pain under armpit area and in breast tissue

Hi all,

I am new to all of this and have a question related to pain under armpit and in breast tissue area. I was diagnosed with a PE on May 1, 2008 (they believe it was an older clot----I had shortness of breath and started getting pain on left side radiating to the left arm which caused me to start with my internist and be sent to cardiologist and then pulmonologist before being diagnosed through a CT scan).

Anyways, I was in the hospital for a day and went home taking lovenox shots for 9 days. Started with 5mg warfarin, but wasn't raising my INR fast enough. They switched me to 7.5mg per day (knowing that that level would probably cause me to overshoot). Two weeks ago I was at 2.5, but (as they suspected), I overshot last Monday and was at 3.7. Pulmonologist had me skip that day's dose and put me at 7.5mg 3x per week and 5mg 4x per week. I am scheduled to get tested again tomorrow (which is so hard to wait--would've been today, but offices are closed due to Memorial Day).

Anyways--started my period last night---I'm always heavy the first couple of days, but notice more bleeding (I am 38 yrs. old---stopped birth control in January, which I was just taking for a cyst and for more regular cycles--already have 3 boys--husband has taken care of things on his end :)) BC could be cause of blood clot, but also have some family history, mom is on warfarin for a serious PE she had 10 yrs. ago. Dad is on it for atrial fibrillation. Grandma and uncle on mom's side both had blood clots as well.

On to my question---the last few days I have had some pain under armpit areas (mostly on left side, but also on right side and in the breast tissue of both sides). They are just tender to the touch and sometimes I can feel the tender pain---I was hoping it was related to the period or else something muscular. My husband has been giving me so many massages & is always commenting on the knots in areas of my back, lots of tightness in my neck and tightness under my armpit/shoulder area. I submitted my question to another forum and a member there told me that she had armpit pain/breast tissue pain in the breast where she had the biggest bloodclot (it has been constant for her both before and after her diagnosis).

My---I am nervous now---could I have formed more PEs?? Has anyone experienced this due to period or muscular pain? I really feel like I will struggle a bit getting through today and tonight now---I want to know what my INR is. I am obviously bleeding a bit more (based on my period right now anyways).

Anyone have any advice or have they experienced anything like this before. I was starting to feel a bit better---thinking this was just period-related or muscular-related. I am so frustrated.

Thanks,

Hopper

Hopper, it can be muscular - and it can be due to your menstrual cycle. I do want to say this also- when your doctor changes your coumadin dose - ALWAYS make them check it within 4 days to prevent to high or to low INR's. Now, deep breath - if your husband can feel knots in your back, it is most likely muscular - because it can cause the pain you are describing - especially if you have rotator cuff injuries. I know because I have had them :) I always do recommend letting your doctor know your concerns - it is safer to rule out " another PE" than to ignore it. Keep us updated, we are all here to offer help. Hang in there, you will be fine as long as you communicate and or Push your doctor into "listening" to you. You know your body better than anyone else - remember that. By the way - a few more massages will help relax you too - enjoy :)

I also have had breast muscle soreness in front and on the sides, but I have large breasts and so I think that could be making it worse at times. I usually feel the most sore around the middle of the month to the first, then I'm fine again. I don't have a menstrual cycle as I had a hysterectomy 4 yrs ago but I do have my ovaries, so my husband calls it my "fake period" haha.

I did ask the doctors about this and was told that since I had a PE I would feel soreness like this, sometimes it's in my breast, sometimes to the armpit, sometimes it really hurts, sometimes it's mild. I did find if I stopped wearing my bra during this time it helped a lot and the bra just made it worse. I also bought a serious sports bra for the gym that has also helped.

I hope you are feeling better.

I also get soreness or knots in my back, especially in the shoulder blade area that my husband will rub out and it does wonders! I think it's all connected, because when he fixes my back, my breasts stop hurting.

Enjoy those massages!

I am 32 and for the past 2 years or so have been noticing armpit soreness and alongside the breast. I asked my gyn about it and she asked me to keep track of when it was happening, and I noticed after awhile that it almost always coincided with my period. I had open heart surgery for a murmur when I was 14, and then was just recently put on the warfarin in the past 3 years or so for "electrical" issues and afib. I am taking 3mg daily for afib issues

Crystal wrote:

I am 32 and for the past 2 years or so have been noticing armpit soreness and alongside the breast. I asked my gyn about it and she asked me to keep track of when it was happening, and I noticed after awhile that it almost always coincided with my period. I had open heart surgery for a murmur when I was 14, and then was just recently put on the warfarin in the past 3 years or so for "electrical" issues and afib. I am taking 3mg daily for afib issues

Aloha! I have a lovely massage therapist who is trained in acupressure, and she says that tender armpit spot is a pressure point, and when it is sore, it is usually congested, and to gently massage it, which frees up the energy, as is described when someone else's back knots were massaged, freeing up the armpit pressure point... good luck!

