Most breast lumps are benign and lots relate to our menstrual cycle, maybe check once your period has been n gone. X

Thanks for your reassurance, I don’t have periods anymore but will try and drop the stress levels

In our experience, my wife got seen the same day by a nurse. She got a referral too, that day. In the grand scheme of things 2 or 3 days isn't going to change anything, but i wouldn't be waiting over a week either. If the doctor can't diagnose the lump as benign, most lumps require a 2/3 week pathway referral. Doesn't mean you have cancer because as the person above said, most turn out to be nothing at all. But you really should have an in person appointment within the week so the gp can make any sort of call.

If you no longer get periods, then that's another thing that doesn't require a wait and watch approach. Purely on our experience, I'd call them back and say you want a nurse to at least to have a look at it in person. I wouldn't be waiting at all. Not said to freak you out, but no one can diagnose anyone over the phone.

Thankyou , 

I will call tomorrow and ask to be seen , you don’t want to be overdramatic but at the same time looking for reassurance. 

You're never being overly dramatic. My wife's turned out to be cancer. Should something ever turn out to be something that needs treatment, it's you that has to live with the consequences, not the gp or anyone else. Let them tell you it's nothing after being looked over by a specialist if it's nothing obvious like a blocked hair follicle etc.

Any half decent doctor wants to tell you it's nothing when they have all the facts at hand. Never ever think you're wasting anyone's time. It costs the NHS a helluva lot less time and money to tell you it's nothing than to treat something requiring months of treatment.

Again, it probably will turn out to be nothing, but sometimes they do turn out to be something. Add to that, your waiting is just adding an extra layer of garbage onto an already garbage situation. I often wonder if some of these gp's would use the "call back in a few days" approach if it were them or a family member. Probably not. Finding a lump, anywhere isn't the same as having a headache for a few hours and demanding to be seen because it could be a brain tumour. That's being overly dramatic.

It’s a lump the size of a small grape , hard with no pain . Normally I’m a positive person but this has just knocked me for 6 on how I’m reacting .

Thanks for your supportive words .

Hi Pennypie and thank you for your post.

I am sorry to learn of your situation. I can imagine this is a worrying time for you.

You are right to contact your GP if you have any concerns. General practitioners may follow various protocols when addressing breast lumps.

You don’t specify your age. Your GP may have asked you to watch and wait because some breast lumps can result from hormonal changes that occur at various stages in a woman's life, including during the menstrual cycle. These breast lumps will disappear without any treatment.

Approximately 90% of breast lumps are found to be benign and Breast Cancer Now has information on what may cause benign breast conditions which you may find helpful to read.

The majority of tumours tend to grow slowly, so a delay of a few days is unlikely to impact the overall result.

We know it can be a very anxious time when you find a breast lump. Anxiety UK and Every Mind Matters have various tips and advice on how to cope in these situations.

Please do contact your GP again  if your breast lump is still there in a couple of days.

I hope you can get this sorted out soon.

Please get back to us if you need any more information or support. You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

 Kind regards

Tina