severe breast infection ? Posted: 07-10-08 23:21pm
About a year and a half ago my aunt fell
on the handle of a vacuum cleaner which
hit
her in the breast. Her breast was sore
from it, and a couple of weeks later 2
sores
appeared where she had banged herself. Not
long after discovering them, as odd as it
sounds,
she was stung by a bee at the top of her
breast. After the bee sting the sores got
worse. She
managed to heal one of them, but the other
continued to spread. My aunt isn't the
brightest
person, and put all kinds of stuff on her
breast to try and heal it- things like raw
garlic,
and even mouthwash. Nothing helped and
when it got really bad she went to the
doctor, who told
her she might have breast cancer and
should have a biopsy. She was scared, and
didn't have
the biopsy. She kept putting things on it
to try and heal, and then moved across
country to
her other home. After the move her breast
continued to get worse. It is now all
folded up on
the bottom half, she has no nipple because
it is almost as if her breast has
swallowed itself.
The breast is hard as a rock, raised up as
if she had an implant (but doesn't), and
bright red. There is
discharge coming from the hole that is now
huge and at the underneath. It bleeds
often
and is hard to stop it once it starts.
She is always in pain. Her arm and side
are all
swollen. Her lymph nodes are swollen, and
she now has a lump on her side, parallel
to her breast.
She has had five more doctors look at it
who all say it is definitely breast
cancer,
but not one of them have done a biopsy to
make sure. They look at it and say yes,
this is
definitely breast cancer, no doubt about
it. They haven't given her hope that it is
much else-
even though this didn't start until she
fell on the vacuum cleaner... and didn't
start to get
really bad until after the bee sting.
I am a person that constantly questions...
I know a lot of doctors have looked at it,
but is it
possible to say that a person absolutely,
positively has cancer if there has never
been a biopsy?
With all the super infections like mrsr,
staphylcoccus (sp?), or whatever, (and all
the stuff she
rubbed into it... which she never
mentioned to the dr's) could there be a
chance
that this is just a really, really, bad
infection?
There is no breast infection that can last
for more than a year. Symptoms you
mentioned (no nipple, swelling, breast
hardness, discharge coming from the hole,
bleeding, swollen arm, swollen lymph nodes
etc.) are typical for advanced breast
cancer. It is true that only biopsy can
confirm the diagnosis 100% sure but
advanced cases like your aunt's case don't
need biopsy. Her case is probably lost.
Neither vacuum cleaner nor the bee are
responsible for your aunt breast cancer.
Breast cancer can not be caused by any
mechanic trauma. Etiology of breast cancer
is still unknown. There are some evidences
that is genetically conditioned. So,
instead of doubting about your aunt's case
you should start taking care about
yourself. You should perform breast
self-examination in front of a mirror
every month. You should also consult a
doctor once a year.
|
stylist774
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 2
Posted: 07-16-08 22:42pm
My aunt had a culture last week and it
turns out that she has a serious life
threatening infection, caused from 2
different strains of bacteria. She is
being admitted to the hospital for
intravenous antibiotic treatment. They
will do a biopsy at some point just
incase, but it seems that the true cause
of her illness has been overlooked time
and time again, as I suspected.
|
antigone
Supporter
Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 998 Location: IL
Thanks: 49
Thanked:18
Posted: 07-17-08 08:53am
I am sorry to hear that your aunt is ill.
This indeed does sound like breast cancer.
The puckering you describe is a clinical
sign of breast cancer. The infection she
has developed is probably related to the
sores she developed after the initial
injury. The antibiotics will clear up the
infection. I hope she will allow the
doctors to do a biopsy.
Let us know how she is!
If she is diagnosed with breast cancer you
need to listen to what Dr. Nikola said and
do self examinations monthly and get
mammograms done as recommended by your
gynecologist. As with anything, early
intervention and treatment yield the best
odds for a positive outcome.
Bacterial infection can be a secondary
complication to the primary disorder -
breast cancer. I wish your ant to have
only bacterial infection but I am scared
that breast cancer could be the primary
disorder. Anyway, it is good that she
finally agreed to do biopsy so that
precise diagnosis can be established.
