Hi, 

Just a bit of background - I had some dry flaky skin on my left areola for about 8 weeks. I'm not sure where it came from and I can't recall if it was crusty or if it was just dry. After a few goes at using antihistime cream and E45, it appeared to have cleared up a week ago.  I mentioned it to my friends who assumed me they thought it would be excema or some kind of dermintatis so I didnt get too concerned.

However the past few days I have noticed that the vein near my areola seems enlarged. I've always have visible veins on my boob but never noticed it like this before. In addition, I'm not sure if the side of my nipple is being pulled back in?

I've always had lumpy boobs so I never really worried about them before. 

I was planning on going to the GP this week but I wanted to wait until my period had come and gone to make sure it wasn't just hormonal changes. I'm also on antibitotics for a suspected Kidney Infecion at the moment (which appears to have messed up my period) and I'm going on holiday next week, so as silly as it sounds I didn't want to get involved with Breast Clinics etc over the next week. I've already had that anxiety thought of the Kidney infection being linked to my breasts, but I'm trying to push that to the back of my mind.

I'm also worried that if is anything serious about talking time off work for treatment as I live by myself and I am the only one who pays the bills and the mortgage. I get 12 weeks full pay but then it will drop down to statutory which won't cover the cost of my mortgage! I've looked at my Critial Illness Policy at work but I don't think it pays out for some breast cancers.

Just wondering if anyone else has similar syptoms and what their diagnosis was? I'm trying to prepare myself for both the best and the worst case scenarios.