Background info. I've been very fatigued and have joint pain for the last 2 years and am seeing a rhuematologist. He have been having steroid injections and had one mid Dec 2018. I havent got a diagnosis yet but I have a prescription for hydroxychloroquine for this which is an immunosuppressant, I have the tablets but haven't started them yet. I am also nursing my 3rd child who is now 18 months.
In oct 2018 I had a small red patch appear on my left breast. It was extremely itchy and red. My GP thought it was mastitis and gave me antibiotics. It went away during the course.
In November it came back in the same place but double the size. Saw a different GP at my practice and she examined my breasts, found no lumps and said she wasn't worried. Gave me steroid ointment for one week and canesten cream for 2 weeks. It took 2 weeks to go but when I stopped the canesten cream it came straight back, again more itchy, red and much bigger. I thought maybe I hadn't used the canesten cream for long enough and assumed it was fungal so started using canesten again but as soon as I stopped it it came back with avengence.
It was mid December, I had my steroid injection and had moved house and went to my new GP. She didn't think it was fungal, she checked my baby's mouth for thrush which was clear and ruled it out. She told me to use steroid cream for 7 days and anti histamine tablets and come back if it didn't go. It went away within the week.
Two weeks later it is now back. It's very itchy and red. It now is across the whole top of my breast from my breast bone to nearly under my armpit about 15cm and from the edge of my nipple to the top of my breast about 10cm. Ive also had a very sore lump in my left armpit for a few days which has now completely gone. The whole time this has been going on my breasts have been getting smaller after 18 months of nursing and weight loss after pregnancy, but my left breast has not got as small as the right one and so there is quite a size difference now. It is not firm or very swollen. Looks and feels soft. The skin on the rash is a bit raised and blotchy, but no orange peel appearance.
I saw the GP and went through this all. She said she'd ring the breast clinic to see if they would see me.
The GP rang me this afternoon after consulting with other GPs and said I didn't warrant being referred to the breast clinic as no lump or worrying symptoms, so I don't think she even called them. I then asked specifically about IBC, she asked me if I meant Paget's disease and I said no IBC and said I was concerned as I'd read about it being misdiagnosed, especially in nursing women. And it being mistaken for mastitis, that I knew it was rare but I was concerned.
She said that her thoughts that it's probably related to my mystery rheumatoid illness and to start using steroid cream and taking the hydroxychloroquine and see if over the next month it improves. If it doesn't then she would consider referring me to dermatologist but not the breast clinic.
Should I push for a referral? Would you be happy waiting another month?
Thanks
