Please help I’m so scared

Hello, I don’t know how to even start this but I’m going to try my best to explain everything. I’m 22 and completely have myself convinced I have breast cancer. I’ve experienced boils on the other boob of which isn’t causing me issues but they’ve gone down and the doctors just said skin infection. So 2 periods ago I started getting awful pain in my boob, all different types stabbing, dull shooting etc I just put it down to periods and it then started swelling and my veins become raised. I saw an out of hours GP who told me it could be blocked milk ducts or infection or just due to periods and if she thought breast cancer she would have sent me to be seen. So after my period the pain went down all seemed fine, then after a while again my period was due and I was hit with the same pain again, but this time after my period is hasn’t gone down, my boob is tender in certain areas of my tissue and I get random shooting stabbing pains. The veins are raised again and my boob just doesn’t seem my usual boob. I’m petrified :’( honestly broken. So I went to the doctors and she said she can feel thickening and also checked a lump underneath my arm that side, she said she doesn’t think it’s cancer but wants to send me on a ‘’symptomatic’’ basis. I have my appointment at the breast clinic on the 27th. Since the doctors I’ve had pains all around my shoulder, under my armpit, burning sensations and the pain in my boob. I’m constantly looking and prodding probably making it worse but I suffer with health anxiety and can’t stop myself. I don’t want to seem horrible for posting without actually having cancer but I don’t know where to turn. I’m sick with the flu to at the moment I can’t stop crying with worry and all I keep thinking is im going to leave my son without a mum, I can’t even think about saying goodbye to him. I know i seem crazy and I’m worrying before the event but I can’t help it. Please can someone help :’( edit** wanted to add I’m now getting shoulder blade pain feels like it’s bruised and may be swollen I also have what I think is prominent veins in that boob que the anxiety all over again :( 

  • Hi hun sorry to jump on here but I'm having this problem right now and the pain is always there so I can't ever stop thinking about it. Just wondering how you got on? I wouldn't wish this feeling on anybody, I wish a day could go by when I didn't cry. I'm at the breast Clinic a week tomorrow :( Sending love x

  • Hello Hun, I completely sympathise with you I’m the same I wouldn’t wish for anyone to go through this both the pain and anxiety is unbearable. I was told i have a lipoma of which they had seen a scan before but didn’t tell me then which angered me, they said that isn’t whats causing my problems, they still have no idea what it is, they can’t give me any help or relief I’m so lost on what to do if im honest, I’ve cried more times than I do anything else it’s horrible. I’m so sorry you’re going through this too, I’m currently in awful pain as I type with a complete burning on the breast :(. I hope you get answers I’ve added you Hun, feel free to message me and I hope you the breast clinic goes well and you get good results x 

  • Hi how did it go?? I have very similar symptoms. Sorry to jump on. Hope everything is ok. Xxx

  • Hello Hun, so sorry to hear you’re having similar symptoms have you had any imaging/tests ? I’ve had ultrasounds but nothing can be found and I’m still in extreme pain, today I have severe itching and a rash on the top right side of my breast which is worrying, nothing seems to be getting better sadly :(. I wish I had answers to give, the breast specialists say it’s fine, but my gut tells me different. I hope you get things sorted :( I hate knowing anyone else is going through this. I hope you have a good outcome x 

  • Hey, im sorry to hear u still have symptoms hopefully they will find the cause soon for u. Im at the breast clinic Thursday so we shall see. Thanks for replying xx

  • Hey,

    I went through a similar thing where I'd get a stabbing pain in my boob and on my ribs (in the same place every time) which I was really worried about. Turns out it was all to do with anxiety because I have severe anxiety. I don't know if it'd be the same for you but whenever I'm on my period I often get really really bad anxiety which caused the constant stabbing pain under my boob to happen a lot more. So your pain could be caused by anxiety and therapy or medication could be the way to stop the pain. Hope this helps :)

  • I don’t want this to sound patronising as people DO know there own bodies doctor however this sounds 100% like it’s anxiety and worry talking and not your gut. The worst thing about anxiety is the fact it never feels like it is anxiety because people think it feels “too physical to be in your mind” however anxiety can come from an imbalance of chemicals released by your brain so it is very physical. I’m not saying don’t get checked and see it through, but try your best to control what you can control aka your mental health and trust that the doctors will take care of what you can’t. It sounds to me like they aren’t worried. And I can see even by the way you are talking that worry is consuming you. And a lot of people myself included have been there and every time you convince yourself it’s anxiety it wallops you with something completely different and panic strikes again, I have taken propranolol (a beta blocker that calms you down by slowing your heart rate slightly and very safe) on and off for a few years and that has really helped me. Even just carrying them calms me down and to be fair the doctor could probably trade them for smarties and it would have the same effect but it’s worth looking into

  • Thanks for your response and I never suffered with anxiety until this started until the pain and symptoms just kept getting worse. I’m at pain management now went to my first app and they were shocked my lymph nodes hadn’t been biopsied from reading my mri report with being so long and my lymph nodes still being enlarged. They then did an exam and agreed something is definitely going on and think it’s to do with my lympathetic system but they can’t be to sure as of yet, they tried me on pain meds haven’t helped at all and they said they’re considering me having a meeting with a surgeon as that’s their next step as nothing seems to be helping this. I know how people can easily assume this is anxiety because I’m very open with how concerned I am and say things people may usually not express, I’m just open in those ways as I’ve never had a place to vent out how I feel other than here. I’m anxious because of what’s happening but anxiety isn’t causing this, maybe my headaches but I’ll not agree with it being the cause of my issue here as people have clearly seen there’s something wrong just took the right doctor and more symptoms for something to be finally done. Again thanks for the response hope you are well and things are better for you x

  • Hello, how are you?? 

    Im sorry to post but I’m going through some similar symptoms and I am absolutely petrified!! I’m 35 and have 2 young children 8 and 4!! I’ve had a sore left breast for over a month now and last week found a lump in the right breast!! Went to gp who has referred me strait to breast clinic!!! My app is on Tuesday and this has been the complete worst time of my entire life!!! I wake up every hour or so in a pool of sweat, can’t eat or even hold a normal conversation!!! I’m absolutely petrified that the doctor had to give me diazepam