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Inflammatory breast cancer

Ellaloz
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Hi all,

just wonderd if anybody has an info on inflammatory breast cancer, its regarding my mum.  

Long story in august while we were away on holiday mum started with a really itchy rash under her breast(on her tummy but just under her breast) its was like a browny colour and really itchy she had left it and just used creams and thort nothing of it until end of september her breast below the nipple and including the nipple became really inflamed and bright red and extreamly painful and itchy she went to the out of hours doctors who said she had and infection from where the skin on her bra line had split and gave her cream and antibiotics the same week had a follow up app with a nurse at her  own doctors who also agreed it was infection after 2 weeks antibiotics it all went away all the pain and everything had gone GREAT i felt like the luckiest girl alive as i had been thinking the worst as i suffer AWFUL health anxiety. Fast forward 6 weeks later no rash but out of the blue this horrendous red patch on her breast below the nipple almost like a pizza slice and pain are back!!  2 weeks on antibiotics and nothing has changed and she isnt getting seen until the 8th of jan i cant believe they have left her so long the nurse has also said its worrying it is back and that she cant offer her any reasurrence.  Im not coping very well AT ALL. Me and my mum are incredibly close and i have 3 children who also adore her. Im so mad it took the nurses so long to aend her to breast clinic why not send her before?  Im already pushing my mum away and dnt really want to see her im just not coping im rambling on now but any info would be GREAT. I have spent hours and hours and hours searching the internet for alternative reasons for it but think im scaring my self more in the process :confused:

Parents
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    Hi there,

    Sorry you're having this anxiety over your mum's health.  It's hard not to worry but please try as there are so many things it could be. It could still be an infection, the fact that antibiotics haven't worked doesn't change that, some types of infection require different antibiotics.

    Maybe focussing hard on the practical help that your mum needs just now would help distract you from your worry?  Pushing her away certainly isn't going to help either of you.

    Using Dr. Google definitely isn't a good idea because you will find articles on all sorts of weird and wonderful conditions.  The more boring and common reasons (infections) are less likely to come up in your searches.  So Dr. Google will just add to your worry.

    Please don't be mad at the nurses, they will simply be following the usual NHS guidelines.  You don't automatically get sent to the breast clinic just because of a rash on your breast.

    If you use the links at the top of this page you will find something on inflammatory breast cancer, but I can't see how that will help you to be honest.  You won't know what your mum has until she gets seen by the breast clinic and has various tests done, there is little point knowing about IBC unless it is confirmed that this is what your mum has.

    So, as Harvell says, I would also suggest getting away from Dr. Google and focussing on helping your mum.  If she is in pain maybe you can help her find positions that are less painful?  Maybe she needs help finding a position in which she can sleep and some pillows or cushions to help keep her in this position?  Maybe certain motions make it more painful and she could do with help rearranging cupboards to make it easier to reach things etc.?  Try and find practical things you can do to keep yourself distracted and to help your mum.

    Most of all try not to let the worry win.  It's hard I know, but it just robs us of good times and that is sad if it turns out your mum has something that can be treated easily.

    If in doubt ask your mum what help she needs.

    Let us know how she gets on at her appointment, and we're here if your mum wants to talk at all too.

    LJx

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  • Offline

    Hi there,

    Sorry you're having this anxiety over your mum's health.  It's hard not to worry but please try as there are so many things it could be. It could still be an infection, the fact that antibiotics haven't worked doesn't change that, some types of infection require different antibiotics.

    Maybe focussing hard on the practical help that your mum needs just now would help distract you from your worry?  Pushing her away certainly isn't going to help either of you.

    Using Dr. Google definitely isn't a good idea because you will find articles on all sorts of weird and wonderful conditions.  The more boring and common reasons (infections) are less likely to come up in your searches.  So Dr. Google will just add to your worry.

    Please don't be mad at the nurses, they will simply be following the usual NHS guidelines.  You don't automatically get sent to the breast clinic just because of a rash on your breast.

    If you use the links at the top of this page you will find something on inflammatory breast cancer, but I can't see how that will help you to be honest.  You won't know what your mum has until she gets seen by the breast clinic and has various tests done, there is little point knowing about IBC unless it is confirmed that this is what your mum has.

    So, as Harvell says, I would also suggest getting away from Dr. Google and focussing on helping your mum.  If she is in pain maybe you can help her find positions that are less painful?  Maybe she needs help finding a position in which she can sleep and some pillows or cushions to help keep her in this position?  Maybe certain motions make it more painful and she could do with help rearranging cupboards to make it easier to reach things etc.?  Try and find practical things you can do to keep yourself distracted and to help your mum.

    Most of all try not to let the worry win.  It's hard I know, but it just robs us of good times and that is sad if it turns out your mum has something that can be treated easily.

    If in doubt ask your mum what help she needs.

    Let us know how she gets on at her appointment, and we're here if your mum wants to talk at all too.

    LJx

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