WOMEN WHO GET THE VACCINE. NO A 6:00, — NEW AT 6:00 PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS 4 , REPORTER MARCIE CIPRIANI WITH THE SIDE EFFECT THAT’S BEING MISTAKEN AS A SYMPTOM OF BREAST CANCER. MARCIE: EXPERTS ARE WARNING THAT THE COVID-19 VACCINE COULD CAUSE SWELLING AND A LUMP IN THE LYMPH NODES OF YOUR ARMPIT WHICH COULD BE MISTAKEN AS A SIGN OF BREAST CANCER. WHILE IT IS NOT, IT CAN BE SCARY, AND DOCTORS WANT YOU TO REALIZE THAT IT CAN HAPPEN. IT DID TO PAM LYNN. >> I GOT MY FIRST SHOT IN DECEMBER, MY SECOND IN JANUARY. THEN I GOT A MAMMOGRAM FOUR DAYS LATER. A COUPLE DAYS LATER I GET A PHONE CALL SAYING THERE WERE SOME ABNORMALITIES, WHICH IS SCARY, AND IT’S ON YOUR LEFT SIDE, AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A HISTORY OF BREAST CANCER ON THAT SIDE, SO I WAS DOUBLY UNSETTLED. MARCIE LYNN HAD TO WAIT WEEKS : FOR A SONOGRAM WHERE SHE SAYS DOCTORS TOLD HER HER SWOLLEN LYMPH NODES WERE A SIDE EFFECT OF THE VACCINE. >> THE JOB OF THE LYMPH NODE IS TO ACTUALLY HAVE THE RESPONSE TO THE VACCINE AND CREATE ANTIBODIES THAT WILL PROTECT US IF WE GOT THE VIRUS, SO THEIR JOB IS TO ENLARGE AND WORK OVERTIME, SO THAT’S A NORMAL RESPONSE. MARCIE: ALLEGHENY HEALTH NETWORK DR. ROBIN SOBOLEWSKI SAYS SOME PEOPLE FEEL AND SEE SWELLING. AND IN OTHER CASES LIKE LYNN’S THE SWOLLEN LYMPH NODES ARE NOTICED DURING SCREENING. >> IN THE CASE OF A MAMMOGRAM WHERE WE SEE THE LYNPHNODES IN THE ARMPIT WHICH IS RIGHT NEAR WHERE WE’RE GETTING THE VACCINE SHOT THOSE LYMPH NODES ARE LIKE FIRST RESPONDERS. THAT’S THE FRONT LINE, AND THEY WILL GET ENLARGE FIRST. MARCIE: FOR LYNN — >> I FELT SO MUCH BETTER. MARCIE: THE NEWS WAS A RELIEF AND A WARNING TO OTHERS, TO PAY ATTENTION, BUT TO KNOW THAT A SHORT LIVED LUMP COULD SIMPLY BE A VACCINE SIDE EFFECT. DR. SOBOLEWSKI AND OTHER EXPERTS SUGGEST YOU WAIT 4-6 WEE
COVID-19 vaccine side effect could be mistaken for a symptom of breast cancer, according to doctors
COVID-19 vaccine side effect
Updated: 7:22 PM EST Mar 11, 2021
Swollen lymph nodes and lumps under the armpit, doctors say, are a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine.”The job of the lymph node is to actually have the response to the vaccine and create antibodies that will protect us, if we got the virus,” said Allegheny Health Network Dr. Robin Sobolewski. “Their job is to enlarge and work overtime so that’s a normal response.”Pam Lynn never experienced swollen lymph nodes, but she said her mammogram, four days after her second dose of the vaccine, showed an abnormality.”I get a phone call saying there were some abnormalities, which is scary, and it’s on your left side and I actually had a history of breast cancer on that side, so I was doubly unsettled,” said Lynn.Lynn said she waited weeks for a sonogram, where doctors realized that swelling found on the images, was the result of the vaccine. The Society of Breast Imaging is warning that this side effect could mimic symptoms of breast cancer and they are recommending that screening exams are either scheduled before the first dose of the vaccine, or 4-6 weeks after the second, in order to get an accurate reading. “In the case of a mammogram where we see the lymph nodes in the armpit, which is right near where we’re getting the vaccine shot, those lymph nodes are like first responders. That’s the front line and they’ll get enlarged first,” said Dr. Sobolewski.
Swollen lymph nodes and lumps under the armpit, doctors say, are a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“The job of the lymph node is to actually have the response to the vaccine and create antibodies that will protect us, if we got the virus,” said Allegheny Health Network Dr. Robin Sobolewski. “Their job is to enlarge and work overtime so that’s a normal response.”
Pam Lynn never experienced swollen lymph nodes, but she said her mammogram, four days after her second dose of the vaccine, showed an abnormality.
“I get a phone call saying there were some abnormalities, which is scary, and it’s on your left side and I actually had a history of breast cancer on that side, so I was doubly unsettled,” said Lynn.
Lynn said she waited weeks for a sonogram, where doctors realized that swelling found on the images, was the result of the vaccine.
The Society of Breast Imaging is warning that this side effect could mimic symptoms of breast cancer and they are recommending that screening exams are either scheduled before the first dose of the vaccine, or 4-6 weeks after the second, in order to get an accurate reading.
“In the case of a mammogram where we see the lymph nodes in the armpit, which is right near where we’re getting the vaccine shot, those lymph nodes are like first responders. That’s the front line and they’ll get enlarged first,” said Dr. Sobolewski.