This is my first post and I would like to preface this by saying I am about to get real whiny and rant!
I'm 24 and three weeks ago I felt a lump on my right breast. Tried to keep calm at first and visited my GP, who had a feel and said although she could feel the lump, there's really no telling what it could be on her end. But given my age and no family history, she said it's unlikely to be serious. She still referred me to the breast clinic as standard. She was incredibly nice and explained all the different types of lumps we get in our breasts. I also think she was about the same age me and she really understood my worries without giving me false promises. I came away from the GP feeling ok and not too scared, though of course a little anxious.
During the wait for the breast clinic to arrange an appointment, I was not anxious and went about my day to day. Eventually they did not call me and I had to call to arrange the appointment myself. They said they'd call me back and surprise surprise they didn't. So I called back the next day and wouldn't get off the phone without an appointment.
I had the appointment yesterday and it was really difficult for me emotionally. I went on my own, and all the other women waiting were also young, 20s or 30s, which was both sad and reassuring at the same time. The initial breast examination by the doctor was super quick, in and out bish bash bosh with no information. Only felt my breasts not my armpits which with hindsight thought they should have done. It felt very clinical and did little to assauge my anxiety. Then came the three hour wait for an ultrasound. Ultrasound was ok but again they gave me little information on what they had seen, all they said was ok we're going to do a biopsy now, and went ahead and did it. It was uncomfortable but not painful.
Then I saw the doctor again and all she said was we'll contact you about the results in a week or so. No information. I tried to ask a question but they had already opened the door signalling me to leave and that's when I burst into tears. I expressed my anxiety to them, how no one had even given me any inkling as to what the lump could be, no information on what the hell was going on and everyone was being very elusive. The doctor misread my tears as wanting reassurance, and said she doesn't reassure her patients incase the outcome is not good. I said I did not need reassurance, simply information and her judgement as a doctor of the possible scenarios. She finally told me they had found a solid mass of 25mm and the biopsy would confirm whether it was a fibroadenoma or something worse.
I went home and immediately spoke to my best friend who is a doctor who explained things to me in more depth about all the possible lumps and bumps. I was extremely unsatisfied with the breast clinic and felt all the doctors and nurses were being elusive. I'm not saying I wanted someone to hold my hand and tell me not to worry, but as a young woman who was clearly anxious I needed to know what was happening and their professional opinion. I'm now incredibly worried about the results and am thinking the worst - I don't know if they were being elusive because they suspect its something bad, or because they simply do not know how to treat their patients.