Breast swelling

[Funnyface1]

Hi all,
I've had an uncomfortable feeling in my right breast for a couple of weeks. It just somehow felt different and maybe thicker/fuller?

I've kept checking for lumps and last night found an area of swelling. It feels like thicker/harder breast tissue than the other breast. It's in the place that I've been feeling discomfort. It's almost in my cleavage, where breast tissue starts from your chest.

I will obviously make a gp appointment but they are very hard to come by. They operate a sit and wait session every morning which I can't attend (school run) and when you telephone in the afternoon they are often out of appointments.

I will sit and wait on Friday if I have no joy today or tomorrow but I just wanted to hear from people who have experienced this. I'm trying not to worry but I still am. I don't want to be fobbed off because I'm not the prime age for breast cancer. I'm 34.

Thank you.

[kellyw1989]

When you mention children assume you not breastfeeding. When I breastfeed I had a lot of areas that sounded like that

[AaaaaaarghhhWhereAreMyKeys]

You must be so so worried but please see your GP ASAP. Call the doctors, tell them you have a lump in your breast and need to be seen urgently. They need to prioritise you. Facing visiting the doctors with something like this can be the hardest thing but please please do go very soon and don’t make excuses for not going. It may be nothing (I had a strange lump which turned out to be a blocked duct like 8 years post breast-feeding) but if it isn’t then the sooner it’s treated the better.

Good luck x

[Funnyface1]

No I'm not breast feeding, I never have, my youngest just turned 3. I'm waiting to call the gp at 1.30.

My sister died almost 5 years ago from breast cancer. Completely different circumstances, she never had any symptoms and it had spread around her body before we knew anything about it. She only lived a short time after diagnosis, it was a huge shock.

So I don't feel I can share this with my parents, they are still trying to put the pieces back together. And I know it doesn't mean I definitely have cancer but I'll always be anxious about my health.

[Funnyface1]

Well I saw the Dr yesterday and he could feel the lump/swelling and has referred me to the breast clinic under the two week urgent pathway. So if anyone has anything positive to say regarding that then I'd appreciate it.

[SnowsInWater]

Hi @Funnyface1, how are you going? I just saw this and didn't want to read and run, I thought of not posting as I don't want to freak you out but Inflammatory breast cancer is regularly misdiagnosed as it is rare so doctors often haven't seen it and unlike the "usual" type it often presents in younger women so it is worth asking about specifically at your appointment. I literally woke up one morning in March with a sore, swollen breast and the skin had an orange peel texture when pinched. Three days later I had a IBC diagnosis. I have just finished six months of treatment which has been tough but successful so even if the worst happens modern medicine is great! If you want a hand hold while you wait for appointments/results the general cancer thread here is great if you want to come on over. If not good luck and keep us posted x

[UncomfortableSilence]

All lumps, bumps and changes are referred under the two week pathway.

I've just been, you will likely see a doctor who will examine you and then have a mammogram and ultrasound and if anything is found a fine needle aspiration or biopsy.

You will be given a pretty good idea on the day of what they suspect. I went with pain in the side of my breast, my GP and the consultant said they could feel nothing however the ultrasound found a cyst and a very small lump which they told me did not look like cancer however the worry while I waited for the biopsy result was something else.

Stay away from Google it really does no good and the majority of people who present at the breast clinic don't get a cancer diagnosis.

[Funnyface1]

Hi, thank you for the replies. I'm just feeling worried. There's so much going on at the moment and this is just the last thing we needed.

I'm at the hospital on Wednesday afternoon so it's really not too long but feels like a lifetime.

In my heart of hearts I really think it's a cyst. But until someone confirms this I'm going to worry. And I'm also worried that I won't get an answer on Wednesday which will seem unbearable.

Unfortunately I've already exhausted Google. I couldn't help it.