Pain in left breast on upper left side towards armpit

Hey all, 

Over a month ago I noticed that my breast was really sore on the left side toward my armpit. I didn't think much of it first as I have lupus so I seem to always have aches and pains. But one day I was feeling it and I noticed that there seemed to be a lot more "tissue" in that area (if that makes sense?) than on the other side. It seems to only have gotten more sore the longer I've waited for answers. I've beent to the doctor a few times and to be quite honest I am just not impressed with Ireland's healthcare (ther is a bad rep for women's healthcare here). First doctor told me that he could not feel anything in my breast unusual at all, while poking around in the very painful area and clearly seeing me in pain. He said it was probably just an inflammation of chest wall, which seemed ridiculous to me as I can feel that it does not seem like it is in my chest wall. I told him I feel lumpiness but he wouldn't listen. 

Second (female) doctor told me that she could feel no cancerous lump but that it seems to be glandular - indicating she could feel something there but not a lump necessarily. She agrees with me that it is in my breast, however, so referred me to a breast clinic which she says could take 6-8 weeks to hear back from. 

I'm really worried as it is so sore and I can very clearly feel something there. Then I was reading about Inflammatory Breast Cancer and how it doesn't usually present with a lump and spreads rapidly and is virtually incurable and now I've seriously freaked myself out and feel that I get zero answers from doctors here. 

I was told even after the breast check they will most likely just prescribe me evening primrose oil and tell me to come back if it doesn't go away - this seems insane! What if it is cancerous? Surely that is too much waiting!

I have never had soreness in my breast before in my life. I am 29 years old and surely if it was hormonal or something I would have experienced something similar by now?

I'm really worried. Any advice would help greatly!

  • This sounds familiar, I got referred, though when I went to rhe appt the dr took one look at me and said shes way too young and sent me away. I’m 38?

  • Hello,

     

    did you find the cause for you’re pain?

  • hello 

    I’m glad you are OK

    did they tell you what was causing it?x

  • Hi,

    I'm going through something very similar. I've been having a dull ache/ throbbing/ heavy feeling in left breast. It started about 8 months ago. I also have been having pain in the rib around the area of my left breast. I've been told it chostochondritis and they're looking into issues with my heart as they heard a heart murmur. They want to do an echocardiogram on me but obviously with the current situation it's not happening for a while but the consultant in cardiology doesn't think it's anything to do with my heart. So everytime I ring the doctors about the pain they just say I'm under the cardiologist and need to wait to find out the results. I'm so worried there's something more serious wrong as under my left breast I can feel a swelling and all I seem to be doing is taking pain killers and using ibuprofen gel but can still feel the pain even after that. 

    Worrying so much that I'm going to ring the doctors again tomorrow. Hoping they'll send me for a mammogram to put my mind at rest. Anyone else had this? 

  • hello 

     

    did you find the cause for your symptoms? x

  • Have you had any answers? I've been suffering with a pressure feeling to upper right breast, armpit, upper back and right side neck since December and was told it was chostochondritis. I get short of breath sometimes too and fatigued. I'm interested as to how you're getting on???

  • Hi,

    I rang the doctors and finally got to speak to a doctor who didn't brush off my worry's and tell me to keep taking ibruprofen. He was really understanding and could see why I was worrying. He's referred me to the breast clinic and due to Covid my app will be a telephone consultation with a breast specialist over the next few days. I will let you know what is said. I would really like a mammogram just to put my mind at rest even though I know they're not great for you under a certain age and I'm only 31.

     

  • That's reassuring. I've contacted my gp's every week pretty much since December due to being fobbed off with 'anxiety' as my diagnosis. You've done the right thing. I also had a breast referral and I'm only 40 as I felt a fibrous area to my right armpit, I had a phonecall from the consultant too, he said to come to clinic and they did a consultation, physical examination, mammogram and uss within an hour. The uss didn't detect anything but the consultant did feel the fibrous tissue, so I'm thinking of having a private uss??

  • I honestly had the same pain. Sharp pain on the lower inner quadrant of my breast and it didn't always hurt but when it did it was intense (Doc thought It was cartilage inflammed), but now, ever since I've felt my breast, different spots of my breast hurts, mainly in the inner outer quadrant.Now my back hurts a little and the armpit too. The breast started to hurt and has gotten worse over the last three weeks, and has spread to my other breast. I have a breast clinic appointment next week and I'm nervous 

  • Hi

    i have exactly this problem / these symptoms. It's been going on for about 10 months. Did you ever get anywhere with a diagnosis?
    Thanks