Another breast lump. Another waiting game. Anxiety levels through the roof.

[ThePurpleOneIsOverrated]

Hi,

I should start by saying, I'm very lumpy. I've had several breast lumps scanned. One biopsied (clear) and also raised lymph nodes throughout my neck.

I have anxiety, which has sky rocketed since finding this lump. That said, I'm not 100% this one wasn't already scanned a couple of years ago and that was diagnosed as a lypoma (fatty lump) Obviously I'm hoping! But there's no way the doctor could be sure, during the examination.

It was a very quick check. Straight away said "yep, I can feel a lump. I won't go on prodding, because a lump always needs investigating". She did say it didn't feel worrying, but I suspect she was just trying to put my mind at rest.

I know nobody can tell me it's fine and obviously that's not why I'm here, but would just be nice to hear from others who have been through/are going through the same.

I have a tendancy to catastrophise things and I tend to assume the worst.

I was tempted to wait until after Christmas before going, but I didn't sleep at all last night worrying and prodding so it's not like I could put it out my head for a couple of weeks anyway.

Anyway, just feeling a bit delicate, as it wasn't that long ago I'd got the all clear from the biopsy.

Thanks for reading.

Nothing useful to say but I hope it gets checked out quickly and doesn't ruin your Christmas.

Thanks, spider. I know getting it checked is more important than having the perfect, worry free Christmas. As I said though, I'd be worrying anyway. I suppose waiting for a referral is always scary. Then there's the 'what if I need another biopsy and have to wait another two weeks for those results or what if they say during the scan that it doesn't look good etc?' Ugh it just takes it out of me.

Last Christmas, I was having really irregular bleeding and was worrying about having my smear. Plus going through a court case, which I was a victim of. So that was lovely Christmas, as you can imagine

Was hoping to just relax and enjoy this year...

Anyone around?

Oh OP I really hope things work out but I do think the GP saying it's not worrying is a good sign so take heart from that.

I'm also v. lumpy (though more groin/under arms), as in I usually get about one or two a month. Some people are.
Never had a breast lump checked out but was just waiting for ultrasound results this week so really understand the health anxiety!

I'm sure things will be fine. Can you keep very busy, might help you compartmentalise more easily?

velvour, thanks so much.

Well I'm not doing well with the keeping busy thing so far I've been lying in bed with my heart pounding in my chest, desperately trying to avoid Google, for the past two hours.

Something else I didn't mention in my OP is that I have a very small lump at the back of my neck too, just at the hairline, which I'm almost sure wasn't there before. I think this is what's making it worse tbh, because in my head it's something sinister and has already spread to the nodes

The doctor did check it and basically told me to keep an eye on it, but would only suggest a scan if it gets bigger. She didn't seem to be tying the two together like me.

I'll probably get a letter of referral through pretty quickly.

I really do feel like I need medicating though! The worry and anxiety is all consuming.

Oh I know how hard the wait can be. I am lumpy and have had two lumps removed under GA because they couldn't be sure they were benign (they both were). As a result my hospital has me on a surveillance programme which means I have a mammogram once a year and a check up with the breast nurse once a year. I also have a fast track number where I can phone the breast nurse team directly if I find a lump and be seen sooner than having to go via the GP. Its a great system and apparently they introduced it in my area because women who've had multiple benign lumps are less likely to bother their doctors whem they find a new one, and malignant lumps can be left too long. It's a shame they don't seem to do this across the country.

Ooh christ, well get off that bed and do something! No wonder thoughts are spiralling if you're lying still. Maybe you could go and buy a thriller (am reading The Rooster Bar atm, not his best but can't help getting sucked in) and go and read in a pub somewhere? That might give you a 2 hour breather from the anxiety and 'reset' your mood so to speak. Then, if they work for you, tonight you could have some sleepy type tea so you fall asleep quickly & have a good rest for the next day. Everything seems worse when you're tired.
The goal is not to try and endlessly imagine every single detail about possible consultations or referrals or biopsies, your job is to focus on keeping your mood stable. It's hard to block every scary thought when you don't have enough else to focus on though, and I find the more you shut down thoughts the more your resistance runs out. Better to distract yourself instead of relying on mental discipline. So what can you plan for the next couple of weeks to make sure you don't have too many of these long blocks of time just spent ruminating?

A quick Google suggests it's much more likely to be a sebaceous cyst esp. if near the harline and also if it has spread to lymph nodes it seems it would be likely to be closer to your chest and not at the back of your neck.

if it had spread* sorry

Breast lumps are ALWAYS checked. There's a standard procedure and timeframe. It's very rarely anything amiss.

Sympathy for you. I’ve been referred for my first breast scan, and even though I’m 99% sure my symptoms are breastfeeding related, I’m still cacking it. I didn’t even realise I had a lump, I only went because one boob has become noticeably bigger than the other and I have a purple mark on one side that won’t bugger off. I have convinced myself that if I had cancer, I’d probably know about it (no bleeding, funny leaking, baby hasn’t gone off feeding, etc).

I hope you get a quick appointment and a good result!

I’ve been sent to the breast clinic about once a year on average since I was in my mid-20s because of repeated lumps. Always urgent referrals. At one ultrasound last year, they found more than 10 cysts on one beast. So far it’s never been anything more serious than an inflamed cyst.

The way I look at is if there is anything problematic, you want it to be found as early as possible. I’ve a bad family history of cancer and breast cancer in particular. Not scared of getting it - so many of us will - but I am scared of finding it too late. With that in mind, you are doing the right thing. It’s best to get these things looked at as soon as possible.

Good luck with it all.

Thanks, Bitter. Yes, that does sound like a really efficient system.

velvour, I know 🙈 I have managed to get up and do some errands to try and take my mind off things. I'll try and give myself some extra tasks for the rest of the week. I just did a quick Google of sebaceous cysts, but apparently a gp could normally diagnose them there and then. I hope you're right though, obviously.

Kipper, thanks and good luck with your scan.

flower, wow! 10?! That's a lot of cysts! -in case you didn't know-- I'm glad to hear they've never been anything sinister. Hope that continues.

Oh and forgot how your supposed to stop yourself constantly prodding! 😦