lump in the breast. when to be scared?

My breast is lumpy by nature, so breast exams are difficult as I don't know what a normal lump is vs a dangerous one. Recently my husband found a lump he doesn't remember being there and things I should go in and have it looked at. At first I ignored him, but after learning my niece was confirmed as having a breast cancer gene, I am becoming nervous. She got it through my sister and she through my father.

In addition, my lump has pecome painful. In the past I I have one other time had a painful lump. My doc said it was inflammation of a cyst from drinking too much caffeine an to cut the caffeine out and it would go away. It did.

Herr I am many coffee pots (caffeinated) later and I have a painful lump. I have cut out caffience (except for chocolate, I could never give that up) and am hoping it will clear up. I figured I'd give it a little time before I go in, but how long?

Has anyone else experienced this or know the difference between a caffeine lump and breast cancer?

I don't think you should panic, but I do think you should go see your doctor. If it is a caffeine lump, then you don't lose anything by getting it checked, if it is something else (could be a clogged bile duct) you get to figure out what needs to be done. My advice is better safe than sorry. You say your breasts are lumpy, but your husband thinks this is new, so it should be checked out. Best wishes.

Several years ago, I also found a painful lump in one of my breasts. Not through self-exam (I am horrible at getting into that necessary habit). I just noticed a general area of pain inside one of my breasts all of the time. It was a couple of months, and I finally went to see my Internal Medicine doctor for my physical.

My doctor then found a lump as she did the breast exam & she ordered x-rays as well as a mammogram to be done. The x-rays were no biggie. A little uncomfortable (strange), but I felt okay. The mammogram was kind of how I had anticipated. Not real easy or fun, but necessary nonetheless. {I believe that they got images of both breasts in the mammogram.} I felt like they were trying to squeeze the air out of me! I made it through, just a little sore afterward...but nothing dramatic.

After the tests, I saw my IM doctor again. My lump was gone! My doctor theorized that I had remarkably produced some milk (a few of years after stopping breastfeeding) which had gotten stuck in a duct. She went on to say that the mammogram probably crushed the lump.

Since then, I have had annual mammograms. Perhaps as a result of my earlier experience?? I've been told by other women (my age and older) that they only have the testing done bi-annually. Someone told me that they do annual mammograms with those who have breast cancer running in the family and those who have a greater risk of developing breast cancer.

Breast pain - MayoClinic.com

Gentle hugs to you ~ try not to worry too much. Please do let us know how things go, okay?

Thanks guys. I did have a mammogram, but it was two years ago. They said my breasts were to dense to see into clearly and there was a mass. I ended up doing an ultrasound and MRI which led to them saying, "weird, this is unusual, but unlikely cancer." I'm not really looking forward to that. I ordered the MRI report and it said it may have been that my ducts were prepared to make milk even though my youngest had been weaned for two years.

I had a mass in my breast about two years ago and then had to have mammograms every six months (I am 55 so have a yearly mammo anyway). After a year, it resolved itself (went away). The technician told me I likely had a glad which was slightly inflamed and enlarged. Anyway, keep checking up on it. You are worth it!

I would get it checked out. The lump I found was cancer. The mamogram showed it and the ultrasound confirmed it. You can't be too careful when it comes to your breast health.

The pain went away when I gave up caffeine, but the lump persists. I have an appt a week from Friday.

Good luck with your appt. Hope everything turns out fine.

I just had my first appt. She scheduled me for a mammogram and ultrasound next week.

I have very lumpy, cystic breasts that sound very similar to what you are describing. Generally, fairly large lumps that are moveable are cysts and are not a danger. Usually, cancerous lumps are not moveable and actually tend to be smaller.

Those of us with cystic breasts almost always need ultrasound along with mammograms. I am always given both. Both of my sisters had breast cancer though, so they don't take my exams lightly and insist on two a year.

The time I did need a biopsy was for a spot that was not at all palpable. I had gone in for a large, painful, moveable lump on one side. They were not at all concerned about it (and it was just a really large cyst although they went ahead and aspirated it because it was painful and had hung around for over 3 months), but in the process of investigating, they found this very small spot that was too deep to have ever been felt. I had the biopsy and it did show to be precancerous, but it was removed and marked and is not a concern now.

I've learned to not get too worried about things until they actually say it's time for a biopsy.

I have one large lump, the doctor calls a thickening, that is not moveable that hurt when if first appeared but no longer does. I have a second that is small and very hard, also not moveable. She said she can often tell in an exam that something definitely is cancerous or is not, she was uncertain with both of these which is funny as they are very different.

Hi Gnat, sorry you are in such a situation. Hugs and hopes to you. Can I suggest you
1. cut out the coffee PLEASE
2. Intake 1 tsp of cinnamon per day (hot chocolate, into your portion of curry, or into yoghurt..dont be worried about the caffeine in cocoa)
3.switch your dairy and meat to organic sources
4. Take some serrapeptase

Thanks, the lump turned out to be a fluid filled cyst and the thickening did not look like cancer on the mammogram (although they didn't identify what it could be). What a relief!

Yay!!! thats great, so relieved for you.

I'm so glad to hear good news.