To be worried this is breast cancer?

[OhSOconfused123]

Small red rash about the size of a 50p which is boiling hot and extremely painful as there is a hard lump underneath the rash -
Surely this is inflammatory breast cancer?
I rang the doctors yesterday to be told to ring back Monday for an appt as they had none left even though I am crying in agony.
Not breast feeding and haven’t done for years so it can’t be an infection surely.
Terrfied

Inflammatory breast cancer grows like a sheet, not a lump so although the skin may be raised, there's not normally a specific lump".I know someone who had it and this was their understanding of it after an explanation by an oncologist.

Sounds like an abscess..GP and ABs for you .💐

Anyone awake?

I am - hope it went well for you at the clinic!

@OhSOconfused123

Anyone awake?

Yes, I am. Here to listen if you need someone.

I'm awake too and here if you need a hand hold.

@OhSOconfused123

Thank you, I will go to the walk in first thing when I can get the kids looked after and then onto a&e if needs be. It’s so sore even a diazepam hasn’t bloody touched it now! Codiene tried this afternoon and nothing and was really banking on the diazepam having some effect but it’s so so so sore. The lump feels like it’s getting bigger every time I check it - I’m trying not to but it’s driving me crazy

But Diazepam isn't an analgesic, so it would not 'touch' the pain...

Hope you are ok @OhSOconfused123 it does sound like an infection but they can be really nasty so hopefully you can receive prompt treatment.

Having had inflammatory breast cancer I would say firstly it is extremely rare and what you describe doesn’t sound like it to me. Severe pain certainly isn’t part of it and the breast is red and hot, like mastitis, with a texture is described as “peu d”orange” which means orange skin. Best of luck, I hope you get treated properly soon.

I’m sorry for the late response, I fell asleep after being in a&e all night who basically said they weren’t sure what it was and wanted the surgical team to assess and they would ring me today.
By 9am I had a call from another hospital who has a breast clinic in it - saw the specialist and felt very relieved as she seemed convinced the now 5cm lump is an abscess and sent me off to have an ultrasound and it drained.
The sonographer was not convinced as the “ pocket of pus “ she would expect to see wasn’t present.
There are 2 small lumps underneath a massive load of inflammation - the lymph nodes are very “ up “ under my armpit which she was pleased about an indicates infection but the lumps don’t look classic enough.
So she’s done a biopsy and now I have a week or 2 of of immense worry.
I’m in agony after that biopsy too, I don’t know what’s going on and I’m terrified - I have 2 young children

Ah a handhold here for you OP, so stressful and also you must be so tired! Please try not to worry too much, your low immune system after Covid may be making you more susceptible to infection and it’s still more likely to be an infection than anything else. Did they give you any antibiotics? Can your DP or family give you a bit of help with childcare so you can have some rest to help your system recover a bit? You sound worn out and that doesn’t help with stress either

Huge sympathies, I had a breast lump checked out recently and they wanted to do an MRI, and even though the breast clinics are usually super efficient, it’s nerve wracking waiting for results and worrying

Thank you.
I’m hoping beyond anything my long Covid has knocked my immune system for six and it’s an infection.
I’ve been unwell constantly since Covid

You poor thing - much sympathy. I’m not so bad but I’ve had ongoing fatigue, joint and back pain since having Covid 4 months ago, both the GPs I’ve seen have said some people are taking a long time to recover, one doctor said a patient of his was in pain and unwell for nine months before it gradually got better. The other GP said he’d been unwell for months after Covid himself. They both did seem to think most of the long Covid patients they’d seen saw a gradual improvement even if it took a lot of time.

It’s a nasty nasty virus and has probably left you really run down and susceptible to inflammation and infection. Sending positive vibes your way xxx

Do you have anyone that can support you in RL?

Biopsy results/ Results from aspiration can take about a week to 10 days, so hopefully you will have a better answer then. I know it is not reassuring either way that they couldn’t give you any idea but there’s nothing you can do now to change anything.
Sometimes, when there is an infection around a site it can completely hide/be superimposed over all other structures, making identification very difficult. In a lot of cases like that, further imaging doesn’t help until Infection subsides. By the sounds of your body, and long covid, your body is just saying that it’s really run down.
Did they prescribe antibiotics?
I’ve can’t remember from the OP, sorry.

Try to prescribe yourself as much self care as you can and hug your children tight. No one here can 100% reassure, that would be wrong and every case is so different. But we all have everything crossed for you.

Yes I’m on a 2 week dose of antibiotics.
Thank you for your kind words - am now crying again!

I'm so sorry OhSOconfused123- you must be so worried at the moment. It's still good that the consultant thinks that it might be a cyst though and that they are speeding things along nicely too. I had a suspected IBS concern (my breast was hot and red) but it turned out to be benign inflammation so I hope it ends up being something similar.

Biopsies hurt for months afterwards I found even if they find nothing.

Maybe look at YouTube John Campbell and The Natural Doctor on iodine for breast health support among other things.

Thinking of you whilst you wait.
I'm long covid myself from 13/03/20 it's a bugger.

Thank you for the replies, I’m really very grateful

How are you feeling? Have the antibiotics helped with the inflammation at all?

I hope all is ok OP.

I hope all okay Op

It’s hard to tell as the biopsy has made me feel very very sore anyway and they did say if feel more “ lumpy “ for a week or so, so I also can’t tell if the lump has gone down at all.
The rash is still the same, no better or worse.
I’m struggling to stay rational but trying very very hard
Thank you so much - I haven’t told many people at all so this is such a help x

I am in a similar situation and really panicking. I have redness on my breast and pain, and my armpit feels tender. I have an an appointment with a consultant who will do an ultrasound booked for Friday, I am so scared that it could be inflammatory breast cancer. I had redness a few years ago and then it was all ok, but this is different.

My ultrasound didn’t confirm either way which I was surprised about - I thought that would tell all but apparently not.
I hope yours is clearer tomorrow and you don’t have any further worry - I’m sure I can actually see physical lines appearing on my forehead from this stress

Thank you. I live rurally so have a three jour each way journey for the scan, and Dh isn’t allowed in . I can hardly eat as I feel so sick from the anxiety.
I hope your results are all clear. My friend had a week of waiting for biopsy results recently , all was well, but it was a horrible time.