Terrifying myself with googling symptoms, breast clinic next week, really worried now. Breast/collarbone pain.

[GoogleIsBad]

I know that no good ever comes from self diagnosing on google but I can't help myself.

I have pain and swelling around my left breast/collarbone/armpit/shoulder area.

I can't really remember when the pan started as I have had a few separate things going on. Last year I had treatment for endometriosis and after surgery was put on a very high does of hormones, i think it was around this time I started with the breast pain. That disappeared when I stopped the hormones then around easter this year I had a mirena put in and the breast pain started back in the left side about a week before my period was due and then tailed off until next time.

From the summer I started with shoulder pain on the left side, was referred for physio and was told that basically my shoulder muscle was quite wasted, this was put down to a mixture of not using it as much as the other side due to a couple of operations on my left hand (once a cyst and one carpal tunnel op) and having general bad posture. I was given some treatment and exercises over the course of a few months. i have a bit of a dodgy left side anyway, I have problems with my hand and it was discovered by accident that I have fused bones in my left wrist.

So when i started getting pain more often around the general left side area collarbone/breast/armpit, I thought it was to do with the shoulder probs and maybe using different muscles during physio and starting to build up my shoulder, but sometimes it felt like the pain was coming from my ribs too.

Eventually i noticed that I had started to develop a bit of swelling around the area where the pain is, nothing major, but some, so I went to the Dr. The doc did a full breast and armpit exam and was happy that there were no lumps but thought it best to go to the breast clinic to get checked out just to be sure as there was some swelling. So I have an appointment next week (should add I have waited about a month or so for the appointment as doc didn't think it merited the 2 week urgent cancer appointment, which i know should be reassuring)

I have started to convince myself that the pain is muscular or to do with my joints or something rather than being breast cancer, but I have been googling and it just doesn't look good at all. I know that google always brings up the worst case scenario, but all I am getting is breast cancer with secondary bone cancer or more aggressive types of breast cancer and I have worried myself.

Sorry this is so long I just wanted to really write it all down as I am just sitting alone having a bit of a panic!

[GoogleIsBad]

Also I don't feel unwell in anyway at all, apart from this pain and some weakness in my arm, which i think is related to the shoulder!!

[ThermoLobster]

I had a massive lump in my breast a few years back. And pain all around the area. Was absolutely convinced thanks to Dr Google that I had breast cancer that had spread. For a whole host of reasons, it took ages to get to a diagnosis, during which time the pain increased. The eventual diagnosis was benign, at which point all the discomfort went away. Mine was all stress related so hope yours is too. But either way, step away from Dr Google. Advanced hand hold for clinic appt.

[Ifcatshadthumbs]

There seems to be a lot of us waiting for appointments with the breast clinic. My dr referred me this week but haven't had referral through.

I'm in full panic mode and can't stop prodding and poking my body.

I keep trying to be positive but it's hard isn't it.

[thekingfisher]

Hi didn't want to read and run but also wanted to comment as I had a similar set of circs. I have had rhs shoulder pain for ages and has been seeing a physio but also had started to get really painful swollen feeling right up in right armpit / side boob area which was def swollen.

I went to dr who could also feel it - it was also really painful to touch I was referred as urgent case and has mammogram, manual feel, and an ultrasound. Nothing was untoward - however the boob stuff only started AFTER the mirena was put in. I concluded as did dr that it was hormonal swelling. Because of various issues I had the mirena out in October and boob pain went away - also should've pain also improved massively .....

So at this stage try not to panic too much - I was convinced I had something awful in my lymph nodes ( armpit) and that it too had spread .
I am really sensitive to artificial hormones and Mirena was a last ditch for me - gave it a year ... I am also really sceptical of all the horror stories about it but in retrospect I had So many issues and health problems with it that have just gone away now .

[GoogleIsBad]

Thanks for the replies!

Thermo, glad to hear that everything turned out ok for you and thank you for the hand holding, much appreciated!

Ifcats, sorry to hear you are going through similar at the moment I hope your referral comes through quickly. I feel exactly the same as you, I don't know what has gotten into me tonight but i have done nothing but prod and poke at myself and google. I feel like I am making the main worse by prodding all different areas, but I just can't seem to help it.

Thekingfisher, that is really interesting about the mirena, I thought it might be playing a part in the breast pain but I never considered that it could be causing more. It has actually really helped with the endo symptoms, so I wouldn't like to have it out just yet, but if I thought the pain coud be put down to that I would be delighted! (if that makes sense!!)

On the plus side I have been told that the clinic try their best to give out results that day, so by Monday evening I should at least have a better idea of what is going on, so not too long to wait, although the closer the app is getter, the more worried I am becoming.

[GoogleIsBad]

I have been googling again a bit this morning (I know, I know!!!) but I have come across quite a few cases where people have complained of similar symptoms after having a mirena fitted. Not sure if I am just clutching at straws, but it made for quite interesting reading anyway.

[thekingfisher]

Sorry only just saw your update but good luck not sure when yr appt is tomorrow??

All dr's I have seen bar my consultant gynae have denied any associations but it isn't rocket science when you see so many other people mentioning the same symptoms.

I have had a hideous 3 months with my gynae problems and it only occurred to me during my recuperation from surgery that it had stopped hurting and my shoulder piano had reduced significantly.

I just feel sort of 'cleaner' without the hormones - hard to explain ( and I am a very sensible rational and logical person normally)

[thekingfisher]

sorry the other thing I was going to mention is that shoulder pain can often radiate to the armpit too - so it could be a side effect f your back pain rather than the other way round?

[GoogleIsBad]

Thanks for replying, my appointment is at 1 today so feeling a bit nervous!! But trying to just tell myself that by this evening I should hopefully know if it is something to actually worry about of not.

I am more swaying towards the pain/swelling being to do with my shoulder but not sure if I'm just hoping for best case scenario!

[Ifcatshadthumbs]

Good luck for today. X

[ThermoLobster]

Good luck. Let us know how you get on.

[thekingfisher]

Any news ....

[GoogleIsBad]

Thanks for the good luck messages and sorry for not reporting back sooner.

The consultant felt that it was all referred pain from my shoulder and that it was nothing to do with my breast. This was after a really thorough exam so I did feel reassured. He said he could tell that my shoulder wasn't right and to go back to gp about that and that he felt there was some inflammation between my ribs. He said he would send me for a mammogram purely as a precaution but that he did feel that it really wasn't needed as my breast was completely normal. So I've to go back for that in the new year as it wasn't urgent.

Feeling very relieved. Thanks everyone for the support!

[ThermoLobster]

Phew! Relax now and have a great xmas!

[Ifcatshadthumbs]

Fab news, have a great Christmas xx

[GoogleIsBad]

Thank you! Hope you have a lovely Christmas too!

[GoogleIsBad]

Sorry I meant to say ifcats, I hope you get an appointment through soon x

[thekingfisher]

Glad to hear that x