Breast Swelling in Pregnancy

[Sondra Elmore]

Hello.  I am 19 weeks pregnant, this is my 4th child and I'm 34 years old.  I have noticed that one of my breasts has more swelling right around the nipple.  It isn't painful or red, but it does seem kind of strange.  I don't recall this happening in my other pregnancies, but I wasn't as health-worried in those pregnancies either.  My OB is gone for the weekend and I'm concerned.  I've done web searches but only find Inflammatory Breast Cancer?  The only swelling is in the nipple and it doesn't have any dicharge.  Any advice please?

[Sissy31569]

Take it from me please have it checked out. I was 34yrs old in my 14week of my 4th prgncy when I started to notice a weird sweeling like under my left areol area, I gave it til my next 2week visit after using the whole homeremedy of working it thinking it was a milk duct blockage/infection, LOL that what the Dr.assist said it was, but the following wk I went bck 2 c the DR. only. I told her what was going on Now my brst appeared to be engorging only on the out left side around towards the bottom(Divide the breast in half place your left in a *C* & cup the breast add the entire areola area) & told How I truely felt she order a Ultrsnd to be done that wk. It came back 5cm. of darkness. she sent to have the breast & lymph removed. That dr. wanted more testing b4 going to that extreme, order tissue needle byops, *inconclusive/ abnormal* 18wks I having biopsy surgery.it came bck Inflatrating "Invasive" Ductual Carcinmoia 3&1/2cm Grade 3 Er/PR-neg HERs2-pos. Histlogical Grade2 in Nov2004-23wks started Chemo ended Jan20th.2005 now 35ys old gave birth to low birthweight 5'6oz 18in baby girl Feb7 (she would have been estimated well over 8lbs if it was not for chemo.). *they werent able to reach B/C doc so I wasnt allowed to be given any meds to help w/ pain. but after fighting drs. I swithched here I am amlost 5month after birth going through pET SCANs & brst surgry again as the 1st path report stated unclear margin of both cancer & pre cancer cells. + 2 lymphs removed, Path came back. It didnt spread as satics have reported in others like myself, The lymphs were clear PETscn only showed something in Left brst only * could be more cancer or just scar tissue) However in my case it was Cancer 1.5cm margin (everything the same as last 1 er/pr-. Hers2+ ect)surrounding my scar tissue, THANK GOD this doc got it allfor a negivitive margin.That now made my mass well over 5 1/2 cmm in total. (which is actual by satics a level 4-5.) Was ticked that Chemo didnt wrk like I was told it should but hey cant believe everything right. Now Im doing my 2nd half of chemo.
>>My point is they stated 1) Had this during my last prgncy in 2002 birthed a boy 1/5/2005 I was told then it was a normal hormonal prgncy milk duct blockage/infection, go home breast feed work it out. I was misdiagonst then agin this time too until I pushed the issue of checking it out. 2) they said had I not gotten pg even if accidentally for us, I would have most likely been dead by the end of the yr as it was so far & so deep,& being very cystic in both breast no one would have ever found it if it was for my symptoms.
>>> If you are scared by this & feel something is not right w/ ur body PUSH THEM to CHEK IT OUT.. All u can is make them mad enough that they will do something to shut u up. unless u got a good doc.
Best Luck & prayers that u and baby will be safe.
Sissy

[bvanyi]

A related discussion, Breast swelling during pregnancy was started.

[CCF-RN,MSN-JS]

Dear Sondra:  Inflammatory breast cancer, a rare form of breast cancer, gets its name because of symptoms of redness, swelling, warmth  - skin that looks very inflamed.    

During pregnancy there are many changes that normally occur in the breasts.  However, as you have noticed the swelling that is only on the one side, it is reasonable to check with your OB on Monday when they return to the office, to evaluate this change.