Breast Cancer Now Forum

I was yes for private and NHS. I obviously paid for private consultation and scanning. Neither said they found anything malignant or concerning. I try to get professionally checked out and scanned every six months but this one didn't even refer me for a scan at this time..   i have already rang the help line and they were under the impression they'd maybe give me a biopsy but they have always firmly refused this for me. Thanks for your thoughts Ann x  ... View more

Update. I had a doctors appointment this past Thursday but it was generally useless.    The doctor didnt refer me for me for another scan, or biopsy and was generally refusing any other course of action. She checked my breasts but was not very thorough throughout; said she felt nothing and saw no cause for concern.   I'm upset by this. I'm being kept told it's very rare for people in their twenties to have breast cancer and it's hormonal/anxiety induced. I simply do not believe it is just that. I am in agony. It seems unfair to me how I am being refused a biopsy when requesting it and I don't understand it.    I am am in a lot of pain at the moment and having a lot of rib pain underneath and around my breast, it's hard to move on the side of it especially when sleeping and it's extremely painful.   My nipple on the left is very red raw and the aerola is itchy, with actual white scaly parts around it. She said red nipples and redness around it isn't a concern but when accompanied with agonising pain...I'm not convinced...   Also she actually told me to stop checking my breasts all the time and limit to once a month?? But I feel I can't do that when in awful pain. I just can't believe I'm being refused a biopsy. What should I do? I can barely think straight and can only rest in bed, as I'm in that much pain.    I am being resssured that breast pain is "normal' but nothing about what I'm feeling is normal in my opinion. She advised me to keep taking pain killers and I said I've been taking them every day at one point and said "Oh that could cause you problems too"....I mean..really?? What can I do? I'm truly at my wits end and in agonising pain.   ;-(  ... View more

I have tried massages, relaxation techniques, stretches that kind of thing.   hopefully they might agree to a biopsy if they can find the tissue with the ultrasound machine. Would a MRI be mor viable at this point or are they more unlikely to give me this than a biopsy?   i have tried epo and that doesn't work for me.  Try to avoid caffeine and I find this helps a lot actually.  ... View more

Evening Anniej and thank you for your message.    I feel that that it is necessary at this point as some days I am in complete agony and I have to stay in bed because of the pain, with heat packs and painkillers. They have told me about extra breast tissue. Before this pain started years ago, I had symmetrical breasts and checked them a lot so I think my pain has something to do with the tissue.    I can feel a pain and an enlarged lower part of my breast and it is just about obvious when I'm not wearing a bra that my breasts aren't the same size, which would be fine if not for the agonising pain I feel most days.   some days I feel ok, some days I can't get out of bed. I literally can't go on like it and feel like something has to be done. If not a biopsy, is there anything else that can be done to investigate this pain and extra tissue?    I agree stressing makes it worse. I have made efforts to cut out caffeine and to try and be active and to lightly stretch but sometimes my nipple on at breast is so irritated, it is red, extended and itchy. I don't think that is normal surely? It is just odd to me how it has only effected one breast/nipple whatever it is.. it is very confusing.  ... View more

Hi Jobey. Thanks for your post. But am I right in thinking a fibroadenoma is felt as a lump? I have extra breast tissue that I believe is causing me pain but professionals believe it isn't malignant. Puzzling.  ... View more

Which symptoms would these be Jill? ... View more

Hi Jill, thanks for your reply.   ive only had ultrasounds but I'm thinking of a biopsy. I'm a bit scared of the pain and scared it might be malignant and if the prognosis might be very bad 😞     it it does seem like a very strange case indeed  ... View more

