Hello Leesn.

I just wanted to welcome you to our forum. All this uncertainty must be really stressful for you. I hope you won't have to wait too long for your MRI scan. 

I know it is really hard but try not to worry too much or anticipate what it might be. The best thing to do to avoid thinking too much about this is to keep busy and distracted if you can and avoid looking things up online. I can imagine it is hard for you to do this at the moment but it will help you feel a little less anxious. 

I hope you will also hear from others here who have been through a similar experience before and that they will be along soon to share their story with you. 

Keeping everything crossed for you that everything turns out fine. 

Best wishes, 

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

Hi Leesn.

I'm going through a similar thing as you've described above.  Went to GP with lump in my arm, she sent me for an ultrasound, then had to have a repeat ultrasound, following that I've been referred to orthopaedic consultant.  Had telephone consultation with him on 17/12/20 & he's said the scans are inconclusive so needs to see me face to face, which is next Thursday 14/1/21 .. just wondering what your outcome was if you don't mind sharing?  Many thanks in advance 

Hi Leesn, Scottuso, 

I've had a similar experience recently and am wondering what your outcomes were if you don't mind sharing - I went to my GP about a very hard lump in my upper arm, quite deep in (you can't see it from the surface). He thought it was a lymph node and referred me for an ultrasound (which happened yesterday). Sonographer couldn't see anything and thought it might be bone. 

I was relieved, because I had been worried about lymphoma, and my blood tests have all been fine, but my GP called me today in a panic and told me I needed an X ray ASAP, and said even if that comes out fine, he will refer me to someone for a second opinion, but wouldn't tell me what he was worried about. Now I'm terrified. 

Grateful if you could share your own experiences, or any advice. 

Thanks so much, 

Jo

Hi Jo

Of course I don't mind sharing - I do think you need to speak to your doctor again & make them give you some more information than what they have.  I think that's appalling - it's your body & you have a right to know.  

So I went to see the orthopaedic consultant on the 14/1 and he wanted me to have yet another ultrasound but this time with a senior radiologist at the hospital he was at - prior to this I'd had 2 ultrasounds done by a company called Mediscan & apparently their ultrasounds told him nothing.  Anyway had further ultrasound on 26/1 & the radiologist advised me straight away it was nothing sinister but the mass was enveloping a nerve hence why the tingling in my hand.  I'm now waiting for an MRI appointment to confirm the issue with the nerve & I see my orthopaedic consultant again on the 2 March.

Good luck with yours Jo

A x

Thanks so much for sharing. Had my X-ray today, results not through yet, so I will be speaking to my GP on Monday morning. Not entirely sure how I'll avoid feeling sick with anxiety between now and then, but it is what it is! 

Good luck with your MRI too,

Jx 

Hi Jo

This is what's soooo wrong - you're going to worry yourself sick like I did when I had to have multiple ultrasounds & it turns out the first scans were done by people who didn't have a clue what they were doing !! 
 

I hope you get some answers on Monday, I really do .. it's the not knowing that's the worst part isn't it - I feel for you.

Please let me know how you get on if you wouldn't mind.

take care

Andrea x

Hi Andrea, 

Just thought I'd update you - after 16(!) attempts to get through to the GP surgery this morning, they told me they didn't have the results yet and my GP wasn't available for a call until Thursday. I explained that the GP had specifically requested that I speak to him today and asked them to pass the message on. 

Having kept my phone on me all morning (while googling terrifying things like cancer of unknown primary), I stepped away from it for a moment and missed the GP's call! Thankfully he left me a message saying that the X ray was very reassuring and it was an osteochondroma, which is benign. 

But I still have so many questions! It's actually been causing me some pain over the last couple of days, which I'm now paranoid about, although I honestly don't know whether that's all in my head at this stage. And because I've now read too much about misdiagnosis (particularly of bone cancers, as they're so rare) and have had a host of other symptoms over the last two years (gland pain, itching, funny tummy, neuropathy) that noone seems able to explain, I'm worried something's been missed and am honestly quite up for all the scans right now, just to check.  

Hoping I can get another phone call booked in with him soon... 

Hope your process from here is smoother and continues to be reassuring, and they can sort the issue with the nerve. 

Jo x

Hi Jo

Thanks for the update - that sounds really positive! Fingers crossed for you - you're not being paranoid by the way, you just want to be sure that's all.

I was feeling okay about my arm until today when I had my second appointment with the orthopaedic consultant following my ultrasound with a radiologist he'd referred me to.

From the radiologist report, my consultant now doesn't think it is a lipoma (this is what the consultant radiologist suggested it was) but didn't really say what it was (I'm now kicking myself because I didn't ask him why ! ) - I need an urgent MRI scan & then he'll decide if he will be the one to remove it OR he will refer me to a plastic surgeon at the hospital dependent on what nerves are involved. I did ask if it had to be removed & he said yes and that it would then go to histology.  I don't feel as blasé about it now as I had been when I'd had the ultrasound as the radiologist did say he thought it was a lipoma.  Anyway, got MRI in next couple of weeks & follow up 3rd appointment with orthopaedic consultant on 30/3 - so I should then know what's going to happen.

Take care of yourself 

Andrea x

Thanks Jo - appreciate your reply

I got a phone call yesterday & my MRI is this Friday at 9am

Fingers crossed they finally get to the bottom of it after this scan.

Take care

Andrea x