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Underarm Pain

Posted , 113 users are following.

watesey
watesey

Where do I start. Hoping someone can put my mind at rest.

In January, I had a nasty virus which led to chest pains, feeling terrible, palpitations, went to doctors, had ECG and bloods, all normal. Was taking Cerazette mini pill at time, stopped taking it. Started feeling a little better, started taking again. Had dull ache under left armpit and sore boobs. Put this down to starting pill again. Chest started feeling all tight and heavy, pains again, so stopped pill again, went back to doctors, slight swelling to sternum area, told I had Costochondritis. Pain in underarm/left side of breast continued, had a good check doing self breast exam, went back to doctors, had examination off the doctor, no lumps felt, no swollen lymph nodes, doctor put it down to combination of hormomes and costochondritis. Painful armpit went away, got my period, started taking cerazette again.

After a few days, started feeling ill again, armpit and left breast uncomfortable. Took pill for about 12 days, then made decision to stop it altogether, had another doctors apt - blood pressure, heart rate and ECG (again) all normal.

However, dull pain/ache still in armpit and sometimes down left side of breast, sometimes ache down arm. Its intermittent, not always there, when I'm sitting and relaxing I dont feel it, its not stopping me sleeping. When I'm doing things around the house, i'm aware of it. When I squeeze my armpit towards my body, I can feel the ache, but when I stop squeezing,

i dont feel it.  Both my breasts look as normal as usual.

I'm sick of waking up every day to this, worrying about it, the doctor says there no lumps and it will probably go away in time, but i'm worried that theres something more seriously wrong, and keep thinking im going to die and leave my husband and daughter which upsets me and makes me think of it more!

I have a 2 year old child that Im always lifting up, and i'm left handed, am wondering if it could be hormonal due to the amount of times I've stopped and started the mini pill in a short space of time, and also if I maybe have a trapped nerve or damaged a muscle in some way.

Any comments would be appreciated.

7 likes, 162 replies

162 Replies

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  • tracey2016
    tracey2016 watesey

    Posted

    i have had this same sort of pain on going now for about 4 years. everytime i go to doctors they say that i have pulled my muscles and they cant feel any lumps. i am constantly worrying about this everyday but doctor doesnt seem to be taking it any further. i know that theres something not right
  • kati27219
    kati27219 watesey

    Posted

    So glad to have found this thread. I hear so many of your concerns re possible breast cancer etc. Fortunately, I am actually a breast cancer survivor, however I was diagnosed several years ago, before these symptoms started. As you can imagine, I too was thinking the worst. I do still plan to see my oncologist to run the gamut of tests to be sure. However, I think I've pieced something together from your posts. There have been several comments about menopause and hormones. I am on hormone therapy to prevent a recurrence. It's called tamoxifen and I tend to call it a lot of other awful names bc the side effects have greatly changed my quality of life despite the benefits of it. The role of tamoxifen is to block the estrogen in my body, therefore depriving any stray cancer cells of fuel. Ie my body is being thrown into menapause. Because of the side effects, I have gone on and off of the meds Several times. This last time, I stopped for abt three weeks in hopes that my moods etc would stabilize. Unfortunately, I didn't feel a great improvement and went back on the medicine per my husbands request. And then this wierd pain started. I do recall feeling a pop above my left breast, near the clavicle a few weeks ago, like a pulled muscle. But I wasn't doing anything physical. Quite the contrary sad. Then I had pain under my armpit which would go into my bicep and downto my elbow. It comes and goes but is really uncomfortable. Sometimes it feels like a pulled muscle but other times it's very different. A theory I have is that when our hormones are out of balance we often feel a lot of crazy symptoms, one being widespread inflammation. Perhaps this is similar?? And likely exacerbated by anxiety?? I plan to talk to my oncologist and then also see a natural doc I've seen in the past. See your docs and insist that they help you find a solution. Sometimes chiropractors or holistic docs are more willing to find the causes and answers. Even slight changes in diet and nutrition can help with inflammatory issues. Hope you all find some relief soon!
  • Desi52712
    Desi52712 watesey

