Breast lump - ease my fears

[Momtotwo2004]

But be honest too.

I have been nursing for almost 7 years straight now with no breaks.  3 different kiddos.  My newest is 8 months old.  I have discovered a lump for the first time.  In the middle of the night Wednesday I noticed my breast was hurting.  The next day, upon examining, I found a lump.  It's not really in the breast itself.  It's higher up, on my chest (but still breast area) and it's oval shaped, about 1 or 1 1/2 inches long. It's sort of flat and it can shift a bit but seems kind of firm.  The lump itself is not especially sore.  But then the right side of my breast, where I can't find a lump, is very sore.  It aches/burns quite a bit, especially to the touch.  I have done some hot packing, a hot shower, some massage, some nursing aerobics, all to see if I can get it loose.  Yesterday I felt really crappy (low grade fever, achey, exhausted, head aches, cold chills).  Today I feel ok.

I don't think I would even be thinking twice about this normally.  I would probably just assume I have a plugged duct.  But very recently my good friend (a mom my age who also nursed for a very long time) was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer.  Her symptoms were very similar to mine.  Now I've pretty much convinced myself that I have it too.

[Emma Bryan Fuller]

so sorry you are going through this. Not much advice but I went through that too. I still have the golf ball sized lump. They took a sample and it was fibristic (sp?) tissue. The waiting was awful, imagining the worst.

Just remember that despite your friends experience...the odds are greatly on your side. It is very unlikely that this is anything bad. The sooner you find out, the sooner it will be over.  Keep us posted and please put your mind at rest soon.

[katelove]

I found a lump when I was pregnant. I had an ultrasound when I first discovered it and another one a few months later. Both indicated that it is a galactocele (milk cyst). It's like a plugged duct but more permanent. The duct gets blocked with protein debris and you can't clear it like you usually can with a plugged duct.

It's not an issue unless it gets too big or is in a spot which can interfere with attachment (mine is under my areola so if it gets too big it could make attachment tricky). The treatment is ultrasound-guided aspiration and I was advised that there wasn't much point until I had finished BFing for good (unless it got too big).

You didn't mention in your OP but I assume you've made an appointment with your GP to get it checked? S/he should refer you for an ultrasound.

All the best, the chances are high that it is something benign.