Help! I'm panicking - signs of inflammatory breast cancer

[katiegd]

Hi all,

I'm just in need of a hand-hold/some reassurance/talking down today.

I've had a strange mark on my right breast since about February (looks a bit like an insect bite), and my breast around it has been quite itchy on and off since then. I've had a rash on and off which i thought was due to me scratching it so much. When it first appeared I was pregnant and my breasts had got bigger so I just put it down to the extra warmth and humidity caused by that/hormonal changes in pregnancy. I really didn't think anything of it. My daughter is now 6 weeks old and I'm now breastfeeding.

Yesterday the breast was really itchy and I'd made the skin quite sore by scratching, so I googled rash on breast to see if there was anything I could do.

I immediately sent myself into a bit of a panic because it brought up loads of hits for inflammatory breast cancer, which is rare but pretty aggressive and spreads quickly. Since then I've been trying to talk myself out of panicking, but I just keep spiralling into it. My symptoms really align with that and I can't find any other thing that fully explains it all:
It could be eczema but would that not also be on the other breast? Also, the mark is definitely not an insect bite as it's been there for about 4 months.

We fortunately have our 6 week post natal GP check up tomorrow anyway so I will speak to them about it there, but this feels like the longest 48 hours of my life.

I'm trying to reassure myself that I don't have some of the key symptoms (the breast is still the same size as the other one, isn't really red or bruised, apart from the redness/rash caused by me scratching, I think), but I keep going into a panic as I can't really find an alternative explanation for the symptoms I do have.

I am absolutely kicking myself that I didn't look this up or mention it to a doctor sooner. It's really not like me to leave something like this. Every time I look at my beautiful daughter I just get this incredible rush of sadness that I could have jeopardised our life together. I know that sounds really dramatic but that's part of the anxiety and panic this has triggered (I'm normally a pretty chilled it person).

I haven't spoken to anyone irl about this except for my partner. Even then I haven't really told him anything about this particular type of breast cancer and how lethal it can be, as I don't want to worry him yet.

I just basically need some talking down to get me through today on my own with the baby, or in the absence of that, some hand-holding. Thanks so much.

I think the thing to focus on is you don't have many of key symptoms. That has to be good. Ask gp tomorrow, and hopefully he'll be reassuring. Best of luck and congrats on your baby!

The trouble with Dr Google is it highlights all the interesting - less usual reasons for you symptoms. There are probably many more ordinary run-of-the-mill reasons for skin trouble like this. Please don't let yourself worry too much.

Thank you both. I'm normally pretty sensible and wary of Dr Google so I don't know why I've let this get to me so much. I guess having a baby makes the stakes seem so much higher for everything.

Skin sensitivity and weird bits on your skin are a hall mark of pregnancy so it could be something like that. I have this odd itchy bit on my ankle/foot that has been there about 4/5 years courtesy of my first child. Every subsequent pregnancy made it a little worse. Probably not the exact same thing but I have the least sensitive skin ever but having babies put paid to that!
I really hope you get some reassurance tomorrow, and, (disclaimer, no qualifications whatsoever here), I might have expected some more worrying symptoms 4 months along. If it is aggressive, then would you have not seen more spreading, more visible spread of rash?
Other things to think about - bra rubbing/change of soap powder/was it actually a bite of some sorts that has somehow has damaged your skin?
I hope I've not made you feel worse at all but know I'd be feeling as anxious as you and just wanted to reply. 🌺

Thanks for your message @foxpox. I have been trying to think of other reasons for it, and I swing between feeling calmer and thinking that must be it, and thinking that nothing fully explains it.

It has spread, but not loads. It's still all on the inside/underside of my breast, so around the area a bra seam/underwire sits, so am hoping it might be something to do with that. My right breast has always been the slightly larger one so perhaps it's just that bras dig in slightly more. Feel like I'm clutching at straws slightly though.

I'm still spending most of my time feeling horribly anxious. I can't eat or sleep properly and just have a constant feeling of dread hanging over me. Urgh. Hope the GP can offer reassurance later.

Op, I sent myself into panic mode last year with similar symptoms. I actually went to the gp twice. Mine started like a very itchy insect bite but then just turned into a red mark. I googled myself into a frenzy thinking I had ibc totally convinced myself. It wasn’t until my gp looked me in the eye and said “you do not have ibc, it does not present itself like this” that I stopped panicking.

I still have the little mark but it comes and goes. I think mine is a small patch of eczema or psoriasis as it gets better with steroid cream.

Ibc is aggressive and I understand symptoms develop very quickly in a matter of weeks.

Take a trip to the gp to put your mind at rest.

Hoping for good news today!

If it's underneath the fold of your breast it could be Intertrigo, which is a sweat rash. It comes up as a red, itchy rash, and can be treated with anti-fungal creams. Hopefully, that is all it is.

Have been thinking about you and hope all went well and you've got a prescription for canestan or something. Then you can have a nice takeaway and a good nights sleep x

The VAST majority of skin changes turn out to be infections, both bacterial or fungal, or hormonal changes.
It’s great you’re getting it checked. Don’t panic if you get a quick referral under the two week pathway, they often do that as a routine with certain symptoms.

IBC is rare - get it checked and ruled out

Hi all, thanks SO much for your replies. The GP had a look and said it looked like a fungal infection. She said it didn't look like cancer. Phew. Got anti-fungal and steroid cream and hopefully it will go - obviously if it doesn't within 7 days I'll go back. So relieved for now though.

Bloody google.

Well done op 👍

My gp prescribed steroid/fungal cream for mine and said it was intertrigo but it didn’t do anything. When I tried a slightly stronger steroid cream it went but as soon as I stop it comes back.

Hopefully yours will be ok with the cream you’ve been prescribed but glad your mind has been put at rest.

Sleep well op x

Tea Tree oil is very good for Intertrigo Tanfastic, it cleared mine up within a few days and you can also get Tree tree soap (mine came from Sainsbury's) to wash underneath the breasts.