Breast pain and firmness

[ameyphone.livejournal.com]

 I've always had pretty fibrous ("lumpy")  breasts but there has never been any pain associated with it. About six weeks ago my left breast suddenly felt very firm and tender on the left side (towards my armpit). It was the week before my period so I waited to see if it would pass but it didn't. It's now the first day of my next period and there has been no change. I went to the clinic today and the doctor noted that it was indeed much firmer than my right breast and there was a mass about 2cm in diameter in the 2-3 o'clock position. I have an ultrasound scheduled in just over a week but I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Sore breasts are nothing new but usually it doesn't hang around this long! 

For what it's worth I am 22 and not on any form of hormonal birth control.  Thanks for all your input!

Comments

[galeotti.livejournal.com]

Could be a cyst, or some fatty tissue clumping together, perhaps?

[shadowshow.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've experienced the EXACT same thing and was completely freaked out. It's almost always completely benign and will go away on its own in a few months. They make suggest something natural like Evening Primrose Oil to help with it. Good luck!

[zombianca.livejournal.com]

I am actually having this same problem right now:

A week prior to my left breast hurting I had found a questionable lump during a self breast exam on my right breast. I got an ultrasound and mammogram for the right breast, but the radiologist was really mad about having to give me a mammogram because I am only 29 so he only did the one boob.

Everything checked out and then I started feeling sick and my left boob was hurting. When I say sick, I mean like I felt like I had the flu and/or an ear infection (which I get often) I didn't really think the two were related but when I went to the dr for the ear infection (which I did have) I mentioned the left breast pain. We couldn't find any lumps in my boob but then she felt my left armpit and my lymph nodes were swollen. Since I had an ear infection that wouldn't really mean anything except they had been swollen for weeks... I just thought it was an ingrown armpit hair or something.

I have my ultrasound/mammogram this coming Friday and needless to say I am completely freaked out.

[princessselene.livejournal.com]

If I'd been in your position, I probably would've chewed the radiologist out for that. We have a strong history of breast cancer on my dad's side of the family (his mom died from it when he was in college and my aunt had a mastectomy and chemo), so my gyn said at 30, I need to start getting mammograms as well. Not looking forward to next year.

Good luck though, I hope everything's okay.

[ameyphone.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear that! I really dislike being discriminated against in the health care system b/c of age. The whole "you're young and therefore healthy" mentality makes no sense! Best of luck to you and I hope your radiologist is nicer this time!

[fireaphid.livejournal.com]

Hey, hopefully this late response will be helpful. I had a very similar experience to you.

I found a similar breast lump about a year and a half ago, when I was 20, but I've had lumpy breasts for as long as I've been aware of them (and I've never been on hormonal birth control either). It remained the same size and shape throughout my cycle, but I sought medical attention because it began hurting cyclically about a year after I first noticed it. Knowing my age, I felt I didn't have anything to worry about, and I'd never seen a doctor for anything breast or vagina related, so I was scared. After an inconclusive ultrasound, I followed up with a breast surgeon, and they decided to remove it rather than waiting for a biopsy because it was causing pain anyway. It turned out to be a fibroadenoma, a type of benign breast tumor very common in females our age.

I've shared the details of my experience publicly on my personal journal if you're interested. Feel free to ask me any questions you have about it, and good luck!