breast problems AGAIN!!

[Mum72]

Well after being blessed with 30 days releif, since the all clear from my recent referral to the breast clinic I find myself with some brown/red discharge from the same breast. Its only a teeny tiny drop and only when I squeeze my areola. I have had it twice now.

Am utterly pissed off and fed up. Have an appointment tomorrow with God knows who at our medical center. Husband is coming with me because I am at my witts end and absolutely fed up with my breasts. Have been in tears about this. I just want to get on with my life and not have this hanging over me anymore. I dont have time to be ill and drs and hospitals and tests.

It is endless. I have lumpy breasts. New lumps appear all the time. I try my best to ignore them and only venture off to the Drs when they have been there a few months - otherwise I may as well just visit the Drs weekly.

I suffer with almost constant breast pain. Its usually painful in my armpit and I have lumps there too - they tend to come and go but some have been there for 3 years now.

My pain at its worst radiates down my arm making me not want to move and also around my ribcage to my back.

I hate this so much. All the GP does is refer me to the breast clinic yet again - (and I have all the worry and stress that goes along with the waiting that involves). We have moved house in the last year and one Dr at the new Med Ctr even told me it was all in my head and I need to calm down. I try calming down but when I cannot move or sleep for pain and the breast clinic tells me there is deffo a lump/s there how the hell can it all be in my head????

Cancer is just one thing I worry about. TBH - regardless of the symptoms (bloody discharge and lumps) I am in pain and uncomfortable. I do have something wrong with me that is effecting the quality of my life but all I ever get is "Well its not breast cancer, great news hey, and goodbye". Its like cos I dont have breast cancer - my symptoms dont matter.

Am utterly fed up. Cringeing at going again tomorrow and having to bare my breasts to yet another Dr (male) and explain why I cannot produce the discharge on demand.

I am seriously thinking of asking for a double mastectomy. My breasts are ruining my life.

Sorry, no advice but just wanted to say you are doing the right thing in being persistent :(
I hope that you get a resolution soon.

Sorry that you are having all this trouble.
TBH I think the only thing the GP can do in this situation is refer you to breast clinic. Even with the past history of lumps etc no dr can tell you for sure that each new symptom/lump has a benign cause like the previous ones without having the info from tests.

Being as you are having recurrent problems it may be worth asking the breast clinic if they could put you in the system for a routine follow up appointment so you are kept as an 'open case' on their books and at least this would cut out the need for repeated GP referrals for the time being.

AFAIK when the GP refers you to breast clinic in the first place you normaly get sent to some sort of quick access clinic which really is there for the purpose of seeing women as quick as possible to rule out cancer. This is good for the most part because it is able to get a fast answer to the cancer question and so get those who unfortunately do have cancer onto a treatment plan ASAP and also reassures those who don't have cancer ASAP. However people with non-cancer related breast problems can then be left without a further plan. You may end up going down the same sort of route again this time but if I were you, once you have got thought that initial 'quick answer clinic' I would ask for a follow-up appointment in a more routine breast clinic. Once youself and the Drs are satisfied that there is no sinister cause you could then have the chance to discuss plans of how to tackle the symptoms that are impacting on your quality of life.

so sorry you are suffering so badly - I think cupofcoffee's advice is very good. Sorry I can offer any crumbs of comfort but any discharge from the breast should be checked up very quickly. Thinking of you x

Mum72 I also think cupofcoffee's advice is really good. I know that doctors and clinics are so hot on getting an answer to the cancer question that people without it often don't get many answers. I had breast symptoms for years that I never got to the bottom of (they were nowhere as persistent or as distressing as yours, you have my sympathy).

Since then I have had breast cancer but even now I have been told that my previous symptoms are not likely to have been related, as BC tends to be insidious and symptomless. So I think you should be a bit reassured. But clearly there is something else wrong and you do need to persist and not be fobbed off. Good luck with that, having dh there should be a big help.

if you do not mind my saying it, you do sound very highly stressed about it (with good reason), and that may well be making your symptoms worse. I am not telling you to calm down I know that is impossible, but some of it really could be stress related.

Mum72 - sorry about these persistent problems. Like Cakes and MAS I have had breast cancer. I didnot have symptoms like you, and indeed no pain which is what must be really getting you down.

However I wonder if you could ask for the name of the Brreast Care Nurse at our hospital as even if its not cancer she might be able to spoend wome time with you and they are very helpful.

My only other suggestion is that with any illness you seem to fare better if you take one step at a time, even if the journey is tedious and repetitive.

And after all its wonderful that its not cancer. Not at present anyway.

Would a pain clinic be able to help with the pain?

I hope your medics will be able to get to the bottom of this and help you before long.

To add another two pence worth here - SR's right, the breast care nurse might be a wonderful source of support.

agree too with my friends Cakes and SR - breast care nurses,in my experience are wonderful - do ask.