I have no idea.

FormerMember
FormerMember
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Hi,

I am 25 years old, I have three children age 6, 3 and 8 months. I’m breast feeding my youngest. One day when I was feeding her I noticed a rash on my left breast. It isn’t raised or itchy and up close it looks like lots of little pinky purple veins. There are no other symptoms it literally just looks different because of this pinky purple veiny ‘rash’

I went to the doctors and the doctor felt and said there was no lump, that my boobs both look pretty similar and no funny shape to them and made me lift my arms etc. with me breast feeding she assumed it might be Mastitis but said it isn’t too bad as I haven’t started to feel unwell with it and should go away on its own and to comeback in a week if it hasn’t gone. This was the 2nd nearly 3rd week of it being there at this point 

So a week later it still hadn’t gone. I saw a different doctor, she had a look, said as there isn’t a lump she isn’t worried and then gave me antibiotics for mastitis and told me to come back in a week if it hadn’t gone.

Another week later and it still hadn’t gone, I saw her again and she said that she was referring me to the breast clinic and that we need answers. She said she wasn’t worried with their being no lump but I know Inflammatory Breast Cancer doesn’t always have a lump. It’s 6/7 weeks now and still no sign of it going.

I have an appointment on the 18th of this month. Does anybody have any experience of this. I think it’s cancer and I’m terrified.

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Qwerty, seen your post on the main page and thought I would pop by and say a wee hello. I know how worried you must be but I hope I can help even if its just for someone to chat to until your appointment. Easy for me to say but try not to worry. Im a good 20 years older than you and had the same symptoms as yourself on a off for a good few months. I was told it was mastitis as well even though my youngest at the time would have been about 8 or 9. The antibiotics would clear it a bit but it never fully went away but would lie dormant until it came back with a bang!

    I had so many referrals to the breast clinic and was checked over and given ultrasounds as well. It was a blocked milk duct even all those years later. In the end I was taken into hospital but that was because it abcessed and I had temperature etc  in the end and had to be drained. That was 5 years ago this month and ive never been bothered with it since. Im not a doctor but your symptoms sound very similar to what I had and with you breastfeeding. I hope this hasn't worried you....I think I was a bit of a strange case and this wouldn't be the norm for everyone. With any luck some stronger antibiotics will sort you out and even though you have been referred to the breast clinic I will keep my fingers crossed its nothing to worry about.

    Keep us posted on how you get on.

    Jjacc

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Hi Jjacc, thanks for replying. I was refreshing this page all yesterday for a reply so it’s nice to get one. Am I right in thinking yours WASN’T Inflammatory Breast Cancer, I’ve read this a good three times and the children are playing and it’s baffling my head haha.

    The thing is, the antibiotics she gave me (7 days worth) didn’t touch it, didn’t get rid of it at all and I have no pain or anything, nothing hurts, my only symptom is that I’ve got a red rash (not rash it’s under the skin) all around my boob and if you look close it’s tiny little pink veins 

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Hi again,

    Youre right. Mine wasn't inflammatory breast cancer. It was mastitis that just didn't want to clear up. I had a small rash as well and over time the symptoms got worse (because the antibiotics didn't work). The antibiotics only worked when I was taken into hospital and given them  IV. Have never had a problem since.

    Fingers crossed for you, its worrying. I wish you all the best.

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Hi,

    Thankyou, final question I promise! Did yours hurt at all? This has gone on for almost 8 weeks, it hasn’t got worse, it doesn’t hurt, there’s no lump, no pain, no pain when feeding. Also was yours the veiny type rash I explained? if I look up close it’s like lots of little under the skin veins? Also it’s like my whole boob rather than a tiny area. It’s almost like where the breast pad would cover.

    thankyou

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Ask all the questions you want. Yes it did hurt but not all the time. Seemed to flare up at times and it did hurt but at the start it was just like a red marks with no pain. The pain came when they antibiotics didn't work. There was no lump. Hope this helps even just to put your mind at rest.