'prominent' axilla lymph nodes

[panickedcoeliac]

Okay, so I’m completely freaking out and have already had one panic attack today. I do have HA but this time things feel different.

I’ve had aching armpits for a few weeks. Last Monday I found a large, grape sized lump and made a drs appointment, naturally I started googling everything and convincing myself it was either metastasised breast cancer or hodgekins. The dr referred me for an ultrasound (no meds yet), but before I could have the ultrasound the lump shrank. I made the decision to go ahead with the ultrasound anyway, because I figured it was better to be safe than sorry.

The radiographer said that he had trouble seeing the lymph node that had been swollen, but then scanned further down and became very interested in the area further down near the side of my breast. He mentioned casually that I have ‘prominent lymph nodes’ down there. He did not say anything else but started taking lots of shots of that area. The area was tender as he was pressing on it with the scanner.

Naturally, I’ve now convinced myself that he was seeing more than just prominent lymph nodes and didn’t want to tell me.

Prominent lymph nodes in the lower axilla region that are tender, according to google it could be a host of sinister things. I do have breast implants (I had a reduction 8 years ago that went wrong and needed a reconstruction) and I’m wondering if after 8 years they’re causing problems.

I’m also coeliac.

Am I freaking out for nothing?????

[panickedcoeliac]

ok, definitely not over reacting. Woke up this morning and symptoms are worse, now have swelling and redness on the side of my breast! According to google it's Inflammatory Breast Cancer - the MOST aggressive kind!

I need to stop googling. OMG.

[Glaws]

You sound like me!! Google can be very bad for your health.......
Redness, discomfort etc could just be a sign of infection. I guess they would have taken some guided biopsies if there was real concern??? Do you have a follow up appointment?
I know it's easier said than done but try not to catastrophise.

[panickedcoeliac]

Thanks Glaws, so I do have a resolution and I think its important to post it because so many people never bother, and it doesn't help others who are suffering similar symptoms to never see that things are probably okay.

So I went to the dr after my last post, thankfully they were able squeeze me in.

It turns out that my ultrasound was totally clear. No lymph nodes were enlarged or outside of 'normal' measurements. Why the radiologist told me he could see 'prominent lymph nodes' and then didn't take the time to clarify that this was not something to worry about I'll never know, especially since I told him I was very stressed.

The dr, a lovely woman called Emily, examined my breast closely - I was quite worried especially as I have implants (the result of a reconstruction 8 years ago - long story but wasn't cancer related). She said that while there was a light redness on the side of the breast, she couldn't attribute it to anything and it certainly didn't have the characteristics of anything to be concerned about. The skin thickness was normal and there were no lumps, or anything characteristic of IBC. She said there was no sign of infection, I had no fever, and given the lymph node results were normal she had no reason to suspect there was anything wrong. She told me the inflammation was probably due to me playing with it so much over the last few weeks, and the radiologist pressing on it with the ultrasound wand.

To ease my mind, she gave me a script of antibiotics which she wants me to take to Thailand (I'm getting married there in three weeks) just in case, but overall she was more concerned about my health anxiety and thinks its a result of stress caused by work, the wedding and the fact I am also studying at uni, and therefore she would like to work with me and a psychologist to build a mental health plan.

I'm now two days on, and the redness has now faded away, and while the breast is still sore it is definitely not as bad as it was. I do still have creeping thoughts of 'what if she is wrong' but I try to ground myself in reality and think about the fact that if it was IBC, the rash wouldn't disappear and the symptoms wouldn't ease...

Thanks for listening/reading, its been a very rough few weeks.

[panickedcoeliac]

Thought I'd follow up on this and let everyone know that sometimes we aren't going mad...

My lump came back, bigger than ever. I went to see my regular GP, who ordered a full breast scan this time - turns out my breast implant was leaking!!! I had to go in for surgery to have them replaced! They still don't know definitively if this is what caused the lymph node swelling but it probably contributed. I'm now three months post surgery and the lymph node is still large and if I'm run down it swells and aches then goes back down again but I can still feel it rolling around if I go searching for it... will be having a biopsy next time I go into my GP.