CONCERNED NEWBIE

Chivone

I am 36. I had a hysterectomy 3 years ago. I have been experiencing left breast pain which is constant and getting worse for about 5 months. I have had swollen lymph node for 6 months. Today I discovered tenderness under my left arm pit.. I also have some dry, itchiness on my left breast but not necessarily "scaling". I cannot find a lump or maybe I just don't know what I am doing with the self exam. I do know that I have dense, fibrystic breast tissue. It does appear my left breast may be larger than my right.  I just wondered if this could be Breast Cancer? Have any other ladies on here had the same experiences and found out they had Breast Cancer? Somebody please help! I would appreciat it greatly!

twnkltoz

I don't want to scare you,

I don't want to scare you, but I thought I had a swollen lymph node, and it was cancer. Please just go get it checked.

For the record, I now have no evidence of disease.

Ace44

Yes I would defintely get

Yes I would defintely get this checked out as soon as possible especially since this has been going on for a while. Even if it is not cancer, there is no need to be in pain and not knowing what is happening.

jessiesmom1

Swollen Lymph Nodes

6 months is a VERY long time to wait on diagnosing the cause of swollen lymph nodes. In my own case I never felt any breast lumps. My first sign that something was wrong was the swollen lymph nodes in my right underarm. After mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy it was determined that the causes of the swollen nodes was cancer that had spread from my breast tissue. Mind you, there ARE causes of swollen lymph nodes other than cancer but you need to find out asap. Please don't wait.

IRENE

Chivone

Thanks Ladies!

Thank you ladies for replying to me. I greatly appreciate it. I had lab work done today and a Mammogram/Ultrasound on Friday. I did wait a long time to start this process but I have two boys who have special needs and I work two jobs as I am a single Mom; Mom  is always put on the back burner. Really worried, scared trying to be positive and not dwell on it, I don't really have that luxury right now. Thanks again ladies I appreciate your responses. If anyone has any advice they would like to share that would be much appreciated and welcomed.

desertgirl947

This is all I would advise: 

This is all I would advise:  Get it checked out ASAP.  Either it will allay your fears OR get you in the fight before things get more serious.  The sooner problems are caught the better.

jessiesmom1

Further Diagnostics

I would just like to mention that the mammogram was not particularly helpful in my own diagnosis as there were no lumps/masses/tumors in my breast tissue. The ONLY lumps I had were in my underarm. The radiologist who read the mammogram images said the lumps "were outside the field of vision" of the mammography equipment. Hopefully you have an easier time of getting a diagnosis - no matter which way it goes. My best wishes to you and your children.

IRENE

ppurdin

Dr

please don't waist any time and go to your dr.I am sure they will order a mammogram maybe a ultra sound.Time is valuble.Good luck.Prayers

RozHopkins

Yes you must see someone asap

Yes you must see someone asap.  You obviously are busy with your children but need to keep healthy too.  I itched a great deal not everyone does.  A mamo did not pick mine up until a lump seemed to come from no where, I had them every year.  Please note itchy areas can be a sign of infiltrating cancer which needs a scan or MRI to show up if a lump has not yet appeared.  Good luck.

peony

Hope all your results are

Hope all your results are negative findings. Best wishes.

Chivone

Question?

I had to really push the Radiology place to also include the Utlrasound my Doctor ordered to begin with. So I will know something Friday after the Mammogram and Ultrasound. I have been doing so much research and reading about all the experiences these amazing ladies have. I want to be as informed as possible. I even researched the lab tests the Doctor had ordered so I know what to look for when I get the results and see what he is looking for as well. I should hopefully have some more information about what's going on by Friday evening. I did have a question....How many of you ladies got a second opinion? Or felt like your care was not good enough?

Iris_G

Never felt my lump

Chivone~~I could never feel my lump either!  It was caught very early on my yearly mammogram.  The only time I ever felt it was when I was having the ultrasound done and the tech rolled over it with the wand.  Glad to hear you're getting checked out!  Best of luck and praying you get good news!

