Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

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.
Best Answer
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.
37 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Nobody has on here what their outcome is!  I certainly will be so people can be more information.  Can somebody please give me information on what I should do until I go to the docs.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Can anybody offer me any advise until I see the doctor.  I am very keen to hear from anybody who has had this condition?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Can you give me any simple or herbal remidies to try and stop the bleeding.  It is only a drop when I squeeze my nipple, maybe once a day.  Any suggestions would be great.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sorry but when you asked if it spontaneous or only when squeezing I thougt you may have another suggestion.

Sorry again but nobody would answer my latest posts.
Helpful - 0
962875 tn?1314210036
Just a suggestion: Please keep your related posts in the same thread, so that we can provide better answers by having all of your information in one place, and so that we can see previous answers that have been given and  avoid duplication of  efforts.

You  asked this question in your recent thread and had answers from zouzi:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Breast-Cancer/Blood-Discharge/show/1515151

Thanks for your future cooperation.

Best wishes...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am so scared!  I can't eat, sleep!  The discharge only happens when I squeeze the nipple and now of cause I am squeezing it every 5 minutes to see if it has gone away!  I have always had a greyish discharge when squeezed.  Can you let me know your thoughts on that.  I have had trouble with overactive thyroid in the past.  I am scared out of my wits, I have a 6 year old girl who I can't bear her to be without me.
Helpful - 0

You are reading content posted in the Breast Cancer Community

Popular Resources
A quick primer on the different ways breast cancer can be treated.
Diet and digestion have more to do with cancer prevention than you may realize
From mammograms to personal hygiene, learn the truth about these deadly breast cancer rumors.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.