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Breast lumps- confused by GP reaction/referral

Flibbertigibbet
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Evening,

Just posting because I'm totally mystified and concerned by today's GP experience, and hoping someone might be able to stop me freaking out please!

This week, I thought my left breast felt strange, with a ridge off centre, and then found two small lumps on the underside, which I know I've never felt before.  

So I saw my GP today and she examined me.   She agreed she could feel the lumps but said (and I quote, verbatim) "I don't think it's cancer. Possibly inflamed glands perhaps.  I'm happy to wait a few weeks if you want to see if it resolves, but of course if you want, I'm happy to refer you for a scan sooner."

I opted for a scan, because I've got so much other weird and horrible undiagnosed crap going on with my body atm, the idea of fretting about this as well for longer than necessary was unthinkable. I left the surgery more reassured though by her relaxed attitude.

Now, I have access to my records online, and out of curiosity, checked to see what she'd written.   I found the referral letter she sent to the clinic and froze when I read "I think it's likely that this patient has cancer...." along with other medical jargon.

Reading it through again, it seems that the above may not have actually been written by her, but may have been a feature of the specific form in general.  I just dont understand why she could be so confident to my face that it "isn't cancer" and then send a form that says the exact opposite.  Plus.. if she really thought it was cancer, I can't imagine she would have ever given me the option to "wait and see"?

Plus, to add insult to injury, in the section to "describe the location of the lump," there is a simple MS Paint style doodle of generic boobs, with zero labelling or indication of where my lumps are located.  It's just... scribbly boobs in a box.   This is on a professional medical form FFS. I don't expect to see slapdash doodles on it. 

I just don't know what to do with this information now.  Was she just fobbing me off or trying to keep me calm?  Has she just filled out the referral in a rush? Is she actually trying to do me a favour and rush the referral through as urgent?  I've NO idea and now I'm fretting more than ever!

 

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    Hi there Flibbertigibbet. I had a very similar experience in that my initial GP messed up my referral to the breast clinic and a month was wasted until I switched to my now amazing GP. Once I saw the consultant he diagnosed me with costacondritis, an inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the breastbone. Then he said, and I quote, that it "would be remiss of him not to refer me for a mammogram" which he duly did. The resultant mammogram showed a lump in my right breast and I was sent for a biopsy. When I went in for it they had been told it was my left breast and if I hadn't have had my wits about me they would have tried to stick a needle in the wrong boob. I'm telling you all this because you do need to be on the ball and make sure you know what's happening. That said I also think that you can scare yourself with too much information. Looking at your records online was probably a mistake as it has caused you even more worry. When you go for your scan just make sure that you know which boob it is and where the lumps are. They will listen to you rather than any letter from your GP. It's your body. I know it's really difficult - I have been exactly where you are but there is nothing you can do about it other than keep positive. It may well turn out to be nothing at all to worry about but if it is bad news you will cope I promise you. My kneejerk reaction to my diagnosis was "I can't do this!" but I have. I've had surgery, 6 rounds of chemo, radiotherapy and now I am battling with awful side effects from the drugs I have to take. I try to take one day at a time and you will too. Take comfort from the fact that you are not alone. Take all the help that is offered and keep strong. You will do this - and it may still be nothing. Wishing you all the best, hugs, Mog, x

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    Hi Flibbertigibbet, I undestand reading medical records can be difficult to understand and tought to read.

    I;m also going through this referral thing, and found out mine was an urgent referral without suspision of cancer, which translated into 6 weeks of waiting to get a mammogram, and now currently waiting for an appointment to the breast clinic. Whereas a referral with suspision of cancer takes only two weeks for you to be seen at the clinic.

    I just think it was you GP trying to get you expedite care, not that she actually think it's cancer.

    Take care x

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    Appointments are like gold dust, so it's not beyond the realm of possibility that she has worded it so as to justify your fast track referral. Decades ago, my gp stated "I don't think you have primary polycythaemia" to my face, and back then, they used to hand you the referral letter if they wanted you seen urgently. you'd make your own way up to the hospital. I opened the letter and it was the complete opposite to what the gp had told me to my face. It basically stated, suspected primary polycythaemia. If you don't know what that is, it's a blood cancer.

    After the haematology appointment, and the next time i saw my gp, I queried this. He said it has to be worded as urgent, otherwise the hospital sometimes gets a bit short with the referring gp.

    Could be what's happened here. Having access to your records isn't always a good thing as you yourself have found out. We aren't qualified to interpret them properly and we can freak ourselves out.

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