View Full Version : So, so scared. Don't know what to do.
I've convinced myself I have breast cancer in my left breast, probably the rare inflammatory kind because I feel like I am just lucky enough to get it. I've been having muscular type pain in my left breast bone, back, and tingles down my arm. I noticed tenderness in my left breast when my husband was giving me a back massage after I was shampooing our carpeted stairs for a few hours which gave me a bad lower back ache. I then promptly began to worry and dread just washed over me. I made him touch and probe my breast for bumps but he said everything looked normal. I also checked myself and didn't feel anything. I calmed down for a day.
Next day I have burning pain in my chest at work and tingles in my arm. Just a quick back story, I've had this happen to me before last year and a few months ago. I went to get my heart checked and get my chest x-rayed. Everything looked normal and was fine. Doctors said it must be a pulled/strained muscle because I mentioned how I tend to overwork my left arm working out. I haven't lifted any weights in over a week now to hopefully recover my muscle, but I am convinced it's cancer. It seemed to get worse the day after when I worked out my arms. The next day the pain was worse. Burning/sore pain. It seems to be radiating to my breast/under my breast which I have never had before. I am so sure I have breast cancer because my nipple is sensitive to clothing rubbing against it and when I feel the milk duct, it seems to be tender... and I noticed I get tingles down my air. I don't know if it's because of muscle beneath/around. But knowing my luck it's probably cancer. I'm trying to wait it out to see if the pain subsides but this anxiety is killing me.
There is always something wrong with me! I'm slowly becoming depressed. I'm 24 and I can't imagine having breast cancer. What if it's not muscle related? What if there is a tumor sitting on a nerve in my breast causing tingles and breast pain? I'm so worried I am crying while typing this. Sometimes I wish they would just cut my breasts off and remove my uterus. There is so much fear put into women of this cancer and that cancer that it destroys me and triggers me :(
Didn't want to read and run.
Just wanted to say I feel your pain. Currently in middle of worse ever HA flare up I've ever had. I'm convinced I have bone cancer or muscle cancer (Had prominant rib for 9 years, been checked out but that doesn't help!). On medication for first time ever, and awaiting appointment with hypnotherapist.
Feel my life is slowly being taken away from me by his anxiety, which is ironic since i dread cancer the most!
Ok so firstly you are 24 which means Breast Cancer at your age is exceptionally rare.
I worry about BC but as my GP said most women do, it's such a publicised disease you can't help hearing about it and most of us know someone who has had it.
The other thing my GP told me on one of my many visits to get my breasts checked was Breast Cancer doesn't hurt and it is normal to feel sensitivity or some discomfort in your breast as they are glands and they are very susceptible to hormone changes.
The inflammatory kind that you are worried about develops very very quickly if it was that (which it won't be) your breast would be incredibly painful, you'd have dimpling or it would be hot to touch with orange peel texture etc, from what I've read it blocks the lymphatic drainage so the breast will be either have some form of rash, be swollen, hot and have lots of very obvious symptoms.
What you are experiencing sounds like muscle pain and the sensitivity is probably because you are thinking and worrying about it which always makes things 10 x worse.
Please don't worry about this, you are so young it won't be what you are fearing.
Ok so firstly you are 24 which means Breast Cancer at your age is exceptionally rare.
I worry about BC but as my GP said most women do, it's such a publicised disease you can't help hearing about it and most of us know someone who has had it.
The other thing my GP told me on one of my many visits to get my breasts checked was Breast Cancer doesn't hurt and it is normal to feel sensitivity or some discomfort in your breast as they are glands and they are very susceptible to hormone changes.
The inflammatory kind that you are worried about develops very very quickly if it was that (which it won't be) your breast would be incredibly painful, you'd have dimpling or it would be hot to touch with orange peel texture etc, from what I've read it blocks the lymphatic drainage so the breast will be either have some form of rash, be swollen, hot and have lots of very obvious symptoms.
What you are experiencing sounds like muscle pain and the sensitivity is probably because you are thinking and worrying about it which always makes things 10 x worse.
Please don't worry about this, you are so young it won't be what you are fearing.
