Hi, I’ve come here for a bit of advice and hopefully someone with more knowledge on IBC.
I’m 26 years old and 3 months postpartum, I’ve been breastfeeding exclusively up until the last week. I’m slowing weaning off pumping and dumping to avoid any mastitis!
A few days ago I woke up and discovered a slight itch on my right breast so had a look and found a red patch of about 4/5cm by 3cm ish. It’s bright red, sort of pimplely and raised and bumpy to feel.
I’ve had mastitis twice, once before becoming pregnant and once while breastfeeding… this does not have any characteristics of mastitis and looks very different.
Curious I googled it (mistake I know?!) and thought it looked slightly similar to IBC rashes, it itches on and off and have minimal pain that comes and goes, sort of an aching pain.
The doctor today was a trainee and was very quick to determine that it’s probably just dermatitis and prescribed me hydracortisone cream which should clear it up. If it doesn’t then she mentioned a dermatology referral.
I can’t say I’m reassured after todays appointment. Does anyone have any advice, and whether this sounds like it could be a IBC rash from what I’ve described and whether I should push to be referred to check it out?
I suffer with health anxiety quite badly, and this just doesn’t seem right to me?
thank you in advance!
Hello NicoleMcC
Congratulations on becoming a new Mum. I hope all is going well with your little one. I am sorry that you are worrying about this when you should be enjoying your baby. I think the first thing to be reassured by is that you have been seen by a doctor and a lot of rashes do have a simple explanation and also you have recently breast fed and have been using a breast pump. All that you have gone through over the last 3 months, pregnancy, childbirth, hormones, breast feeding etc is going to add to it. It's understandable to have worries and need reassurance. Google is perhaps not the best place to look.
Just a thought but are you and your baby now with a health visitor for clinics ? I wonder if they would be able to give you some advice and have a quick look for you. They are there to support you and your baby and I think that they would likely be trained in skin issues around breast feeding and using a breast pump. They would know what looks normal for a new mum and what would raise a concern. They would also likely to be able to speak with your GP about a referral if they deemed it necessary.
I understand your concern after seeing the doctor today and needing extra reassurance. Did you mention what you thought it might be? How long did she tell you to use the cream to expect an improvement?
You could try a different doctor at your GP surgery perhaps or your practice nurse. The nurses at my doctor's surgery are fab. I would also mention to them that you do have health anxiety and they could then put that on your notes to make sure that when you are seen they give you a little more clarification and reassurance.
My advice is to continue with the cream the doctor has prescribed, talk to your health visitor and if not try your practice nurse/GP. Hopefully they will be able to reassure you and if it does turn out to be something more concerning they would be able to refer you to get things checked.
If you want to talk things over with someone, then I can recommend talking to one of the nurses on the support line. The number is below and they are lovely on there.
Hope this helps
Jane
I totally understand that health worries are worse when you have a new life to look after. I just wondered if there may be a connection with the finishing breast feeding and starting the pumping as this is around the time the rash has occurred.
It is hard when you see a doctor and feel they are being dismissive. A good bedside manner and a little reassurance make such a difference.
2 weeks is a long time to worry. I would still think trying the health visitor is a step in the right direction or going back to your GP surgery and asking to see someone else. When you do see them to say that you are really concerned that it could be a symptom of cancer and you need some reassurance. And explain that you have had mastitis and you do not believe it is like that and that although the doctor thinks it is dermatitis you are concerned it is something more.
I would stay away from google, however I will put a link here for some of Macmillan's information on Inflammatory breast cancer. With the Macmillan information you can be assured that it is up to date and accurate.
Inflammatory breast cancer | Macmillan Cancer Support
We do have a forum on here for Inflammatory breast cancer if you wanted to have a look.
(+) Inflammatory breast cancer forum - Macmillan Online Community
Hope this helps
Jane
No problem and let us know if you need anything else. I do think that your health visitor is the best bet to begin with. They will know what is normal and what needs checking. Good Luck and let us know how you get on
