Granulomatous breast disease and mammogram

Hi everyone

i have had granulomatous breast disease for just over 4 years- where I live they don't treat it unless there is an abscess( I normally go to my GP and get abx if I'm really poorly with a flare up ) anywho it's taken me 3.5 years to come to accept I have to live with it never knowing if a lump is a IGM lump or something more serious. Then about 6 -8 weeks ago my skin started to pucker on my left breast ( the one with IGM ) didn't think too much initially as I had been suffering with bilateral cellulitis in my legs only a recovering a couple of weeks earlier. Then the puckering got a bit deeper and to be honest it looked a bit like a bum( sorry but it really did ) my nipple started to change direction. So I went back and saw my consultant last week who said he would do a mammogram and uss( by this point t I did actually have an abscess on my breast too) I had the mammogram then the uss. When I went in for the uss the radiologist was reading my mammogram and he said ' I know you have IGM but this left side of you breast is quite bizarre' he asked if I had a mammogram before and I said I have had two but a different places. He said he will get them to compare and I might need a biopsy after he as compared them- in the next week. As I removed my bra he also said ' have you had surgery under your arm as this looks unusual' I just said I hadn't and lay down( in hindsight I should have asked why ) the uss showed multiple abscess and he said he would leave them. My actual consultant gave me abx to help with the abscess as the radiologist refused to drain the one on top of my boob. He said we can't say anything until we have compared my previous mammograms. Sorry for ranting but I'm really anxious as to why he mentioned my armpit and why he called my mammogram 'bizarre' . I'm sorry to post here but I am quite worried about it being sinister as my platelets are really high too. Hope all is well with everyone.

  • Hello Pumpkin2 and thanks for posting, 

    I am sorry to learn that you aren't much the wiser after your appointment at the clinic.

    From what I have read, granulomatous breast disease can affect the armpit as well as the breast so this might explain whatever prompted the radiologist's remark, however I can appreciate that it wasn't an especially helpful comment to make.  I don't really think the word 'bizarre' signifies anything, this is a rare disease and your mammogram might look quite out of the ordinary compared to most, so the radiologist might have been thinking this aloud. I can follow the logic of wanting to compare your most recent mammogram to previous ones - this sounds routine.  

    Waiting to find out more is usually unsettling, but try not to keep an open mind and not overthink things - easier said than done I know. I hope you know more soon. 

    Give us a ring if you want to talk anything. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and we are around weekdays, from 9-5. 

    Best wishes,

    Julia

  • Hi Julia 

    thank you so much for replying to my post, I think I am overthinking but I have never had skin puckering and nipple change with this condition before now- and it likely is just the condition that is doing it for whatever reason. 
    you have really helped put my mind at ease a little though as I have been focusing on 'bizarre' and the armpit comment. Thank you for taking time to reply it's enormously appreciated

    love

    clare