This is my first post having never been through anything like this before. I am terrified and driving myself crazy.
15 days ago I had an incredibly itchy and uncomfortable right breast. My bra was leaving marks but I was pre-menstrual so put it down to hormones (I’m on the verge of peri-menopause so my body does throw some interesting things my way). The following day I had a red/purple discolouration to most of my breast and peau d’orange. I gave it 72 hours but when there was no improvement I saw the GP. He was excellent, took a full history and put in an urgent referral to the local breast clinic.
My appointment was last Friday (12 days since the start of symptoms) but they cancelled and rescheduled for the Saturday. Everyone at the clinic was lovely: the surgical consultant, two specialist nurses, a radiographer and a consultant radiologist. I had a full history and examination, screening mammogram on the left and diagnostic mammogram on the right, followed by punch biopsies.
Whilst having the ultrasound I got very emotional but the nurse and consultant radiographer both said that there was nothing to see. When the surgical consultant showed me the mammogram he said the only thing to note was skin thickening of the whole of my right breast. Compared to me left, it was very obvious. He said he wasn’t concerned but the biopsies would rule out anything sinister. He asked me what I was concerned about and I told him, IBC.
I am a healthcare professional and I specialised in oncology and palliative care for almost 15 years. The change in my career direction came when my mum was diagnosed with cancer of unknown primary with aggressive metastatic disease. She passed away 7 months after her diagnosis.
I am a single mum to two boys. I am not ready to leave them but in the last two weeks I have planned my funeral, re-written my will, and started to clear out all my paperwork and rubbish. How am I going to tell my children?
My follow-up appointment is the 18th July but there has been no improvement in my symptoms. I am on a high dose of antibiotics just in case there is an infection but like I said, no change. The discolouration does lighten and darken at various points throughout the day, as does the prominence of the peau d’orange.
I am so sorry for the long post.
