Hello

I too have had a strange feeling on the outer side of my left breast and under and down my arm for seven months now. 

Like you I have been to breast clinic where mammogram and ultra sound were normal.

My gp at different times has prescribed gabapentin,naproxen and amitriptyline to no avail. I Di feel something pull in my breast seven months ago but I would have expected that to have healed by now. 

I have now seen a physiotherapist 6 times who thinks it is musculoskeletal. I am not so sure, it does feel better when I have seen her but always comes back..

I understand about worrying all of the time as this is what I do. It is constantly on my mind as soon as I wake up. 

I try and reassure myself that mammogram etc was clear but do start to wonder!!

I'm contemplating getting a private breast clinic appointment  but completely confused as I should be reassured by these negative results!? Will I ever be reassured.  I just wish the feeling would go away.  I question whether it's because I'm prodding and poking around incase I have missed a lump or something ? I'm just so anxious !.  It's just not that easy when you know the pain isn't psychological .... but am I making it worse myself? There's is some element of fear after seeing what my mum went through, but told my chances of inheriting a BC gene is slim. 
Thankyou for replying, nice to know I'm not alone.  I sometimes wonder if I'm losing the plot !!

Hi

I feel the same, and have done for the past seven months. I have also been thinking of going to see somebody privately in case the breast clinic have missed something.

The worry takes up all of my time and is so scary. Unlike you I am afraid to feel around too much in case I do feel something . 

Do you think yours could be muscular? Pain from the chest can radiate through the breast. 

We would probably feel better if we had an actual diagnosis.

I hope it eases off for us both x

I can't deny that it could be muscular.  MRI picked up tendon damage but I'm still sure the ache is in my breast ? It's so strange and I just wish it would be gone in the morning it's more comfortable when I'm in bed - so suppose it fits with muscular skeletal problems.
I hope you have some relief - it has been recommended to me to try curcumin as a natural anti inflammatory, might be worth a try? 

Think this year hasn't been good for anyone's mental well-being, especially people going through times of anxiety., 

sending good wishes x  

At least you were able to get an mri scan, so that is some form of reassurance.

I did also phone the breast clinic a few weeks after I had been seen and explained that I still had pain. The nurse said some women have pain all of their lives ️. 

Thanks for the tip about curcumin I will maybe try it as nothing the gp has prescribed has helped.

Like you I am desperate for it to go away, and go back to life without the constant anxious feeling about it. Seven months seems such a long time. I really hope we get some relief from it soon. X

Hi,

I know this is an old post but I wondered if you ever got this sorted... I am in a similar position now and constantly worried!

thanks x

hi, just wanted to drop a line to say that for over  a year  I had the burning, stabbing, shooting pains in armpit and down arm but even after a breast exam and recall mammogram was told everything fine. at the mammogram recall I asked the Dr doing the ultrasound to run over my armpit and side as I had been told by my GP it was menopausal and to get a better bra and put painkilling gel on it.

...but was so painful and it just didn't feel right....anyway she did and said oh I wasn't expecting that..turns out I had a lump right at bottom quarter of right breast but right round the side, almost at armpit level, and she took biopsies of the lump and the armpit,  long story short, yes, cancer! I knew it all along and I'm mad the GPS fobbed me off....anyway had lumpectomy and full lymph node clearence, still recovering at mo, whole area still numb and op was 5 weeks ago. ct scan showed in clear now.  playing the waiting game now. for chemo.  I wont say try not to worry cos we can't help it xx...one step at a time and see what they say to do/not to do.,just go get checked and please don't wait any longer.

hi, just wanted to drop a line to say that for over  a year  I had the burning, stabbing, shooting pains in armpit and down arm but even after a breast exam and recall mammogram was told everything fine. at the mammogram recall I asked the Dr doing the ultrasound to run over my armpit and side as I had been told by my GP it was menopausal and to get a better bra and put painkilling gel on it.

...but was so painful and it just didn't feel right....anyway she did and said oh I wasn't expecting that..turns out I had a lump right at bottom quarter of right breast but right round the side, almost at armpit level, and she took biopsies of the lump and the armpit,  long story short, yes, cancer! I knew it all along and I'm mad the GPS fobbed me off....anyway had lumpectomy and full lymph node clearence, still recovering at mo, whole area still numb and op was 5 weeks ago. ct scan showed in clear now.  playing the waiting game now. for chemo.  I wont say try not to worry cos we can't help it xx...one step at a time and see what they say to do/not to do.,just go get checked and please don't wait any longer.

Oh gosh, I'm so sorry to hear that you've had to go through all of that!

