Hi Boz37,

Welcome to the forum, although I'm sorry you find yourself on here :|

It's safe to say that the waiting is the worst part, even for those of us where it has turned out to be cancer the waiting has still been the worst part.  Obviously most lumps are not cancer and your age is on your side in that hormones can still be causing changes.  That said obviously your age doesn't bar you from having cancer, I was diagnosed at 42 and was already stage 3c, so I'd already had it for up to 10 years possibly even longer.

Statistically you're likely to be under the NHS in England?  Just going on the different population sizes across the UK.  I am not familiar with the NHS in England but I hear people on here talking about a 'two-week' timeframe guideline for referrals to their breast clinic.  If you look up the NICE guidelines online, or even Google the NHS and breast cancer diagnosis timeframes, then that might help.

I'm in Jersey and it was best part of two weeks between my GP visit and seeing the breast clinic.  N.B. Our breast clinic only does physical examination and ultrasound, everything else is in the main hospital building.  But because on the ultrasound it showed as clearly being an advanced cancer I was referred as an emergency and was seen by the hospital's mammography department just two days later for further ultrasound, mammogram and biopsy.

Hopefully you will be seen within two weeks, that's a long enough wait in your situation, anything longer would be horrendous.  And I also hope it turns out to be nothing.  I do have a BRCA2 mutation, but hopefully your family history is just chance and not indicative of a mutation.  Even some families with really strong histories of breast cancer turn out not to show any mutation (according to the genes so far identified).  Still, you might want to consider asking about genetic testing and whether your family would be eligible.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that it's nothing sinister, but if your worst fears are realised we are all here to help you.

Best wishes,

LJxx   p.s. you are absolutely on the write bit of the forum for your post :)

Hi

Sorry to hear the reason why you are on th forum. As Twintwo said if you are in England it’s likely you would have been referred under the 2 week appointment system (might be worth a call to your GP to understand if that is the case). I got a call with my appointment rather than a letter and it was within the 2 weeks. 

It’s natural to worry, it’s a scary thing but the sooner you get it checked out at least you know what you are dealing with.  Please avoid checking google, it generally focusses in worst case scenarios.

You are in the right place for help and support and we are all with you.  Fingers crossed it’s good news. Always here if you have any questions.

WL

Thanks for your replies everyone, I'm still waiting, I run towards the door everytime the post arrives and my phone goes everywhere now in case I miss something.

Hopefully it won't be too long now as the 2 weeks is up on Wednesday