to want a 2nd opinion on a breast lump?

[MajorClanger123]

Went to one stop breast clinic a week ago about a breast lump and pain. Was examined and had ultrasound.

Sonographer couldn't see anything (couldn't even find lump - kept asking where it was and I tried to show him but tricky when lying down). I didn't realise but they don't scan entire breast - just areas & around where you can feel lump.

Doctor was lovely & reassuring, said all fine & breast tissue per scan all normal. I did ask "what could the lump be?", reply was 'maybe an enlarged milk duct'. I was so relieved that I skipped out of clinic happy.

Fast forward a few days.... still feeling the lump, still wondering what actually it is and still wondering why it wasn't seen on the ultrasound. I've rung the breast clinic and a very nice lady said she'll post all my reports to me (I thought I might stop stressing if I read that).

AIBU to want to know (a) what exactly the lump is and (b) to be feeling still slightly nervous about the lump? Should i just accept that all is fine (I', 38 by the way, have breastfed 3 kids heavily from the boob in question - it was like a dummy for my 3rd child ).

How are you feeling now Major? Had your clinic notes yet?

@ dubious no STILL no notes, thats another couple weeks I've waited . I'm ringing back this afternoon, yet again. I wonder if they keep firing them off to my doctors surgery and not my home address? The lady I speak too (breast secretary) says she'll get them in the post the same day I call, but they never appear. I literally only live half a mile from the hospital, I might as well go collect them in person.

I do feel massively better about it all now - its exactly 1 month since breast clinic and I have just done my 1 monthly scheduled breast check which i've set up in my phone, to remind me to do.

Lumpy area still there, but doesnt seem to petrify me as much as it used to, sometimes really hard to actually locate. I still want my notes though, and I'm still keeping a super close eye on things. Thanks for asking.

I can't believe you're still waiting! I'm interested as I had a breast ultrasound too and I wished I'd asked to be copied in on the report to my GP. Think I might phone up tomorrow and ask. Glad you are feeling happier.

Yes defo phone up dubious - there were big signs up in the department saying we're entitled to have a copy of all notes to do with the individual, hence why I asked. The breast secretary was very lovely when I called, but unfortunately nothing has arrived so far. Am phoning again tomorrow. Third time lucky!

Major - I was in the exact same boat at the same time as you. Identical outcome. The only difference seems to be that my consultant told me to avoid caffeine. The ultrasound tech & nurse were quite dismissive of this. But I stopped coffee immediately & started evening primrose. The pain is 90% gone & I can hardly find the lump. A close friend of mine had a similar experience a year ago. Apparently dense tissue is quite common & I probably found it because of the pain (which was hormonal & triggered due to excessive coffee). Don't know if this will helpful but my consultant told me that if you find a lump - it needs to be quite hard to be of concern. Not something that you can hardly feel.

Many thanks swimmingMom that's so reassuring to know. My lump definitely isn't hard, it's quite squidgy and some days seems much smaller.

I'm not sure mine could be caffeine linked as I only drink decaf and herbal, but I do think that my breasts, particularly this left one, is very sensitive to hormones. I too only found the lumpy tissue due to poking and prodding around following the constant stabbing pain.

I wanted my notes following the appt as I wondered if it might say more general observations about my breast - the sonographer who scanned me had students in the room and was pointing out empty parts of the breast and then glandular tissue, and my GP mentioned my dense / glandular tissue too, but nobody said this specifically to me at the appt, I guess because they just want to reassure you that all is fine (but me being nosey wants to know more, and I thought it might explain my pain / lumpy bits other than just "oh don't worry").

I've just started on starflower oil (exactly same as eve primrose but has a much higher concentration of GLA) and the last few days I've not had any pain whatsoever. I've also had my Mirena coil removed since the breast clinic and I'm feeling much better (probably all physiological but hey ho!).

Anyway, thanks again for your post, it's always so reassuring to know others have experienced the same

@forevergrateful did you get sorted with a clinic for your mum? I hope you did.

Gosh sorry forever I completely missed your post .

