Breast Cancer or Not???

[Jajojo]

Hello, I am a 26 year old, wife, mother of three, and full time student. January of 2009, i felt a lump in my right breast, I have been unable to get it off my mind. My family has no history of breast cancer. There are times when my right breast feels heavy and I have had a sharp tingling pains in both my armpits that makes me want to scratch. In the beginning of March, my doctor sent me to have my "first" mammo and ultrasound, two weeks later the hospital notified me. They said I needed to have a needle biopsy for further evaluation. So a week later I went to go have it done and no lump was found after 45 minutes of searching, I was so happy, after that day I could not feel it anywhere either. Now, I feel it again and like I said I know when the lump is there because my breast feels heavy, the lump does not feel like a pea, it feels more like a thickening, (my breasts are also sore) it does not happen after my menstrual period or during. My question is should I pursue further evaluations or is this normal? Please help!!!

[skinandvein]

Breast cancer patients' perception of illness could influence preferences in decision-making. According to Lipowsky, the meaning of illness might influence coping abilities and he suggests eight categories of meaning as prevalent in our culture: 'challenge', 'enemy', 'punishment', 'weakness', 'irreparable loss', 'relief', 'strategy' and 'value'. In this study 187 Swedish breast cancer patients chose one of these eight categories as their meaning of breast cancer. 'Challenge' was chosen most often, by 33% of all patients and by 40% of patients in middle life (51-65 years). Older patients (> or = 66 years) chose 'challenge' less frequently (17%) but chose 'relief', 'strategy' or 'value' more often than younger patients. The few patients with metastatic disease chose 'enemy', 'punishment', 'weakness' and 'irreparable loss' more often than patients in the earlier stages of disease. There were differences in perception of illness depending on patients' age and stage of disease but not depending on their preferences in decision-making.