Hi,

Same here, I started with itching in 1 nipple a few weeks back and my doctor found a lump in my breast yesterday. I have been referred with the 2 week wait but feel worried sick and don't know how I am going to get through this wait. I am so scared it's cancer as have the itching and strange feeling in breast. Finding it hard to eat or sleep with worry. I have a yound son age 8.

Hi, 

I am so sorry you are going through this too and this 2 week wait feels like the longest time..... I really hope you dont have to wait too long.  I'm a nervous wreck each time the phone rings in case it is about the appointment.  My 2 girls must know there is something up with me but if anything I'm trying to be more patient with them and giving them as many hugs as I can, without them getting fed up with me.  I feel like now I've founf the lump I am more aware of every sensation I have in my breast and I feel like it aches and also under my arm pit too, have you experienced anything like that?

I'm sending you possitive thoughts and hope that being able to vent on here may help a little x

Hi and thanks for your reply.

I am exactly the same, I seem to be noticing every sensation in my breast and the other one too! thinking I have an itchy armpit and generally feeling lots of strange things within my body which could be due to anxiety, I suffer with a lot of anxiety so it's off the scale right now.

Stay safe and will keep in touch x

Totally empathise with your anxiety, its something I suffer with too and this is one of the hardest things to manage my feelings about right now.

It would be great to keep in touch and I'm sending you all best wishes x

Totally empathise with your anxiety, its something I suffer with too and this is one of the hardest things to manage my feelings about right now.

It would be great to keep in touch and I'm sending you all best wishes x

So sorry to here your going through this. I have an appointment on Thursday, found a lump in my right breast. Due to Easter holidays the waiting time has been 3 weeks. I have two young children and thinking the worst. Now I have the letter in black and white it feels real. 
 

hope everyone has good news xxx

Hi Bostongirl, Senorita, Tara, Lou and Eleanor,

To those of you who are new to the forum, a very warm welcome.

I thought that I would reply to you all together, as you all seem to be at a similar stage. This is always a scary time and time feels as if it stands still for these two weeks. Try to keep yourselves busy to help the time to go a little faster and, whatever you do, stay away from 'Dr Google' as much of the information there is unreliable and, will only serve to worry you further.

There are a few facts which might help to allay some of your fears. Not all lumps are cancerous - many turn out to be benign cysts. Of all the people referred to the breast clinic, only 1 person in every 8 will turn out to have cancer. Even if you do get a cancer diagnosis, it is not all doom and gloom. This is one of the most treatable forms of all cancers. I myself have had 2 bouts in the past 11 years and I am still living a busy and fulfilled life.

I sincerely hope that the results for all of you turn out to be better than you're expecting. Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you,

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thank you :-) I'm so sorry to hear you have been through this twice before. 
 

I was referred about 10 years ago and was told I had "breast mice" but I think now I'm a mom I have more to lose and it's a bigger worry. 
 

I've been working as much as I can and only told my husband. Don't want people treating me different and asking how I am until I know for sure. Trying to put it to the back of my mind. 
 

It's nice to have people to talk to, glad I've joined xxx

Thank you Jolamine you seem like a very kind caring lady.

I will try to think positive and disctract myself as much as possible.

Lou x

Hi Eleanor,

I agree that anything like this is worrying at the best of times, but even more so when you have children. A number of people don't tell anyone until they have a diagnosisand even then, the more positive you can be in the telling, the more normally people tend to treat you.

I do so hope that all goes well for you on Thursday and that they're still breast mice.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thank you Jolamine it is good to hear that it can all work out better than I fear right now and I knwo you are right to say to stop google-ing the signs and symptons, all that has achieved is scaring me further. Being able to be in touch with others in the same situation makes me feel less isolated.  Thank you for your support.

xx

Hi Bostongirl,

We always advise people not to Google as it scares the wits out of us and, serves no useful purpose. There is no need to feel alone. There are a large number of us on this forum who have experienced all that you are going through and we are here to support you as and when you need us.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi all, 

I'm not sure what I'm doing here (online tech and me don't mix) but I felt really reassured reading all your posts. 
I'm 37 and a few months ago felt what I thought was a small lump under my left breast,I was due on my period and feel bumpy and sore at this time so didn't think anything of it. I've continued to check and check and check again..it doesn't hurt but it's there and when I lay down I can see it, I  think it's the paranoier of my fathers shock diagnosis last February and sudden death in March with cancer so I just told myself I'm being paranoid. Of course it hasn't gone away,I finally had my friend check and she made my doctors appointment 31st March. The doctor was lovely,however I do struggle to understand her and I was just concerned I was wasting her time and being paranoid. She examined me and said she will refer me to breast clinic and that she doesn't know if it's on the rib or breast tissue. Been going out of my mind since then with worry and have an appointment at breast clinic next Friday 16th. Just wondered what to expect. I've become obsessed with checking one minute I feel it next I'm telling myself I'm wasting their time,is this normal? 

Hi Lozza,

A very warm welcome to our forum.

I am so sorry to hear about your father and, can understand why you are so worried.

You are certainly not being at all paranoid. Most breast lumps don't hurt, but it is never a good idea to ignore any breast change. The sooner any cancer is caught and treated the better the outcome tends to be. Try not to keep checking your breast all of the time, as this will only make it sore. I have found that it is often easir to examine yourself in the shower when you are all soapy, as your hand will glide across the area easily.

You will find all of the staff at the clinic are usually very understanding and helpful. You have probably been asked to attend on your own due to the current pandemic. You will be seen by your consultant, who will talk to you about your symptoms, when you first noticed them, how your breast feels, etc. You will then have both breasts examined. Depending upon the consultant's findings, you will usually have a mammogram, an ultrasound and a biopsy. Most women under 40 don't have a mammogram, as younger breasts tend to be denser and breast tissue doesn't show up well on these type of scans. However, because you are close. to this age, you may or may not have one.

You will then be sent away to wait for the results of these tests - this usually takes 1-2 weeks, but can take a little longer in some areas at present, due to Covid. This is always an anxious wait, until you find out whether or not there is anything untoward present. Even consultants cannot diagnose cancer with any certainty solely from an examination. The biopsy will confirm the type and grade of breast cancer if it is present.

Having said all this, our minds often tend to think the worst at this stage. I am not a doctor, but some facts that I have found helpful are that only 1 person in every 8 who attend the breast clinic will receive a cancer diagnosis. Also, not all lumps are cancerous. Some ladies have naturally lumpy breasts and others can have benign cysts. Just remind yourself that it's not cancer until you're told that it is.

Keep busy to help make the waiting time pass a little quicker and, whatever you do, steer clear of consulting 'Dr Google', as this can scare the pants off you for no good reason. We always advise people to steer clear until they know exactly what they are dealing with. I hope that all goes well for you next Friday. Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are alays here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx