To not understabd how a GP can tell if a breast lump or not without referring you?

[SoSallyCanWait]

I went to my GP about a breast lump. She’s a great GP but I’m doubting her with this. She felt the lump and told me “it feels glandular” and “she’s not concerned” but to keep an eye as always and to come back if any changes occur. How can she know it’s not cancer without the screening. I do have health anxiety and the GP knows this, but I feel on this occasion, I have a reasonable cause for concern. Please help. I’m very worried.

Please ignore the title (which doesn’t make sense in the slightest)! Sorry.

Totally knew what you meant. Go back if it doesn’t shift quickly, tell her how anxious you feel. It’s v annoying to get fobbed off.

Also it’s probably nothing but best keEp an eye on jt

Drip feed alert: this happened a few months ago. Lump most definitely still there but she didn’t give me the impression it would go?

Thank you haunted

Get a second opinion asap, if only to put your mind at rest. I've had a couple of lumps, and know that living with that sick fear in the pit of your stomach is hell.
Over 80% of lumps are benign; but if not the sooner you start treatment the higher the rate of success.

Perhaps trust her clinical judgement given the overwhelming majority of lumps are benign. Do as she suggests and go back if it changes.

She should refer anyway if you are concerned. From what I have read (disclaimer - no expert whatsoever), if it moves around it is not as worrying as something harder that feels 'rooted'. She may have come to her conclusion based on something like this, but if you are still worried please go back or get another opinion.

I think you should get a 2nd opinion as well...worrying is going to make you ill in other ways.

GPs see a lot of breast lumps and are highly experienced in distinguishing between those that do and do not require follow up. By all means see another GP at the same practice for reassurance and to discuss what you should expect in terms of the lump going / any worrying changes you should look for. However please don't just assume you've been 'fobbed off' or that the GP is automatically wrong.

She will be experienced, but if it’s bothering you please see another GP for a second opinion and say how much it’s on your mind. They do get it wrong sometimes.

Sadly I know a male gP who told a woman her lump was just a cyst and no need to worry, she trusted him and the lump turned out to be cancerous but by the point another GP diagnosed it (months later) it was too late and she died. He got struck off the doctors register.

Sorry to sound negative but trust your instincts and ask for a biopsy when you see another GP if you’re concerned.

Go for a second opinion. For your own piece of mind and also doctors get it wrong. I have many a minor ailment misdiagnosed. My dad had a very serious disease misdiagnosed twice and it had serious consequences. I am a teacher and my professional opinion is doubted all the time. Don't worry about being polite.

Also another aside. I live in a country where public and private health care systems run in parallel. The public doctors are lot more reticent and wait-and-see cautious while private doctors trip over themselves to get you more tests. Sadly the economics of a healthcare system does seem to play a part in your care.

Fingers crossed it's all okay for you.

I would definitely get a second opinion. I would worry too because I've read about cases where doctors dismissed someone's symptoms and then it did turn out to be something serious and would've been easier to treat if it had been caught sooner. I'm sure that's rare, which is why it makes the news but I understand your concerns and there is no harm in double checking to be extra sure, especially as the lump is still there. I thought glandular inflammation is normally related to an infection and goes down after?

Apparently a sinister one feels like a walnut. A harmless cyst would be smooth and mobile. I am surprised though they did not refer for mammogram to double check as the above is not absolute..

Ive been to the breast clinic 5 times over the last 7 years for several lumps. Fortunately they have all turned out to be benign, two were blocked milk ducts and 5 were cysts that needed draining. My DH is a doctor and he told me they didn’t feel like anything sinister as did my GP but she referred me anyway to be sure. The breast clinic have always said to ask GP to refer if They come back, best to be safe than sorry. Just ask your Gp to refer you, I’m certain she will especially if she knows is troubling you.

Sorry two were ducts three were cysts! The ducts felt hard the cysts were softer and more mobile.

Get a second opinion. GPs in my experience have good form for missing cancer diagnoses. Though to be fair, this hasn't applied to breast cancers in my family, but other parts of the body.

Go back for further referral or 2nd opinion asap. I was turned away with 'it's not breast cancer' 4 times.
It was.

Probably best to get a second opinion for your own reassurance although she probably is right.

Go to another GP in your practice for a second opinion and ask to be referred for your own peace of mind. I had a lesion appear on my calf that looked for all the world like a cigarette burn, bright red and rough feeling, no amount of moisturiser touched it. I had it for months. GP dismissed it. I have regular health checks as I have an immune disease and at my next one (4 weeks ago) I showed it to the GP (different one) she took a pic and emailed it to dermatology. Two days later they called me to come in. I was beside myself with worry. Dermatologist wasn't entirely sure what it was, gave me a cream to apply and an open appointment for 6 months to call back if it didn't improve (and to take weekly pics) Said they would have to keep an eye on it due to my condition.

We have been in Thailand for the last 3 weeks and lo and behold it has totally disappeared!

i breastfed both my DC but stopped a year ago. Could it still be a blocked duct or can that only happen when you’re feeding? Does anyone know?

There are plenty of things that differ between cancerous lumps and non-cancerous, and GPs have plenty of practice spotting the difference. It’s not just guesswork. Mistakes aren’t unknown, but not common either as most GPS do tend to err on the side of caution. That said, if you’re worried of course you should go back - there’s no harm in asking for a second opinion or mentioning that it hasn’t gone.

And I’m not sure about a blocked duct specifically but feeding does change the lumpiness of your breasts pretty permanently.

I had a lump on my thumb. My gp prodded it a bit and said it was a cyst and it went by itself a few months later. Same with a lump on my neck. OTOH, dh had a lump on his neck (slighty different part from mine) and was sent to a specialist immediately - some months later his lump was removed surgically.

Admittedly, it’s not as scary as a breast lump, but I think gps are generally pretty able to tell from initial proddings what needs further investigation and what is ‘just keep an eye on it and if it changes come back’.

Go back. Totally reasonable to ask for a referral. A GP cannot know if it’s benign or not, only an ultrasound or mammogram can give this info.