Continuous Breast Cysts Causing Health Anxiety

[Hh1626]

i had a couple of breast cysts around 5 years ago, had no further issues until I was pregnant last year. Since I have had loads.

They seem to get larger before and during my period and then decrease. One has stuck around this time and is painful. Which I am inevitably now worrying there is something wrong. I have so many cysts that I have no idea if it’s a new one or not. I last went to the breast clinic 2 months ago and had an ultrasound which showed cysts. I wanted to go back to the clinic again last month (cysts enlarged during period) but managed to calm down and didn’t go. Now I’m here again incredibly anxious wanting to go back to the clinic and get this painful one checked. I can’t go to the breast clinic every month if this continues for years (I’m 32), but anxiety is on overdrive every month worrying that one of them might not be a cyst.

Does anyone else have this issue? How do you manage not going to the clinic every month? I just can’t stop feeling them and worrying they aren’t cysts.

I used to get these all the time, especially around the time my period was due, and only affected breasts and occasionally my armpits too. Do they get hot and painful and then drain, almost like a boil? There is a condition called hydradenitis suppurativa and no one knows what causes it or seems to know much about it. Had to go into hospital a few times to have them drained, breast clinic couldn’t really help me, but I understand what you mean about the panic every time you feel a new lump.

Someone in healthcare recommended to me years ago to only shower with hibiscrub, I took their advice and haven’t had a flare up for over 7 years now. I don’t know if it was a coincidence but I’m not ever going to stop using it!

Oh, and mine only started with my first pregnancy.

I get them all the time. I've got to be pragmatic about it - otherwise I'd be at the Breast Clinic every month

I tend to get them checked out when other symptoms arrive. Like soreness or infection.

I was there this week. I asked if they'd aspirate the cysts before doing the mammogram and it made such a difference in terms of pain (as in none!) when I had the mammogram.

Once cyst was 5cm x 5cm x 5cm and they drained 90mls of fluid from it!

I got about once every two years to get cysts drained.

Can you look out for other symptoms? Pain, discharge, indents etc

When you go for an ultrasound do they offer to aspirate? You should have them do that and it might get you a couple of years relief. Plus if you get a mammogram that might give you more reassurance.

My recent mammogram showed me that I have so many cysts lying wait but nothing else to be concerned about.

Thank you both so much for respond, really appreciate it. Nice to know I’m not the only one who has this because it feels like it at times!

@Iwouldratherbesinging im going to give this hibiscrub a go - thanks! How long did you keep getting these for? Some of them get painful and some of them don’t, this week this ‘new’ one has been hot and painful but hasn’t seemed to drain itself.

@TheDefiant I’ve had quite a few aspirated (not sure if they’ve come back or it’s new ones - hard to tell!) but they will only aspirate the larger ones. Everytime I leave the clinic I still have a few left that I can feel. Its so difficult to keep track of them and then 2 months down the line I’ve no idea which ones are new. I agree on the being pragmatic bit and this is what I need to master! I just feel like I’ve got anxiety about it now and I’m obsessed with checking them. I have just booked another appointment at the breast clinic which is a few weeks away - I need to get to that & then after (praying it’s all ok) I need to find away to leave it alone for a good amount of time.

20+ years I got these for, became a bit tiresome… but I think after a few years, the pragmatism kicked in.
I hope that you find a way to manage them that works for you x

@Hh1626 my sis has HS - those cysts and boils are external.

Yours (I'm assuming) are all internal? In which case the hibiscrub won't make a difference.

There are loads of info pages about breast cysts.

As you enter peri or menopause you should find the decrease as I think there's a relationship between cysts and oestrogen.

@TheDefiant Oh I see thanks, yes mine are internal.

i’ve read a lot of info but can’t really find a way to not worry that every new one might not be a cyst and could be something more serious!

That makes sense - thanks you!

I get them too and have since my 20s. I also get cyclic breast pain (horribly painful tissue but no lump). I now usually take the approach to wait a full cycle before I approach the GP. If they are still there at a different point in my cycle I go to see the GP. I have only had one in recent years that stayed after a full cycle and when I had an ultrasound it was a small cyst. The others come and go depending on hormones. Keeping a log has also helped as it showed me that they appear at the same point in my cycles each month which helped calm me down a bit too as I can predict them

Got my first cyst a month ago and went through hell and back due to my health anxiety. Wanted them to drain it but they didn’t . Now I’m terrified there will be more

@Star11111 thanks for sharing! That’s a good idea to keep track so you can predict what is going to happen. Do you go to the breast clinic regularly? They say to come whenever there’s a change but it is literally every month for me & although I know I could go every month that would make my anxiety even worse

@TellySavalashairbrush i hope you don’t get anymore. I find they only drain the really big ones to help with discomfort - they say they couldn’t disperse all of mine as there are lots and they would likely keep coming back.

No; I’ve been twice for larger lumps what turned out to be cysts but now I wait until that hormonal fluctuation has settled and they inevitably disappear. They do sometime reappear again next cycle in the same places but some people do just have dense hormonal tissue. Obviously if they felt different or I had other concerns I would contact

Do you find they are worse before your period or during? And do yours go down during or after your period?

This is me and reading this has made me feel less alone! So thankyou. I've had various lumps checked. I'm ok for a few weeks but then I'll check again and the cycle starts up of fear and anxiety. It's so hard!! I know we have to get any change checked but it's so frightening never knowing. Just writing this in solidarity really xx

@Raisinsandweetabix thanks for replying! This is the thing I’m never 100% sure if the lump I’m worrying about at that time is new or has been checked before. I find it impossible to know what is new. Also have pain/tingling in my back/under arms - not sure if it’s related or just because I am so stressed and fixated on the whole area or from my carrying my child a lot. I did end up going to the gp and awaiting an appointment again! x