I hope you managed to find something - best bet is to go private but prices do vary. Nuffield & Spire seem to be the best options with various payment options, and they have hospitals in lots of major cities.

I have found lumps twice. First time the consultant did a full check and drew several circles in a sharpie on both breasts (bit scary at the time). After the mammogram and then ultrasound I was told that basically I have lumpy boobs! 2nd time round I actually marked the spot beforehand with a biro - something I suggest everyone does as lumps have a habit of disappearing! Anyway it was a lymph node that time. I found the service brilliant, and although there were students there too, I asked questions till I was satisfied

Major - thank you for the tip on starflower, will look it up. My lump is very squidgy too, but now that the pain is gone, I've pretty much stopped looking for it. It was my left breast too! Strange thing is that I had my tests mid February & when I read your post (yesterday) I felt like I had written it myself! My consultant did say that for those with hormonal pain it's worth seeing what may be your triggers. For me, my coffee intake had definitely gone up a lot late last year & stopping that helped. But it could be different triggers for different women - including chemicals (decaf) or food additives or just stress etc. There isn't enough information to say why one thing affects one person more than the other - so it's a process of elimination.

Given that I have 2 other friends who have been in the same boat as me, I scan reassure you that you can relax. Unless you find a hard lump or other unexplainable symptoms don't worry too much.

Thanks again Swimmingmom - ahh thats interesting re: decaf, perhaps I should cut that out altogether. I also felt like christmas was a very boozy time, and i've massively cut back on alcohol this year - just 1 glass on a friday and saturday night, so perhaps that is helping too. I found taking 3 eve primrose capsules per day caused me tummy upset so switched to Starflower oil after I came across a recent thread on MN highlighting the difference between the 2.

Do you mind me asking how old you are? I feel like my boobs are going to be a real pain for me going forward, and i'm only 38!! The left breast was my 'super-feeder' side, it always produced masses of milk (that usually blinded my babies due to ridiculous let-down!) and left side was my breast of choice when I was latching on whilst out and about. I guess that makes sense that it is more glandular than the right hand side - must have many more milk ducts that have been worked so much more than the other side.

Another thing the breast clinic suggested, which I forgot to mention yesterday, was to wear a sports bra (she even suggested sleeping in one if pain really persistent ). I haven't slept in one (yet!) but I have changed my bras from those moulded t-shirt cup bras (which I don't think really support the breast, just sort of cup it) to super supportive types. I'm a 32DD. That seems to have helped massively too - when I take off my bra now I can't really feel the lump as all the breast tissue has been supported and held together. I can't remember specifically what she said about my breast but something along the lines of it has fallen apart so some areas of breast are empty and some are very glandular. Hence why I'd like my notes to understand this better.

Anyway, sorry - epic post. Just so helpful to talk to others who have experienced similar.

bobs123 marking the spots of pain / lumps is a brilliant idea, if I ever go back to the clinic (which no doubt I will do given my problematic boob!) I will definitely be doing this! I didn't ask enough last time - was just so relieved they said all fine, then forgot to ask all the right q's. Damn!

Thanks for the massively helpful advice this thread has generated - MN at its best

I am 39 so around the same age group & yes left has been my comfortable breast to feed 2 kids from.

And yes I was advised about the sports bra too but I'd already switched to non-underwired and crop-tops for home wear before the clinic visit. I am 32DD too this is getting bizarrely similar now. Which bra brand & type do you wear that you find supportive? I was planning to give up the padded ones soon anyways due to the same problem.

Definitely ask for a second opinion.

And thank you, YellowDinosaur, for your input.

swimmingmom I can't remember the brand (currently wearing the one supportive bra!) so i'll look later when i'm home & undressing. It was from figleaves and a little pricier than I normally pay (I'm usually an M&S bra girl, but the ones i've been wearing just don't seem supportive enough). I need to order more of this type I've currently got on. I wear sports bra's twice a week on gym days - the shock absorber 4, which is uber supportive. But I really wouldn't want to wear it in bed, my husband would think i'm going mad!

ginandtunic I've decided to watch and wait for a few months now - things do seem to be getting better since following clinic advice. I figure 3 months of monitoring the situation should be ok - the pain has pretty much subsided & the lump is no longer as palpable as it was.

