Hey all, so at first i asked my question at another forum but i was directed here, as maybe someone could give me a more clear view as this website is focused on breast health…
For quite some time now (+ 1 year) i have been having pain inside my left breast. A reasonably localized spot, middle to upper outer quadrant i’d say. Not too bad, but annoyingly present in the background. I had an ultrasound which didnt spot anything so moved on but kept worrying so after a few months, and i must admit i suffer from anxiety, I paid for a private breast mri for piece of mind, or so i thought……
Around the area of pain the consultant saw ‘something’. He said 90% sure it was benign but i needed biopsy. Birads 4. Got send back to hospital and they did ultrasound and mammo, re-reviewed the still images of the mri and concluded it was normal breast tissue, so no biopsy needed. He also said a biopsy wouldnt be possible as he has no clue where to biopsy bec he sees normal tissue only. Birads 1. Wait what? How is this possible?
Fast forward half a year, im still having the pain, not necessarily worse but i am more aware i suppose…Also in the mean time i got pregnant with my second baby (18 weeks now). I went back for a second opinion bec still worried but because i am pregnant so they only did a physical examn and ultrasound. All clear again. They did look at the mri stills again and also this radiologist thought it was overrated, though she did state that with stills they dont see all the ‘programs’ the original radiologist saw and so she is not sure what he thinks he saw, but to her all looks normal for my age (33).
Now two months later my left armpit it started to hurt and i can feel a pain around the spot whenever i pull my shoulder backward. I have the fear in mind that maybe, just maybe, all these dokters were wrong and i do have cancer that has now spread to my armpit nodes and the muscle, because of the new pains. I am not sure what to do. I am really scared. Also, there is not much they can or will do while i am pregnant.
I would love to hear experience on long-term one sided breast pain like mine? or maybe someone had a clue whether i should trust the last two dokters who didnt find my mri, mammo OR US suspicious, although i have no clue what the first one thinks he saw…
This must be a doubly anxious time for you. Congratulations, by the way. Obviously none of us can diagnose but you have had extensive tests, including an MRI which is not usual. They all but one tell you that you do not have breast cancer. A consultant would not fob you off when planning a biopsy if all they could see is healthy tissue. It’s very difficult once an idea is planted to rid yourself of that idea but you have plenty of evidence to contradict one person’s opinion, which was tentative (and in my opinion, thoughtless and inconsiderate). The fact is, radiology reports are only as good as the radiologist and, if the radiologist is having a bad day, you may suffer for it. That’s why there is such a range of testing done when breast cancer is suspected.
I’ll give you a couple of examples from my own experience. I have CT scans every 3 months on my pelvic, abdominal and thoracic regions ie trunk. One report started with the statement that I had had my left kidney removed. Kidney/breast? Easily confused! It took 6 months to get that report amended, during which time I twice had to see different oncologists who would not believe I did NOT have necrosis and in fact had 2 relatively healthy kidneys! Wind back 4 years and I had a private ultrasound (I’d consulted a private breast surgeon). He reported that all was clear. I remember asking if it was ok to say I love you Dr A! Fortunately the consultant decided to biopsy my 2 new freckles - but was sure I had nothing to worry about - I had had a clear mammogram a few months earlier). The results the following week showed I had breast cancer. A different radiologist did the same ultrasound and found two tumours and lymph node involvement. How was that possible in 7 days? The first radiologist told me what he’d been led to expect and what I wanted to hear. Needless to say, I did make a complaint. But a clear mammogram through the screening process? That I didn’t get. Two sloppy radiologists!
Conclusion - catch a radiologist on a bad day or in a rush and mistakes do happen. Was kidney a typo for breast? Hard to see how. Did I get a cut and paste report with the wrong opening? Was it someone else’s report? I was in treatment so it was academic in a way and the matter was dropped - but all my reports are now done by the head of Radiology so some words must have been exchanged!
I know I was told I did NOT have breast cancer by the radiographer doing the mammogram and the radiologist doing the ultrasound and you were told there might be ‘something’ - but the odds were very low and have been explored further. Believe me, if it was thought for a moment that you had breast cancer, you wouldn’t have got away easily. You have several clinicians all agreeing you’re ok but you choose to believe the single one who only intimated something might be amiss.
It seems to me (and I don’t wish to sound patronising) that you have a lot of underlying anxiety which you are focusing on this. Have you had any support or counselling? This seems to me the way forward because even a pregnancy is not distracting you and you seem convinced that all the tests and clinicians are wrong - and that must show how powerful this anxiety is. Please, don’t let it ruin your pregnancy. Ask for some counselling - are there any voluntary services attached to your hospital? If you could reframe your thinking and your instincts, you might be able to enjoy your pregnancy and the excitement of a new addition to your family rather than being overwhelmed by what might be health anxiety.
I hope you get some responses from people who experience breast pain and find out what the causes might be. I’m surprised this hasn’t been followed up by your doctor. If it’s any consolation, I was told that pain isn’t usually a symptom of breast cancer but maybe you’ll latch onto the ‘usually’ and dwell on exceptions to the rule. Yes, some reframing of your thinking seems the way forward. I wish you all the best and do hope you get to enjoy your life again. Take good care of yourself
You may want to try thermal imaging. It is a non invasive radiation-free method, which can identify abnormalities in breast tissues, even in pregnant women.
There are also FDA cleared computer tools to help doctors make right decision.