I am a 42 year-old male who recently realized I have gynecomastia in my left breast. I am 5'11" and about 180 pounds. I recently lost a bit of weight during the pandemic isolation period and realized that the swelling in my chest about which I've been a little self-conscious is more than just excess weight.
I have an allergic disorder called mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) for which I am treated with H1- and H2-blocker antihistamines. I had been taking ranitidine for a couple of years, but it was recalled last fall by the FDA for being potentially carcinogenic. I replaced it with cimetidine, which I recently learned can cause gynecomastia, including unilateral gynecomastia.
I have done the best version of a breast self-exam I know how to do, not knowing what a lump would feel like. I don't feel anything hard in the breast tissue; however, the tissue just under the nipple is denser/feels a little bit rubbery compared with the fatty tissue surrounding it--which I've read is typical of gynecomastia. The nipple is not inverted, I don't see any kind of discharge from it (I've checked worn shirts and don't see any indication of discharge on them, either.), and I don't have 'orange peel' skin surrounding the nipple. The breast tissue has been sore for the past couple of days, and I presume that is because of the 'groping' I did to feel for lumps. But of course the soreness makes it impossible for me to put this out of my mind.
Given all this, I realize I am likely panicking unduly. But I've read about inflammatory breast cancer, which sometimes involves only swelling and my left breast is unusually swollen--but not only the breast. About a year ago, I posted to the heart disease forum here (link to that post below) that I have unusual swelling and pain in my left arm and someone wrote "I don't see the harm in being evaluated by a cardiologist but also potentially checking for issues from a compression where the extremity is. Breast cancer should be ruled out."
At the time, breast cancer didn't seem likely at all given that I am a 42 year-old male. But now...I'm worried.
I have an appointment for a physical with my primary-care doctor in two weeks. I contacted her about this discovery and she feels that the breast swelling most likely is related to the drug and not cancer but I am honestly a little bit paranoid and so I landed here. Is this something that I should be concerned about waiting another two weeks to follow up on? I've read that inflammatory breast cancer is extremely aggressive and that time is of the essence. My doctor, however, does not feel that it is urgent.