Living With "Normal" Breast Lumps, Bumps & Ridges

Hi there

 

I wondered if I could ask for people's advice please on living with lumps and bumps that have been checked and are "normal".

 

I suffer with anxiety and my husband often tells me I'm a hypochondriac. I jump right to thee worst case scenario. My anxiety is horrid lately and it heavily linked to my recent/current breast concern.

 

About 3 months ago I felt firm tissue in my right breast above the nipple area. It hasn't changed since then as far as I can tell and to describe it I'd say it was like a ridge? A firm ridge that sort of pops up and down slightly as I push my fingers up and down over it. It is completely painless. I went to the doctors as I also had armpit pain.

 

They felt nothing concerning but asked for me back in a month to double check. When I went back the pain was gone and they still felt nothing concerning but referred me for a scan for my mental wellbeing. I went for an ultrasound and they said there my breast looks completely normal and all she saw was normal healthy breast tissue. She explained that sometimes we just get firm lumpy bumpy tissue as we get older. I can feel a slight tiny ridge in the other breast in a slightly different place but it is much smaller. I can feel the same popping firm bump in another different area of the left breast but again smaller. All this she said is normal firm fatty tissue, muscle or glands and it completely normal and looks normal. The ridge that seems massive to me apparently is totally fine, two doctors and an ultrasound scan said so.

 

You think this would ease my mind, that I'd be able to feel my breast and the ridge in my right breast and be all "It's normal its all fine" right? Wrong!

 

I am just as obsessive as before. I check them daily. Feeling the large ridge in the right and then poking and jabbing at the left until I find some form of firm bump in there. I then repeat like a mantra "Doctors both said I feel normal and the scan looked normal and healthy. I have ridges and firm bumps in both breasts they are just bigger in the right but doctors said they both look and feel completely normal".

 

I feel like a headcase. I am an obsessive breast checker despite doctors telling me my lumpy bumpy breasts feel and look normal. Does anyone out there have any experience with "Normal" firm lumps and bumps they are told are completely fine but you can easily feel and so you are checking them every damn day, often multiple times?

 

Any advice would be welcome xx

Parents
  • Hi StephyJo. I'm also a Stephy. I just wanted to say that you're not alone. Your situation sounds almost identical to mine. I had a lump checked and scanned and they tell me it's lumpy tissue, but I am paying to go back privately to have a further diagnosis. 
     

    I think the problem with there being so much in the news and on social media about checking your boobs and self awareness that for those of us who suffer with anxiety (especially health anxiety like me) it really makes us worry about every little thing. 
     

    I feel your pain and wish I could give better advice, but I guess the advice to us both is we have to trust in the doctors and also believe that the odds of us having breast cancer are less than the odds of us not. Also that we have done all that we can to get checked. 
     

    I see you post was quite a while ago. So I hope you are doing okay now and are feeling better about things. Take care and sending very best wishes and hugs xxxx

Reply
  • Hi StephyJo. I'm also a Stephy. I just wanted to say that you're not alone. Your situation sounds almost identical to mine. I had a lump checked and scanned and they tell me it's lumpy tissue, but I am paying to go back privately to have a further diagnosis. 
     

    I think the problem with there being so much in the news and on social media about checking your boobs and self awareness that for those of us who suffer with anxiety (especially health anxiety like me) it really makes us worry about every little thing. 
     

    I feel your pain and wish I could give better advice, but I guess the advice to us both is we have to trust in the doctors and also believe that the odds of us having breast cancer are less than the odds of us not. Also that we have done all that we can to get checked. 
     

    I see you post was quite a while ago. So I hope you are doing okay now and are feeling better about things. Take care and sending very best wishes and hugs xxxx

Children
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