Hi all. It's been a while since I've posted in this topic but I have been back to the hospital since. I went on the 10th/Sept, where I was examined once more and talked to someone who looked like an 'expert'. Thing is, she's told me there's 'no indication' that it's anything 'serious' and that duct estasia would 'most likely' be found in about 50% of women if they were  scanned, so it's "common" but also that it doesn't present pain.   Obviously, this perplexed me, having been in pain for months and suffering other symptoms such as hair loss. I asked her why I had pain and she sort of shrugged (!) and said I think it's due to hormones/stress/anxiety as to why I have breast pain. I was like, is it normal to have it for 6/7 months? She didn't seem to think it raised any red flags but I'm still getting discomfort. She also advised me not to take the pill as it could make the pain worse. Funny since one doctor put me on them to 'help' me level out my hormones but this didn't help at all!   Very frustrating to be told different things but she said there was no other tests that can be done. Nothing to biopsy, no physical indications as to suggest it's malignant. Just 'hormonal' and that I needed to work on my anxiety. She's basically told me it's in my head. Yet, I'm still in discomfort and losing hair, not to mention stomach aches every other day. I'm not denying I have anxiety issues but to suggest that's why I've been in pain? I didn't buy it then and I still don't but she was very adamant that nothing more can be done and that I wasn't getting a biopsy and absolutely not to getting my ducts out.   So I'm at a loss. I've been trying to relax, eat well, lose weight, sleep well since then but it's hard because I don't know what's happening to me. It's hard to put your trust into a doctor because they don't know what I'm feeling and I'm concerned that those symptoms aren' going to go away and are actually malignant. But I can't count how many times I've been checked now, so they must not think it to be urgent or malignant? It's very confusing since I feel discomfort/pain, nipple reddening and mastitis symptoms myself and I've also been suffering with like..hot flushes, sometimes I am very hot but she said it was my hormones?!   Confused. Kat x ... View more

Oh poems, it does, doesnt it?! The doctors constantly give people the walkabout and treat us like we're stupid. Frustrating. At least I'm getting referred now as far as I know so there's been at least some progress. Kat x ... View more

Hi millemoo, I know what you mean. Although I was never given any treatment or even any advice of how to deal with it (apart from take iboprofen when there is pain) after I was diagnosed because they had said it was "mild". It's a very weird case. I'm checking everyday like my doctor has told me to do but I'm feeling more than seeing. It's very bizarre! I've stopped taking them and moved onto Aspirin but I'm trying not to do that as often because I think that could be bad for me? It does help a lot though.. I mean, I don't know..I think in your case you have more of a reason to get this infection as you have had children and have breastfed but I haven't so when they said it was mastitis, I did think 'Hmm, that's odd'. Even the doctors were like, asking questions and they sounded as though they thought it to be odd that I didn't smoke also! Hopefully time will help or you can get back to the doctors or the hospital so they can help you more but I've basically been told the clinic will not see me again until some time because they thought it wasn't necessary. xxx ... View more

Hi millemoo. Sorry you're having such a frustrating time with this also. It seems like the doctors are useless but I guess they really don't know anything about this condition. I think they don't want to worry us so they give us as little info as possible. I've had it for a bit longer (middle of/end of March) but back then the pain was really bad. It's gotten a lot better but I don't know if this is from the BC pills or just me getting used to the feeling of being in discomfort (for 5 months nearly now) What does she mean by the word "fixed"? Like hard and swollen? My breast where I've got the "infection" is feels somewhat like that word, so that worries me. It still moves like my other breast, it's gotten bigger I think than my other breast (though one of mine was always bigger) but it's not 'hard'. Ah, I don't know... The only redness I have is my nipple and it's really sensitive when touched. My breast is really sensitive and sore now but it's not necessarily "painful". It's just a difficult thing to describe. I've been asked by my doctor if I "think" it's cancer and I said I didn't know..I hope not I said..but.. I'm 23 and I had just turned 23 when my symptoms started so my life has been totally turned upside down about this... I'm going back after September so I'll let you know but purely on the duration of my case I'm not particularly hopeful but I have to stay somewhat positive, I guess. Thank you for your story xx Edit: Oh, I should add that I didn't initally feel a lump and as far as I know (and being checked endlessly) I don't have any now (touch wood) so it's very puzzling indeed. Another edit: You had an ultrascan also, I'm reading? Did they happen to show you the letter they write to your GP after they did that? They showed me mine and they were pretty adamant that it was nothing 'suspicious' or 'malignant', the specialist even told me it wasn't to my face. Very frustrating! ... View more