IBC? Is it possible? PLEASE HELP.

[Lalouette]

I'm 17 years old, and have a small reddish-purplish patch on my right breast (about the size of a one pound coin), the skin on this patch isn't dimpled or showing signs of peau d'orange, but it's something that is causing quite a lot of anxiety. I also have what I think might be a swollen lymph node in my left arm pit, however this may have been resulting from some pimples and redness that occurred as a result of shaving. The 'lymph node' is palpable and visible which leads me to believe that it could be something other than a lymph node as these are usually deep underneath the skin. Other than these two symptoms I have nothing else - no swelling/enlargement etc that could point towards IBC. Where I'm currently living, seeing a doctor about this proves quite difficult as NZ doesn't have health insurance and doctors visits are very costly, (I have been before for several other maladies, only to be told that there is nothing wrong) So my mother is not exactly in approval of the idea. If it helps-- I'm due a period very soon, and I know that my mother used to get swelling in her underarms as a result of hormones. Could this be breast cancer?

[Catherine S]

Well nobody here is really qualified to diagnose anything, but from what you have described it doesn't sound like anything sinister. It actually sounds more like a bruise...have you knocked yourself or pinched yourself or anything that could have rubbed the skin in that area at all? Lymph nodes can swell with hormonal surges but even though you say that its difficult for you to see a doctor, it is really what you need to do to reassure yourself, or can you phone a nurse at the surgery and ask some advice that way?

[RoseEve]

I have thought I had IBC many times. Most people don't even know it exists that's why I chuckled a little to myself when you listed the symptoms only someone with HA could understand this. If you had IBC your breast would be so swollen and painful you would be crying. At your age the risk of breast cancer is so very low and IBC is very rare. So the chances of you having this are 0 in my opinion. It's probably a rash I've had this many times. I also gets lumps in my armpits. Irritation from shaving and deordorant.