I am getting a little worried. Over the
last two years or so, since hitting the
menopause, I have had repeated bouts of
cysts in my left breast. The first time,
I had fluid drawn off by needle and
because it was black and cloudy, I had to
have a mammogram and a biopsy, which
thankfully showed it to be nothing more
than a cyst. Then I had another couple
last year and had another mammogram but
the breast specialist decided just to
leave well alone for now but said that if
they got worse, to come back and they
would operate on the breast.
Well, I now have two large and very
painful lumps and am awaiting a call from
the breast clinic for assessment. I am
worried about the possibility of an
operation as I am not sure what this
involves and how radical it needs to be.
I am also a little worried that these
cysts could be pre-cancerous. I suppose I
am asking for anyone who has had this
condition to give me some sort of
prognosis.
I do not take hrt and have only very
minimal caffeine intake. I wonder what
else I could be doing to improve things.
Any ideas?
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Galaxy
Supporter
Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 512 Location: U.K,
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Posted: 03-20-08 06:22am
Just to update, the pain in my breast
became pretty unbearable so my GP has now
given me antibiotics and painkillers to
keep things manageable till the
appointment comes through. I asked her a
little more about the excision thing - it
seems pretty straightforward and can be
done as day surgery. I have also been
reassured that cysts are almost never
pre-cancerous. I suppose that was my main
worry! But would still welcome any
reassurance and comment from fellow
sufferers out there!
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PenguinsRus
Moderator
Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Posts: 1179 Location: New York, NY United States
Thanks: 28
Thanked:8
Posted: 03-20-08 10:23am
Unfortunately, sometimes the healthiest
people run into problems and the people
who do tons of harm to their body get away
with nothing bad ever happening. I've
never personally had this problem, but I
would love it if you keep us updated on
what the doctor says. When is your
appointment? Good luck and I hope
everything works out for you!!
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antigone
Supporter
Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 847 Location: IL
Thanks: 40
Thanked:15
Posted: 03-21-08 11:20am
My best friend had cysts in her breasts.
She leaked clear, blood tinged, and black
discharge from her nipples. Her doctor did
the whole work up and they were benign.
The cysts were painful at times but
eventually they did recede on their own.
Let us know how you do.
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Georgia59
Moderator
Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5311 Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
Thanks: 62
Thanked:27
Posted: 03-21-08 20:18pm
Did your doc say it would help if you did
take hrt? Not saying that you should
because I know that's a really complicated
decision, but just a thought.
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Galaxy
Supporter
Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 512 Location: U.K,
Thanks: 5
Thanked:0
Posted: 03-21-08 20:39pm
No, the opposite really. I started
getting the cysts while on hrt and after a
couple of years he told me to come off it
as there is a higher risk of BC with hrt
and also more likelihood of recurrent
cysts. I have been off hrt for about 6
months now and lo and behold, the cysts
are back, so hrt does not seem to have
made any difference, on or off it.
Incidentally, I tried Black Cohosh as an
hrt substitute and within 2 months was
having liver problems. My Gp advised
staying away from pretty well all
alternative medicines as they are not all,
he said, properly researched for e.g
potential liver failure etc - and a man
died here a couple of weeks ago from liver
failure after taking black cohosh. I know
this might seem off topic but I would just
like to warn other users to be very
careful with alternatives to hrt!
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Georgia59
Moderator
Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5311 Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
but Black Cohosh is coming under scrutiny
too. Certainly, my liver enzymes were
more than tripled while I was on it, and
that was only after two months! I came
off it and they fell right back down to
almost normal.
It is a shame that people believe they are
taking a harmless alternative to
pharmaceuticals and yet they are perhaps
playing Russian Roulette with their
health.
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