Hi, Mamas.
I'm writing to ask some advice. I am a 38-year-old mother of two. My youngest just turned one year and is still breastfeeding. When my daughter, who is now five, was two, I found a round, hard lump in my left breast, near the edge of my breast by my underarm. I also noticed a small freckle on my breast near the areola. I knew it was new, but it didn't look too suspicious, so I just let it go.
I was concerned about the lump, though, so I went to the dr. and had a mammogram and because I was still breastfeeding, I also had an ultrasound. They test both came back fine. I continued nursing until my daughter was 2.75 years old, three months went by after weaning her, then became pregnant again with my son and am still nursing him.
My question and my concern is, that freckle has now become a strange-looking, (whitish with a darker ring around it) slightly-raised mole, and the lump is still there and has become tender. To the point where if I'm just going about my business walking around town, I feel it aching. I've read that doing mammograms or ultrasounds on a lactating breast can be like looking for a white car in a blizzard. Pretty useless. I don't want to be paranoid if it's something like a simple cyst that I just have to deal with, but if it's something more, I am not sure if there is a special test to ask for, maybe they can do something to the lump itself?
I do have a req for some blood work from the dr. but I'm just looking for advice, anectdotes, etc. from other moms with lumpy breasts that were just that way. Or moms who had cancer detected when breastfeeding through either mammogram or ultrasound. Any any recommendations for good doctors.
Sorry to unload on you all! Thanks!
Hi M.,
First of all I would not start to worry because you can add more stress to the cysts and you do not want to make it worse. I have had 3 lumps in my breast in 30 years and they were cysts also.
If you are interested in learning more on how to get healthier so the cysts remove itself let me know and I will share.
I live in Alameda also.
Have a great day.
N. Marie
Coming from a woman whose mom, mom's mom, and mom's 2 sisters have ALL had breast cancer at some point in the last 10 years, I would get it checked out again just for peace of mind. I'm only 32 and still nursing (about to deliver my 2nd and breastfeed longer), but I'm feeling the need to get an early mammogram. Unfortunately, as you said, it's kinda pointless to do a mammogram when I'm about to nurse a newborn! Just my 2 cents.... Hopefully, the news will be the same!
Hi there,
I would definitely have it checked out again. The change in the freckle alone is worth checking out, I think. It is probably nothing, but worth confirming that just for peace of mind. Regarding the clarity of ultrasounds during nursing, I had ultrasounds to follow up on something while I was nursing -- you do need to empty the breast first, but my understanding is that ultrasound still does a pretty good job. And, when I had my follow-up mammogram (post-weaning), it confirmed that all was OK. I've since talked with a radiologist who told me that mammogram is much more do-able on someone who is nursing a 1 year old than nursing a newborn -- though probably the level of experience of the doctors reading the ultrasounds/mammograms matters here. In any case, I do think you should follow up on it.
Hope that helps,
-D.
Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I would have that checked out again. If it could not be determined whether it was a cystic or solid lump, I would have a needle biopsy. Three years is a long time to have an undiagnosed lump in your breast. I had mammograms when I was breastfeeding; it is true that they can't see as well, but if you pump right before the test they can still see something. Please go back to the doctor and get it checked out again.
Hi M.,
I too have a lump in my breast. I detected it 5 yrs ago while breastfeeding my first child. I had an ultrasound and mammogram done and they couldn't see anything. So then I did a needle biopsy and the cells looked normal and was told that I was at a very low risk of it turning into cancer. My 2 choices were to have it removed or monitor it for the rest of my life. I decided to wait to have it removed after having a 2nd child and done with breastfeeding. I'm currently trying to wean my 2nd so that I can have the surgery. The lump hasn't grown, doesn't bother me, and is more noticeable when I'm engorged. I also have lots more freckles/moles (some flat, some raised)on my chest than before having kids. It's definitely and affect of my pregnancy hormones. Please ask your doctor about having a needle biopsy so that you'll know for sure. Good luck!
