I am so lost!!!

RachelleS · New User Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 2

Hello all my name is Rachelle and found this site by searching about Breast Cancer. I am 29 and I have been having chest pain on my left side for about 6 months. My PC has been doing EKG's and nothing. Well yesterday I had shortness of breath and the pain that comes and goes and she sent me to the ER. Well they have been the first to do a breast exam and found my lymph nodes all swelled under my armpit on my lfet side and up onto my breast. No lumps were found. They did do a chest xray and saw a mass above my heart that they said it could be from my ammonia I had 6 months ago. So they told me that my pain can not be handle in the ER and that I must make a appontment with my PC ASAP and get a mammogram done. They gave me some bactrim DS for the inflamation and muscle relaxers. They told me that they are not equipt in the ER to take care of the lymph nodes and that my PC will probably send me to a breast specialist to get the lymphs checked. My blood work was fine. I am so lost and confused my Aunt had breast cancer and I am afraid that this is what it is and that is has already spread becouse no one listned to me 6 months ago. I have checked on line and I know it states that after 50 is usually when people get breast cancer. I am 29 but I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago and have been on estorgen and also started by period when I was ten , also I have endometrosis. I have noticed that this all takes a factor in this. Can anyone make me feel better. I see my PC in two days.

Thank you for you help and listning

Rachelle Sad

Kristen · Experienced user Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 60

Hi Rachelle,
I am glad you found the site, hopefully someone will be able to share helpful information for you. I am not positive, but I thought I heard someone say once that breast cancer usually is not painful, however I could be wrong. Either way, its a good thing to get it checked out by your PCP. You may need to be forceful and insist on further testing....like and MRI. For some reason some doctors will order any tests, like MRI, CT scan ...etc...but others you just have to nag and insist...... Usually young women have dense tissue in their breast and a mammogram does not always "see" through it. I have dense tissue and in addition to the mammogram, I get an MRI every year.
Breast cancer really does not know an age. Although I know typically it is rare for one in their 20's. I know so many young women that have had breast cancer, myself included (OK so I think 42 was young..lol) Actually I know more women in their early 30's and 40's than over 50.
Your swollen lymph nodes could be just a sign of infection which the Batrim may take care of.
I hope everything works out for the best for you, please keep us updated!
Kristen

Muttsmom · Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 6:22 pm Post subject: Re: I am so lost!!!

Kristen said it as well as anyone could. Breast Cancer knows no age, I was 43 (and yes, that is as young as 42... lol). Not to scare you, but my mammogram missed my tumor that I found and it was 5.5 cm which is large and I had positive lymph nodes as well. I didn't have any pain in my lymph nodes, but 9 were positive for cancer. I wouldn't stop at a mammogram, even if it says you're fine. Mine said I was fine and needless to say, I wasn't. If anyone says, "let's watch it for 6 months", find another doctor. If the antibiodics take care of it, then I would say chances are extremely good it was some type of infection. I think all the ladies here will tell you, not knowing and the waiting is the worst part. Don't wait, get an appt. and get the ball rolling. Chances are in your favor it's not BC, but you won't know until you're checked out and like you should be. If it comes back, not breast cancer, you can breathe a sigh of relief and put this scare out of your mind, but always do self examines. IF by chance, and I'm saying IF, it is, the sooner it's taken care of the less treatments will probably be necessary and of course the better the chances are you'll do great. I had no family history of cancer of any kind. Because your aunt had it, doesn't mean you will, but you need to be doing what you're doing and that's getting things checked out. BC isn't a death sentence anymore. I was dx Stage III and there are only 4 stages and 3 years+ later, I'm doing great.
I know of one lady that had no lump in her breast that could be found, but her lymph nodes were positive for breast cancer and she's the only one I've heard of like that. I would say get an appt. and if the swelling and pain hasn't gone done and gotten better, I personally would tell the doctor you wanted a biopsy done on one or all of the nodes. That would be something they would know better then me, since it's happening in the nodes only. The American Cancer Society sent me literature AFTER I was dx and it said that mammograms miss 45% of all breast cancer in women under 50 and 35% in women over 50. They are great tests and have saved many lives, but don't but all your trust in the mammogram, take it further.
Hugs and prayers and keep us posted.
_________________
Nancy
2/14/02 ILC 43 - 5.5 cm 9+/16 nodes
Stage IIIA er/pr+ Her2-
2/02 MRM
FECx6 radsx33
Tamoxifen - Arimidex (chemo induced menopause)
4/03 SM w/bilat. recon.
9/03 expanders removed
5/04 repair reconst. disaster
10/04 Actonel for bone/joint pain from Arimidex
NED - 5 years
3/07 Diabetes
In memory of Kim 12/1/04

Muttsmom · Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 6:25 pm Post subject: Re: I am so lost!!!

Rachelle,
One more thing. I think it's 80%, but it could be higher, someone else I'm sure knows, but 80% of all breast cancer feeds off hormones. With a family history and the problems you're having now, I personally would throw those hormones you're taking down the toilet. I'm sure not everyone would agree with me, but I'm taking medicine to kill my hormones in hopes of preventing a reoccurence because my cancer was estrogen and progestrine positive, meaning, my cancer fed off hormones.
Nancy
_________________
Nancy
2/14/02 ILC 43 - 5.5 cm 9+/16 nodes
Stage IIIA er/pr+ Her2-
2/02 MRM
FECx6 radsx33
Tamoxifen - Arimidex (chemo induced menopause)
4/03 SM w/bilat. recon.
9/03 expanders removed
5/04 repair reconst. disaster
10/04 Actonel for bone/joint pain from Arimidex
NED - 5 years
3/07 Diabetes
In memory of Kim 12/1/04

AlaskaAngel · Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 8:34 pm Post subject: Checking it out for bc

Hi Rachelle.