Thank you so much for replying. I'm looking to get on some type of anxiety medication very soon. I can't keep worrying and stressing over aches and pains. I know breast cancer at my age is rare, but I keep thinking, well what if I am the lucky one to get it? I keep poking and prodding my breast looking for something. I'm also checking my lymph nodes and I'm just so worried.
---------- Post added at 19:50 ---------- Previous post was at 19:48 ----------
Didn't want to read and run.
Just wanted to say I feel your pain. Currently in middle of worse ever HA flare up I've ever had. I'm convinced I have bone cancer or muscle cancer (Had prominant rib for 9 years, been checked out but that doesn't help!). On medication for first time ever, and awaiting appointment with hypnotherapist.
Feel my life is slowly being taken away from me by his anxiety, which is ironic since i dread cancer the most!
I'm really sorry about your anxiety :( My husband has had a prominent rib his whole like on one side, if it helps you any. I hope you get better feeling soon! :):hugs:
Well there you go if you keep poking and prodding it will be sore and sensitive and you''ll have pain.
I know this because I've done it, I used to check my breasts so often and too much and in the end I made them sore, I was having random shooting pains, tingling, sensitivity you name it and what I didn't realise was I was causing it by poking them too much.
I know it's hard but honestly you shouldn't worry about this. Get some anxiety medication. I was a few years older than you when I became fixated on breast cancer and was sure I had it. I got some medication and it helped immensely.
Now I'm 44 and I'm fixated on a whole host of other things :doh:
Thanks for that :) Nice when hear others have a funny rib! Definitely go for meds. I've had worries for 9 years and finally trying to sort myself out.
Hi Girl18, Many women get breast tenderness as it is something to do with hormones at a particular time of the month. Munchlet is also quite correct in that pain is usually not an indicator in BC. I like you am worried about women's issues down there and experience HA - so I know how you feel. I prod and poke my abdomen, check for things all the time - funny because I also wish I had things removed! But Girl18, that's not the answer. I think about women in the last century who didn't even have half the medical facilities and were probably more content in themselves than me. I think that there is just way too much emphasis on making us body aware e.g. in the media, that we are not often to blame for our HA. Let us know how you go. x
Hi Girl18, Many women get breast tenderness as it is something to do with hormones at a particular time of the month. Munchlet is also quite correct in that pain is usually not an indicator in BC. I like you am worried about women's issues down there and experience HA - so I know how you feel. I prod and poke my abdomen, check for things all the time - funny because I also wish I had things removed! But Girl18, that's not the answer. I think about women in the last century who didn't even have half the medical facilities and were probably more content in themselves than me. I think that there is just way too much emphasis on making us body aware e.g. in the media, that we are not often to blame for our HA. Let us know how you go. x
Thanks amby. Today my breast feels better. I took a hot bath last night with lavender oils and epsom salts. It's a luxury when my body is feeling off and I think it helped me. This morning I woke up and took a long stretch across my bed with my arms. I think I tore my pectoral muscle again but it felt really good to stretch. My pectoral muscle feels sore again. Hopefully it heals better.
Last year I had a ruptured ovarian cyst for the first time (had a scan) I strained lifting weights (go figure) and I had a tummy ache for almost a month as it healed. My doctor said it happens sometimes but everything looked normal. I had terrible anxiety over everything down there so I feel your pain.
Hi everyone. I had a doctor see me yesterday and I explained to her how anxious I was and that I convinced myself of cancer. She was very understanding and kind with me. She did a breast exam which I made it clear to her that I was very nervous. She inspected both breasts and said I have fibrocystic breasts. She said it's not related to breast cancer and it doesn't give me a higher likelihood. I asked her if it's something I should worry about it. She said absolutely not. She's worked in family practice for 9 years and has seen fibrocystic breasts. I have this issue of trusting doctors. I'm not sure why. She said for my peace of mind to get an ultrasound. I was satisfied with her diagnosis but thinking about the ultrasound is now driving my anxiety through the roof. I am beyond nervous. If she doesn't think it's anything, why would she ask for an ultrasound? My husband says that it's for me to feel better.
She also said that the chest and arm pain is unrelated. She said it sounds like a pinched nerve which I have no doubt in my mind as I've had this pain before with the tingles. Yesterday I did a mini workout for my legs and I used my arms to prop me up on the yoga mat. Not even an hour later my arm in my shoulder was in bad pain, like I tore a muscle.
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