    Posted

    So I'm currently freaking out...I have major health anxiety and a severe phobia of cancer who would not...I'm 23 with 2 kids and this freaks me so I started with sharp breast pain in left breast thought I felth bumps so got u/s on left breast said I had dense breast but no lumps they were natural breast changes so after they said things were good pain subsided so I though maybe it's all in my head again then like muscle spasms on top portion of breast started and into my outer armpit... I'm totally freaking thinking. The worst scared my doctor might think I'm crazy I keep looking at my breast thinking I see things now idk if my breast is sinking in and this is on the opposite breast I started with
  • WhiteRabbit17
    WhiteRabbit17 watesey

    Posted

    My reply was removed by the moderator because I made the mistake of naming the lady who does my deep tissue massage. So, I'm trying again. First don't worry I have had this. It is most likely your lymph glands. They can be very painful even to the point where you can't lift your arm. I have them massaged very month by the anonymous lady who gets right into the ribs and for a week after I feel 100%.  You can help yourself by digging your fingers into the crook of your arm and pinching. I hope this passes the moderator as I'm only trying to help.

     

    • Desi52712
      Desi52712 WhiteRabbit17

      Posted

      Yea one day that area was just jumping like crazy and my anxiety was on a thousand so scary but thank you so much for your input.!
  • darkangel2626
    darkangel2626 watesey

    Posted

    Hi watesy, Im experiencing the same problem except that Im a male and Im experiencing this for about a month now. I've gone to four doctors and told me the same thing - costochondritis. I feel relieved by taking anti-inflammatory and massaging the painful part with some menthol cream but then the pain comes and goes. Did your doctor find a diagnosis
  • WhiteRabbit17
    WhiteRabbit17 watesey

    Posted

    I have two bits of information on this.

    I had the most awful pain under my arm, it stopped me sleeping and worried the life out of me. The lady who does my deep tissue massage eventually found a ligament in the crease my armpit that needed to be worked on. Result: Amazing. It is better but I was on the verge of going to the doctors so convinced was I that I was dying.

    Secondly, I have suffered from smollen lymph nodes under my arm for ages and the same lady massages these away but the best way to deal with them on a daily basis is Oil Of Evening Primrose, the real McCoy not synthetic copies. This has fast and effective relief.

    I hope that helps you all.   

    • elaine00004
      elaine00004 WhiteRabbit17

      Posted

      Hi!

      Thanks for sharing your story.

      How much Evening Primrose Oil do you take and how often?

      Thank you! smile

    • WhiteRabbit17
      WhiteRabbit17 elaine00004

      Posted

      Two of the biggest pills you can get once a day but I think you can take more. 
    • elaine00004
      elaine00004 WhiteRabbit17

      Posted

      Great. Thanks!

      I actually have some right now.

      Was taking it but not consistently.

      I will start taking it religiously and see if it helps my breast pain.

      Thanks again! smile

  • christy01558
    christy01558 watesey

    Posted

    Having this exact same problems except without the meds went to emergency room everything tested normal and they told me it was separation of cartilage between ribcage and breast bone though they did an x-ray and again normal and that was where they sent me home
    • christy01558
      christy01558

      Posted

      I guess what they told me was also costochondrit is weird thing is that's all in the left side and my armpit lump is on the right
  • m56411
    m56411 watesey

    Posted

    So glad I came across this post as I am seriously freaking out about the pain in my left Breast and armpit. I do not feel a lump but feel like something is wrong. I was diagnosed last year with a rare form of ventricular arrhythmias and I have been putting off this pain for about 8 months thinking it was a side effect of my medication. My breast is very swollen about twice the size of the right breast. I am going to the doctors tomorrow and hoping he signs me up for every test in the book as I have two children under 4 and I am only 33 years old.
  • m56411
    m56411 watesey

    Posted

    So glad I came across this post as I am seriously freaking out about the pain in my left Breast and armpit. I do not feel a lump but feel like something is wrong. I was diagnosed last year with a rare form of ventricular arrhythmias and I have been putting off this pain for about 8 months thinking it was a side effect of my medication. My breast is very swollen about twice the size of the right breast. I am going to the doctors tomorrow and hoping he signs me up for every test in the book as I have two children under 4 and I am only 33 years old.
  • ashley91408
    ashley91408 watesey

    Posted

    I too am experience ing the same pain on my left side and sometime under my left braest. I have had this problem for over a few years test show everything is fine..... I need help the pain hurts the side of my neck arm and elbow
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