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Thread: Itchy breast & breast density - anxiety in overdrive!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    259

    Itchy breast & breast density - anxiety in overdrive!

    Driving myself nuts with my current health anxiety over breast issues. Went to my GP to get my yearly referral for mammogram (I have dense and lumpy breasts so for many years now, GP's have been sending me for yearly ultrasounds to make sure nothing hiding in there that I can't feel on self examination, a couple of years ago they changed it to mammogram instead now that I'm over 40). My GP did examination and said she could feel denseness but no lumps, but did comment on very pale pink area on the bottom of left one. I said yes it's been itching for the last week or so I think, may be a bite. So didn't think much more of that at that point, didn't run straight off and have my mammogram, but over the next few days I noticed the pink area more and became much more conscious of it. So week later went and had mammogram. It was all ok, but did show I've changed from BIRADS C to D in terms of density grading. They did ultrasound of right breast, because at time of my appointment with GP I told her I had some pain in the right one. Ultrasound showed lots of cysts but nothing to worry about. I did tell them it was my left that was concerning me more due to the rash, but they wouldn't ultrasound that one as that wasn't what GP had put on my referral form. Anyway, went back to GP for my results last week which I knew had already been reported as fine, but GP said she wants me to see Breast Specialist to work out plan of action as to how monitor my density going forward, whether I should have ultrasounds instead of mammogram or have MRI's etc. She also checked out my pink/itchy area and said she couldn't really see much in way of skin changes but it looked slightly shiny. She added that to my specialist referral. I have secured appointment with specialist next Wednesday which is good, but I'm just now so hyper conscious of my "rash" and pain I'm also getting in that side that it's driving me mad! I keep checking them every hour in the mirror. Some times when I check I think I'm just being silly and seeing things that aren't there, other times I check I go back in a spin because it really does appear to be pale pink/ a couple of tiny pore/pimple looking things, and spider veiny. I compare to other side and other side does have a spot or two and some paler spider veins, but does not have the pain and does not have the more general pinkness of the other side. I've looked at photos online of inflammatory breast cancer (yes I know I shouldn't be doing that!!) and it doesn't look anything like the worst ones, but then I come across one or two which look like next to nothing. My GP really didn't help, telling me that she's once diagnosed IBC from a tiny little change (this is the same GP who recently told me she thought my leg tingles could be MS; the same one who rang me late one night before she was going on holiday to make sure I was going for a chest CT scan as she was very worried about me - she means well, but definitely fuels my health anxiety!!). The last day or two I've even been on the downward spiral thinking my chest feels tight and I have a slight cough, so now it must have spread to my lungs!! I know I've been down similar paths before, but the thing I'm finding scary this time is that I can see a physical/ visual symptom rather than just a pain inside that I can put down to health anxiety. I know I just have to wait for the specialist's opinion next week but I also need to work out a way to get a grip in the meantime!!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    259

    Re: Itchy breast & breast density - anxiety in overdrive!

    Sorry just having another vent on here. Burning pain in my left breast is still there and seems to be getting worse. Kept waking me up last night. Now I don’t know if it really is hurting as much as I think it is, or if it is my brain telling me that it is because I’m so petrified of this being inflammatory breast cancer! It hasn’t got any more red or rashly, still just the odd few tiny pin prick sized dots, but and achy burning feeling. Nothing on the other side. I don’t have a cycle as such as have the Mirena in so no period for 3 years.

    Do others suffer one sided breast pain?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
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    16,747

    Re: Itchy breast & breast density - anxiety in overdrive!

    I really think you should consider changing your GP, Aussie11..She's absolutely no help to you at all and is enabling your HA.

    You are seeing a specialist very soon. You don't want unnecessary testing. Find out what you do need going forward and ask him or her the relevant questions?

    I've had one sided breast pain but I've also had burning one sided breast pain which was glandular and completely benign. This won't reassure you though, I know. There won't be any answers until next week but you really do need to stop speculating and "researching" because you will only make yourself ill with worry and you are not medically trained to make any self diagnosis.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    259

    Re: Itchy breast & breast density - anxiety in overdrive!

    Thank you very much for your reply Pulisa, I appreciate it! I agree re the GP, there's lots of other good ones in the same practice so I will be booking with one of them instead in future. I've been seeing her (amongst the others at the practice) for about 3 years, she's lovely and very caring, but really doesn't understand the extent of my HA and how her comments and verbalising her thoughts is not always very useful and doing more harm than good on many occasions! I am looking forward to seeing the specialist on Wednesday afternoon and getting plan of action for monitoring and also a trusted and experienced opinion on whether my current symptoms need further investigation or not. Thank you for your reassuring comments.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
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    Re: Itchy breast & breast density - anxiety in overdrive!

    It's so important to have a GP who "gets" HA and only makes referrals based on clinical need and who trusts his or her own expertise in assessing the issue.

    Good luck on Wednesday and I hope you come away reassured about your symptoms and empowered to make the best decisions as regards future monitoring if needed.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    259

    Re: Itchy breast & breast density - anxiety in overdrive!

    Just updating on where I got to with this one. Went to see the breast specialist and he did examination and an ultrasound on the left side I was worried about, and he had no concerns at all. Said it is definitely not IBC. He said with dense breasts I do need to continue with regular screening, via mammogram and ultrasound annually. He said MRI is the gold standard but often can open can of worms as it takes about 1 week to get the results and often leads to a call back for ultrasound if they find anything, so you go through lots of waiting and worrying to get the ultrasound and then find out it's just a simple cyst etc. He said having MRI every 3 or 4 years would probably the way to go, but has referred me for one now as a start. I feel very reassured that it's not breast cancer so haven't hurried off to book it in as yet. Since then the breast pain has subsided, however the chest tightness has continued to get a bit worse. Also I have back pain. I know there's nothing sinister going on with my back as I've only just had a MRI on my spine a couple of months ago. Anyway, that's a separate issue, just wanted to provide update on the breast density and rash issue in case anyone else in same boat and wanted to hear a positive outcome!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Posts
    251

    Re: Itchy breast & breast density - anxiety in overdrive!

    Thanks for updating.

    I’m 31 and have more dense fibrocystic breasts as well- I always compare them to feeling like they are full of little grains of orzo pasta lol..

    Anyway in 2017 I felt a lump in the right side- went for ultrasound and they found nothing.. said it was stacked tissue that I was feeling.

    Last year another new dr felt it and freaked me out telling me I’m stupid for not being more worried and immediately sent me to breast center. They did a mammogram, 3: mammogram, and ultrasound and again said it’s nothing..

    During that time I remember having some itching and tingling on that one breast as well… kinda felt like zing sometimes prickly sensation from the inside sometimes radiating to nipple but then went away after dr told me results were okay- and again.. liteally nothing there- just the way the tissue sits. they told me I really didn’t need to worry and not to come back till 40.

    Anyway- now- 1.5 years later- I’m in with a new gynocologist.. she feels my breasts and says- you need to get this checked… there is definitely something there … so here I am again… waiting for the Breast specialist in w weeks ( supposed to be leaving for an international trip the day later) and terrified…itching and prickling sensations again. I too am on skyla…

    On top of that- she also found a 3 cm complex ovarian cyst she wants to monitor… I feel like my womanhood hates me.

    Any comforting words would be great.

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