Hi all,
I am hoping for maybe some similar stories or advice on ongoing breast pain I’ve been dealing with since July last year.
For context, a pain on inside of my boob so around 8/9/10 o clock on the left of my boob beside my sternum. To me, it feels lumpy and there’s a dull pain that is in that spot at all times. Feels like a bruise is the best way to describe it.
My left armpit is sore, feels heavy etc. When I walk, I feel like it’s swollen and rubbing against my body (hard to describe). The overall left boob is uncomfortable, sore, feels tender against my bra and clothes. It feels irritated and it’s not comfortable at all. I’ve bought the expensice bras, taking the evening primrose but nothing is working and I’m struggling to exercise without pain and sleep on left side.
Im worried about the pain and lumpiness in left breast. They found a 4mm cyst but said that wouldn’t be causing pain. FYI: I’ve had 2 ulstrasounds, referred to a breast specialist and today a new GP.
My anxiety is through the roof. I’m 27 and living in Australia now on a visa away from family. The doctors tell me not to worry but I know my own body and the pain my left breast is causing is awful.
I know I have had 2 US but my mind is bringing me to google. I feel my boobs when showering and just doesn’t feel right and even my armpit is just sore. Feels like it’s fat and rubbing off my body.
Has anyone experienced this? Or do I just put up with the pain?
Hi
It’s often scary when things appear to change in breasts. Thoughts automatically leap to breast cancer, which is frightening territory. Obviously no one but a clinician can diagnose and you have had different ones say things are ok. I used to have almost permanently sore boobs as part of prolonged PMS (reckon I had 2-3 days a month where I felt normal). Have you monitored the soreness with your cycle? Have you used the contraceptive pill, because that sometimes can help. Equally, it can cause sore breasts so it’s trial and error. You might ask the new GP about hormone treatment. Ringing the breast care nurses’ support line here isn’t really an option for you but you could copy your post and put it in Ask Our Nurses.
What I would say is that pain isn’t usually a symptom of breast cancer (though it’s not unknown, of course) and you may well be checking it too often to give the tenderness time to ease up. Try not to keep prodding it as that will make it worse. And do stay off Google. It can’t diagnose, it doesn’t give a toss about your feelings and generally is toxic territory. Almost everyone here would agree - stay away from Dr Google.
It must be extra hard for you, being away from home; that can’t help the anxiety. Sometimes anxiety is the root cause of non-specific pain but it’s pointless saying try not to worry. As you say, you know your body and your GP needs to address your feelings about what’s going on, at the very least. I hope they can give you constructive help xx
My breast cancer started with pain in the underarm and a feeling of underarm swelling, even though ultrasound showed normal appearing lymph nodes in the underarm. I would not let any symptom go and would seek out medical attention. Only we know our body better, and know when there’s something off.