Should I get more testing????

[motherof3girlies]

Okay so my anxiety zone peeps probably remember my crazy 8 month long boob saga. Well it's sorta kinda back again. About a year ago I started haveing breast pain in my left breast, it lasted forever and I saw 4 different doctors all told me everything felt fine. But that wasn't good enough so I demanded an ultrasound and all they found was a cyst. They only did an ultrasound on my left breast so it was always in the back of my mind that my right breast never got "checked". Well low and behold I felt something and I panicked went to my doctor she felt something but knew I was crazy so sent me for a 3D mammogram and an ultrasound. All they found was a milk duct. The cyst in my left breast was still there too. They told me everything looked good and to come back in 6 months only because they are super super conservative. Then after 6 months don't come back until I'm 40. My husband and my mom are pretty much begging me not to go because I've been doing SO SO GOOD with my anxiety and also we have spent so much on medical bills, this will just be another bill.

Here's the thing, can a milk duct turn into cancer? Shouldn't I go back JUST to make sure no cancer has developed? Why would they ask me to come back? I'm 35 years old and no history of BC in my family. I feel like not going is totally go against doctors orders right? But on the other side I WANT to continue down the path of recovery with my anxiety.

[PASchoolSyndrome]

Women have milk ducts. We feed the babies that way!

The thing is: Yes, bad things happen. It's important to get things checked out. You however have been checked out plenty and there is nothing bad there, minus an annoying cyst.

I'd leave it alone and stick to the regular check ups.

[ktdid2000]

I could have written your post.

I'm currently breastfeeding my 15 month old who likes to chomp on my nipples causing me huge amounts of lingering pain (like, over a week). Because I was worried about the pain I started poking around in there and discovered two lumps. Cue panic!

Went to the OB who didn't feel anything, but ordered an ultrasound and mammogram just to be sure. Ultrasound is the gold standard for screening younger people under 40 with "dense" breasts, especially those who are breastfeeding, so I just did the ultrasound which she was OK with. Came back with two cysts on the right breast and nothing on the left (what I could feel were both cysts). Pain was continuing so she referred me to a breast specialist but only because she really had nothing left to examine or diagnose. She suspected nerve trauma from the biting.

Now every time the pain starts up (which isn't constant), I get worried all over again and have to talk myself out of following up at the doctors. After a clear screen there really isn't anything left to look at. I know its tough to believe that though - that's how health anxiety gets you!

[motherof3girlies]

I just did a self exam and I feel something in my right breast. So I'm gonna get the ultrasound. But this will be the 3rd time in a year that this breast has been ultrasound. Is that crazy? I'm crazy right?

[ktdid2000]

Yup, pretty much. Welcome to the club.

[Leslie735]

I get it, oh boy do I get it! ALL of 2016 was me consumed with my right breast. It started in January when I found a indentation on the side of my right breast when I lifted my arm. CUE PANIC! I was a wreck. I saw my OBGYN (I was due for my yearly anyway). She set me up with a mammogram and ultrasound. I had it done the next day and got the result immediately that everything was ok. This didn't settle my mind at all, I saw a surgeon 3 times and he assured me it was just loose skin from having kids. I still didn't buy it so I begged him to let me have a breast MRI. That came back all clear and I was finally able to move forward. Well fast forward about 8 weeks, I decided to do a breast exam, I got obsessive with it and overly examined for about a week, every day. I ended up causing damage to my breast tissue which as a result caused a lump to form. About 2 weeks later I felt that lump and FLIPPED OUT! I saw my doctor, he sent me for another mammogram and ultrasound. The radiologist said it was just bruising in the breast tissue but wanted to follow up in 3 months. I went back 3 months later and he still felt it was the same thing but because I was so worried about it he decided to do a core biopsy. It came back and scar tissue. Ugh! This began in January and ended in November of last year.

[ktdid2000]

I get it, oh boy do I get it! ALL of 2016 was me consumed with my right breast. It started in January when I found a indentation on the side of my right breast when I lifted my arm. CUE PANIC! I was a wreck. I saw my OBGYN (I was due for my yearly anyway). She set me up with a mammogram and ultrasound. I had it done the next day and got the result immediately that everything was ok. This didn't settle my mind at all, I saw a surgeon 3 times and he assured me it was just loose skin from having kids. I still didn't buy it so I begged him to let me have a breast MRI. That came back all clear and I was finally able to move forward. Well fast forward about 8 weeks, I decided to do a breast exam, I got obsessive with it and overly examined for about a week, every day. I ended up causing damage to my breast tissue which as a result caused a lump to form. About 2 weeks later I felt that lump and FLIPPED OUT! I saw my doctor, he sent me for another mammogram and ultrasound. The radiologist said it was just bruising in the breast tissue but wanted to follow up in 3 months. I went back 3 months later and he still felt it was the same thing but because I was so worried about it he decided to do a core biopsy. It came back and scar tissue. Ugh! This began in January and ended in November of last year.

Oh no! I'm so sorry you went through all this. :(

I know how hard it is to move on even when you get the all clear (sometimes several times!). It's extra hard for boob problems because the GYN default is to always order a scan "just to be sure" which of course reassures no one but the GYN and you have to do it over and over again for each "new" thing you find. It's enough to drive anyone to the nuthouse!

[Leslie735]

Oh no! I'm so sorry you went through all this. :(

I know how hard it is to move on even when you get the all clear (sometimes several times!). It's extra hard for boob problems because the GYN default is to always order a scan "just to be sure" which of course reassures no one but the GYN and you have to do it over and over again for each "new" thing you find. It's enough to drive anyone to the nuthouse!

Yes, exactly! I've been too afraid to feel my boobs since November. I just had my yearly with my OBGYN last week and she did an exam. I haven't touched them at all. Too scared to.