Breast Cancer Anxiety?

[Airisto]

Hello! This is my first time posting on this forum so I am sorry if this is posted incorrectly, I just want somewhere to drop my worries...

So a few weeks ago I had a dream that I felt a lump in my breast, when I woke up I was actually feeling the side of my breast and it was very painful (I was PMSing so my breasts were sore) ever since then I have convinced myself I have breast cancer, it doesn't help that right after this dream I had to do a project on dreams warning you of illness' AND young women getting breast cancer!!

Now I am so deep in my breast cancer research I think ever little pain and tissue I feel in my breast could be cancer. A few things that could've triggered this dream was this little lump I have in my armpit I got from a shaving accident in the shower, it was very close to the "lump" I found in my breast in my dream. Another thing being my friends mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and I found out a day or two before this dream.

I am 19 years old, I am pretty flat chested so my breasts always feel boney and lumpy (I guess from ribs and muscle). I exercise 4 times a week and eat pretty healthy most of the time. I don't drink or smoke and the ONLY person I know of in my family to have breast cancer was my great aunt on my moms side who was diagnosed and sadly passed away at 40... however I heard she had lots of hormone injections to help her have a baby, I am guessing that was how she got it since no one else on her side has it.

Logically I feel like I know deep down I should quit worrying, but that dream I had keeps freaking me out saying: What if? I went to a doctor for a breast exam and said everything was normal and I shouldn't worry at all.

I kept touching my breasts until I began PMSing again which might have caused a bunch of soreness, pain, and stinging sensations. Now that my period is over I have a weird strain feeling in my left rib (the same side I've had my breast lump dream about) So I really hope thats nothing... the only REAL issue I have with my body is scoliosis so I constantly crack my back and neck, but that doesn't seem like it could contribute to breast cancer or rib pain (?)

Has anyone ever gone though this? Should I be concerned about any of the above? Is there anyway to beat this horrible anxiety or should I actually be concerned?

I apologize for how long my story it, I figure if I get it all out of my system I might feel better, thank you to anyone who read this and I hope you have a good day!

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

[EmmyDay]

Hiya
Sorry to hear you're worrying at the moment. I sympathise, I've got a lump under my arm I got checked out last week at the moment, and my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer two weeks ago, I instantly thought the worst too.
Firstly I'd like to say that at your age, breast cancer is incredibly rare. As well as this, this has all come up because of a dream, you have absolutely no symptoms of breast cancer at all, you're freaking out because you had a dream you had breast cancer, which certainly wasn't real.
Nothing you've said here indicates there should be any cause for concern. Generally speaking, breast pain isn't associated with breast cancer, the majority of women with breast cancer have painless lumps/no pain. A pain in your ribs would also not have any relation to any breast cancer. You've been to a doctor who hasn't found anything wrong, you don't have a lump, a rash, nipple discharge, etc..
I think it's safe to say, considering you have no symptoms and have had a doctor give you a full examination, that there isn't any reason to be worried right now. The only thing I would say is to get the lump under your arm checked if you haven't already, it may be something like a reactive lymph node which may need antibiotics depending on how long you've had it, but you may well have mentioned that to the doctor when you had an examination.
I think it may be a good idea to talk to your GP about the possibility of having health anxiety, it may be a good thing to get help for if this seems like it's developing into a real issue. Overall though, no I wouldn't worry!

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[Airisto]

Thank you so much for your answer. I took a few weeks off from the internet and I am feeling a lot better now that I’m not googling my symptoms. I am so sorry to hear about your mom, my friends mom was recently diagnosed too so I can defiantly relate, I hope she gets well soon. As for your lump I hope everything is okay, if you’d like to give me an update on you I’d love to hear it.

[Carys]

Hiyer,

At 19 years old you really don't need to be concerned, if someone developed BC at this age you'd be published in medical journals as such a rare case I know its hard, and you've highlighted reasons why bc has come into your consciousness, to be calm when a fear enters your head. However, don't keep checking, once a month is sufficient and even then benign and hormonal changes will be the most likely reason for changes. Its about knowing about it 'normal' for you, and noticing any changes - this is tricky at your age as changes keep occuring whilst you are young. Actually, changes keep happening all through the life of any woman.

[Airisto]

Hello, since March I’ve had extreme health anxiety but I did a good job a keeping it under control which is why I kind of left the site for a while. Anyways, I have this tiny red bump near the die of my breast and under my armpit I keep scratching, I felt near it on the very side of my breast and felt a soft round lump, of course I freaked out, but I thought I’d try to stay calm and ask on here... could it just be a lymph node? I just recently turned 20 and had a breast exam in March with no issues.... if anyone has an answer that’d be great! (The red pimple has nothing to do with the lump)

[Cuckoo8]

Are you sure the red pimple has nothing to do with the lump? If you have a zit, it can cause a nearby lymph node to swell. Sometimes lumps in that area also come and go based on your menstruation cycle, because there is breast tissue under the arm as well.

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

[Airisto]

Back in March I had this bad dream I had cancer on the side of my left breast, after that I’ve been feeling it and freaking myself out. I had a breast exam done just to put my mind at ease and my doc told me since I’m only 19 I shouldn’t touch that area because I’ll just freak myself out and I shouldn’t worry.

6 months later (right now) I did a self exam and of course I felt lumps and now I’m freaking out again. I’m thin and have lots of lumps all over my ribs... and I felt the ribs under my breasts and I felt big and small lumps and now I’m freaking out again.

I’ve had pain in my left breast ever since that dream but I’ve been told I shouldn’t worry about that? I guess I’m just kinda scared my dream will come true so I’m over thinking this whole thing.... is there anyone I can talk to about this? I can’t calm down by myself :(. Thanks.

[Carys]

Dreams don't 'come true'.They are a subconscious window onto your real-life fears. So, that one can be cast aside quickly. Lets look at the logic instead....

You are 19 years old (and were 18 when first concerned). Breast Cancer is literally practically unheard of globally in your age range. If you were to get breast cancer, your would be medically of interest to the bc surgeons and community as a case study. At your age any lumps and bumps are most likely the changing nature of your breast tissue, which won't be fully mature for another few years. Breast tissue is dense at an early age and it is ever changing through our whole lives, so the advice is to check every couple of months or 6 weeks so that you know what is normal for you. As you've not checked for 6 months, things are now going to feel very new to you, and indeed things could be new, as your breast tissue had changed with age. (also, checking before and after periods makes a difference) Women who have breast lumps, are seen by their GP here and are referred to a breast clinic IF there is any doubt. Even after referral (and bear in mind those women are much older than you) over 80 percent of the lumps and bumps are found to be benign in origin - e.g. fibroids, cysts, hormonal natural tissue changes etc.

I would recommend that you take this check as a base-line, and check again in 6 weeks. Don't be tempted to do earlier than that, as changes can't be felt if checks are done too often. Also, make sure you look up the correct way to check - there are quite specific motions and finger use that you should employ in order to do a proper check. E.g. don't prod in with finger tips as that gives a false impression. I don't think I've ever said this on this forum before...but look up a medical diagram of the inside of the breast. There are fat layers, in lumpy distribution, glands and ducts and all sorts of internal bits and bobs which are not flat.