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Inflammatory Breast Cancer Signs & Symptoms

It’s hard to believe that shortly after I took this image I would be diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Life was throwing yet another curveball for me to conquer. With the trials, and insurance challenges I am going through I feel I need to share what I can about this oftenly misdiagnosed cancer. After all knowledge is power, and there is a very early sign that cancer is taking place that I will share.

I give thanks to all who are helping me, to those who I can help & Rhino Style Files for sharing her bravery of her journey, it is thanks to her that I have decided to help others with their journey. I will go over obstacles of booking and warning signs of this illusive cancer.

I had known something was going on as one breast just didn’t seem to de-swell after my cycle. It would intense itch in a isolated area, i blew it off as bloating and a poky thread in my bra. When this continued for three months, my bra REALLY didn’t fit, One breast was now WAY larger, I made a “mammy” appointment, that was a couple weeks out. Most everyone has a breast slightly larger than the other, but when they change and you have no weight gain or loss to go along with it. Take serious note of it! Thank goodness I had a different Bra option that I had purchased that flexes with you no matter your size, I discovered it  previously as it doesn’t trigger my nerve damage spasms. Learn about the no bra bra here.-link will be updated

Obstacles You May Face Booking Your Mammogram

• The difficulties started right away to get a Mammogram, keep trying or see if the Pink Bus is near you!
• I was trying to schedule to late after my Gynecology’s appointment? That seemed absurd it was within the same year granted it was 5 months earlier. I let them know i needed to be seen! They only agreed to booking the appointment after i agreed to pay if insurance wouldn’t. This took a few different calls!
• Then insurance tried to say I was to young to be covered for a Mammogram?  Your age should not matter, it was thanks to self breast exams that i had noticed pain and tissue changes. Had to be very firm with clinic that I would pay, these are some obstacles you may face when trying to get the help you need. Relieved to be at the appointment, I only found after gowned up and ready for the machine squeeze that I was in need of a “Diagnostic Breast Exam”  that meant no mammy today, ugh another week to wait.
• My Gynecologists’ had to write a order for me to be seen! Even though it was in notes that it was recommended. I was fortunate that insurance did end up covering the diagnostic.

Warning Signs & How to Detect Inflammatory Breast Cancer

This type of Breast Cancer can often be missed or miss diagnosed early on. It is often mistaken as a Ductal Infection or a Breast (Mastitis) as it is Red & Warm, there is not always a mass associated with this cancer. If you are prescribed antibiotics and the redness returns or are the breast painfull keep going in! Usually by the time it’s caught it’s at a late stage two or into stage three. Even in it’s later stages it can be confused with Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer.

• Number one that is not taught when we learn about self exams, Intense locale itching, not all over but a specific area that is persistent. This has been noticed with other cancers as well.
• Skin changes of the breast, thickening, “orange peel” the feel & appearance of the skin is different
• Deforming of breast, nipple, arial
• Changes of nipple or discharge
• Redness sometimes with heat. This may come and go not being consistent. Can be mistook as Mastitis a breast infection.
• Shooting pain or pain when bumped or triggered by your bra, sharp , it is not steady pain until it has advanced as it blocks the drainage system in your breast.
• It FEELS heavy, this is due to the breast tissue not being able to drain properly, this happens as it progresses.
• the lump/bump has changed in size or becomes tender
• breast tenderness that doesn’t go away
• If you have a dog that tries to dig, lick, paw at the same spot on you!
• Sometimes our partner is our best advocate, noticing changes before we do.
• If you find this helpful please share it! Pin it on a Breast Cancer board!

What is a Diagnostic Breast Exam

This consists of a 3D Mammogram, if I remember right it was five or six angles per side. I did bruise badly on the affected side, it was a few days of added discomfort so take a pain reliever BEFORE you go.

With a Ultrasound of the breasts with a wand, gel and they map, measure variants in the tissue density on the inside. This is where you should bring up tissue changes on the outside! They may or may not notice, but will take notice if YOU let them know it seems more dense or itchy etc. As a skin punch biopsy may be needed.

• It will be decided at this appointment if it is needed to come back for a breast tissue biopsy. You are locally numbed for these.
• The skin punch biopsy is just that, a pressure feeling.
• A needle core biopsy can be uncomfortable, depending on how many are done, not bad they do these on masses that are large enough the breast tissue doesn’t move.
• If the mass is small then your breast is placed in a clamp to keep it from moving during the procedure, not a comfortable position, remember this is for your health!
• I opted to do ALL of my biopsies in the same day. The six I had done doesn’t sound bad, they take a minimum of three sample’s per spot! I was very sore with above average pain when the local wore off. Lots of ice! Remember to only leave it on ten minutes at a time so you don’t frostbite your boobs.
• I found that these items worked best for helping with swelling along with pressure/compression. You want to do this to help keep your tissue where it belongs, inside!
• the no bra bra for compression- link will be updated
• Frozen Peas
• Nursing cooling bead pads
• A midsize gel freeze pack apx 10 x12 inches, the clay one is amazing
• Children’s small “booboo” gel bead pack, these fit just right under bra so you don’t have to hold them.
• They do send two cold packs with you, I was in need of packs before the ones they sent could get cold. You should hopefully only have to ice a couple days, it may be more depending on how many biopsies were done. Keep the ones not in use in the freezer and swap when needed. I iced for a total of 9 days!

So the biopsies were done, I did have bruising. One side ended up with a Hematoma, I took antibiotics and it did clear on it’s own the body absorbs it. Sometimes they have to be surgically removed. Now the hardest part, the hardest with every step so far in this journey, WAITING. I received a call only three days after, July 12 2019 positive for cancerous cells in the breast and the one Lymph node they sampled. Now to wait again for many tests to find out type, stage (there are different GRADES assigned) not really a one number stage n that is tricky sometimes not known until well into testing.

SO far even with being sick from chemo (started on August 16 2019) this waiting and testing over the next 5 weeks was the worst, all the appointments as I watched my breast change more, and more, time is critical with Inflammatory Breast Cancer as it’s aggressive, not as predictable, and an average of only up to 5% of all breast cases are of this type. My first diagnosis was Invasive Ductal, as when I met the Oncologist my breast decided NOT to be Red & Inflamed that day. You may find it helpful to photograph your chest to help keep track of changes, if I had a photo of the red I believe it would have been a quicker diagnoses. The next time we met the team had changed it to inflammatory. By this time I had researched plenty & figured that’s what I had. Trusted sites are Mayo, & American Cancer Society.

What To DO For Yourself While Waiting For All Those Tests

Start doing what you can with diet changes to help, we all know to eat and drink healthier, take a close look at what you are consuming. Eat as many whole fresh foods as you can, cut the processed!

I started CBD as soon as I could as it has shown to prevent bad cell duplication, as well as helping with pain, anxiety. It is legal in most all states. I have two favorites that I use consistently: a Chocolate that is absolutely divine, delicious honey and a Balm that doesn’t stench by the same company.  Take me to that trusted CBD Chacolate site!  Or a night time oil, drops under tongue, that’s paired with Lavender & Melatonin for restful sleep, you may find your brain getting toooo busy when diagnosed with cancer. Take me to the trusted CBD help me sleep site!

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A bit of research, remember this is to LIVE! It is your decision along with your team of what is best for you. Informative sites that have answers to many questions are:

American Cancer Society

Mayo Clinic