others. Take care x
Lindy - hope that she manages to bring forward your appointment for you.
I think most gps have never heard of IBC…
Theresa x
Hi Lindyd,
Glad your symtoms have improved slightly, that’s a good sign.
I think I would be tempted to print off a copy of the leaflet available from IBC support and bring it to the GP surgery on your next visit.
Ignorance is no excuse but costs lives with this rarer aggressive form of BC.
Your GP needs to find out exactly what IBC is before putting a patients lives at risk in the future.
Hope you wait isn’t too long now and that your symptoms continue to improve,
Take Care,
Jackie x
Thank you for your replies Theresa and Jackie - good to know there is someone out there who understands what I’m going through - will hang on a while and see if there is a letter in the post but if anything changes I will not hesitate to get back to GPs
Hi Bella sorry your having problems too have you got an appointment and how long will you have to wait - beginning to feel that its pot luck and depends on where you live to how soon you get seen - I know that there are lots of people out there waiting for appointments and I wouldn’t want to take the place of someone who needs the appointment more than me but I just want to get it sorted and the 9 weeks between first appointment and seeing someone at the breast clinic seems far too long a wait - hope you get seen soon take care x
Hi Rhapsody and lindy,
Thanks for your advice felt i was just being paranoid over the last few days been waiting for my appointment to come through but not heard anything yet. Well to day i felt some pain under my arm and when i went to bed tonight i think under my left arm is swollen and is a bit sore when i press it.Cant believe this really but i will call the doctor in the morning and get some advice he said i was to call if i became hysterical LOL, still got my sense of humour. Im sitting up cant sleep, so thought i would check on the site as you can all understand what im going through and dont want to act too panicky in front of my family.
Thanks for your advice it really helps x
Bella
Bella,
when is your appt?
Honey if your symptoms are getting worse please do ring your GP and ask him to contact the breast unit urgently.
I certainly don’t want to alarm you, and your symptoms could be a due to a number of things, but I began to ‘swell’ and experienced tenderness at the side of my breast before dx. Please insist it is checked urgently.
Love
Jackie x
Hi Jackie
Thanks for your advice, I spoke to GP he said it sounded like low grade mastitis and possibly inflamatory infection he says he doesnt think its anything to worry about and i need to wait for my appointment to come through. Under my arm isnt as sore today and think its less swollen,but boob is still painful and a little swollen i also am getting pain just under my left boob and round the side of my boob just an ache that doesnt go away at all really. Thanks for your advice and it doesnt worry me any more than i am already really. I wonder if it could be hormonal as well as im forty eight and been through the change 5 years ago my flushes seem to be worse as well but i do get stabbing pains sometimes in the left boob. Well i will just need to wait for appointment you are all so brave i dont know what i would be like if i got bad news.
Thanks Bella 1
Up dated decided today to fight my corner think its to long to wait until 13th May for my appointment so rang a breast cancer nurse on their advice rang breast clinic and was put through to specialist secretary - mentioned GP was writing to try and bring appointment forward but she said no sign of letter - she was brilliant rang my GP surgery to see what was going on and although my appointment was 1st April letter was only ready to be posted today - obviously my GP not as worried as me! - the specialists secretary rang me back within 15 mins and said when she received the letter would make sure that the correct people get to see it with the view to moving appointment forward and that she would keep me informed, I couldn’t thank her enough.
However another twist in the tale - this evening at 8.20 got a phone call from breast clinic to say they were putting on an extra clinic next Thursday and would I like to move my appointment forward. Don’t know if this is coincidence or anything to do with calls but I’m so relived that I wont have to wait so long to know what if anything I’m dealing with - mixed emotions relive and terrified at the same time.
Lindy - pleased to hear that you will now be seeing them next week…
Theresa x
Thank you Theresa - just want to get it over and done with if that makes sense and trying not to dwell on the what ifs - like everyone else at this stage want to hear the its only or its nothing now go away - I have read and re read statistic and know that the chances of it been something other than bc are high but that doesn’t help at 3 in the morning when I cannot sleep - Hope all is well with you - take care x
Hi Lindy
Glad you have your appointment i should be seen for mammogram end of april or beginning of may. Left boob more painful today and swelling a bit more. When i lie down in bed the left boob stands up LOL.
Really worried but boob not red, pitted or skin thickened etc so hopefully will be infection is any of your symptoms like mine.
Thanks Bella 1
hi Bella - had painful boob after period in nov but only lasted 4 days then same again Dec then jan and feb lasted about a week it was then I decided couldn’t ignore it any longer as this was not normal for me and if it happened again in March would see doctor - well after period boob became painful again but was sons 5th birthday on 15th so decided to wait to see if it would go again when it didn’t made appointment to see GP - appointment for next day - when GP examined me she found a lump which I was not aware of and referred me to breast clinic - got appointment but not until 13th May - meantime pain still persisting and getting worse to the point where I was almost in tears with it and one breast noticeably bigger than other - did go back to GP who promised to try and move appointment (now got appointment for 16th April - see above) - however swelling went down and pain disappeared for a few days but had lasted over 3 weeks - now some days just a little tender and swells slightly towards evening time and have had the odd day of nothing at all - and no other symptoms - so like you I’m hoping for the its only or its nothing go away result - are you in constant pain or does yours come and go? - take care x
Today’s the day - my appointment at breast clinic this afternoon - taking hubby he is the only one who knows what I have been going through as decided not to tell anyone else - and hopefully after today I can but it all down to experience and get of with my life. I have tried to convince myself they wont find anything but still terrified about the what if prospect.One stop breast clinic so should get results straight away. Thank you all for your support - take care x
I hope the results are what you are hoping for Lindyd. Best Wishes to you. LooLoo x