Pain in one breast - and can't make my mammogram appointment :-(

[BrokenGirl]

My left breast has been sore for the past day or two. I'm wondering if it could be hormonal but I'm not due my period till next Monday. I'm really starting to spiral about this, can't shake those horrible thoughts.
I was due to go for a mammogram this month due to a lump, which my doc thinks is nothing to worry about. My appointment came yesterday and it's for the 28th March, but I can't make it as I'm starting a new job on 26th March and don't want to ask for time off work after just 2 days. I rang to see if they could fit me in sooner but they can't so now it's probably going to be a few months before I can get it done.
I know I'm looking for reassurance here but I'm getting desperate. A doctor examined me about a month ago and thought everything felt fine, so do you think I'm worrying about nothing? Is pain in one breast a normal(ish) thing?

[Elen]

Have you been drinking a lot of caffeine or eating chocolate. Take caffeine out of your diet and your breast pain will subside. My doctor told me Caffeine has a side effect of aggravating hormonal breast pain.

It's normal to get hormonal breast pain in one breast.

It's only been two days. Don't worry. The pain will naturally subside once you get or finish your period. It happens sometimes.

copied as thread merged in error

[BrokenGirl]

Thanks for copying that reply Elen - I appreciate it!!

[BrokenGirl]

This breast pain is freaking me out. It's because it's in one breast. Not sure if it's hormonal as I noticed it a few days ago and my period isn't due for another few days.
And what's making it worse is that my left arm kinda feels cold a lot of the time, not sure if they're connected in any way.
I'm just really scared right now - don't know if I should make an appointment to go back to doctor about this. Is that logical or over reacting?

[JennyW]

Breast pain is hormonal and cysts are painful. For peace of mind can you not let your employers know of this appointment so you can keep it? Health and your state of mind is more important. Try not to worry. I’m 51 now but have been panicking about my breasts since my 20’s...have had so many scans and check ups because I thought I’d found something. To be honest the only good thing about getting older is that they are easier to Check and not so sore !

[BrokenGirl]

I know my health and peace of mind is very important but I'd find it extremely difficult to ask my new employer for time off. For a start I don't know what they're like to ask for time off, and secondly the first week is training so I'd have to miss at least half a days training to make my appointment. It's a very hard thing to do after just 2 days into a new job.
When you say that "Breast pain is hormonal and cysts are painful" are you saying that breast pain is usually hormonal related and there's probably nothing sinister going on? I know I have no obvious lumps that the doctor is worried about and my left breast (the painful one) has a bit more glandular tissue than the right one. Not sure if this make any difference to breast pain either.

[CeeCeeCee]

I have this same thing, my left breast is sore and the left on slightly sore too but not half as much. I am older so it isn't period related. I have cancelled my mammogram as I am going away so it's not next week, which I thought was fine but I was told pain isn't usually a symptom of BC but the accompanying leaflet mentions pain, bit worried now that I cancelled. I'll post this as a separate post too.

[BrokenGirl]

I have this same thing, my left breast is sore and the left on slightly sore too but not half as much. I am older so it isn't period related. I have cancelled my mammogram as I am going away so it's not next week, which I thought was fine but I was told pain isn't usually a symptom of BC but the accompanying leaflet mentions pain, bit worried now that I cancelled. I'll post this as a separate post too.

Thanks for your reply, and I'm sorry you're going through this as well. I also hear conflicting things about breast pain. Sometimes I'll read that it's nothing to worry about and other times it might be so get it checked out.
Anyway, I'm going back to my GP on Monday. Don't know if I'm doing the right thing or not but when I'm spiraling I can't help it. If only I didn't have to cancel my mammo in a few weeks, I'm really raging over it.
Anyway I hope you feel better soon and u get the peace of mind u need :hugs:

[CeeCeeCee]

Yes, definitely best to go to doc, that's what they're there for.
Could you not arrange your mammogram for an end of day appt so that you could just ask to leave early? Doesn't sound as bad as asking for a day off? If they know what it is for they will be accomodationg I'm sure.

[BrokenGirl]

I went to my doctor yesterday and told her about the breast pain. She said it sounded like hormonal pain as it was starting to improve by yesterday anyway. I was relieved and happy with that. I got my period last Saturday so I reckoned the timing was right as well. But today my left breast seems to be more sore than it was yesterday and I'm back to square one with the panicking. If it was period/hormonal related shouldn't it be getting better every day?
I thought it would be almost gone by now, even though I'm still on my period. Or is it possible the pain might fluctuate until my period is over? Does anyone know anything about this?

[BrokenGirl]

I seem to have fallen down the breast rabbit hole and I'm struggling to get out of it. I've been checking my breasts so much that last week that it was probably only a matter of time before I noticed something else.
The pain hasn't got any worse, I think it's a little improved today, but I've noticed over the last few days that on my left nipple (just to the side of it but still on the areola) there is a little bump. I have a few similar looking ones around the outside of my nipple but they all seem to be whitish in colour. This one I'm concerned with is pink/skin colour and stands out more. Could it be just one of these nipple bumps but looks a bit different? I think it is new though cause I would have noticed it before during one of my previous breast spirals.
It's been 5 weeks since a doctor examined my breast so either she didn't notice it, she saw it and thought nothing about it or it wasn't there then.
Am I being completely irrational here? Am I blowing this up out of proportion? Is it even a sign of anything sinister? I'm really scared though....

[Lily83]

I think for your peace of mind. You should not cancel the mammogram appointment and tell your employer you have to visit your doctor, but not tell them why. Surely they can't stop you for something medical?