How scary! If you don't mind me asking what stage did they find it at? I have been told it's likely to be muscular pains but to me it doesn't explain the burning feeling in armpit. I think my GP is fed up of hearing from me about it all!

I hope you recover fully soon and feel much better xx

it may just be muscular! hopefully! but for a year I thought menopausal symptoms...turned out to be a grade 2  3 cm tumour and staged at 3a as had gone to lymph nodes in armpit ...said on my report there was evidence the cancer had spread out of lode...I'm convinced that was my armpit pain. I haven't had that pain again since op so that proves it, to me anyway x  if you're not happy then ask for ultrasound actually in armpit area. wish I had insisted...may have got it earlier and wouldn't have needed chemo. can't change past! have a good feel right round the far edge of boobs ...I personally think they didn't check far round enough in my case. if I hadn't of said something at the mammogram recall...I'd be in even a worse scenario xx 

Could you feel the lump once they'd spotted it on the ultrasound? Xx

Happy to answer any question! no I didn't and to be honest I kindof kept away from feeling it. the letter said  it was barely palpable.....I'm pretty sure that's why it wasn't picked up ...plus of where it was.   I suppose if it had been an anxious lump  I could clearly see or feel it would have been dealt with quicker. main thing is it's out now,  what I have to do now is stop it coming back xx

Thank you, I will keep my fingers crossed for you that you stay well and feel much better soon! I wish I could be as positive as you! I'm going to ring my GP in the morning and see if they can send me for an ultrasound even if it is just for peace of mind! Xxx

nothing would make happier x

I have had these same symptoms since last October aching and burning in left breast and burning travelling under arm, down side and down inside of my arm but I  feel like I'm talking to myself. I have been examined by same doctor twice. Once in November 2021 she said there's nothing there on left but can you feel that under your right arm pit (no I couldn't) she said I can't believe you can't feel that, we need to keep an eye on it (still don't know what she was talking about but when  she checked again in January this year she said no that's fine. I asked what about this in my left breast and armpit and feeling across my chest. She replied "you have benign cysts Not cancer. End of conversation. I have spoken on phone to two different doctors since. Last one told me I did not fit the criteria to be referred for a mammogram out with my 3 yearly one which is not due until October this year. I'm nearly 67 and have all this in my breast and I don't fit the criteria? Doc says last week if they tried to refer me with the symptoms I have (as in not a definite lump) it would get refused by breast clinic. I'm sitting here writing this and on fire in breast but especially under left arm. I too have thought about going private but just can't afford it. Hope all is well with you now xx

Hi, I also seem to have this burning on left breast and under armpit, it seems to radiate on my shoulder and down my arm. It started not to badly in the morning , but as day goes on it gets much worse, it is keeping me awake at night now too. It is worse when I am lying down. I suffer with acid reflux, but I'm sure it's nothing to do with that. Trying to get a doctors appointment is impossible, as soon as you say chest pain they say go to A&E. I really not sure what to do 

[@Hev999]‍ 

Hi have just seen your post and it could have been written by me!  Have had pain in my left breast for ages - had a mammogram and ultrasound that came back clear but wasn't happy as still in so much pain.  Like you was told it was hormonal.  I then had my armpit swell up and had an ultrasound- this has picked up on two enlarged lymph nodes and I have been referred for further testing ie biopsies etc.  So angry because it has been going on for so long and I KNEW something was not right!  Now playing the waiting game but am convinced it is cancer.  Hope you are recovering well xx

hey treacle20 I am firstly, glad you've been referred. it does feel like they sometimes can't  work outside of the guidelines....no lump felt, no cancer , its wrong, I have listened to big c and me podcasts for ages and on one episode a Doctor came on and she is trying to re-educate every gp and specialist that pain can mean cancer. in an ideal world we should automatically be referred for ultrasound or more tests if we carry on complaining of pain. not everything is hormonal!  but we think they are the experts , we know nothing. I certainly did not know anything then, I do now!  I was actually relieved to find out it was cancer as perhaps now can be taken seriously. that said, when you are in the system, in my expierance everything works as it should, nurses, oncologists, radiographers are all fantastic. 

I do read that lymph nodes can enlarge if you have an Infection so well may not be cancer related. fingers crossed. let me know if I can help you cope going forward. I'm doing really well, 2 scans now , no cancer, 4 more chemo , a break, then 15 radiotherapy  sessions to stop it returning. I've wfh reduced hours but not everyone can. 

hopefully you'll hear soon, rejoice if all clear, one day at a time if otherwise, and they will have a plan for every scenario. I usually post more on the mcmillan site x

I am in North Hampshire x