Hello!
I have a question about IBC and the symptoms.
I have noticed changes in the appearance of my breasts which include asymetry, color or discoloration (looks like matisis - a lot of red veins without the swelling, mostly on the bottom of the breast and around the areola), some discolorations that look like reddish/brown streaks that start at the areola and branch out, and almost 1/2 the breast with peau d'orange. There is also a small red mark that appeared about 6 months ago before there were any other changes. All the other changes I have appeared about 2 month ago. The left breast (the larger one) is NOT swollen, just bigger than it was, so the peau d'orange looks more subtle than the pictures of it that I have seen online.
I have had mamo's and sono's and an MRI (result was a bi-rad 3). There are small cysts, scattered microcalcifications. I have had a biopsy in the left breast for the cyst that looked "suspicious" and it came back with proliferative hyperplasia, adenosis sclerosis enlarged ducts, etc.
My doctor wants to have a follow-up sono and mamo in what would be 3 months from the biopsy. She said that there were plenty of benign things that cause peau d'orange on the breast. "Like what?" is what I now realize I should have said!
Does anyone know of anything besides mastisis which I don't have (I am 48 and NOT breastfeeding) that may cause the skin changes. The peau d'orange and the bruised looking skin -I am so confused. Part of me thinks I am crazy and just over reacting to normal/benign breast changes and part of me thinks there is more to them than what I have found out.
My doctor (this the 3rd one I've gone to already regarding these skin changes) claims that she has seen IBC and say's I don't have it. I think from all the information that I have read about IBC on the internet is that there are a wide variety of ways that it can present itself. I am not sure that it is valid for a doctor to say that they can eliminate IBC as a based on the IBC that they have "seen".
Any advice would help.