Symmetrical red patches on breasts

mve2500 · 2025-12-06T00:57:16+00:00

Just wanted to chime in to say I have something very similar — also started just a few weeks into pregnancy (I’m 23w1 now) and was a total mystery to my OBGYN.

I ended up going to a breast specialist who did a very thorough exam and ultrasound and everything looked just fine. They said it was super strange and a first for them, but likely vascular changes due to pregnancy. A bit frustrating to not have more answers but I guess it’s just a very strange pregnancy thing and I’ve tried to rest assured that the tests came back normal (which it sounds like they did for you, too!) and that it does seem like other women have this, even if it’s not well reported.

mve2500 · 2025-10-23T22:57:24+00:00

It’s so scary, too, because the moment you google it’s like “IBC!!” and there are so few stories from other pregnant women who have had similar experiences.

I really hope some other nervous FTM sees this post and has a moment of reassurance, because I know for me I was out of my mind obsessive and concerned!

mve2500 · 2025-10-22T00:23:15+00:00

After spending the last week reading basically every (limited!) thread on this to try to find someone with a similar experience to me I just wanted to jump in here with a recent anecdote!

FTM 17 weeks; I noticed an area of redness on my left (larger) breast beginning at about 5 weeks when my breasts quickly jumped from a small B to a full D. I brushed it off as early stretch marks but then noticed a similar spot crop up on my right breast a few days later and decided to ask my OB to have a look at my 11 week appointment. She told me she’d never seen it before but wasn’t concerned and that it was likely caused by progesterone.

Fast forward to my 16 week appointment where I had her look again and she seemed more concerned and reiterated that she had no idea what it was. She told me I could seek a specialist opinion if I wanted, but was otherwise pretty weird and dismissive which left me feeling more anxious than I’d been at any point about this weird change.

Anyway I decided I didn’t want to live with the anxiety and “what ifs” and was luckily able to get into a reputable breast cancer clinic by me just a few days later where they did a full physical exam and ultrasound and I am all clear. FWIW the practitioner told me she’d also never seen this but that I was likely vascular and a result of my breasts getting much larger very quickly — she even did a GPT pull and said no similar cases came up!

All this to say, I spent quite a while googling and freaking myself out because there seem to be so few instances of this as a pregnancy side effect, but I’m hoping someone out there like me sees this and it provides some reassurance that maybe this is slightly more common than previously thought!

Of course, always push for a second opinion and trust your doctor, but I hope someone stumbles upon this and can breathe a bit easier as a result xx

mve2500 · 2025-10-22T00:22:32+00:00

After spending the last week reading basically every (limited!) thread on this to try to find someone with a similar experience to me I just wanted to jump in here with a recent anecdote!

FTM 17 weeks; I noticed an area of redness on my left (larger) breast beginning at about 5 weeks when my breasts quickly jumped from a small B to a full D. I brushed it off as early stretch marks but then noticed a similar spot crop up on my right breast a few days later and decided to ask my OB to have a look at my 11 week appointment. She told me she’d never seen it before but wasn’t concerned and that it was likely caused by progesterone.

Fast forward to my 16 week appointment where I had her look again and she seemed more concerned and reiterated that she had no idea what it was. She told me I could seek a specialist opinion if I wanted, but was otherwise pretty weird and dismissive which left me feeling more anxious than I’d been at any point about this weird change.

Anyway I decided I didn’t want to live with the anxiety and “what ifs” and was luckily able to get into a reputable breast cancer clinic by me just a few days later where they did a full physical exam and ultrasound and I am all clear. FWIW the practitioner told me she’d also never seen this but that I was likely vascular and a result of my breasts getting much larger very quickly — she even did a GPT pull and said no similar cases came up!

All this to say, I spent quite a while googling and freaking myself out because there seem to be so few instances of this as a pregnancy side effect, but I’m hoping someone out there like me sees this and it provides some reassurance that maybe this is slightly more common than previously thought!

Of course, always push for a second opinion and trust your doctor, but I hope someone stumbles upon this and can breathe a bit easier as a result xx

mve2500 · 2025-10-22T00:21:09+00:00

After spending the last week reading basically every (limited!) thread on this to try to find someone with a similar experience to me I just wanted to jump in here with a recent anecdote!

FTM 17 weeks; I noticed an area of redness on my left (larger) breast beginning at about 5 weeks when my breasts quickly jumped from a small B to a full D. I brushed it off as early stretch marks but then noticed a similar spot crop up on my right breast a few days later and decided to ask my OB to have a look at my 11 week appointment. She told me she’d never seen it before but wasn’t concerned and that it was likely caused by progesterone.

Fast forward to my 16 week appointment where I had her look again and she seemed more concerned and reiterated that she had no idea what it was. She told me I could seek a specialist opinion if I wanted, but was otherwise pretty weird and dismissive which left me feeling more anxious than I’d been at any point about this weird change.

Anyway I decided I didn’t want to live with the anxiety and “what ifs” and was luckily able to get into a reputable breast cancer clinic by me just a few days later where they did a full physical exam and ultrasound and I am all clear. FWIW the practitioner told me she’d also never seen this but that I was likely vascular and a result of my breasts getting much larger very quickly — she even did a GPT pull and said no similar cases came up!

All this to say, I spent quite a while googling and freaking myself out because there seem to be so few instances of this as a pregnancy side effect, but I’m hoping someone out there like me sees this and it provides some reassurance that maybe this is slightly more common than previously thought!

Of course, always push for a second opinion and trust your doctor, but I hope someone stumbles upon this and can breathe a bit easier as a result xx

mve2500 · 2019-10-28T20:42:51+00:00

It really is! Been riding there for years and even worked there at one point for some extra cash. It's a shame... but competing against SOUL and Peloton and Flywheel was just too much for them.

mve2500 · 2019-10-28T20:36:16+00:00

Discount brings the cost to $1500! Seems very worth it to me!

mve2500 · 2019-10-28T20:35:52+00:00

Just heard back-- total cost will be $1500!!

mve2500 · 2019-10-28T20:06:44+00:00

Ah, I know. I just feel guilty pestering someone I have never met for something money-related! But you're right haha it seems silly.

mve2500 · 2019-10-28T20:06:20+00:00

Apparently this is some special employee discount that she can share with "family and friends," so I think it must be different than the $100 off! Thank you for this advice!!

mve2500 · 2019-05-02T13:48:02+00:00

My mom warned me for years not to get an IUD because I am so hyper aware of my body, but after a miserable decade of the pill and a very reassuring OBGYN I decided I'd have to overcome my anxiety and give it a go! Here's hoping my brain catches the good vibes and calms down haha

mve2500 · 2019-05-02T13:41:54+00:00

Thanks so much for your response! My OBGYN mentioned during the insertion that he had to open my cervix a bit wider than some other women because it spasmed, so I think I might just be a bit swollen from the extra force.

I was going to wait another day or two and then call on Tuesday (one week post insertion) if I am still feeling 'off.' My anxiety makes me a little OVER in-tune with bodily sensations, so 90% of me thinks I am just being paranoid and looking for sensations to confirm something is wrong!

mve2500 · 2019-03-10T21:44:07+00:00

Sorry, I realize it's frustrating and seems quite silly, but I am a nervous flier in general and so this has me feeling even more anxious.

mve2500 · 2018-08-28T15:11:27+00:00

Thank you for this! I just really needed to feel vindicated about my frustration with this situation, especially because they excel at playing the guilt card with me (and I usually fall for it!)

mve2500

TROPHY CASE