Cancer Research UK main site

Shingles or IBC

Aniazj
Offline

Hi all,

I've had a weird upper right side chest pain for a bout a week which feels a bit like pulled muscle but seems to be more internal. I've also had a red rash on my right breast for three days now. This morning I noticed pain around my armpit and a small lump. The rash is itchy and painful (like a stabbing pain). No obvious lupms on the breast. 

Saw my doctor yesterday and he said it was shingles and gave me the antiviral meds. Saw him again today after I discovered the lump. He gave me an antibiotic and made another appointment in a week's time. He's hoping it'll get cleared by then but if not he'll refer me to the breast clinic.

 

I'm terrified. I have two little boys, I'm 38 and already had skins cancer a few years ago. I'm already very anxious about my health and now this!!

 

Has anyone experienced anything similar and it actual turned out to be shingles??

Thank you XX 

  • Offline

    Hello Aniazj,

    You did well to see your doctor about the rash and the lump -  I hope that the antibiotic works and that everything has cleared by the time you see your doctor again next week. It is normal to be anxious especially given you've already had skin cancer so you've been through a lot before and it has left a mark on you but try not to worry too much or anticipate what it might be. There are so many other conditions it could be other than cancer. The best thing to do to avoid thinking too much about this is to keep busy and distracted if you can and avoid looking things up online. I can imagine it is hard for you to do this at the moment but it will help you feel a little less anxious. 

    I hope you will also hear from others here who have been through all this before and that they will be along soon to share their story with you. 

    Keeping everything crossed for you that everything turns out fine. 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

     

     

  • Offline

    Hi Aniazj, 

    If it helps any, I had shingles recently. I'm on treatment for breast cancer. Mine was a mild case, 7 hard spots at the side of my neck. A couple looked like pustules that needed to dry up. I felt quite run down for 2 days before the spots appeared and the day before it felt like a mixture of pulled muscles and sore skin down my neck, like sunburn. I was given 50 antiviral tablets to take as the nerve pain (the sunburn like part  I assume) can come back for weeks if not months. The antivirals seemed to work as I only had slight nerve pain a couple of times after that. Was kept in hospital overnight for observation and got an xray and ECG. The rash did get itchy when healing up, like with chicken pox which you must have had first. Hopefully it was shingles and you're ok. You usually take shingles after being run down from an illness or immuno comprised as I was. Ask to get it checked out if still worried and good luck. 

Speak to a nurse

Quick links

Follow us

Registered with Fundraising Regulator (logo)
Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ.