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!

  • Hi I've got the exact same pain. Slight dull ache on side of my left breast and tender near armpit. I've tried to feel around for any lumps but not found any. I'm sure near my armpit it looks a bit swollen also don't know if it's because I'm constantly prodding and poking every day. I'm also worried it's cancer as my sister had breast cancer. 

  • Hi, I have had these pains too. I had a really sore left breast about a month ago. It's come back over the last few days and the pain is in a different place every day. My chest, my armpit and also down my arm. I can't get a doctors appointment for love nor money and I'm freaking myself out with terrible worry. I'm crying every day and checking my breast for changes constantly. I just don't know what to do with myself 

  • Hey, I've just come across this chat as I've been Googling everything about breast pain. I am 33 and have quite big lumpy boobs. In the last couple of weeks my right breast has been in pain along with my arm and top of my right side of my back (I suffer pain quite a lot from my upper right back at shoulder blade over the years). The pain is constant in all areas. I feel like under my arm is heavy and I am very aware of it if you know what I mean compared to my right. The pain is terrible and my back pain is horrendous. I have been to see the breast clinic at hospital last November and the senior nurse done a full breast examination on me and said I have very lumpy boobs but no hard lumps that she is worried about. I said I don't understand the constant pain I get and she told me it can happen and give me leaflets on breast pain....told me to try wear non underwired bras and to change from evening primrose oil to starflower oil. The pain went away for a good while. I got covid a few weeks ago and was quite ill with it and when having it got my period at same time and I normally get heavy periods but this was worse and seemed to go on for ages. The week after I started getting pain in my boob, underarm, arm and upper back which is just horrendous... it's constant ache and keeps me up sometimes but my left side is absolutely fine. I'm now really worried and I know when I phone doctors it will be a battle to try get seen by a doctor. Can you demand a mammogram even if I am only 33? X

  • Hiya, I can't believe so many women are going through this. This is so new to me. I was seen at the breast clinic yesterday and the doctor said he can't feel any lumps whatsoever. Which is great news as I was seen by a doctor previously who said she could feel 2 small lumps. He wants to see me again in 2 weeks just to make sure. The pain I was experiencing went away but its back today with a vengeance. I've got pain in my chest area, down my arm and sometimes armpit, all my left side. Right side is fine. It's so disconcerning isn't it and it's all I can think about for the past 4 weeks. I just want to know why I am getting this pain and how to ease it. All I can say is keep trying with your doctor to get an appointment, you have to keep on at them and say you really want to be referred again and checked as you are so worried. I really hope you have some luck with it. X 

  • Was looking if anyone have same as me! can't believe I found it ! I have pain in my left breast side with goes to armpit! and pain is not constant but it comes and goes multiple times per day. Just waiting my GP appointment  :(

  • I'm sorry you're going through it too. It's very worrying and I sometimes think the anxiety of it makes the pain worse. I hope your gp appointment goes well and you get some answers. 

  • I'm the same the pain in my left boob in my shoulders done my arm  it's horrible I can't feel any lumps but there is a long lump not sure if it's tissue I'm going to see the nurse tomorrow I hope to get some answers 

  •  

    I was finally in the breast clinic today, I had a scan and nothing came out, the pain is due to a change in hormones,  I also have numbness in my hand but the doctor said it was not from the breast but from the back.The only what I got was to take evening primrose oil

  • Hello Everyone

    First of all i can't believe i have found a thread with the exact same thing thats going on with me.

    Im 34 and this year have had two miscarriages, i had slight breast pain on and off since October and i have had 3 examinations by the doctor, they told me they could not feel anything and to stop worrying. I also have left arm pain and currently i am only having sorness under my arm but i do also have a cold. I went to the breast clinic, expecting all the tests and expecting the worst. He only checked me, told me it was good news i was fine and to take star flower oil. All i hear is that its hormonal. I understand what you are all going through, i suffer with sever health anxiety and just feel why am i in pain or i cant lay on my left side etc. Its really hard and i feel i can't even say anything to my husband or family now because the doctor said i was fine. How can they know i am fine without tests?

  • Hi there hope you are ok. 
    Did they give you an examination or ultrasound.

    i had this years ago and had an ultrasound twice. 
    nothing was found.

    it's been over three years and I still get this, so annoying. 
    xx