You are doing your best in continuing to get this checked out. You are younger than most, but yes, there are some women who are only in their 20's who do get breast cancer. The vast majority of women are also not aware that some forms of breast cancer are especially difficult to detect. Science has created some ways (like mammograms) to look for breast cancers, but there are different kinds of breast cancer and some don't show up well even on mammograms. Going through the uncertainty while you are being tested is hard, and it is harder still if you complained some time ago about it to begin with. But even so, all you have to work with is the present. ***Doing your own research is your best protection***. Lymph nodes do swell up for other reasons besides breast cancer, but I have 2 books to recommend to you if it turns out to be breast cancer. One is Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book. The other is Take Charge of Your Breast Cancer, by Dr. John Link. One other recommendation I have is that you continue to participate in sites like this one. You will learn an awful lot whether or not you are diagnosed with breast cancer, and maybe avoid making many of the mistakes some of us have made as we stumbled around ourselves.

Why were the hormones prescribed for you?

AlaskaAngel
_________________
Dx Dec 2001 at age 50
Lumpectomy Jan 2002, 1.6 cm IDC plus some DCIS
Node neg
ER+, PR+, HER2+++
CAF x 6, 35 rads+boost
NED
Tamoxfen 1 3/4 yrs
In 2 clinical trials
bc for mom and 1 sis and 1 aunt and 1 granny
ovarian cancer for 1 aunt

leo · Site Admin Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 1574

Hello

Thanks for posting. Like people mentioned above, there are other reasons for swollen axillary lymphnodes. If you have a chest infection or a pneumonia that is already a good reason to have it. Regardless, you need to be evaluated for this, and you should talk to your physician about this. It is my understanding that you are on hormones because of your histerectomy and oophorectomy. While this is what it takes to avoid menopausal symptoms since you have no ovaries, there are risks associated with it. I would not just stop taking the hormones right now, talk to your doctor and explain your concerns first.

As an aside, the participants here are affected by breast cancer, so you are not "seeing" people that had swollen lymphnodes and did fine.

Again, most likely this is just reactive from the infection, but you need to be evaluated.

best regards,
Leo
_________________
Leonardo F - Webmaster Cancer Forums
Disclaimer: this information is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice.

RachelleS · New User Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 2

Thank you everyone for your support and kind words. I stopped taking my hormones yesterday after reading everything about them. I go to see my PCP on Thursday and have spoken to my aunt who was diagnosed recently. She is helping me and checking on alot of stuff for me as well. My lymph nodes have been swollen for quite sometime and are getting larger but I thaught it was just fat. So I ignored it. The problem was and still is the chest pain that comes and goes. But I hope it is only muscle pain. Well God is on my side and tommarow will be great day. I will keep you all posted. Thank you again.

rachelle

Muttsmom · Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 7:43 pm Post subject: Re: I am so lost!!!

Rachelle,
Please do keep us posted. Also, I feel like a hypercrite (can't even spell it) because I hate when doctors automatically chalk women's chest pains to anxiety/stress. I've had a problem with anxiety and take medicine for it and have for several years since my dx. Since you have been checked out and they have ruled out any heart problems, like the cardiologist that I was sent to did, it could be anxiety causing the chest pains. Also, I won't even attempt to spell it, but E........ Reflux can cause horrible chest pains. I have that from time to time, but don't have the burning from acid in my throat, but have chest pains. My mother has it so bad, she's actually in the Medical Journals and has gone to Shands in Gainseville, FL and has tried every medicine made. She does have the burning from the acid backing up and bad chest pains. The doctor told her that the symptoms are very similiar to a heart attack and if she notices anything different from another attack, to get to the ER. I just wanted to throw those up as possiblities and hopefully your doctor can figure out what's causing your chest pains too. They are definately scary.
Talk to you tomorrow when you get back from the doc.
Hugs
Nancy
_________________
Nancy
2/14/02 ILC 43 - 5.5 cm 9+/16 nodes
Stage IIIA er/pr+ Her2-
2/02 MRM
FECx6 radsx33
Tamoxifen - Arimidex (chemo induced menopause)
4/03 SM w/bilat. recon.
9/03 expanders removed
5/04 repair reconst. disaster
10/04 Actonel for bone/joint pain from Arimidex
NED - 5 years
3/07 Diabetes
In memory of Kim 12/1/04

RachelEsther · Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 7:56 am Post subject: Re: I am so lost!!!

Rachelle,

What did your PC say? Please let us know.
_________________
Rachel
Age 50 at diagnosis, Stage IIIA
IDC grade 1, DCIS grade 2
LB Mastectomy, Expander Recon 3/3/2004
Dose Dense Chemo completed 07/01/04
Radiation completed 09/02/04
Silicone Implant 11/22/04, removed 7/05 due to infection (dental cleaning), replaced 12/05. Reduction RB for symmetry 04/06
Tamoxifen 10/04-10/06, Arimidex 10/06 on

	Cancer Forums Forum Index -> Breast Cancer Forum	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

A website for discussions about any type of cancer, including lung cancer, breast cancer, mesothelioma, prostate cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and others