Myth: “Breast Cancer Doesn’t Hurt”

Hello bOObs Bloggettes:

Can breast cancer hurt? I’ve been told by several breast cancer patients that it can. However, their doctors told them it does not hurt and therefore disregarded their complaints, missed their breast cancers (BC), and put them into a later staged tumor once finally detected. This is tragic.

Here’s one story I encountered during an interview: A woman went to her doctor complaining that she had breast pain. The doctor replied, “Well, breast cancer doesn’t hurt.” A mammogram had been conducted months earlier and was fine, so the doctor was about to dismiss her totally, but the woman insisted that it did indeed hurt!

So the doctor ordered a new mammogram. Oops! Something suspicious appeared. Now the doctor ordered an ultrasound (US). Her breasts were dense so of course, as we all know now, the doctor should have ordered the US first, but couldn’t due to the Standard of Care guidelines for screening (see previous blogs on dense breasts). Turns out she did have cancer — and she was now tragically stage 3C, which sadly is basically impossible to permanently reverse using conventional medicine treatments.

I have heard similar stories from several other women. The question is: Why don’t MDs know that cancer in a breast can in fact hurt?  It only stands to reason that it might hurt; think about other forms of cancer in the body. Sometimes those hurt, we’ve been told by loved ones and friends, so why not breast cancer? Where is medicine getting this notion that BC never hurts? Here’s what the American Cancer Society says (along with many, many others on the internet): “Although most breast cancers do not cause pain in the breast or nipple, some do.”

I’ve had so many doctors tell me to “stay off the internet” and “don’t self-diagnose” and then when I do my research later, it’s right there in black and white. I’ve had two chronic diseases misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, so I have this advice for you ladies: Follow your own instincts about your bodies.  You’re the one that has lived with your body the longest amount of time, after all.

PERSONAL STORY: So here’s my own story about breast pain. I received an injury to one of my breasts and years later it began to hurt in that area. Being stubborn, I decided to ignore it — until something on the first thermogram I ever had picked up an abnormality (a temperature difference between my breasts). Oops on my part! But the ultrasound showed no tumor. Whew! Even so, the doctor warned me that it might be a pre-cancer brewing (he actually said it might be cancer but I’m going to stay in denial here) and I needed to reverse the situation right away. So I did. And a year later my breast had stopped hurting and my thermogram returned to normal. I haven’t had any pain since, thankfully!

I’ve written in a previous blog about how I reversed the thermogram findings, but to save you time digging, I’ll tell you this briefly:

1. I changed my eating habits to avoid anything not organic/non-GMO; lots of leafy greens, etc., too
2. I went to a great non-conventional doctor who put me on supplements; I was then able to wean myself off the 3 prescription drugs I was on…and all of the side-effects they had created; I’m still on no Rx as to-date!
3. I dropped the 15-20 pounds I gained on the road filming (mostly at the “free” all-you-can-eat food buffets over in the EU that are so popular (especially with my cinematographer — I couldn’t keep up with him! But I tried and exceeded, obviously…:)))

My story in more detail is in the film “bOObs” and can be rented for a mere $3.99 at this site: boobsDoc.com

It’s a plethora of information all in one 95 min. sitting, ladies! Have a bOObs party and have a discussion afterwards (or during). If you contact me via this blog or through my distributor or FaceBook page, I’m happy to plug into your bOObs pajama party and answer any questions via Skype. Make learning about breast health fun!  Why not? (Wine at intermission is permissible and acceptable:))

Blog at you soon, thanks for reading and helping to spread the word!  (Please see the “share” links below.)  And we’d love to hear comments from you! (see below as well)

Stay healthy,

Megan

Megan Smith, M.S.
Director, bOObs: The War on Women’s Breasts

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