Breast lump from bruise

[pushka]

3 weeks ago I believe I bumped my left breast on my bedroom door handle.  A few days later a large lump appeared with a faint yellow sheen on it.  Within days a massive bruise covered 2/3rd's of my breast..I take warfarin so am used to this occurring.  The bruise has all but gone now, but the lump is still there, still the same size and very prominent.

I went to the urgent care centre today, hoping they might be able to treat the lump immediately if it was found to be a Hematoma which needed draining or anything. The doc who examined me said that the lump was quite large for the kind of injury I described, thought I ought to have fallen over to get such a large lump, and said that it may just be a result of the trauma, but has recommended a Mammogram be taken asap.  He asked me to make an appt. with my doctor for tomorrow, so that the mammogram can be ordered.

Has anyone had similar circumstances?  I know that I was concerned that a lump may have been developing on another part of my left breast in the days before this one appeared, and that I can barely remember bumping my breast, so was unsure whether or not the lump/bruising was from an injury, but the bruise did take the typical route of all bruises as in colour changes, spreading due to gravity and use of warfarin etc.

[zouzi]

Hi there,
Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive type of breast cancer,it accounts for only 1 to 4 percent of all breast cancers.The main symptoms are,diffuse breast enlargement,"Peau d'Orange" (Orange peel appearance) redness, itchiness and the breast is warm to the touch. It is called inflammatory because the symptoms that are usually redness and warmth in the skin of the breast, often without a distinct lump,it can be mistaken for an infection and initially be treated with antibiotics. IBC would not get better on the antibiotics, and symptoms would be unlikely to resolve on their own.A skin biopsy is usually the best test to detect IBC.
As Katarina has suggested it is certainly a good idea to mention the possibility of IBC to your doctor.
Take care...

[pushka]

Thank you Kat, it's those changes that are worrying to me too..thanks for your concern.  I spoke to the anti-coagulation clinic and they don't know why the bruising is re-occurring..they said to just tell my doctor about the changes, which I am doing tomorrow by telephone, altho I would feel better if the doc could actually see the changes for herself too..and will see what she says about it, I don't know if they could bring my appt. any closer now, as it's only a few days away really.

With IBC I was under the impression that you don't get any lumps?  Or is that just one way in which it can present itself?  I have thought about IBC a few times when considering the changes etc.  How did yours present?

I hope you're doing okay with your chemo, it's very good of you to be so considerate of others when you're going thru this yourself...I hope the chemo isn't making you feel too ill x

[katarina777]

What worries me are the constant changes you see and experience re: size, color, edges, in, out, etc. Even changes in number of lumps.

I should be sleeping but am afraid that I won't wake up for chemo in three morning if I do.  kat

[pushka]

Hi BB and Kat, thanks for your further replies.

BB, I'm so happy that the mamm is due within a week now :)

Kat..I'm very concerned too, as yet further changes have occurred with the lump/s.  Yesterday they were very pale yellow, today they are bright, egg yolk yellow and bruising is occurring around the edges again.  

I take Warfarin, have been on it for 14 years and will be on it for life, and have noticed that I'm having anti-coagulant problems at the mo.  My INR (the rate at which my blood clots compared to somebody not on warfarin) has been increasing since Feb, meaning it takes longer for the blood to clot and that I am prone to bruising/bleeding problems as a result.  My dose of Warfarin has been reduced accordingly, to make the INR figure decrease, but it hasn't been doing so..I got my latest blood results yesterday and it has increased again..with this and the recurring bruising happening together I can't help but think they are related.  Do I have a breast lump problem, maybe not instigated by an injury as I've had the same injury to both breasts before and since and haven't had any lumps/recurrent bruising as a result..or a blood coagulation problem, or both!

I have rung the anti-coag clinic today, and asked for a call back regarding the result and the lump, and have a telephone appt. with my GP again tomorrow afternoon, as she isn't in surgery today, so that I can explain the changes to her, and I certainly will be mentioning the full history at the breast clinic next week.  I've taken photos of the lump/bruising at various stages and may place them onto a cd to show the specialists.

Thanks again for your continuing support and concern.  I'm very sorry that you were diagnosed with IBC, Kat, and hope that your treatment of it is successful.

[katarina777]

Hi, I just read what you have written these past couple of days, and I do not like the sound of what is happening. Pushka, I want to be sure that you do not leave your appointment on Monday with further information, and if for any reason you are told it's nothing, I want to make sure the word IBC came up. it;s not that I am out to worry you, or that I know what you have, or anything at all....still, as I myself have been diagnosed with IBC (Inflammatory breast cancer), I have a right to just ask you to mention it to the doc? (I am kidding, but not all) Please let us know. Kat

[bluebutterfly2222]

Thanks for explaining to me more about how the health care system woks in the UK.

I'm glad your mammo is scheduled, and is only a week away!

Hang in there,
bb