Strange breast discharge- mini update #19

[tinuviel_k]

My daughter weaned at the age of four years old, about 2.5 years ago. For about two years afterward I was able to express small drops of milk while doing monthly breast exams, and about six months ago my left breast stopped producing entirely.

My right breast, however, was still producing drops of milk. I didn't do an exam for several months, but when I did one three weeks ago I noticed that the fluid that I expressed from one pore was a dark reddish brown. Every few days I check up on it, and it has not yet done away. It is not discharging by itself, I have to manually express it, but I keep getting this brown fluid from one pore.

Is thins something I should be concerned about?

[2goingon2]

When was your last mammogram?

[Mom2M]

I would get it checked.

[JessicaS]

I would get a mammogram.

[KatWrangler]

I would get a mammogram also.

[tinuviel_k]

I had a mammogram last year, as my nurse doing my exam thought she felt a lump in that breast. I had a mammogram, ultrasound, and a physical breast exam by a specialist, but they found nothing at all. The women in my family have zero history of breast cancer, but almost all of us have has scares because we have really lumpy and textured breasts.

I have my annual exam coming up in May. They can refer me back to the specialist.

[JessicaS]

There are benign things that can do that like a Duct Papilloma which is a wart inside the duct. They do need to look at it though. Don't be worried.

[tinuviel_k]

I found a good article from the Mayo clinic about the subject: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nip...charge/MY00467

The also mention Duct Papilloma, and that discharge like mine only has a 10% chance of being cancer. but yikes! Especially since it is the breast that the midwife thought she felt a lump in last year, and the duct is in about the same place...

I ended up calling the clinic and leaving a message.

[JessicaS]

I have a Duct Papilloma I am supposed to go back in a few weeks for them to double check on it.

[tinuviel_k]

Do you know what they do about it? Is it one of those things that you just leave alone, or is there a treatment they do?

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by tinuviel_k

Do you know what they do about it? Is it one of those things that you just leave alone, or is there a treatment they do?

They would probably examine the fluid and then maybe biopsy I am nursing and haven't noticed any discharge I just had a u/s because my little sister has breastcancer.

They told me worst case scenario for that, they remove the duct, which isn't a huge terrible thing.

They don't want to do a biopsy because I am nursing so they are having me come in again to see if there was any change.

[zjandosmom]

Not to scare you but.......I would see a breast specialist. I had a lump that was not picked up on mammo or ultrasound (could be felt though) and it was cancer. Discharge can be a sign of cancer. You will feel better knowing what it is and a breast specialist is the best one to give you answers. HTH.

[tinuviel_k]

Mini-update

I managed to get a next-day appointment with the nurse-midwife clinic that does my annual exam. They did a breast exam, took a sample of the discharge, and referred me out to a specialist. That is exactly what I needed to have happen.

I have an appointment with the specialist on Monday morning for a ductogram. They will inject a contrast dye into the milk duct that is producing the brown discharge and then do a mammogram. I am a little nervous, though I have heard the process isn't overly painful. I think I am even more nervous over what the might/might not find.

Wish me luck and clear results...

[pianojazzgirl]

Good luck mama.

[JessicaS]

Good Luck!!

[Mom2M]

Thinking of you, good luck!

[subtlycrunchy]

Hope your appt. Monday goes well! Found a great article on breast discharge -- chart that explains all the possible reasons. Breast cancer is detected in fewer than 10 percent of women with abnormal breast discharge -- which means there is an over 90 percent chance that you have nothing to worry about in that department! Here it is, from Women to Women... Medical causes of breast discharge. Good luck!

[lil_miss_understood]

Subbing and thinking of you, tinuviel.

[tinuviel_k]

another mini-update

I had my appointment this morning. Unfortunately they did not do the ductogram today. They need to make a second appointment for me with th radiology department for the ductogram and mammogram. Drat! I was really hoping to get that done with. They have not yet called me back with the new appointment, but I hope it is soon.

From what the doctor and I talked about it sounds like it is indeed a ductal papilloma, and it has about 10% chance of being cancerous. They want to do the imaging work, and then schedule surgery to remove it. I can either be put under with a mask and IV, and risk waking up a bit in the middle of surgery (though I won't remember). She said that sometimes when patients 'wake up" during the surgery they can feel sensation and pain, and it can effect how thorough the surgery is. Or I can go the full general anesthesia route, complete with intubation. I've never had surgery before. I'm worried.

After the surgery they will analyze the tumor to see if it is cancerous or not. And then we'll go from there.

It is a bit overwhelming. I was thinking there would be a ductogram, and then a biopsy. But it looks like they want to jump straight into surgery after the ductogram. Since the papilloma will probably have to be removed anyway there isn't much point in going through a core biopsy.

[KatherineNaomi]

I'm sorry you weren't able to find out more at your appointment today.

I'm going through something very similar right now. I too am having non-spontaneous bloody nipple discharge from one breast, one duct. I've had a mammogram and ultrasound which both looked normal. I'm waiting to hear on the cytology report for the discharge and I'm anxiously awaiting an appointment with the breast surgeon on May 13th. While I know it's most likely benign I can't help but get that sick feeling of worry in the pit of my stomach now and then. I hope we both get good news soon.