I have these pains on the left side under my breast...which sometimes give me a numb feeling through my arm all the way to my fingers it ease the feeling when I put my arm over top of my head.....while my arm is above my head I feel my breast and sometimes I feel something like a ball that moves around to the touch but that's only sometimes other than that I feel all tissue I guess.....anyone knows what might be up/wrong ?

I'm 18 I've got. Serious pain in left side off body mainly in breast shoulder n ARM pot back also. In a lot of pain, first time its happened can anyone help

I have pain under my left arm. Sometimes under my right...but more often under my left. I am tired...with no reason and I just cannot get going anymore. The pain scares me and I also feel tired throughout my chest. No pain...just tired.

I have the same exact thing did you ever find out what it is? or what causes it? This has been happening to me for like 3 months now..

Harmony0519 i was refering to what you had typed. I have been experiencing the same thing.. Did you get any answers??? thanks angela

I also have a pain under my right arm, side breast area. I have a very irregular period, maybe getting it about once or twice every six months. So I just started lastnight after about 5 months of going without one, and just this evening I noticed this pain under my arm. I have no previous problems with PE that I know of. Could be possible though? But I am now thinking it just might be due to my period, since a few of you have said it coincides with that time of the month. But, does anyone know for sure, or what? I'm a little freaked out..:/

I too have been experiencing constant (everyday) pain deep down in my left armpit/breast tissue for the past 5 years. I had a total hysterectomy, so it is not menstral related. Two months ago I had to use crutches after foot/ankle surgery, and that lasted two days, as it left me with a severe burning sensation and red lumpy bumps only on the left side armpit. The bumps eventually went down afer 2 weeks. I had to use a walker after that. I've mentioned this every time I've had a mammogram, but this has not triggered anything from my primary care physician who gets back the results and my comments about my breast? What should I do? Any advise?

i have had soreness in my right breast more closer to my armpits , also shoulder pains and upper spin pain. Today I have noticed that my right hand is also very sore, is this something i should have seen to.

very similiar threads of symptoms... Just finished last day of period and the sore spot under my arm, on my side next to my left breast is at it's lowest swelling and least tender today. Left arm is very numb, left shoulder blade and left side of neck and upper shoulder burning. Doc thinks it might be a blood clot and a possible blood clottin disorder. I have had mammagroms and ultrasounds that showed nothing so now we're testing for blood disorder will get results this week. Sound familiar to anyone?

Just recently had thoracic surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. This surgery was a redue. 20 yrs. ago I had this problem and the surgeron took my 1st rib without complications. My symptoms began to return a couple of years ago and when my hand and arm finally started swelling and turning blue, I thought I would go back to the doctor, anyways, had surgery on Tuesday (14th). My question/problem is I am having extreme Arm pain and back pain. The surgeon performed a posterior enterance and removed the stump of my first rib and took out my 2nd rib and said it was like "cement" in my thoracic cavity. Anyways, I am 8 days post op and I am having extreme pain in my right arm/armpit, with no releif from pain meds. was wondering if this could be a cloodclot in my arm or ....what could it be?

I've been feeling the same thing too!pain under my arm pit and breast both side but more pain in the left,it's been over a month now.I will try the massage.Thanks suzijean.

I saw this thread and felt somewhat relieved that others have this pain too!!! I know that sounds odd but I had never heard of anyone else with this issue after Lung Blood clots. I am sharing my knowledge/experience with you all and hope it helps :)
I too have this pain but its been diagnosed now as chronic neuropathy from the PE's being broken up too fast, which has caused very painful (as you all know) nerve damage. It radiates from left underarm sometimes to my neck but mostly down my arm. It felt like i was on fire inside and was in and out of the hospital for months after my occurrence!
So I have a genetic disorder called PSD (protein S deficiency, and bc of the occurrence of clots and the almost nonexistence of this clotting factor in my blood, I am a lifer on Coumadin. I am 44 and its been 2 years now and happy that my pain is managed by pain killer and one very small dose of an opiate. I tried nerotin but some cannot function normally and i'm in that group.
Any of you still experience pain may want to tell your Doctor or Vascular specialist and he will recommend you to a pain clinic for observation.
I wish we didn't have to suffer or take this poison to live, but it is what it is and we all should be comfortably in our own skin.... so please relay my story as it may be you answer.:)
Good Luck and God Bless,
Elena

hai,
I am a patient suffering from adenomyosis since ten years.during periods i used to have severe pain and bleeding for 3 days . for want of another child i am trying with these problems. i was prescribed by my gyn tranxameic acid and mefenamic acid which gives partial releif only.
but nowadays after periods with these drugs , i am developing pain in left side eye, neck arm pits and some numbness in the left side only in arms.
can any one help or suggest what it could be ,whether side effects of drugs or else any other disease. thanks for reading my pains

what are the side effects of tranexamic acid and mefenamic acid tablets. is there any way to control bleeding and to reduce pain in case of adenomyosis , since i am taking the above medicines since 8 years whenever i get periods. i am experencing almost all the side effects of these medications. once i withdraw after periods they slowly recover.

I have taken combined harmonal pills also , but after stopping the same symptoms recurr.

thanks in advance for your replies