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 Bumblegal54,

     

    Thanks for your words, I have myself dead and burried with the fear. The pain isn't severe or anything, it's more like a strange feeling. It's gonna be very long now. Haven't told anyone, dreading even talking about it :/

  • I've found this post reassuring but also worrying so many women are going through this but just being fobbed off with a leaflet - we are in pain! 
     

    I've had the same on and off for years, pain in left breast radiating to the armpit, had many 'costocondritis' diagnosis' too! 2 years ago the doctor finally referred me to the breast clinic, being 31 at the time I was too young for a mammogram so I had an ultrasound. 

    On initial examination from the consultant they thought it might be a cyst as slightly swollen so prepared me for a biopsy. I went through to another doctor at ultrasound scan and he said nothing to worry about (just dense tissue?) and it should just go down, he said at my age it should just go away eventually ‍♀️ I got a leaflet about managing the ongoing pain... 

     

    2 years later and still feeling it! I thought it might be my contraceptive pill but I'm completely off them now and it still comes and goes. Given up going to the doctor now, but did find it was a male doctor who actually referred me (he kinda panicked when he heard it was a breast exam and wanted a chaperone, not sure if the receptionist counts but she had a good look too ) he hardly did an examination before he made a decision, whereas leading up to that at least 3 other female doctor/nurses had checked and didn't refer me - maybe something to consider if you are looking for a referral lol!

     

    It is so much harder with the pandemic, it's good we have something like this to share our experiences on. 
     

    x

     

  • Thank you so much everyone for sharing. Really eye opening to see how many of us have experienced this! I ignored it for months thinking I was being paranoid. Had a phone appointment with my GP today and he got me in straight away for an examination and has given me a fast track referral for further investigations. Nauseating to think of it but I'm so very grateful to him for such swift action. Sending lots of love to you all. Xxx

  • Hi Feronique

    how are you, I’ve been thinking about whether you have had any results. 

  • Hey Bumblegal54,

     

    Thanks for thinking of me...I was meant to go to gp this week but couldn't make it with work and stuff so going next week...the odd feeling in the breast seem to be gone now, buy doesn't seem to be that ot went away after the antibiotic...so we'll see.

  • Thanks :) hope so too. Hopefully it will stay away and never comes back :D we'll see what the gp thinks. X

  • Hi! I just came across this whole thread. I am an 18 year old girl currently away at university and about 4 weeks ago i began to experience chest pain. After going to the doctor's, I was also told it was costochronditis like many others on this thread. The day after i attended the doctor's a swollen 'lump' looking area appeared between by left breast/armpit. Along with this, I have had pain in both breasts as well as pain around the swollen area on my left breast and down my arm. Originally, I described the pain as feeling almost like brain freeze but in my breasts, however this has changed and now its more of a dull ache. It is inconsistent pain that comes and goes, but has been there for about 4 weeks.

     

    Finally last week, I gathered the courage to go to the doctor's on campus at my university and got checked out. The doctor felt the area and said she can see what I mean, it just looks like this swollen lump almost yet is not actually lumpy to the touch. She advised me to take anti-inflammatories and I have a follow up telephone appointment next week to see if there has been any change or if it has disappeared.

     

    My doctor is not worried but I am. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago so i know it runs in my family. Coming across this thread has made me feel better knowing that others are also experiencing this pain and that i am not going insane. Yet it is incredibly frustrating that so many of us are experiencing this yet not getting a proper diagnosis.

     

    I am only young so I am hopeful that it turns out to be nothing, but I'm quite scared as I am away from home and don't want to go to hospital for an appointment by myself if i need to. I will see what my doctor says next week but I just wanted to share my symptoms for others who also come across this thread

  • Hi I am age 67 and I have had this same nagging ache fir over 1 year now. I had a mammogram last year and mentioned it to the nurse who’s answer was that some big breasted women have this ache. I later had an appt at my surgery for something not related and casually mentioned it to my doctor. He asked if I had a lump which I answered No and he said nothing to worry about. But if you feel a lump come back and see me. It has now been approx 17 month now with this nagging ache which goes up into my armpit and because I have this feeling every day I tend to examine my breasts daily. Maybe I’m doing the wrong thing and aggravating it but it’s continually on my mind that ‘what if it’s cancer’ . The ache does go right through to my back and it’s pretty uncomfortable. I have not mentioned this again to my doctor but I think I must make an effort. They say evening primrose oil is good fir tender breasts but I take this everyday and have done since my daughter was born and she is now 40yrs old.
  • Took so long to get back into this forum,and did reply,but don’t know if you got my reply.

    Nothing has changed with me,and I take evening primrose oil to.

    Let me know if you get any replies from me.

    Angela