Breast cyst or worse?

Hi 

2 weeks ago I found a small lump on my right breast at the top. I waited a week for my period then made an appointment as it was still there.

The out of hours physician, I think a nurse, was very brief and said it seemed cyst like and referred me for the 2ww. When reading my notes online I saw she has put hard and non mobile. My one reassurance through this is when I press down although it's firm the lump can slide slightly from side to side. It is smooth and round though. Tried to get clarification from my gp but was passed around receptionists yesterday all day with mixed messages about the referral and no help.

I've got 2 young children and feel like im starting to lose my mind with worry!

Parents
  • Hi,

    I honestly don't have much advice to give you, but I am in a similar place and it's really scary. I just got a 2ww referral on Monday for a lump and changing shape of my right breast, but the GP warned me that in our area (Northern Ireland) it could be 3 weeks til I get a letter and another 3 until I'm seen. The idea of waiting for 6 weeks is freaking me out! 

    I also have 2 kids, but mine are a bit older and giving all the teenage joys life can throw at you! I remember how tiring little ones can be though, and trying to stay patient with them when you're stressed out can be really tough. Have you managed to talk to anyone? A call to a friend or one of the nurses on the helpline here? I honestly found reading some of the posts where people said they had a lump that just didn't show up on ultrasound or x-ray, or posts where people found out it was a benign tumour or cyst helped calm me loads. Waiting sucks, but knowing that at least I'm in the system now is better than the nightmare it was to get a GP appointment in the first place (apparently a lump isn't an emergency and they are only seeing emergency patients at the moment - otherwise it's a 2 week wait)!

    Hope you are able to find a way to ease your worries and it doesn't take too long for an appointment to come through for you x

  • Thank you for the reply. I know from reading here there's alot more beingn conclusions than sinister snd a lot seem to be caught early when they do? I was ok till I read the referral notes by the nurse.  sure I can move this lump side to side slightly. It's also smooth/ smooth edges and 3mm so hanging onto these positives till I can go to the clinic!

    I've got my sister to come along with me. Feel free to carry on chatting x

  • I haven't read that much about peri-menopause, but fibroadenomas seem quite common and hopefully that's what this is. The doc said it was supposed to be 2 weeks but to call her if I didn't hear anything before Christmas since there have been issues. With Stormont not running the whole health service over here is shocking. I know one health trust was in the news at the start of the year because some patients were waiting 20weeks with a suspected cancer diagnosis! Thankfully that issue has been resolved, but wait times are still longer than they should be. Once I get my appointment date I will call and say I will take any cancellations. I'm off over Christmas and New year so easy to go in anytime.

  • Did they say kn the GP office what it is likely to be? like a cyst etc? 

  • No, she was pretty quiet. I had never met her before. She just felt it and then said that any new lumps in patients over 30 got a red flag referral. She did say that the referral doesn't mean it's cancer, just that it should be scanned. It was kinda weird actually!

  • Did your GP give much of an opinion?

  • said its cyst like and said the same thing about the referral. then said an ultrasound would confirm and it only needed aspirating if it was painful. She was very quick, all of 10 seconds feeling each side. then said they're very common. 

  • Hiya does anyone else's lump seem to dissapear when they lay down x

  • That sounds hopeful anyway! Fingers crossed the ultrasound shows she's right :) 

  • Everyone is different, but for me the lump is more prominent when I lie down x

  • Is it I've woke up this morning and can't seem to feel it anymore so I'm gonna ring the doctors and get her to check again x

  • yes! but that was when I first noticed mine lying down. weird

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