breast pain

[ktinnit]

hi

5 weeks ago i began to have a stabbing pain in my right breast at the nipple. i have never experienced anything like this before- quite different to menstrual type pain. in addition it was swollen and warm. at the time i was wearing a bra that was too tight. my left breast seemed a little sore around the outside but nothing compared to my right one. I decided to go and get a few new bras and to wait and see if this had any effect. at first it didn't but eventually the pain went away. in the time this passed i have been very run down and caught 3 bugs in a row. one was a chest infection for which i received antibiotics. this may have stopped the pain in my breast- i dont know! my glands have been going up and down and are just now back up. my lymph nodes under my arm pit are also swollen and sore. Although the pain to the right nipple has not returned my breast continues to be warmer than my left. I made the mistake (?) of looking this up on the internet tonight and see a lot of information on Inflammatory breast cancer all of which looks very scary! there is no redness, my boobs are no more pitted than they have been since i stopped breast feeding 3 years ago, there is no bruising. my right breast is a bit bigger than the left (though this does not look abnormal) but the warmth comes and goes and my glands in my neck and armpits continue to play up. My question is this: if you have IBC would the warmth come and go???

[japdip]

I don't think most Docs would feel that way and you should never hesitate to have something checked out for that reason. It's always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to something that you feel isn't "right" ... You know, no one knows your body better than you. I'm glad things seem to be better today but don't forget that many things won't just "go away" on their own. so if and when something has you worried always have it checked out and don't worry about that "next time".    Take care ....

[ktinnit]

thanks for your reply. yes i agree that going to the doc is the best option but i hate going to docs cos i worry that if it's nothing then the next time they won't take me seriously. i know that sounds nuts. and yes the internet is lethal particularly symtpom checkers. thanks for answering my Q in any case. my breasts are equal temp this morning which puts my mind at rest.  

[japdip]

I don't believe that any of the symptoms of IBC would come and go or even subside completely. I will say that some symptoms of IBC are rather insidious and not the fast swelling, red hot breast as is often described. There have been cases where it only appeared as a rash.
Breast pain such as you describe are rarely associated with other types of Breast Cancer. If you are terribly concerned you might consider seeing a Breast Specialist for an opinion or talking with your Primary Care Physician or GYN and request some testing or at the very least a clinical exam. I am usually against too much "searching" on the internet unless you are just looking for the meaning of some of the many medical terms. The information available is so general it rarely can be associated with an individual's situation. Your Dr. is always you best source of information as he/she knows all your medical history and can assess the situation correctly. Don't hesitate to ask questions and describe exactly what is going on just as you have here.    Regards .....