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Bleeding from Nipple

Is bleeding from the nipple a sign of cancer?  I am freaked out.  I have always had nipple discharge, but now I get a bit of brown/red discharge from one duct of my left breast.  I have no lumps.  I am so scared.  I have a doctors appointment next week.
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Avatar universal
It's understandable that this is a concerning time for you.  I think many people find waiting (for tests, results, procedures, etc) the hardest.  I think it's natural to be frightened and anxious.
I have this new philosophy where I try not to stress until at least just before something.  Stressing doesn't solve anything and can sometimes make the situation worse.

My advice would be to try and relax.  Maybe spend some quality time with your family to take your mind off this.  Anything that will distract you could be helpful.

Don't squeeze your breast.  This won't help and could make things worse.  It's probably a good sign that the blood isn't coming out spontaneously.  Sometimes clothing rubbing against your breast can be enough to stimulate it to discharge.

Have you had your breast examined previously for the discharge?  Just curious.  Brown sounds like old blood where the red stuff sounds fresh.

I had a bloody nipple discharge which was spontaneous.  I saw my doctor he did a breast exam and took a swab of the blood.  He also ordered blood tests.  I had a mammogram and an ultrasound.  Microcalcifications were found on my mammogram and ?blood/ debris found with the ultrasound.  I then saw a surgeon who refered me for a stereostatic biopsy.  The result of this came back negative for cancer.  I then had a ductogram.  A radiologist placed a needle and fine tubing into my duct and injected saline I think it was.  Maybe it was dye.  I can't remember now it was a few years ago and a lot has happened in that time.  I then had another mammogram which showed the duct well.  The mammogram showed that I had several intraductal papillomas.
Because my nipple was bleeding I had my duct surgically removed.  The results from this did come back saying that I had precancerous cells growing which then required further surgery and radiation.

I honestly wouldn't stress now because you don't know which way it will go.  Stuff happens all the time which is unexpected.  I would just take each moment as it comes and take this step by step.  You have a doctors appointment and you won't know anymore til then.  Even then you may not know a lot more as your doctor may need you to undergo more tests (mammogram, etc).
Just athought but are you able to get an earlier doctor's appointment?  Could you say that you are having symptoms and are extremely anxious.

I was also just wondering if your high anxiety was caused by your over active thyroid.

I found a women-to-women webpage on nipple discharge informative.  It went through possibilities for different color discharges.

I'm sorry you're so stressed.  I hope my post has helped a little.
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962875 tn?1314210036
Please rerview all the posts above, advising you NOT TO SQUEEZE, and explaining why.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I think they referred to it as fibrocystic condition?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i forgot to say I am only getting this when i squeeze, it is not coming out by itself.  Also my ultrasounds showed many cysts in both breasts.  Can cysts bleed at all?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i am having more problems.  Ever since I had all those tests, I have been so scared that the bleeding would come back and I have been squeezing my nipples several times during a day to make sure it didn't come back.  Tonight I squeezed them and it did come back.  I don't know what do to because it was only 8 weeks ago that I had all these tests and everything was fine, I didn't have anything to suggest I had cancer.  I have read that excessive squeezing can cause damage to the breast tissue and cause bleeding.  Has anybody ever heard of this?  I am so scared.  I know I shouldn't be squeezing my nipples but I can't stop.  Could I be causing the problem.  My anxiety disappeared after I got my good news and now I feel so sick!!  Somebody help me!!
Helpful - 0
25201 tn?1255580836
CONTRATULATIONS !!! Couldn't ask for better news .... I'm happy too; that's the kind of news we like to hear.  Take care now and enjoy a worry free summer.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Got my results, it is a benign fibroadenoma!!  Yah!  Nothing to worry about!  I am so happy.
Helpful - 0
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