Hi ShantiM,

A very warm welcome to our forum.

I agree with Rumpelstiltskin and Pauline. Although I can appreciate how you fee, with your daughter doing her A levels, there will always be some reason to stop you getting checked out - if you let it. In another couple of years, she may be studying at university, graduating or even getting married and I'm sure that you want to be around for these milestones too. You don't have to tell your daughter anything until you know what the problem is. Most people don't tell their family until they get a diagnosis. With the number of people who have breast cancer these days, your GP won't be at all phased by this and you shouldn't be either. Is there any reason for your phobia about going to the GP?

We are all scared to get any lump investigated, but if it does turn out to be cancer, the sooner it is treated the better the chances are of you being able to celebrate all those special milestones with your family in the future. When you see the GP you will have an examination of your breasts. If your GP feels that there is any cause for concern, you will be referred on to the breast clinic. It usually takes about 2 weeks from the date of referral to get an appointment date, although in some areas, it can take a little longer. At the breast clinic, the consultant will note all the details of your symptoms, then may send you for a mammogram, an ultrasound and a biopsy. These are all very straightforward tests. There is usually another wait of about 2 weeks to get the results of these tests. While the mammogram and ultrasound can detect the lump, it is the biopsy that is key to detecting whether or not there is any cancer present.

Having said all this, only 2 people out of every 10 who attend the breast clinic, will get a cancer diagnosis. Not all lumps are cancerous, many are benign cysts or fibrous changes. I lost my mum to secondary breast cancer and my son had just started university and my daughter was sitting her A levels, when I was first diagnosed. I had a second cancer within a year, but I am still here 14 years later and doing well. In that time, I have seen the two of them leave school and university, find gainful employment, get married and provide me with two very special granddaughters.

I was advised that, when breaking the news to my loved ones,  the more positive I could be about my outcome, the better they would deal with the news and I definitely found this to be true. Once we got over the initial shock, we just got on with my treatment and both of them were very supportive, but didn't let their studies slip.

When your lump is getting bigger, please make an urgent appointment to get this checked out. Hopefully, it is something simple and you can lay your mind to rest.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi ShantiM,

A very warm welcome to our forum.

I agree with Rumpelstiltskin and Pauline. Although I can appreciate how you fee, with your daughter doing her A levels, there will always be some reason to stop you getting checked out - if you let it. In another couple of years, she may be studying at university, graduating or even getting married and I'm sure that you want to be around for these milestones too. You don't have to tell your daughter anything until you know what the problem is. Most people don't tell their family until they get a diagnosis. With the number of people who have breast cancer these days, your GP won't be at all phased by this and you shouldn't be either. Is there any reason for your phobia about going to the GP?

We are all scared to get any lump investigated, but if it does turn out to be cancer, the sooner it is treated the better the chances are of you being able to celebrate all those special milestones with your family in the future. When you see the GP you will have an examination of your breasts. If your GP feels that there is any cause for concern, you will be referred on to the breast clinic. It usually takes about 2 weeks from the date of referral to get an appointment date, although in some areas, it can take a little longer. At the breast clinic, the consultant will note all the details of your symptoms, then may send you for a mammogram, an ultrasound and a biopsy. These are all very straightforward tests. There is usually another wait of about 2 weeks to get the results of these tests. While the mammogram and ultrasound can detect the lump, it is the biopsy that is key to detecting whether or not there is any cancer present.

Having said all this, only 2 people out of every 10 who attend the breast clinic, will get a cancer diagnosis. Not all lumps are cancerous, many are benign cysts or fibrous changes. I lost my mum to secondary breast cancer and my son had just started university and my daughter was sitting her A levels, when I was first diagnosed. I had a second cancer within a year, but I am still here 14 years later and doing well. In that time, I have seen the two of them leave school and university, find gainful employment, get married and provide me with two very special granddaughters.

I was advised that, when breaking the news to my loved ones,  the more positive I could be about my outcome, the better they would deal with the news and I definitely found this to be true. Once we got over the initial shock, we just got on with my treatment and both of them were very supportive, but didn't let their studies slip.

When your lump is getting bigger, please make an urgent appointment to get this checked out. Hopefully, it is something simple and you can lay your mind to rest.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Please , please pluck up the courage to get this checked out . I understand you are scared, and that’s perfectly normal , but please bear in mind  that it may be nothing of concern . Even if it is , it is much better to get it treated more quickly than to leave it. I wish you well . The staff at the  doctors and the clinic are lovely x