Chivone

So the big day is tomorrow

So the big day is tomorrow for the Mammogram/Ultra Sound. I am so scared and worried and feel very very alone. I have no family to speak of in Arizona. All my family is in Texas. I have been reading and researching all week. I have so many questions. I guess the main thing I wanted to know is WHAT WERE THE SYMPTOMS YOU LADIES HAD OR DIDN'T HAVE? WHAT ARE SOME QUESTIONS I SHOULD ASK? DO THEY SHOW YOU THE RADIOLOGY IMAGES AND GO OVER THEM WITH YOU? DO THEY DO A BIOPSY THAT DAY IF THEY FIND AN ANOMOLY? I would greatly appreciate any response or advice!!!

peony

They had me wait after the

They had me wait after the mammogram and then did the ultra-sound. I was shown the results immediately and they pointed out the lump.  I was told I needed a biopsy and made the appointment the same day. Some things you never forget. I had no symptoms and couldn't feel the lump either.

Chivone

peony said:

They had me wait after the

They had me wait after the mammogram and then did the ultra-sound. I was shown the results immediately and they pointed out the lump.  I was told I needed a biopsy and made the appointment the same day. Some things you never forget. I had no symptoms and couldn't feel the lump either.

I can't feel a lump in my

I can't feel a lump in my breast, but I can feel that my lymph nodes in my neck and under my left arm pit are swollen and tender (starting to get really tender). I mean in all honesty the experiences I have been reading about and the information on the web it doesn't really look good on my behalf. Sigh....I just want to get this over and know what my next course of action is. I have a Mammogram at 2:00 and the UltraSound at 2:30.

Iris_G

Questions come later

Chivone~~I never had any symptoms whatsoever.  I had my yearly mammo and got a call 3 weeks later that I needed to come back, that they thought they saw something.  I went 2 days later and had more mammo shots.  I was told to wait while the radiologist looked at the shots.  Then the nurse came back in and said he wanted to do an ultrasound.  When the tech rolled over my lump, I knew I was in for some bad news.  The radiologist looked at the ultrasound, came in the office, took my hands and said we see a lump.  Biopsy was a week later.  You're in such a shocked state that you really don't know what to ask.  I waited until I met with my surgeon the first time to really ask any questions.

camul

I wouldn't wait any longer. get a mamogram.

You are spending time worries which is stressful, stress can cause cancer.  A mammogram will let you know immediately if they see anything to worry about.  Much easier than stressing for 6+ months.

Wish you all the best.

CoastalMom

Questions

I never felt anything either.  Went in for my routine 3D mammogram and was called the very next day for an ultrasound.  They sent the report to my surgeon,  from there a bx was done.  I was dx with her2+ last July.  BUT God is Faithfu!!!!

karlawel

Hope all goes well!!

I hope it all works out for you!!  Keep us updated!!

cherryblossom1

Same Issue

Hi Chivone, I have been experiencing the same symptoms.  I have had breast tenderness on the left side for several months.  Each time I felt the pain, stabbing, soreness, or what felt like episodes of increased warmth radiating in my breast that would pulsate I would just attribute that to what my body thought was my time of the month.  I have had a hysterectomy so I no longer have periods however I still have my ovaries so I guess my body thinks it goes through the stages still.  Either way I was just pass it off as nothing really until this past month I finally started documenting each time it happened.  I have discovered that more days than not out of the month I feel these pains or sensations.  I too have the same breast larger than the other but again I have been told that that really is quite normal so I have thought nothing of it.  I don't know anything about lymph nodes however I cannot feel any obvious lumps in my breasts either.  Just pain on more occasions than not really.  I feel silly going to get a mammogram and be told there was nothing wrong. 

Meme14470

Never feel silly!

You should never feel silly to have something checked out, this is real and it does not discriminate on age, gender, race etc! Make the appointment, get it checked.