Hi Hayley,

A very warm welcome to our forum.

I am so sorry to hear how you were treated by your GP's receptionist. It might be worth phoning the hospital again and telling them that your GP's receptionist has confirmed that the referral was sent and asking if they could find it.  You should be seen within 2 weeks from the date of referral, although some appointments are taking a little longer due to Covid. Your hospital should be able to tell you what their normal waiting times are for an urgent referral.

Not all lumps are cancerous. Many are benign cysts or fibrous changes. It is also unusual (though not impossible), for you to have cancer when you are so young.

I sincerely hope that all turns out well. Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine,

Thank you so much for kind reply above I really appreciate it. I think I will call the hospital again and chase it up this week. I'm actually away on holiday this week (that was planned months ago) I havent told my family about the lump as I don't want to worry them if it turns out to be nothing.

I will keep you updated on this as soon as things start going forward. 

Thank you again for your kind reply.

Kindest regards

Hayley xx

Hi Hayley.

No wonder you are so scared when you are keeping this to yourself. Do you have one family member or friend who can support you through this?

I hope that you have a fabulous holiday despite everything and that you can manage to relax and enjoy yourself whilst you're away.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi hayley,

I just wondered how you are getting on. Have you had your appointment yet?

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Hayley,

I just wondered how you are getting on. Have you had your appointment yet?

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine,

Thank you for your message. Yes I received my appointment via mail last Saturday for the 10th November. It turned out my doctors hadn't even sent the 1st referral over to the hospital so I had to go back on the waiting list. I wasn't very happy with the time frame of my appointment as it will have been 8 weeks from when my doctor examined me. I got in touch with pals and told them I found the wait a very long time and the fact its impacting my mental state having to worry about this. She told me that I'm very lucky to have gotten an appointment so soon as being as its only routine! I asked her to confirm why it has been put down as routine when my doctor clearly said a 2 week urgent referral. I called my doctors and the receptionist agreed that the docot had sent it over as urgent referral and he said he would look into and get someone to call me. A few days later someone at my gp called me and basically said it was the doctor at the hospital had marked it as routine I stressed to her how when my own doctor examined me and was quiet concerned and that was the end of that conversation. I've gone back to pals and asked why this has been done when my doctor did not ask ask this to be checked under routine. I'm so angry at the whole situation my appointment letter also doesn't state a mammogram or anything just a consultation with a male doctor.

Xx

Hi Hayley,

No wonder you are annoyed. Still, it's just as well that you chased it up.  This sounds like a real mess about the urgent rreferral versus the routine one.  Our appointments don't usually state what scans or tests will be carried out on the day. This is up to your consultant and what he finds when he examines you.

I shall be thinking of you on 10th November and hope that it all turns out well.

Please keep in touch and remember that we are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Hayley_06g,

I'm going through almost the exact same thing at the moment symptoms wise. Started with peeling/scabbing/bleeding on nipple which then went onto areola on my right breast. Also had some bruising for several months for no reason. Went to see GP who said when examining me he found a lump above the nipple and the breast also felt nodular compared to the other one. He put me on an antibiotic steroid cream for the meantime to see if it would help the eczema like symptoms but it did not. It has since got worse.
 

My Grandma and Great Aunt also had breast cancer and my grandma having it only affecting her nipple with similar symptoms as me which got me very worried.

I saw the GP on the Friday and by the Monday the hospital had phoned me to book me in for the Wednesday at the hospital. I could not make this appointment so the guy booked me in for today at a walk in centre instead. Saw the breast consultant who confirmed all of my symptoms are odd as there's no explanation for them but as they were just a walk in centre they could not give me any tests there as all they have is the Mammogram which I'm too young for (I'm 26) so he has urgently referred me again back to the hospital. 
 

I feel like I've gone full circle with no answers and it's making me worried sick. The consultant told me to expect an ultrasound and biopsy so now just waiting around for that referral. But even with all the symptoms he's said it's very rare for people my age to get get breast cancer so I'm staying hopeful.

I hope you get answers quickly as the waiting is horrible and so stressful even when you know it's more than likely something else x

Not that it will help, but I think this 2 week referral thing is outta the window just now. It took close to 4 weeks from the wife seeing the nurse, to walking into the breast clinic. They're currently struggling to meet the old 2 week referral guidelines.  Maybe not at every hospital, but most are. Most referrals have been pushed to 3 weeks and even then, I think they're still struggling to meet that deadline.

Absolutely gut-wrenching times have went up, but I think a lot of hospitals have had no choice due to covid and the influx of people. It's been unprecedented.