Shooting pain in non-cancerous breast..should I be concerned?

greenacres · 10-10-2011, 08:05 AM

Good morning. My treatment ended 12/2010 when I had a bilateral breast MRI which showed a "probably benign 3.8 mm intramammary node" in my right non-cancer breast" - left was good. Now, I am due for my 1 yr. checkup following treatment in December which will be a mammogram this time. Over the past two weeks I have had shooting pains and sometimes dull pains my right breast toward my armpit. I've done an exam or two and found no lumps or bumps but this concerns me. Do you think I should call sooner than later to ask for an ultrasound or just wait until December. I've also noticed my nipple has been a little itchy lately, but could be due to dry skin. My 6m mammo in June was good - but I have hetergenously dense breasts so I'm sure they couldn't see a damn thing anyway. My next bilateral breast MRI according to my oncologist's NP isn't to be until one year from this coming December cause they just don't think I need it cause I am/was Stage 1 even though ALL my mammo's say dense and even the radiologist says I should have MRI's, my onc's office says it's not necessary. Anyhoo, what do you guys think? I don't want to run to the Dr. if it's nothing, that will embarress me.

Thanks for listening.

Andrea Barnett Budin · 10-10-2011, 12:06 PM

Dense breasts. Clear mammo in Aug '94. 4th stage invasive lobular carcinoma July 1, '95.

Especially lobular -- they just can't see it all. It hides.

I have itchy foob (fake boob -- tram flap reconstruction) which is weird, cause I have no sensation in what I think of as my left breast. Had it for years. Mentioned to onc, who says it is nothing. He seems to be right.

It's so hard not to obsess about pains in general and especially once you've been dx.

Instead, I instruct my body at such horrid moments -- HEALTHY & WELL. NO MORE CANCER. I say that to myself 4 x a day. Make your Intentions and Expectations vividly clear -- to your body, and to the Universe.

Your body responds to your every thought. That is really big. Empowering!

BE WELL!
Andi

snolan · 10-10-2011, 01:43 PM

Always better to error on the safe side. You don't want to be mistaken and then you are kicking yourself for not acting faster.

BonnieR · 10-10-2011, 03:33 PM

Never feel embarrassed. Be your own advocate. Personally, I would ask for action sooner. When I had a "probably benign, come back for another mammo in 6 months" report I just felt funny about it. I asked my GYN to send me for another opinion mammo. They found my cancer at that visit. When I thanked him for listening to me he said "I may be young but I have learned to trust my patient's instincts". And that is what I am telling you. Trust your instincts. Even if it is nothing, you have a right to peace of mind sooner than later. Try not to worry prematurely, but also get resolution. Keep the faith.

Andrea Barnett Budin · 10-10-2011, 03:58 PM

Trust your Inner Voice. Not the voice in your head, which is so full of emotional negativity (I believe reflecting the primal You). Your Inner Voice is your Spirit. It loves you more than any in this world. It is full of eons of wisdom. Its' instincts are right on.

If your gut says not to waver, stick to your guns -- go for it. Being proactive came to me slowly, as I was shy and felt I had no medical degree. I've learned that you must speak up on your own behalf. No one is paying attenton to you as much as YOU!

That's how I discovered my metastasis (into the liver). My then ev 3 mnth blood test showed slight elevation in liver enzymes. Doc said, very very slight. I wouldn't worry. 3 mnths later, another onc said pretty much the same thing. Still, I was not happy not being within the norm in this one area -- or any area...

3 mnths later, when the exact same scenario occurred, I asked for an abdominal sono. Oh, you mean a liver sono. I guess we could substantiate that, the onc said (thinking of insurance company restrictions).

The radiologist looked and looked over and over and finally apologized but said he had to send me for a CT scan. He couldn't be sure what he was looking at. Right.

CT showed tumors throughout my liver! Later biopsy confirmed. I was in big trouble. On the verge of the point of no return. (My tumor markers, btw, were still normal.) So my onc told me, Well I guss we've learned not to trust your tumor markers. That is for me. In my situation. That's my body. Not everyone's.

But -- I caught the metastatis! I did. Without a medical degree. Only my Inner Voice urging me forward.

Had I waited any longer, I truly doubt I'd still be here. I just made it. Despite the awful stats and the dreary prognosis.

Don't hope -- DO! I heard a troubled little boy on Oprah who had undergone transformation after much therapy. Those were his words. Don't hope -- DO!

norkdo · 10-20-2011, 01:01 AM

wow andi! thank you. reading ur bio, first real hope for me i have read on this site. thanks very very deeply.

DeenaH · 10-21-2011, 04:11 PM

I hope it is nothing, but shooting pain is how I found my cancer. I would be demanding an MRI if I were you. If you had a mass in an intramammory node, that is concerning. 3.8 mm would be too small to light up on PET. The others ate right. Go with your gut and don't let anyone talk you out of it. Good luck!