hi guys, sorry to post, i know its probably nothing but im really worrying about this. my right breast has recently started leaking blood. both breasts have sort of been producing a milky substance if u squeeze them, for a while now but i just thought it was due to hormones which apparently it can be, but i recently had my hormone levels tested for another reason and they were fine. previous to the bleeding episode i hadnt noticed any lumps or anything but a day after the bleeding my areola had swelled up and feels sort of lumpy. i made a docs appt for a few days time, but in the meantime im slightly scared and have noone to tlk to. iv never been pregnant and dont know what it could be except a tumour or some sort.
im guessing when i go to the docs she’ll want to do a physical examination and prob refer me for tests, which im also worried about.
should i be worried?
Hi Lizzy
Whilst you wait for the other forum users to reply with their support and advice you may find it helpful to have a look at the
BCC breast awareness booklet. If you would like a copy please follow this link:-
breastcancercare.org.uk/server/show/nav.718/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/59
I hope you find this helps but if you feel you need to talk to someone please don’t hesitate to give the BCC helpline a call. Here you are able to share your concerns with one of our trained members of staff. The number to call is 08088006000 and the lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm.
Kind regards
Sam (BCC Facilitator)
hi lizzy,
i have just had investigations for bloody dicharge. i don’t yet have final results but amm told this is nearly always a benign condition caused by problems with milk ducts. i had mammogram which was claer and then ultrasound which showed swollen duct i think called papilloma. i had 2 needle biopsies using ultrasound guidance which where inconclusive. i then had day sugery for complete removal of ducks in that breast and am waiting for test results. i should have asked more questions about the surgery and wish i had found this website before. the op was fine but it is over a fortnight and i am still in some dicomfort. what i was not told until just before the op was that they cut through the nerves round the nipple which leaves varying degrees of numbness and that the actual risk of it being malignant was 1%. i would still have had the surgery but would have been better prepared and other people might feel differently. i discovered later that there were many people at the hospital i could have spoken too but because i was not actually diagnosed with cancer i was not given these contacts. i appear to have most of the sensationin my nipple but have hardly any scar.
hope this doesn’t scare you more,
cecilia53
thanks for the reply! i appreciate it and hearing about ur experience, it sounds pretty horrific all those tests! are they standard then, like do u think i’ll have to have all those tests? yea dont know if id want surgery. complete removal of ducts?! was their one than one duct affected then? did u have any pain or just discharge? intially mine was just the discharge but now the areolas swollen and my breast and arm kind of ache abit but i dont know if thats partly due to stress coz i normally get neck muscl pain with stress so might of gone down my arm.
was the needle biopsy and stuff painful?
o gosh iv been bleeding again which i only noticed because it was on my clothes. cant get a sooner docs appt because they said emergencies are only for things on that day (not for emergencies), idiots. cant sleep thro’ worrying about it all, or concentrate on work. 
Liz, have you been to the doctors about this before? if not i would phone up the doctors & explain that you have bleeding from your breast & i’m sure they will fit you in .
godd luck let us know how you get on
Amanda
no it hasnt happnd before. i told them i had abnormal bleeding and that it could be cancer so i wanted to see someone but they still wouldnt, she was just like ‘o. well you’ll have to wait till your initial appointment’. gee thanks for that. expect if she was in my position shed wanna kno as soon as possible. my old doc would have fittd me in straight away bless her
well saw the doc. bassically said couldnt feel any lumps, it was very unlikely to be cancer, im at low risk blah blah but actually is quite abnormal and could be cancer so gotta go for more tests. more waiting.
so good & bad news then? are you being referred to breast clinic now then?
try not to worry too much if you can x
Hi Lizzy
Like twinmum says try not to worry. You are in the system now & there are new faster timescales that the hospitals have to work to so you should be seen quite quickly.
Hope everything is OK - be sure to let us know how you get on.
yea being refered to breast clinic. yea think it takes ac ouple of weeks, its one occasion on which i actually am thankful for govn targets… but cant sleep or anything, so dont know how im meant to keep going with uni and things till then. yea thanks guys.
um my doc said something about it could just be a blocked duct or something simple, and i said what would they do if it was that then, and she said they would just leave it! is that what happens? - because it might leave me looking a bit lop sided since its sort of swollen up and stuff!
Hi Lizzy,
I had very much the same as you. I had been having milky discharge for a number of years from both breasts but recently noticed a brown discharge from one duct. I went to my G.P. who did an urgent cancer referral and like you i was totally petrified. All sorts of things going through my mind and constantly thinking i had breast cancer. Then i found this site. I went to the breast clinic a week later where they were very thorough doing a mammogram and a scan which were both clear however the scan did show that i had multiple small cysts but i was assured they were nothing to worry about. They took a sample of the brown discharge and the following week they told me that it contained blood. They tried to get some discharge out again but guess what they couldn’t. So i have got to go back at the end of the month and they will try to get a sample again to see if blood is still present. Even if they can’t get any discharge out this time they will probably remove the milk ducts in the breast because there may be a papilloma. I feel so relieved but i am sure you are still very worried. This site is brilliant and everyone who commented on my post were very supportive. Please don’t worry too much but i know you probably will and hope everything goes okay at your apointment.
Helen
thanks helen, well the bleeding only happnd once or twice spontaneously so theres no way theyd be able to get a sample-god i hope they dont try! yea i think its probably the papilloma thingy, altho i dont know that that would cause a change in colour of ur breast? but they seem to like doing surgery for that which i really dont want im constantly checking the post like some derranged person.
My sister who is 77 has had a big lump for couple months, but not told anyone. Today she awoke to find the bed covered in blood, went to docs & gooes to hosp next week. The doc says its breast cancer. Could doc be wrong and it is cyst?
Sorry but I think it is breast cancer. Cysts become less common after the menopause, breast cancer more so.
However, even if the lump is large and is cancer, it is still treatable.
Mole