Has anyone experienced mastitis (breast inflammation) as a symptom of lupus?

[Spicer21]

Hi,

I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced mastitis (breast inflammation) as a symptom of lupus.

I have other symptoms that seem to indicate that I might have lupus plus breasts that intermittently flare up with severe inflammation (that the local breast clinic can't give me an explanation for). I'm post-menopausal and in my early 60s, so the mastitis is nothing to do with breast feeding.

Many thanks in advance.

[Spanielmadlady]

Lupus mastitis is an uncommon presentation of lupus erythematosus profundus or lupus panniculitis, a rare variant of lupus erythematosus characterized by inflammation of the subcutaneous fat. Lupus mastitis can present as single or multiple subcutaneous or deep breast masses, often clinically mimicking malignancy.journals.lww.com › ajsp › fulltext

Lupus Mastitis: An Uncommon Complication of Systemic or Disc ...

Hi.havent experience it but found this article which might help.what other symptoms do you have? Have you looked at the 11 point criteria for lupus? X

[Spicer21 in reply to Spanielmadlady]

Hi Spanielmadlady.

Thank you very much for your reply and for the link. I greatly appreciate your help.

The problem I've got with identifying my mastitis as being possibly due to lupus is that - although there is definitely inflammation of the subcutaneous fat (my scans in the past have shown that) - there are is no actual mass or masses that have show up on mammogram or ultrasound. (When the mastitis is at its worst, my breast goes hard but, by the time I'm referred and get to go to the Breast Clinic the hardness has gone. )

I'm therefore wondering if anyone on the forum has lupus mastitis, but without ever-present masses in association with the lupus mastitis. (I realise though, that being so rare, it's a long shot that anyone on here even has lupus mastitis!)

I would be grateful if you could point me in the direction of the 11 point criteria for lupus. I have photosensitivity (which sometimes gives me a malar looking rash, but the 'malar' rash can appear even when I've not been in the sun), some chilblain-type looking itchy lumps on my fingers and knuckles that come up in the heat of the summer, muscle weakness in my hip and buttock area, dry eyes, fibromyalgia (diagnosed), thinning hair (but that could be a symptom of my hypothyroidism, which I've had since menopause), wrist pain affecting the tendons (particularly my right wrist) and fatigue.

Many thanks.

[Spanielmadlady in reply to Spicer21]

Lupus affects us all so differently. Photosensitivy is caused by uv light so you dont have to be out in the sun.you need to be careful with lightbulbs especially fluorescent lights and windows.factor 50+ all year,hats and cover up.dry eyes and mouth could be sjorgens which is an AI illnees linked to lupus. Hypothyroidism is also an AI illness and you find people tend to have more than 1 ...I've got 4 in all.🙄 x

If you google 11 point criteria lupus this is what you will find .

Butterfly-shaped rash

Raised red patches on your skin

You're sensitive to light

Ulcers in your mouth or nose

Arthritis in two or more joints, plus swelling or tenderness

Inflammation in the lining of your heart or lungs

Seizures or other nerve problems

Too much protein in your urine

Low blood cell counts

Certain antibodies in your blood

Results from a blood test called an ANA test that suggest you may have too many "antinuclear" antibodies

They say if you can identify 4 you may have lupus

[Spicer21 in reply to Spanielmadlady]

Thanks for that - I've got 4 of the symptoms...but, of course, they never all show up at the same time, so I'll have to rely on photographs, e.g. of my 'molar' rash and finger lumps/rash to prove that I get them. So sorry to hear that you have 4 auto-immune diseases...My own 'claim to fame' (for want of a better way of putting it!) is having two rare diseases. With both of them I was told that they were 'far too rare' for me to possibly have them...and I know I'll get the same reaction when I suggest that I might have lupus mastitis. They'll probably tell me that I couldn't possibly have 3 rare diseases! One of my rare diseases involves the malfunctioning of nerves, so it's interesting to see that 'nerve problems' is on the lupus list. Thanks once again for your help. Xx

[Spanielmadlady in reply to Spicer21]

Keep a symptoms diary its good youve got pics. I live in hope that one day they will look at us as individuals and stop try to squeeze a square peg into a round hole.b12 deficiency anaemia is another Ai illness linked to thyroid which causes nerve issues and fatigue .think it's time to request a referral to rheumatology xx

[Spicer21 in reply to Spanielmadlady]

Yes, you're right - I'll request a referral and will keep a diary. Xx

[honeybug]

Hi Spicer 21 😊🌿🌸🦋

Apologies that I can’t help with your request. I just wanted to send you my support hugs and prayers for your suffering. I have breast pain issues myself and also post menopausal and my heart goes out to you for this must be agony.

I pray you’ll get it sorted soon.

Take care and be safe.

EJ 😊🤗💗😘🙏🌿🌸🦋

[Spicer21 in reply to honeybug]

Thank you honeybug - you just made my day with your thoughtful support. I hope that your breast pain issues get sorted too. The last bouts of breast pain and mastitis I had (until now) were back in March, August and October 2017. In Nov 2017 I decided to started using an off-prescription bio-identical progesterone cream, which seemed to work to stop the mastitis and also greatly reduced the general breast pain that I was experiencing on a very regular basis.

[honeybug in reply to Spicer21]

Oh hun I’m so very sorry you go through this. Bless you sweetie. I hope you are getting relief from your treatment.

Much love.

EJ ♥️🙏

[Spicer21 in reply to honeybug]

The progesterone cream I use is still helping with the mastalgia but, unfortunately, not the mastitis. Will have to see what the local breast clinic say this time. Xx

[honeybug in reply to Spicer21]

Oh hun sorry it’s not the answer for both problems. Pray that relief comes soon sweetie. EJ. 🤗♥️🥰🙏

[0936725]

Hi, when I went for my first ever Thai massage, they were shocked to find huge lumps in my breast and under my arm pit that the doctors hadn’t found. I kept telling the doctors my AstraZeneca injection arm, shoulders neck were swollen since the vaccinations and they didn’t look at my body. This had caused what I now know is a lupus flare (still not diagnosed even with butterfly rash). I can now recognise other flares I have had that doctors dismissed over the years.

Good news is: Over 7 months the Thai massages have professionally massaged out the lumps and I have regained mobility in my arm neck & shoulders. I have lost 2 stone if retained fluids.

In my experience: The massages are painful and I had to zone out to let them get on with the massage, also so much fluid is released its complete bed rest for a few days/week afterwards, but I have been housebound for 2.5 yrs anyway with complete fatigue, breathless and dizzy, so it didn’t make a difference to my daily productivity. If I could have gone for a IV drip to push the releases toxins through after a massage I think that would really help???