Breast lump

Noticed a lump a few weeks ago. Can’t feel it standing up onky when I lie down. Went to doctor who agreed she could feel it and felt it extended towards my nipple. Examined under my arms but didn’t comment if she felt anything there or not. Asked me about family history. My mums aunt had breast cancer but not my mum or her sister. Don’t speak to my dads family so can’t comment if there is a history there. Urgent referral for Brest clinic made. I have told my partner but haven’t told anyone else. Recently over half a dozen folk I know in my age group all been diagnosed with breast cancer. Worried and anxious waiting for clinic appointment. Being a nurse doesn’t make waiting any easier. I know the process but not as a patient waiting to see a consultant. I purposely didn’t probe the doctor too much and she didn’t push it. She just said it would be an urgent cancer suspected referral

  • I saw nurse prac. She just said it’s smooth, moveable. Didn’t say whether or not she felt any lymph nodes in armpit. I can feel and and not sore. I burst into tears today at my friends house. Even though when I Google (I know I shouldn’t) it mostly suggests cyst or fibroademona (I think I’m alto old for that one at 49) I cannot let go of the fact it is cancer. I’ve lost nearly a stone in weight in 2 weeks. 

  • I can relate to how your feeling. I've always been underweight. In 2020 they found a lump on my kidney, gallbladder and ovaries and I was reffered under the 2ww to the kidney specialist, the gp made it sound like cancer that had spread all over on the phone, he booked me in for urgent blood tests the next morning and for the next 2 weeks all I did was cry and not leave my bed, I didn't want to speak to anybody, I wouldn't eat. Being underweight I lost even more weight. I had a ambulance called out and they wouldn't leave till I ate some toast. Those 2 weeks were horrendous and it turned out it was a benign tumour, but the damage was done in my head and I didn't leave my bedroom for almost 4 months except to go to the bathroom. My weight plummeted and I've only just managed to get back to just over 7 stone. I lose weight so quickly and this is triggering it again, I'm down to 7 stone now but I don't want a repeat of last time so I'm trying to stay out my bedroom (even though I'm there now) and I've ate my dinner, just got to try my best incase it is something serious this time and need my strength to fight it. I'm 37 next month and feel although I'm too old for a fibroma. He asked if I'd breastfed any of my babies and I said no, he said even if you didn't it could still be a blocked milk duct with scar tissue but I didn't think to tell him its been almost 11 years since I gave birth to my youngest so surely can't be that! 

    Please try and keep your strength up too just incase it is the nasty c word because you'll need to fight. 

    Its so hard for me to put weight on I hate it but I just don't feel like eating! 

  • I am trying to at least it a bowl of cereal daily. Even though we are told only 2 in 8 lumps are cancer we only think about the 2. 

  • Ladies 

    you have fine the right thing to go to. The breast clinics clinic as GP are not the professionals in this they can only do small checks 

    My Gp said I had mastalgia it’s just lucky I said I wasn’t happy walking away I booked a private breast clinic next day if I hadn’t I would be walking around today thinking just that 

    the breast clinics are top class you will be looked after and thorough check not just assuming by GP 

    good luck again love Lara xx 

  • Ros & Chel 

    keep strong try to eat your normal diet it’s hard while going through waiting but please try xx 

  • Its 2 in 10 apparently, which is still high odds i think! So 20% chance it is. But trying not to dwell on it too much. I'm going away for the weekend with family. They don't know and I won't be telling them. So hopefully trying to act normal will help. Yes try to eat atleast 1 meal a day! 

  • Hi Lara.so didn't your gp want to refer you to the breast clinic? My gp thought it was a fibroma but reffered me anyway as he says they take any breast lump seriously. So do you think he just said that so I don't worry as much? 

    I'm kind of dreading the phone call for booking an appointment as it makes it all real if that makes sense? I'm just hoping no one is around me when they ring as I don't want anyone knowing, and not knowing when they will ring either is a nightmare! 

    Thanks for the good luck I feel I need it lol :)   

  • Any news on an appointment yet?

  • My appointment came through on Saturday. Seeing cons 14th August. Still a bit of a wait but at least I have a date now. It feels like I’ve been waiting forever. I know it’s only been a few weeks from referral to appointment. Hoping it’s a quick 2 weeks x

  • Glad you have a date now but yes your right it is a long wait from referral date! Cant believe they've made you wait this long