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Huge breast lump - trying to not catastrophise

Lucky_11_
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Hi everyone,

I found a huge, solid lump, maybe slightly bigger than a grape, inside my underboob while putting on my bra yesterday morning. It's so obvious that I have no idea how I had missed it before. My husband also swears it's new. I do examine my breasts semi regularly and I definitely did not feel it last month. It really seems to have appeared out of nowhere. I rang my GP straightaway, who referred me to breast clinic. That appointment is in 2 weeks' time. 

I am trying my best not to Google, but of course my thoughts go straight to the Scary C word. Sadly I'm not new to this C word, having had Stage Ia melanoma a few years ago. 

I don't know why I'm posting. I guess I'm hoping it will help me calm down a little. I haven't told friends or family because I don't want to deal with their worries on top of my own. 

If anyone is going through the same thing, let's chat and keep each other sane while waiting for appointments/diagnosis. Thank you.

  • Offline in reply to Soph93

    Sophie 

    sorry to jump on thread but I think if you ring the clinic and tell them that your anxiety will get the better of you waiting 6 weeks they could possibly do something for you 6 weeks is a long time in limbo 

    Good luck lovely 

    love Lara ️

  • Offline in reply to Soph93

    Glad you've got some support around you lovely. It's times like this that it's really needed. 
     

    Saw my GP on 30th March and she referred me on the 2 week wait. Got a letter a couple of days afterwards from the health trust for my area to say that the local hospital would be in touch but to call if I'd not heard by 4th April. I called the number which was  the trust's central appointment centre on 5th April to chase it and the lady in the outpatient appointments department was quite snippy with me and told me to wait to hear and that they'd get in touch with me when they had an appointment. I tried to call during my lunchtime today but the wait was too long and I had to get back to work. I've got some time tomorrow afternoon so I'll try them again, but don't want to be made to feel like I'm being a nuisance :laugh:

    xx

  • Offline in reply to Dottie0911

    Yeh definitely give them a ring tomorrow as you've waited past the 2 weeks. I know they might be behind because of Easter but they should at least be able to give you a date xx

  • Offline in reply to laraj

    Hi thanks for your reply. I got a shock when she said 6 weeks as everyone else seems to get all the tests done on the day. If my anxiety gets too much I'll definitely give them a ring, I'm trying to cling on to the fact she didn't seem to concerned about it xx

  • Offline in reply to Soph93

    Sophie 

    good luck lovely 

    yes be sure to chase if you feel you need to 

    love Lara ️

  • Offline in reply to Soph93

    Hey lovely, hope you're doing ok?

    Thank you so much for the advice to chase it up! I called them today, and was advised that I have an appointment booked for the 29th of April 2023, which is a Saturday! It's also not at my local hospital - it's at the main hospital for the area. I get the impression that they are quite far behind with appointments, which is why I've got to go to a hospital that's not local, I assume. 

    Hope you've had a good day xx

  • Offline in reply to Dottie0911

    Hi I'm glad you chased it up and now have your appointment. How are you feeling?

    I'm doing ok thanks, I'm just trying to distract myself with other things or I'll end up going mad the next 6 weeks xx

  • Offline in reply to Soph93

    Glad to hear that you are doing ok.

    I'm much better thank you, now that I know when the appointment is. It's weird, but I feel so much calmer! 
     

    Hope that you continue to feel ok over the next 6 weeks. Here to message if you feel you want to but likewise understand if you want to try to forget about it all for as long as you can! 
     

    Take care lovely xx

  • Offline in reply to Dottie0911

    I'm trying to focus on the positive that they seen nothing bad on the scan and surely if they were that concerned they would of done biopsy then. I'm sure I'll have good and bad days over the next 6 weeks but I'm feeling a bit better about it at the moment.

    I'm glad you are feeling calmer. I'm here anytime you want a chat and keep me posted on how things go xx

  • Offline

    Hi everyone,

    I promised myself that I would post an update here regardless of the outcome. After 11 days of untold levels of anxiety and worry, today I was given the all clear. What I had was a giant cyst containing more than 10cc of fluid, which was drained in the breast clinic. No wonder it was so huge and tender.

    The clinic I attended was a one-stop clinic. They said nearly all investigations are done on the same day where possible. I didn't have a mammogram because I'm under 40. I was told that they would only order a mammogram for me if the ultrasound scan was ambiguous. Anyway, within seconds of the radiographer scanning me, I was informed I have lots of cysts in both breasts. Most are teeny tiny, but one, which was responsible for the lump, was huge at nearly 4 cm wide. Nothing else of concern was found. The consultant then had a good poke around my breasts and drained the cyst. I can't feel the lump anymore now.

    Anyway, I want to reassure everyone that just because your lump is huge and hard, it is not necessarily bad news. It is definitely the right thing to do to get it checked, though. Sending love to all.

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