I’m very scared I’ve had this uncomfortable feeling on the left outer side of my breast for months and eventually just before lockdown went to the doctors they gave me antibiotics but said to come back and they would refer me if nothing changed, but they didn’t mention breast cancer and I put it to the back of my mind.  It was still the same but by then we were in full lockdown so I stupidly didn’t go back until yesterday. The nurse practitioner got me to put my hands on my head and immediately said I had a noticeable swelling on the outer side of my left breast,my back just below my shoulder blade feels uncomfortable too. Anyway she said she was going to refer me for an urgent app at the breast cancer clinic she was also saying she’s very concerned, she did also say only 1 in 10 is BC but I’m scared. I said I’m away Saturday for a week and she said could I postpone which has worried me but my husband said if necessary he will bring me back for the day just for my appointment we’re staying 5 hours away. Anyway she also said why hadn’t I come back sooner and she should slap my wrist for that. Once home I looked in the mirror with my arms in my head and could so obviously see the swelling, my left breast isn’t round like my right it’s sort of gone wide on the left it’s not a lump as such it’s like a soft ridge but I had been feeling for a lump and totally missed the swollen feeling and when my arms are down you can’t see it at all but I feel so stupid to have missed it and so stupid to wait another three months because of lockdown. I had a scare with my right breast in 2011 and had a biopsy for a thickening after a fine needle to remove a cyst but this feels different and quite a large area I also had breast reduction surgery in 2014 so wondering if that has had any effect but to be honest I’ve scared myself looking on the internet about one type of cancer with these symptoms that’s rare but has a very poor prognosis I know I shouldn’t of looked. I had an email today to say I’ve been referred and if I haven’t heard by this Friday about an app I’m to ring, thats quick...that’s scared me too. Has anyone else on here having the same symptoms as me I’ve scared myself silly. 

Hi Bumblegal,

A very warm welcome to our forum. i am so sorry to hear about your symptoms, but am glad to hear that you have already been referred to the breast clinic.  Please try not to worry about the speed of referral. All urgent referrals (and this includes most of them) need to be honoured within 2 weeks, although, some areas are taking a little longer due to the current pandemic.

Try your best to avoid consulting Dr Google. This is never a good idea and will only serve to frighten you even further. It is a pity that you have left these symptoms during lockdown, but what's done is done, so don't let that get you down. You have made the move now and, that's all that matters.

I sincerely hope that all goes well for you and that there is a simpler explanation for your swelling.

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

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi lovely!

nope gotten nowhere the pains eased off but still come and go gp isn't much help so I've given up and booked myself a chiropractor appointment so helpfully they can help, I'm convinced whatever is wrong is coming from my back (since my last post I had a chest X-ray that showed nothing) so I'm thinking it's my spine or tore muscles that are taking a long time to heal, over the months I've began to notice that the pain doesn't seem to be in the breast although it can feel like it is I think it's the ribs/muscles behind it and it just makes my boob hurt! 

Hi hun 

just read over your post and honestly I can see why your gp wants this checked out but given your reduction history I believe this could be your issue, I know someone who had a reduction and years later suffered a lot of pain I'm not sure about swelling but pain yes, I have everything crossed for you that it's just a side effect of the reduction! 
 

I have a breast clinic referral after finding some lumps in my right breast and I mean (lumps) not one hard lump it's lots of little soft movable ones I have lumpy breast in general but this is different been to my gp and she instantly said she wasn't concerned but because I have lumpy boobs she thinks it would be good to speak to the breast clinic people she had a name for the lumpiness but can't remember what she said, il probably wait ages on my appointment but glad your gp has fast tracked yours 

Thankyou guys for responding, sorry I'm only just replying but I've come away with my family to a devon cottage for a week and the signal for internet dips in and out as we are deep in the countryside.

i got a call on Friday offering me Monday 13th for my appointment (which is good because I get back saturday) at the breast clinic at my local hospital, I'm very nervous as she told me it will probably be mammogram, then scan then possibly the biopsy, I had a biopsy back in 2011 and it did distress me as the person doing it did the biopsy before the anaesthetic had properly worked I know that was just bad luck but of course it's made me more scared for another one, also they have said I probably will have to do all this without my husband due to the ongoing COVID situation . I'm trying really hard to stay positive on my holiday and have not told any of my family except my husband obviously but it's hard, I put my new swimsuit on today to go to the beach but it's underwired and it was hurting a bit across the swelling so I changed to a soft one but I must admit I had a few little tears in the bedroom then. I switch from oh it's going to be nothing to worry about to oh my god I'm in trouble.

JLRT I hope they can get you sorted quickly and it's nothing serious. Xx

Update: I went to the breast cancer clinic on Monday had a mammogram and a scan, didn’t need the biopsy as at the scan the doctor said nothing suspicious at all and definitely no cancer, they have told me that it’s just swollen breast tissue and he showed me that on the scan,he said sometimes after reduction surgery a small amount of tissue can come back he also said it can also happen because of my age being 54 and nearly through the menopause and suggested cutting down on alcohol, smoking and caffeine (I don’t smoke and only drink now and again but drink masses of tea) also to start taking evening primrose oil which can help. Then later when I spoke to the consultant she said to carry on wearing the sports bras I’m now in as I found underwired were too uncomfortable across the swelling and she said she wishes all women would wear them as they are more friendly to the breast tissue  and she wears them herself. With regard to the extra tissue they rarely operate on the nhs as it’s really cosmetic but she warned me that even when they do the tissue can grow back so advised that unless it gets noticeably bigger to leave it. Needless to say I left the hospital on cloud 9 so relieved and went straight to the shop for evening primrose oil and decaf teabags. Hope my story gives you ladies some positive vibes as I was thinking all sorts of dreadful scenarios. Wishing you all well xxx

Hi Bumblegal54,

After reading your post I feel a bit relieved. I've had a strange feeling in my right breast for a few weeks and went to dr today. Thar breast has always been bigger than the other one. She didn't find any lumps, but gave me an antibiotic and antiinflammatories for a week, i need to come back after two weeks and if it won't go away she'll refer me to a breast clinic as she said it's a but weird that the feeling is in only one of them. I'm now scared to death and the more I think about it the worse i feel. I did google and I fear the inflammatory cancer. I have myself dead and burried, anxiety and fear through the roof. I'm only 29, I don't know how to relax :/

Just wondering if you ever got to the bottom of this? I am experiencing the same, left breast pain and underarm pain... 

hope all is well :) 

Hi Ferenique

You are doing all the right things and it’s so hard to be positive when you’ve been on google the same as I did but there are so many other things it could be rather than cancer. I know though when you are in this bubble it’s scary. It may be that after the anti inflammatories and antibiotics everything is fine but if you get referred just take one day at a time and try to stay calm. I hope everything turns out well for you please let me know how you get on. 

Bumblegal