Breastfeeding and Mammogram?

[Theonlyoneiknow]

Hi,

Does anyone know how long I would need to leave between stopping breastfeeding and having à mammogram?

Have been having intermittent breast pain on the left side since Oct. Was BF so they would only do an ultrasound but couldnt see anything suspicious and said I had fibrous breasts that were more sensitive to stress which was causing the discomfort. I also had a swollen lymph node in my armpit biopsied which was normal.

Anyway the pain is still coming and going and its freaking me out a bit so have decided to stop BF so i can get à mammogram done. I am 41. DD is 13 months and I just have the one BF left which is at Night, I stopped the morning one at the start of the week.

They have offered me an appt on either 12th or 26th August but wasnt sure which would be the best date to makr sure all the milk had gone?

Sorry for the essay! Thanks x

Hi Theonlyoneiknow,
Sorry can't help with the BF question I am afraid, but interested in your experience as I have similar symptoms. Left breast pain for last 2 yrs which comes and goes (initially just given chest xray and anti inflamoatories as they just diagnosed muscle pain), then a month ago noticed i have a very full/fat left armpit (not a clear lump). I had a mammogram (clear) and ultrasound and was told I had swollen glands in armpit (left) and neck (both and also have fluid in ears so could be related) but that they looked normal, reactive. Still got them and convinced armpit a bit puffier so going back to see consultant next week. Biopsy next stage i suppose? Bit freaked out as if it was viral or something i would expect it to have gone by now.

Did you ultrasound originally show the same ie reactive lymph node?

thanks x

ps It's 3 yrs since I BF but I would think if only doing one BF a day you would be ok in 2-3 weeks?

Hi, definitely sounds similar! I discovered my swollen armpit node by accident and had it biopsied back in April (clear) but its still the same size now. GP ran some blood tests that were all fine. Havent a clue whats going on!

The US showed an enlarged lymph node.

I would have thought they would do a Fine needle aspiration on your lymph node just to make sure? Might be worth asking for some blood tests too ie liver and kidney function, thyroid, full blood count?

Let me know how you get on as we do have similar symptoms. I have never had any problem with my right breast always the left One!!

Freaking out more as my 38 year old friend has just undergone a double masectomy, chemo and radiotherapy.

Hi there
Yes there was no mention of biopsy at the time, even though I went private on health insurance just to get in one week earlier as i was freaking out so much! Seems odd but consultant who did ultrasound just said looked like reactive glands and seemed totally unconcerned!

I have had a fair number of blood tests recently as chronic headache problem (a whole other story) and blood counts normal. Have borderline thyroid and lowish iron but nothing else unusual.

Have you got a lump or a more generalised swelling? I can't identify a lump, just that whole area is fatter/fuller , bu ultrasound clearly identified enlarged glands. Interesting that yours hasnt gone down either. No idea how long mine was there as I have been feeling so crap with headache that I might have missed it and I have been trying to ignore the intermittent chest pain as its been there so long. I wonder sometimes if it comes from muscles in my ribs or back but just feels like its my breast. But of course that doesnt explain the swelling (and like you, right side totally fine).

I would be reassured if the consultant seems unconcerned but in my case I stay reassured for a few weeks then start freaking out again!

How often does your pain come and go? Sometimes I can go for days/weeks without it being sore then it will come back? I don't have a lump (apart from the enlarged gland) or swelling (I don't think) just this discomfort/pain. It's hard to tell with swelling as my boobs really don't look like they used to after BF two babies.

I have been under lots of stress in the past 9 months (nearly made redundant, moved house, undergone genetic testing as suspected the kids and I had NF1, thankfully we don't but it was a long 6 month wait)

Yes exactly the same for me, plus i suppose I hoped it would go down...

It does come and go but fairly constant at the moment, and yes pretty stressed this end too as other health worries.

Consultant appt tomorrow but at best i will get a referral for more tests. I hope you get your appt sorted so that you can (hopefully) put your mind at rest.

Good luck for tomorrow, my appt isnt till end of Aug as i was told 4 weeks after stopping BF.

If it was both sides I would be far less concerned why always the left !! And I dont know if any lumpiness is now,caused by stopping BF or not. Would ideally like an MRI ! But imagine they dont do them willy nilly although I.do have bupa so could get referred if constant thinks wothwhile.

Seeing same consultant I saw for my.biopsy that I had done through bupa, going nhs for this appt though as i had à real carry on with bupa as they werent going to pay for biopsy so just had three months of more stress as they wanted £500! They finally agreed to pay it though.

What time is your appt tomorrow?

Hi Theonlyone,
Just got back and consultant insistant that they can clearly tell from ultrasound that glands reactive and not a form of cancer and that they can take quite a long time to go back down. Couldnt get much else out of him.
So guess i am just going to have to leave it there for time being....hopefully he is right as i have enough to contend with.

Good luck with yours.

ps I asked him why it just hurt on one side and he said it just can and just use some ibuprofen gel or something!

How have you been? My appt is in two weeks and the constant tenderness is driving me crazy. I am deep in worst case scenario world right now :-(of course googling breast pain throw up all sorts of things I don't want to read :(

I don't know if its my imagination but it looks like the area between the collar bone and the top of my breast is slightly swollen compared to the other side. DP thinks I am insane !

hi there. it must be a nightmare havin to wait:-( . My swelling is still the same despite huge dose of steroids I am on for other problem, constant headache which is all consuming now.

Surgeon was totally unconcerned by ongoing tenderness and swelling so hopefully yours will be too.

How have you been? My swelling is still there, inbetween the very top.of breast and collarbone over by the arm (if that makes sense). Only 9 days till appt tho and i need to not cry ! Its the third time i will have seen him!!!