I have been to see my GP today after 2 weeks of continual pain in my breasts with some nipple discharge. She got me to lay down and informed me they are really lumpy and asked if this is normal for me, which it's not.  I'm adopted but do know my birth mothers mum died of breast cancer which added a few more alarm bells to my head. She told me she will be writing to the breast surgeon to get me an appointment so now I'm worrying. What is the average timescale between referral and appointment?  Am I panicking too early? 
Emily x

Hi Emily,

A very warm welcome to our forum.

I am sorry to hear that your GP has felt it necessary to refer you to the breast clinic. Try not to let this worry you, as only 1 person in every 8 referred will get a cancer diagnosis. You don't say what age you are, but many young women also have naturally lumpy breasts.

You will usually be seen at the clinic within 2 weeks from referral. Panic won't change your outcome, so try to stay calm.  You will find that keeping busy will help to pass the time as your're waiting.

You may have some tests taken when you are at the clinic and it usually takes 1-2 weeks to get the results of these back. It is not usually until this stage that you can be sure that all is clear.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Keeping my fingers crossed for good news.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi MissStephLouise,

I hope that you get good news tomorrow. 

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Seryn,

We are all scared stiff at this stage, but as I said before, you have a lot of positives from your GP's perceptions. It is so hard to deal with all of the unknowns surrounding you at present, but I am still hoping that you get good news.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi

ive just been reading all these posts. I saw my GP yesterday as I'd had an inverted nipple on and off for a week or two. I couldn't find any lumps so was kind of hoping it would be something and nothing. Unfortunately she found a lump that she thought was about 1cm and sent an urgent referral through to the breast clinic for me

Today I'm just in bits - can't concentrate on work, keep bursting into tears, feel sick with worry. The GP has said it could be 2-3 weeks before I get an appointment and I just know how I'm going to cope until then.

I can see I'm not alone in feeling so scared though from reading all your posts. Any ideas how I get through the next couple of weeks? Apart from my husband I've told no one because I don't feel able to talk about it without crying - I'm crying just typing this. 

Hi Treaclepud,

A very warm welcome to our forum.

This is always a great shock to the system and our minds tend to go into overdrive whilst we are waiting. Having read some of our posts, you will realise that it is not at all uncommon to feel as you do just now. Crying is not such a bad thing, as it helps to relieve some of your stress. 

You will normally be seen within 2 weeks from referral, although there may be some slight delays due to the current pandemic situaton. Try to keep yourself busy to distract yourself from the wait and, whatever you do, steer clear of the internet. Whatever the outcome, you will feel better once you know exactly what you are dealing with.

Please let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thank you for replying. I'm trying to avoid googling 'breast cancer' as I know there's going to be so much information that it will just encourage my stress levels up and up. 
 

Two weeks seems like such a long time - I know it's not but at the moment I'm so worried I can't imagine how I'll get through that amount of time. 
 

But I know all of the people on here have had the same wait and coped, I think I just need to get my head around the whole idea that I may have breast cancer. Like you say - it's the not knowing that's the worst, once I know then at least you can start to deal with it x

Hi Treaclepud,

The wait is never easy. I have had 2 bouts of breast cancer in the past 11 years and have been waiting since October to be seen, in case it has returned again. I was seen on 5th January and now have to go through a barrage of tests before I know the outcome, so I know only too well how scary the wait can be.

Many of us are in denial at your stage. We hear about cancer, but never expect to find it at our own door. I know that the wait seems interminable, but you will get through it.

Many people don't tell anyone until they get a definite diagnosis. Eventually, you'll find it a help to be able to talk to others about it.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Oh my goodness, poor you! I can't imagine how you coped waiting from October through to January and still waiting now. I hope you get positive news soon xxx

Hi Treaclepud,

It has been a long time. I have a bone scan tomorrow. This is my first test, so fingers crossed that it will be ok.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 invasive breast cancer yesterday afternoon. I had a mammogram performed of both breasts, which indicated that luckily my left breast is clear and that the cancer has not spread from my right breast to the surrounding lymph nodes. Another small mass was detected close to the back of the chest wall, nearby to the existing tumour. I am returning today for another image guided core biopsy to be performed via mammogram. My HER2 result is still pending, but I am likely to find out within the next two weeks, meaning my course of treatment is yet to be determined. I also met one of my breast cancer nurses at the appointment yesterday.

Hi Miss StehLouise,

I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. However I am glad to hear that your left breast is clear and that there is no spread to the lymph nodes in your right breast. Your core biopsy and HER2 result will help to determine yout course of treatment.

No matter how prepared you think you are for this sort of news, it always comes as a terrible shock. It will become easier once you know exactly what you are dealing with and can move on to treatment. I hope that it won't take too long to get your biopsy results back and you can start to move forward.

We are always here if you want to chat. Please keep us updated with your results.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Miss StehLouise,

I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. However I am glad to hear that your left breast is clear and that there is no spread to the lymph nodes in your right breast. Your core biopsy and HER2 result will help to determine yout course of treatment.

No matter how prepared you think you are for this sort of news, it always comes as a terrible shock. It will become easier once you know exactly what you are dealing with and can move on to treatment. I hope that it won't take too long to get your biopsy results back and you can start to move forward.

We are always here if you want to chat. Please keep us updated with your results.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx