She thinks it's cancer and she keeps saying please stay with me and even though it's nothing I told her the doctor said its nothing so it's nothing but she is still worried what should I do?
I once had what I thought was breast pain - nothing obviously wrong but it was new and different pain. I can't remember exactly how long I had it before the breast pain turned out to be shingles. The shingles went from under the breast and around to my back. There was never anything wrong with the breast itself, but it sure felt that way. Once the shingles rash developed, then we knew the cause of the pain I'd been having.
Check to see whether there is any ither cause for discomfort that you can find, such as a uncomfortable bras, rash, scratchy clothing, cyst/pimple, etc.
If you can’t find anything, listen to your mom and justify her concerns by getting a second opinion. The most important part of a medical exam is attention to a patient’s symptoms.
Has your mom had a mammogram recently? Is she considered too old for one?
I recently had pain and I was told the same thing by my primary - that the intermittent pain I was having was not cancer. I didn’t say it was. I just said it hurt but when I got that response, I decided to go elsewhere.
Since I was due a mammogram I decided to go to a cancer hospital to have it done. I had been there back in 2014 and knew they went a little more in-depth with their exams than the hospital associated with my primary.
They have a program where you get everything done in one day. You start early, bring all your prior media (previous 5 years) for comparison. I met with the doctor and a fellow. They both did a manual exam, didn’t find anything, sent me off for the bilateral mammogram. After they looked at the X-rays, they decided I needed a bilateral sonogram. They found a mass, the radiologist came in and looked at the sonogram as well, did a fine needle biopsy, which turned into an aspiration of a cyst. Sent the material for review. Sent me back to the doctor where they told me I would get a report and to come back next year. I now have a multi-colored boob but once the bruise heals I’ll be good and I know I’ve had a very thorough exam and have since received a report that no cancer was found. I had about 30 min when I truly thought I had a problem, but it was all over within a few minutes after the doctor was able to aspirate the cyst. They said I would not have been given the sonogram if it were not for the pain and swelling, so they didn’t just dismiss my complaint of pain. Not everyone who has cancer will have symptoms. But some people who have cancer will have pain. especially older women. Another thing I was told was to avoid caffeine for two weeks prior the test to help with the pain of the mammogram. So if your mom drinks caffeine she might want to stop and see if that helps. You don’t have information on your bio about your mom. Does she live alone, in ALF? Does she suffer from anxiety? How old is she? I probably would give her a Tylenol to see if it helps if that is her go to for pain relief. My pain is intermittent but when it is hurting I am very conscious of it. Has your mom ever had an other than normal mammogram? Has she perhaps had a fall? Did the doctor examine her or just declare it was “nothing”. It didn’t hurt the day I went for the mammogram but they still didn’t just dismiss it. They also told me to try a heating pad after the procedure which was helpful.
I have just read that over 70% of women will have breast pain and over 75% will resolve without treatment. Here is a very detailed article on things you can help mom check out. Some drugs can cause it. Hormones. Bras that don’t fit well, even sore ribs. I hope she feels better soon.
Unless she has a mammogram recently, the doctor simply cannot know that it’s not cancer. If she has not had one, I would insist on one if she is willing and able. If for no other reason, she will feel that they are really checking, and not just saying, “There there, dear.”
If she HAS had a mammogram recently, then remind her of the results.
In my experience, the best doctors - when they come across something they don’t know - they ADMIT it! And then they say, “Let’s find out what that is.” If your doctor doesn’t do that, then you need to be your mother’s advocate and keep making noise. I had to do that several times in the last few years. Guess who was right? Yup, me. Doctors don’t know everything, and the smart ones freely admit it.
If you can’t find anything, listen to your mom and justify her concerns by getting a second opinion. The most important part of a medical exam is attention to a patient’s symptoms.
I recently had pain and I was told the same thing by my primary - that the intermittent pain I was having was not cancer. I didn’t say it was. I just said it hurt but when I got that response, I decided to go elsewhere.
Since I was due a mammogram I decided to go to a cancer hospital to have it done. I had been there back in 2014 and knew they went a little more in-depth with their exams than the hospital associated with my primary.
They have a program where you get everything done in one day. You start early, bring all your prior media (previous 5 years) for comparison. I met with the doctor and a fellow. They both did a manual exam, didn’t find anything, sent me off for the bilateral mammogram. After they looked at the X-rays, they decided I needed a bilateral sonogram. They found a mass, the radiologist came in and looked at the sonogram as well, did a fine needle biopsy, which turned into an aspiration of a cyst. Sent the material for review. Sent me back to the doctor where they told me I would get a report and to come back next year.
I now have a multi-colored boob but once the bruise heals I’ll be good and I know I’ve had a very thorough exam and have since received a report that no cancer was found.
I had about 30 min when I truly thought I had a problem, but it was all over within a few minutes after the doctor was able to aspirate the cyst.
They said I would not have been given the sonogram if it were not for the pain and swelling, so they didn’t just dismiss my complaint of pain. Not everyone who has cancer will have symptoms. But some people who have cancer will have pain. especially older women.
Another thing I was told was to avoid caffeine for two weeks prior the test to help with the pain of the mammogram. So if your mom drinks caffeine she might want to stop and see if that helps.
You don’t have information on your bio about your mom. Does she live alone, in ALF? Does she suffer from anxiety? How old is she? I probably would give her a Tylenol to see if it helps if that is her go to for pain relief. My pain is intermittent but when it is hurting I am very conscious of it. Has your mom ever had an other than normal mammogram? Has she perhaps had a fall? Did the doctor examine her or just declare it was “nothing”. It didn’t hurt the day I went for the mammogram but they still didn’t just dismiss it. They also told me to try a heating pad after the procedure which was helpful.
I have just read that over 70% of women will have breast pain and over 75% will resolve without treatment. Here is a very detailed article on things you can help mom check out. Some drugs can cause it. Hormones. Bras that don’t fit well, even sore ribs. I hope she feels better soon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_pain
If she HAS had a mammogram recently, then remind her of the results.
In my experience, the best doctors - when they come across something they don’t know - they ADMIT it! And then they say, “Let’s find out what that is.” If your doctor doesn’t do that, then you need to be your mother’s advocate and keep making noise. I had to do that several times in the last few years. Guess who was right? Yup, me. Doctors don’t know everything, and the smart ones freely admit it.