Ain't it just GREAT being a woman..

[Amaranthus]

Aside from all the obvious hardships us females suffer, I've now got sharp shooting pains in my left breast, which are annoying the hell out of me. Been there for a few days now and seem to be getting worse. Has anyone else had this and what turned out to be the cause?

 

I've Googled the symptoms but none of the results seem to match exactly what I'm feeling.

[chem1st]

Do you lay on one side?

 

I lay down on my settee funny (always on the left), and I sometimes get funny pains in that arm.

[Amaranthus]

Do you lay on one side?

 

I lay down on my settee funny (always on the left), and I sometimes get funny pains in that arm.

 

Nah, I don't lay on the settee, I just sit. In bed I don't favour one side either so don't think it's that.

[Bethsmummy]

Aside from all the obvious hardships us females suffer, I've now got sharp shooting pains in my left breast, which are annoying the hell out of me. Been there for a few days now and seem to be getting worse. Has anyone else had this and what turned out to be the cause?

 

I've Googled the symptoms but none of the results seem to match exactly what I'm feeling.

 

Ha, You could be me shaz, About six weeks ago I started with exactly the same. Shooting pains which go into my armpit & a heavy dull ache in my right breast.

Went to the docs fearing silly things who gave me a breast exam. Nothing abnormal so doc put it down to hormones & told me to return if it happens again.

After about 10 days it did indeed go away and I thought that was the end of it.

Then last week it all flared up again. Went back to the docs and to my suprise when she checked my notes it was exactly a month to the date since I last went with it. She did a second exam to make sure but her conclusion is that its "cyclic breast pain" Associated with my monthly cycle.

Apparently a third of all woman say it afflicts them so profoundly it affects normal daily life and although most do say it occurs in both breasts, There are a propotion of woman who only suffer from it in one.

It seems to peak at its worst around the age of 30 (which Ill be turning in 6 weeks...lol)

Docs advised evening primrose which many woman claim solves the problem combined with a low fat diet.....Yeah right, like thats gunna happen for me lol.

Do nip to the GP's for a breast exam though It'll just put your mind at ease and if you find anything else helps then Pleeeeease let me know.......XXXX

[medusa]

I'm with Bethsmummy on this one- cyclical breast pain is so common that breast pain is very rarely anything to worry about.

 

If you combine this with the fact that the biggest worry is usually tumours, but very few breast tumours are painful (so much so that it's one of the doctors' questions as it's a diagnostic aid) then it is extremely likely that you have a hormonal breast pain.

 

However, if you don't currently do a breast self-examination on a regular basis, please start learning how to do it yourself if only because it will put your mind at rest month to month.

 

Breast tissue is not smooth and when you start doing a proper self-examination you'll find all of the mammary glands make the breast feel lumpy, so if you find a lump that's nothing to worry about.

 

What is important is that you do your examination at the same part of your cycle regularly so that you minimise the variation in your test which is caused by hormones and you get to know which lumpy bits are your normal tissue, so that you would recognise changes in that texture. A change happening over the course of months is what you're hoping not to find, but even if you do, the chance is over 90% that the lump will not be dangerous.

[Rampent]

Do you lay on one side?

 

I lay down on my settee funny (always on the left), and I sometimes get funny pains in that arm.

 

I know that feeling. What site you watching?

[chem1st]

I know that feeling. What site you watching?

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk of course!

[lizacrew]

to make sure but her conclusion is that its "cyclic breast pain" Associated with my monthly cycle.

Apparently a third of all woman say it afflicts them so profoundly it affects normal daily life and although most do say it occurs in both breasts, There are a propotion of woman who only suffer from it in one.

[Amaranthus]

Ha, You could be me shaz, About six weeks ago I started with exactly the same. Shooting pains which go into my armpit & a heavy dull ache in my right breast.

Went to the docs fearing silly things who gave me a breast exam. Nothing abnormal so doc put it down to hormones & told me to return if it happens again.

After about 10 days it did indeed go away and I thought that was the end of it.

Then last week it all flared up again. Went back to the docs and to my suprise when she checked my notes it was exactly a month to the date since I last went with it. She did a second exam to make sure but her conclusion is that its "cyclic breast pain" Associated with my monthly cycle.

Apparently a third of all woman say it afflicts them so profoundly it affects normal daily life and although most do say it occurs in both breasts, There are a propotion of woman who only suffer from it in one.

It seems to peak at its worst around the age of 30 (which Ill be turning in 6 weeks...lol)

Docs advised evening primrose which many woman claim solves the problem combined with a low fat diet.....Yeah right, like thats gunna happen for me lol.

Do nip to the GP's for a breast exam though It'll just put your mind at ease and if you find anything else helps then Pleeeeease let me know.......XXXX

 

I came across cyclic breast pain when I was looking up my symptoms on Google, but dismissed it because I don't normally get this at any time of my cycle. Also because I didn't fit into the age range it mentioned, but it could be this I guess. It said that evening primrose oil helps but, coincidentally, I've already been taking it for a few weeks so it obviously doesn't work for me lol. If it doesn't go in the next day or so I'll go to the doctor. If I discover a cure you'll be the first to know.

[Amaranthus]

I'm with Bethsmummy on this one- cyclical breast pain is so common that breast pain is very rarely anything to worry about.

 

If you combine this with the fact that the biggest worry is usually tumours, but very few breast tumours are painful (so much so that it's one of the doctors' questions as it's a diagnostic aid) then it is extremely likely that you have a hormonal breast pain.

 

However, if you don't currently do a breast self-examination on a regular basis, please start learning how to do it yourself if only because it will put your mind at rest month to month.

 

Breast tissue is not smooth and when you start doing a proper self-examination you'll find all of the mammary glands make the breast feel lumpy, so if you find a lump that's nothing to worry about.

 

What is important is that you do your examination at the same part of your cycle regularly so that you minimise the variation in your test which is caused by hormones and you get to know which lumpy bits are your normal tissue, so that you would recognise changes in that texture. A change happening over the course of months is what you're hoping not to find, but even if you do, the chance is over 90% that the lump will not be dangerous.

 

Thanks, I'm going to start doing it regularly now. I've only been checking intermittently.