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Thread: Breast pain, here I go again!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    203

    Breast pain, here I go again!

    I have been off this forum for many years because I thought I was over this rubbish health anxiety, but lockdown has a lot to answer for and worries are creeping back. I have had breat pain intermittently for roughly 48 years, ever since I finished breast-feeding my middle child (a huge, hungre baby who could empty a breast in 3 minutes flat). I went on to have twins and managed to feed them for a few weeks, which did little to improve the intermittent breast pain. But all those years ago we didn't have the internet so there was no Dr Google, and the general idea was that breast pain did not mean you had cancer. So for all those years it didn't particularly worry me, though lots of other things did.

    I'm now 78, so there's no excuse of hormones, but over a year ago I had a long episode of breast pain (pain's too strong a word really, discomfort perhaps) but realised it correlated exactly with a period when i was a bit tense for several weeks - we were having an amazing cruise holiday in the USA and Canada, but I was slightly worried about how I would cope with some of the places we were going, such as New York. Also, it was our eldest granddaughter's wedding the day after we disembarked back in the UK, a very special occasion and opportunity to see all my scattered children and grandchildren, and I had visions of the ship breaking down mid-Atlantic and us not making it back in time. We did, of course, but it added to the tension, and I've realised that it's when I'm tense for any reason that the pain comes back - I realise I have been just a bit tense, sometimes a lot tense, all the way through lockdown. I haven't seen my eldest son and his family, or my eldest granddaughter since last Christmas, which doesn't help, and though a lot of the things that challenge me normally have faded away at the moment (I'm involved with lots of things and have lots of responsibilities - no good at saying no!) there is the constant worry that they will creep back and I'll be swamped again.

    So now I'm struggling with the same left-sided breast pain again. I know it's just the same old one I've had many times over the years, but I've let it get to me and it's driving me bonkers. My breast looks and feels totally normal and just like the other one - I don't have dense breast tissue, it's soft and easy to check. It's not always in the same place and doesn't always feel the same. I'm very good at creating imaginary pain too, I have a history of that and even surgery! I think this is largely in my head, but that's the worst place it can be because I can't get rid of it.

    Sorry for the long history, but this feels a very safe place to rant. Just wondered if other people have a similar experience of such pain triggered by anxiety and tension.

    Chrissie

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Posts
    110

    Re: Breast pain, here I go again!

    Is there a possibility that this is a nerve issue here and not your breast itself? I only say this as I had the same thing a few years back I remember and it was so uncomfortable and sharp nagging pain. Another reason I had it was because I was pregnant!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Posts
    162

    Re: Breast pain, here I go again!

    I go through bouts of breast pain - in fact pain in other areas too. I really don't think the breast pain would be anything serious. I think it's inflammatory BC that causes pain and there are usually other symptoms that you'd get along side such as inflammation and swelling. I think a lot of my breast and rib pain is linked to Costochondritis.
    I think as we get older we just get more aches and pains - but that's coupled with the anxiety of knowing the probabilities have shifted a bit and we're more vulnerable to things than when we were 30.
    My HA is not helped at the moment by the NHS campaign on TV (rightly) encouraging people to go to the GPs if they have various symptoms that COULD be cancer (but probably aren't). I watched it once, thought to myself "Hmmm - I've got pain that won't go away etc) and haven't watched it since!!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    203

    Re: Breast pain, here I go again!

    I agree absolutely about the cancer advert that's on at the moment. I think it was that that triggered my present stupid panic.
    It wouldn't surprise me if it was nerve pain, I'm not really sure it's always in the breast.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Posts
    151

    Re: Breast pain, here I go again!

    Hi when I was at the crux of my anxiety I got breast pain turned out to be muscular pain it’s because I was tensing my upper body so much that the pain spread to my breast as it’s all connected. That ‘just think’ advert has got me checking as well I have to talk myself out of it everytime it comes on 😩 the joys of health anxiety !!!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    203

    Re: Breast pain, here I go again!

    I saw a doctor this morning, after a very bad night and pain which appeared to be deep in my breast as I breathed. Total nightmare actually getting to see someone and then getting into the surgery in these Covid times, but that's another story. She examined me deeply and it was so painful I almost screamed, but she gave me lots of reassurance. She said there is no sign of breast cancer and I'm very low risk, and she thinks the pain and tenderness may be in the chest wall rather than the breast. She has referred me to the breast clinic, as I haven't had a mammogram for 7 years, the last one when I was 71 and they never called me again.
    So now I wait to hear. She said it should be in about 2 weeks. I'm a bit reassured, but it will be a stressful wait!

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