Hi, I've just had my breast clinic appointment after FINALLY getting round to see the GP  *

Dr google told me the lumps I could feel were nothing to worry about so it took several months to bother to get a proper opinion! I'm 29 happily decided that I'm far too young for BC

Went in fully expecting to have my diagnosis of "nothing to worry about" confirmed and sent on my way, instead the Dr asked me what hospital I wanted to go too and handed me a print out called "understanding your fast track appointment" which explained that I needed to be seen within two weeks because my symptoms could be caused by cancer.

Freaked me out big time, as I had completely ruled that out already.

Less than 24 hours later the hospital were on the phone to sort out an appointment

 (cue more panicking ...surely they only act this fast if they have good reason to thinks it's something serious, crap why was I not taking it more seriously when I was in with the GP yesterday, I shouldn't have assumed it was nothing that's why I wasn't listening properly arrrggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!)   

I spent the next 12 days all over the place freaking out, convincing myself that this is serious, and I'm probably dying. Couldn't focus on anything, shot tempered and panicked. But somehow I came to the same rational(?) decision as you...can't tell anyone because there is nothing to tell yet (and also my family are a little over dramatic and protective and would have tried to look after me too much and driven me crazy)

Well got to the clinic last week, and was reassured by the really nice consultant that any symptom of cancer is routinely seen within 2 weeks... not an emergency...just standard practice even when they are already pretty sure it's not cancer. It's a symptom so they like to see it quick, just so they can confirm the 100% not cancer diagnosis very quickly

Now it did say that all on the info the GP gave me but TBH I don't think anything would have helped me chill out during the wait, you just see or hear the C word and freak right out!

Thankfully I'm mostly good, I definitely Don't have Cancer (YAY!!) but the ultrasound Dr said one of my lumps had some "character" to it. Worst case scenario is the biopsy will show some abnormalities and I'll still have to have it out. 

So another week of stress waiting to find out if I'm gonna have to have an op or not (i'm a big baby, more terrified at the thought of an op that any potential diagnosis!!)

Anyway stress is fine and natural and normal and somehow you will survive to appointment day

I will just point out than when last week was all done and I was sure I wasn't dying I finally told a few people...most people were nicely supportive and my older sisters were MAD MAD MAD at me for not telling them and threatened to beat me with a slipper (see above re. "over dramatic and protective"!) 

Just have a think about the pros and cons of telling different people, some sort of selective disclosure may be the way to go to take some of the weight off your mind.

Hi all,

Thanks for your responses and I'm so sorry I've given you radio silence until now. I actually didn't realise there were any replies until this evening!!

I can't believe how slowly time is passing. I feel like I'm going mad. I just want to go back to my old life where I wasn't obsessed with the idea of having breast cancer!!

I've made a list of 'reasons to worry' and a list of 'reasons not to worry'. My list of 'reasons to worry' is longer...

One of them is the serious demeanor of the GP. Do you guys think you can guess what a GP is thinking by their manner, or is that too subjective a thing to be worried about? I've also considered phoning up the GP in question to get her opinion on the situation but then thought that might make it worse as whatever she then says on that phone call I will obsess about for the next few days... and I guess GPs can't know what's going on inside a breast really. But maybe they can give an educated guess.

Sophie x

Unless you see her reguarly and it was somewhat out of character I wouldn't worry about the demeanor of the GP too much, I think they just like to get on with business as they are so pushed for time. They do have to take everything like this seriously and the national guidlines tell them to refer all the maybes just in case, even while they are much better informed and experienced than "Dr" Google it is very rare that they can ever know for sure - even the consultant experts don't know untill they've had a chance to have a good look at what's going on inside. 

Was it today your appointment? How'd it go?

Mine was 12 days ago now and still waiting for the biopsy results - I was told they were very busy at the moment but should have had something in the post today. After finding finding myself thoroughly reassured at the end of the clinic appointment I'm begining to stress and  again - having thoughts along the lines of "Why aren't they here yet??? did they find something unexpected and I havn't heard because they are double check??"

I'll give them to the end of the week and then start chasing.