Right, off to phone the breast clinic for the 3rd time to request my notes..... will update again if I ever receive them

Meant to ask swimmingmom did you have a 'targeted' ultrasound only? i.e. only checking the area of the lump / pain?

Thats what I had and, whilst my GP thought it was great they did that and should reassure me, I think thats what started me worrying - how were they sure that they scanned the right area?! I didnt have a mammogram, apparently too young.

Yes it was targeted & no mammogram for the same reason. TBH even the targeted scan couldn't pick up anything (tissue is not different looking just because it's thick) - I watched the monitor so it was highly unlikely they'd find anything elsewhere.

swimmingmom ah ok - I didnt think to watch the monitor, but sonographer was talking the medical students through my scan so I got the jist of flat / empty areas of tissue and then glandular areas.

I had a targeted scan too Major. The sonographer showed me the monitor and talked me through all the various bits and what they were. All of which I have forgotten. He did swipe the scanner round to my armpit at the end of the scan, presumably to check lymph nodes?

Anyway I am also 38. Also now wearing sports bras. And swapping to starflower oil from evening primrose due to tummy issues!

dubious blimey they must see loads of similar aged woman like us at breast clinics around the country, all in the same boat, all with the same issues! Does make me realise that this is clearly way more common that I originally thought, which is (strangely) comforting.

Have just telephoned breast clinic, lady was massively apologetic (as was I, saying I felt like a right pain calling again!). However she has taken all my details and says she'll get notes sent out to me ASAP today. I will hopefully update again by the end of week with notes (fingers crossed!)

It's a Lepel bra. Really supportive.
Just had a feel of the lump, it's still there (doesn't feel any smaller today ) so I'll wait for my notes and then decide what to do. I think my pain is gone > 90% of the time so that's partly a relief, stops me poking so check lump on such a regular basis.

I'd strongly advise people against assuming private was better. Very few private hospitals have the expertise to offer a full one stop service. Apart from the consultant, staff see far, far fewer women with breast lumps and don't necessarily have the critical mass of cases to maintain skill set. They are often generalist not specialist. Core biopsy isn't a nice process particularly and carries some risk. It should only be done after reasonable suspicion of a carcinoma is found.
The NHS breast services are usually very good with high qualified and motivated staff of all disciplines. Plus they have the whole range of support services that are missing from private hospitals.
We perhaps need to stop vilifying NHS and start understanding that for services such as one stops it is world class. Of course, finding a lump (or thinking you have) is worrying but most (about 95%) really are not cancer, particularly in pre menopausal women.
Whilst some cancers have a hereditary element, most are related to old age. A relative developing breast cancer at 75 is unlikely to be the aggressive triple negative breast cancer of the young.
Protection can be afforded (to a degree) by breast feeding for significant periods, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing alcohol intake and exercise.

Thank you crumbs you have talked some sense back into me . I was feeling fine about it until I had a little feel of lump this morning & it sent me into a spin again. That's why I'd like my clinic notes, so when I'm feeling wobbly about it I can refer back to them and hopefully feel reassured.
I know my local breast clinic is brilliant, and deep down I'm not expecting anyone at a private clinic to tell me anything different, but it's almost like I need that second opinion to really settle my mind on the matter. I don't think I'll do anything right now anyway, watch and wait & if worried again I'll go back to my nhs clinic in the first instance.

I suspect you could call the breast nurse and she'd be able to reassure you. I'm sure she'd be happy to answer even the difficult questions. If it helps, my surgeon knew as soon as she felt the lump (that wasn't even really a lump) what it was - as did my GP. They still went through tests, of course but I went in for biopsy knowing what it was.

Dare I ask if you've seen your notes yet Major? I'm not stalking you I promise! But we had our clinic appointments around the same time and have both come away with similar feelings, so I'm interested in the outcome. Hope you don't mind. Just ignore me if you do!

(I'm back to Googling symptoms by the way.)