Possible cancer and AIBU

[Spooksandchocolatecake]

Hi I'm new to MN so please be kind, my dd14 has had a lump in her left leg for the last 2 months(we spotted it then but thought it might just go away on its own😬) small but prominent. I noticed it again last night and was shocked at how much it'd grown.

This morning I took dd to the surgery and asked for an appointment with a doctor. She replied saying that their wasn't any this morning but at 9:30 we could see a primary nurse (wasn't best pleased but appreciate that the NHS is crippling underfunded and was reassured if their was anything more sinicall she would refer us to a Dr). We went to this nurse who gave one look at my daughter and said that she was absolutely fine (refusing to look at my daughters leg in the process).Telling me she had a lipoma:fatty lump in the muscle. It's rock hard and attached to her kneecap! I then went back to reception and asked for an appointed with the Dr, she said no because the nurse had said no further investigation was required. I made a bit of a song and dance and managed to get a appointment with the Dr at 2:30.

We got there and she took a look and said it was possible cancer. The lump was 3cm×3cm rock hard and definitely not a fatty mass, she had bloods done to check her calcium level and put down as a emergency so we'll get them tmrw.

I asked for a complaint sheet to complain about the nurse, to which the receptionist said that wouldnt be necessary and that I had caused enough trouble as it is!

AIBU and any advice to help dd

[MooseBeTimeForSnow]

Go back to the receptionist and ask for two sheets - one for the nurse and one for her!

[LudoFriend]

Agreed with pp - you need to complain about them both. If you don't want to confront the same receptionist again then call PALS and ask for their help.

[Stinkytoe]

Has the GP referred you for some kind of imaging test to view the lump?

[Dreamzcancometrue]

I would complain about them both. Sorry to hear it could be possibly cancer, but doctors are not always right. Dont give up hope !

[ShannonRockallMalin]

Just as a possible reassurance, DH has had a hard lump on his thigh for as long as I’ve known him (20+ years). It’s genuinely just a benign mass that’s never caused any problems. I hope it’s the same for your DD.

On the nurse/receptionist issue, contact PALS (patient advice and liaison service) who might be able to help you complain.

[Spooksandchocolatecake]

Thank you for replying I wasn't expecting anything till morning ☺️. She's been referred for a mri scan and ultra sound. Planning to call pals tomorrow for a talk. She was crying so I brought her into my room and we've been watching Harry Potter and having a cuddle. I've excepted the worse so any other news will come as a nice surprise. X

[ionlylovemybedandmymama]

My dh has one of these. He's been told it's a cyst.

Please do complain about the nurse and receptionist. I really can't believe you'd be referred to a nurse for a lump in the first place.

[Laterthanyouthink]

Is there a practice manager you could talk to?

[ZaraW]

Definitely complain about the nurse and receptionist their attitude is awful. I was misdiagnosed with cancer nearly ten years ago (not in the UK) and I complained about GP, radiologist and nurse it's your right to do that.

I really hope your daughter is OK and you get good news today.

[sulflower]

I would definitely complain. I hope it turns out to be nothing and your daughter is okay. I had a similar situation but the lump was on the upper edge of my hand and was getting bigger. It is rock hard and feels like bone, immovable. On the day I had an x-Ray and a week later I'd had a scan and it turned out to be a synovial cyst. They showed me on the scan where it looked like it had a tail leading away from the joint where the fluid had leaked. Fingers crossed for you.

[Groovee]

You need to write to the practice manager about this.

[Wuddlingheights]

OP, how is your daughter?

[AlwaysCheddar]

Complain about the nurse and receptionist!

[ThanosSavedMe]

Definitely omplainavout the both of them. Awful attitude

I hope all goes well with your dd appointment

[Mumof1andacat]

Write a letter to the practice manager. The name of him or he4 should be on the website

[yearinyearout]

I'm amazed that any doctor would take an initial look a a lump and say "it's possibly cancer" especially to a 14 year old, which would cause a great deal of distress. I've had further investigations for a lump before and even when pressed by me they've generally said "it's highly unlikely to be anything malignant but we will investigate further". That doesn't excuse the behaviour of the staff at the surgery at all, but I'm a bit concerned if you're worrying your daughter by "accepting the news" at this stage. Hopefully it will be nothing nasty.

[whiteroseredrose]

Definitely complain. Others might have just gone away and potentially left a serious disease to progress. Arrogance on the nurse's part but I do hope she was right. But better to be safe than sorry.

[CoolJule43]

You don't have to fill in a complaint sheet. Write a letter to the Practice Manager entitled complaint and keep a scanned copy of it. Just state the facts and tell them what outcome you require such as:

1. Written full apologies from both Receptionist and Nurse;
   
2. Evidence of changes to their policy and procedures to ensure it cannot happen again in the future to you or any other patients.
   
   Tell them that if you are not satisfied with their investigation and/or response you will take the matter further.

[DharmaInitiativeLady]

I am really shocked that the GP said that to you

[RuthW]

I work at a surgery. This is not normal practice. Please complain to the practice manager about both.

[Fcukthisshit]

You should definitely complain to the practice manager. Fingers crossed that it’s good news for your daughter x

[pilates]

😲 I am shocked at the treatment you have received. Yes there should be a complaints procedure in their website. I would be complaining in writing about the treatment you have received. Your poor DD and hope it’s not what you think it is 💐

[Lovethetimeyouhave]

Oh my days! I really hope your daughter is ok! Good on you for forcing the second appointment! You need to complain for sure

[TwitterQueen1]

I too would include the GP in your complaint. You don't take a look at a lump and say "it could be cancer", especially with a 14 year old! The doctor won't know at this stage. Sounds like a poor practice all round.

[CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson]

I am really shocked that the GP said that to you

I'm amazed that any doctor would take an initial look a a lump and say "it's possibly cancer" especially to a 14 year old, which would cause a great deal of distress. I've had further investigations for a lump before and even when pressed by me they've generally said "it's highly unlikely to be anything malignant but we will investigate further"

I'm pretty amazed some of you think the doctor should lie to the patient to be honest.

@yearinyearout your doctor probably reassured you because they thought it was highly unlikely to be cancer not because they thought it was but were trying to avoid distressing you.

I'm a breast surgeon, so see loads of ladies who think they might have cancer. I'm honest with them about what I think their lump/ other symptom is when I see them. If I'm worried that is usually a statement like 'I'm actually pretty concerned about this', rather than 'I think this is cancer' unless they've already made it clear that's what they're worried about, or they ask directly. There's loads of evidence that 'warning shots' like this actually help patients cope better when given bad news - certainly when I'm wrong and reassure ladies initially, but the results of investigations show its probably cancer, they find that much harder to take. It also means that patients have time to think about what they might want to ask if the results confirm cancer, rather than being blindsided and unable to think any further.

I doubt the GP said 'it's cancer' without any further discussion or exploration of what OP and her DD we worrying about. But it's appropriate for doctors to be honest about what they suspect rather than lie to patients in some misguided attempt at avoiding distress. Patients need to trust in their doctors, especially if the doctors are treating them for cancer or supporting then through a cancer diagnosis and treatment - how does lying to them help this?