Small purple thread like veins on breast please help

[Carys]

Shouldn't the therapist be working on this aspect though?

Absolutely - I'd forgotten that Chlobo had started that. In that case, if its started, Chlobo (if she comes here) can get us to help her with the set work ?

However, the same applies to anything beyond this point anyway (from me).....

From now on, I'll reply if you come here to work on building your own ability to self-talk and rationalise.

[Chlobo]

....but there is no uncertainty Chlobo. You've been given definite answers by multiple doctors, friends and family. The only uncertainty is the one you are creating. People unaffected by the habits you have trained yourself into, would walk out of the first GP appointment absolutely delighted to be told they have nothing at all wrong. (infact many would not have made an appointment at all to start with!)

Just to clarify for you - IBC causes the lymphatic system in the breast to 'malfunction' particularly blocking fluid in the skin, there would be - swelling, redness, hotness,rashes, itching, deeply dimpled skin that looks like every single pore is indented with the skin swollen around it (hence the orange peel description.) You have NONE of these symptoms and none of the others which I'm not going to list here. The doctors have looked, do you really think they can be so ill-educated and foolish that they couldn't see something that was abnormal after years of study, training and working with community patients ? Do you really think your friends and family would lie to you and risk your life ? There is no uncertainty. What you have is NORMAL. Yes, IBC can take weeks or months to develop - BUT you don't even have the right symptoms to start with.

Being here could help if you focused on working on the methods of self-reassurance. This is the last time I am going to say anything about IBC symptoms or try and help you to see the facts here. From now on, I'll reply if you come here to work on building your own ability to self-talk and rationalise.



The day that you accept that YOU are in charge of your brain, and your brain isn't an independent entity controlling you, will be the day you will start to be able to do something about this.

I keep trying to tell myself my friends and family would see something off and the doctors, but then I think what if it's early stages still and there isn't much to see. Then that upsets me even more, because it feels like my positive list goes out of the window.

I do have redness, it isn't swollen or pitted, and isn't itchy and I have no rash apart from the capillaries and the redness around them but it's the red/pink appearance that worries me so much. Underneath my breast I have a sore area on some of the skin too.
I have been lifting my breast and touching it a lot and examining it but I don't think I've touched that area, so now that's thrown me off too. It just further confirms to me that there is something to worry about.
I'm so aware of it that my entire attention is constantly focused on my breast which maybe that could create pain etc, I just don't know. I mean it wasn't hurting at all before I was worrying.

[Chlobo]

Shouldn't the therapist be working on this aspect though?

So my therapist has actually totally restarted my therapy starting next week. She has said she will now give me face to face appointments and we will have a total fresh start and start from the beginning as I explained how bad my anxiety is to her.
We didn't get to that part on the phone, she was more talking to me and asking about my background and past and things that could have caused my health anxiety

[Chlobo]

Absolutely - I'd forgotten that Chlobo had started that. In that case, if its started, Chlobo (if she comes here) can get us to help her with the set work ?

However, the same applies to anything beyond this point anyway (from me).....

I will see what the first lot of homework is that she has set me, she won't set it until the actual day I have the therapy.
I would appreciate some help with the set work if possible, I'd be very grateful

[Carys]

[Deb350]

I’ve suffered with health anxiety for a long time. It’s very hard when you are in the midst of it to see things for what they are. Last summer I had a white spot on my nipple, I completely freaked out (by the way I’ve had breast cancer in the past) I showed my mum, sister, etc they all said it was nothing. I rang my breast care nurse who reassured me it was nothing. My family all were at their wits end with me, I had worked myself up so badly I was sure I only had weeks left to live.

It didn’t matter what anyone said or did, I just couldn’t function. I kept a list which many have suggested here of the facts and would go back over them again and again, even talk to myself in the mirror. My family and friends stopped giving me reassurance as it was just a vicious cycle. This seemed harsh at first but it helped me, I couldn’t have a conversation without talking about possible cancer.

It’s a very difficult place to be right now but you can get through this, now when I think about that white spot it seems ridiculous but at the time it was all consuming and negative thoughts would go round and round in my head. I also find exercise helps and being around other people, talking about anything else besides your boob!!

Oh and stay away from google, Dr Google is my worst enemy!!

[Chlobo]

I’ve suffered with health anxiety for a long time. It’s very hard when you are in the midst of it to see things for what they are. Last summer I had a white spot on my nipple, I completely freaked out (by the way I’ve had breast cancer in the past) I showed my mum, sister, etc they all said it was nothing. I rang my breast care nurse who reassured me it was nothing. My family all were at their wits end with me, I had worked myself up so badly I was sure I only had weeks left to live.

It didn’t matter what anyone said or did, I just couldn’t function. I kept a list which many have suggested here of the facts and would go back over them again and again, even talk to myself in the mirror. My family and friends stopped giving me reassurance as it was just a vicious cycle. This seemed harsh at first but it helped me, I couldn’t have a conversation without talking about possible cancer.

It’s a very difficult place to be right now but you can get through this, now when I think about that white spot it seems ridiculous but at the time it was all consuming and negative thoughts would go round and round in my head. I also find exercise helps and being around other people, talking about anything else besides your boob!!

Oh and stay away from google, Dr Google is my worst enemy!!

Thank you Deb. I'm sorry you had to go through a cancer diagnosis.
I was doing the same, showing friends and family constantly. I don't even trust my own eyes to be honest, sometimes I think I see things that appear worse than they are.
Today hasn't been a good day, I've seeked reassurance and it's actually made me feel worse this evening which means today I've been checking a lot more than I have done the last few days.
Now I'm convinced my boob looks redder than before or the area has spread more.

[Chlobo]

Urgh more panic. I checked my breast this evening and it looks redder than usual, the veins seem more pronounced, the small thread ones.
I went upstairs and got the Christmas tree and let the kids do the whole thing to try and distract myself

[Chlobo]

I've had a few women on a Facebook page that I've asked for reassurance tell me to go back to the doctors. I'm convinced I have IBC, I'm actually certain. It's all just adding up.
I can't do this.

[Fishmanpa]

It's all just adding up.

0+0 still = 0

FMP