Anyone have breast aching, stinging as only symptom of breast cancer?

Posted by joannemm34293 @joannemm30809, Aug 14, 2023

It seems I am a rarity regarding my Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and my only symptom has been my breast aching and stinging. I have had no other symptoms whatsoever and still can not even feel this lump.

I keep reading breast cancer, IDC, is painless YET that’s been my only symptom.

Anyone else only have breast aching or stinging?
I’m STILL waiting on my surgery date which is August 29. I’ve never ever seen soooo much waiting waiting waiting in between abnormal mammogram, then ultrasound, then MRI with contrast, the biopsy, then meet with breast surgeon to FINALLY get scheduled for surgery. Good grief.

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@joannemm30809

Wow. Almost exactly my situation. In January my breast started aching in one spot on upper outer part of breast. My doctor nor I could feel a lump. I then got a high definition ultrasound that saw in that exact location a benign cyst so my doctor said most likely a cyst is causing the aching.

Two weeks later, in February, I had my yearly 3D mammogram and it showed nothing wrong, ‘all normal with no cysts, masses or malignancy found’ and return in one year. My doctor said the cyst from two weeks earlier on ultrasound most likely dissolved.
BUT my breast still ached. By May I insisted my Dr order a MRI. The MRI showed a highly suspicious solid mass with irregular borders in EXACT location the ultrasound on Feb 2nd called a benign cyst.

A biopsy proved that so called cyst, and what 3D mammogram totally missed, was a cancerous tumor. Unreal. I HAVE LOST FAITH IN THE ULTRASOUNDS AND MAMMOGRAMS.

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Your post rings true for so many of us and thank you for sharing! We are sending prayers for your upcoming surgery and glad you insisted on an MRI - but waiting those 5 months is ridiculous and thank heavens your regular mammo was scheduled in Feb but amazing how these docs are shy about ordering MRI's? Why - insurance - okay yes but docs say oh MRI too sensitive and not specific. Well show me a women who would rather not pursue a potential malignancy! Keep us posted ..xoxo

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Good luck to you. You made the same choices I did in December when I had a double mastectomy. My insurance company did not object probably because, at least according to my doctor, having the second, non-cancerous breast removed is a strong form of prevention. I too chose to go flat. I have a padded brassiere which was fitted at a medical supply center and paid for by Medicare. I do not regret any of these decisions. I’m so comfortable being flat that I rarely wear the bra. I also was anxious, once I knew my situation, to have my breasts gone! So you and I seem to think alike! I also want to tell you that the surgery, at least for me, was not especially painful. I wish you the best. You sound like you have a strong attitude (and make terrific decisions!) and those features will stand you in good stead.

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@joannemm30809

Wow. Almost exactly my situation. In January my breast started aching in one spot on upper outer part of breast. My doctor nor I could feel a lump. I then got a high definition ultrasound that saw in that exact location a benign cyst so my doctor said most likely a cyst is causing the aching.

Two weeks later, in February, I had my yearly 3D mammogram and it showed nothing wrong, ‘all normal with no cysts, masses or malignancy found’ and return in one year. My doctor said the cyst from two weeks earlier on ultrasound most likely dissolved.
BUT my breast still ached. By May I insisted my Dr order a MRI. The MRI showed a highly suspicious solid mass with irregular borders in EXACT location the ultrasound on Feb 2nd called a benign cyst.

A biopsy proved that so called cyst, and what 3D mammogram totally missed, was a cancerous tumor. Unreal. I HAVE LOST FAITH IN THE ULTRASOUNDS AND MAMMOGRAMS.

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These mammograms are not helpful. The standard should be MRI. What a waste of machinery but also, saving lives !!!

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@cynthy

These mammograms are not helpful. The standard should be MRI. What a waste of machinery but also, saving lives !!!

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I agree. If it was the life of one of these doctors radiologist that read these reports or politicians, wife, or daughter, or sister that was having these so-called high definition, 3-D mammograms and high definition ultrasounds, and there was a fail rate like what we are seeing they would be pushing real hard to get something different in to diagnose breast cancer, and also more advanced treatments then chopping your breast off or doing a lump ectomy with radiation and the poison of chemotherapy and the radiation that burns you and can damage your heart and even cause you cancer, etc. never mind these estrogen suppressor pills that makes so many women deathly sick that their quality of life goes down the crapper. Disgraceful.

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It’s awful. I had full mastectomy and all nodes removed and. My doctor says “years ago it was a much more radical procedure”. How much more radical can you get!?!

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@cynthy

It’s awful. I had full mastectomy and all nodes removed and. My doctor says “years ago it was a much more radical procedure”. How much more radical can you get!?!

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I know. This nonchalant attitude really ticks me off. We are STILL being mutilated, given poison, burned with radiation and given pills to take for five or ten YEARS that make us feel like total CRAP YET they think breast cancer therapy has come a long way.

I give up. I’m fed up.

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@dinod1923

Now that you mention it, I had pinching type feeling but not all the time. The pinch was behind my nipple. Guess where my cancer turned out to be!

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I had a pain that I describe as a gripping pain, similar to a pinch. I had it in October, was diagnosed Nov 29th, had the pain in December as well. I had bilateral surgery with no reconstruction in Jan and March she went back in to get clear margins. I had that gripping pain again in May and they did an ultrasound on me. It was ok. But that pain was different from other breast pains that I had ever had.

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@katcara

Good luck to you. You made the same choices I did in December when I had a double mastectomy. My insurance company did not object probably because, at least according to my doctor, having the second, non-cancerous breast removed is a strong form of prevention. I too chose to go flat. I have a padded brassiere which was fitted at a medical supply center and paid for by Medicare. I do not regret any of these decisions. I’m so comfortable being flat that I rarely wear the bra. I also was anxious, once I knew my situation, to have my breasts gone! So you and I seem to think alike! I also want to tell you that the surgery, at least for me, was not especially painful. I wish you the best. You sound like you have a strong attitude (and make terrific decisions!) and those features will stand you in good stead.

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I too had a double and was fitted for prothesis. I am interested in a padded bra. I didn't even realize that this was an option through Medicare. I am 65. How does the bra hold up for washing?

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I had gripping pains prior to being diagnosed as well as while waiting on surgery. I had it once since surgery and they did an ultrasound that didn't show any issues. I had one implant due to a childhood issue and had it leak, the second one was "recalled" because it could cause lymphoma. Now, I read that they say they all can cause cancer. When I asked to have mine removed while they were doing the mastectomy on the other side, my dr said that I made a good call because I had cells that had the potential of turning to cancer.

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@sirene

I too had a double and was fitted for prothesis. I am interested in a padded bra. I didn't even realize that this was an option through Medicare. I am 65. How does the bra hold up for washing?

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It’s a wash by hand. But the silicone pads that fill it out are removable and I have bought some other sports type bras I can slip them into. Medicare will buy three bras but only one set of inserts a year. I only chose one bra because they are very expensive and I figured the pads could go in another bra. I was right. It cost me a co-pay but I thought they were over charging the government for them and I didn’t want to participate. The silicone pads are great though and well it, the bra painless. Good luck!

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