AIBU to be a bit worried?

[EmilyRosiEl]

I went to the GP yesterday and he is referring me on a two-week referral to a breast clinic for redness, texture change and bite-like marks on/in my bust. I also have a painful chest.

I wasn't sure what it could be so googled and found 'Inflammatory breast cancer' a few weeks ago (when the symptoms started)', which is a rare, fast spreading condition that can affect younger women and is diagnosed at a late stage (3/4). I'm 30 and don't even have my own family but was planning to.

AIBU to feel a bit scared?

Thanks Shrieking. I phoned just now and apparently we can phone every day to ask for a cancellation but they can't put me down on a list for a cancellation.

I just don't know whether my breast symptoms fit the IBC description exactly (in which case I would absolutely go for a private assessment) as I have vascular congestion (purpley tinge, not red), a rash, blurry areola margin and bite-like marks, dimpling but not heavy red breasts.

I might just wait for the referral.

Oh good luck Emily I hope you got out on your run and enjoyed it very much.

I got the letters mixed up, sorry about that, but keeping fingers tightly crossed here for a cancellation slot 🍩

By the time you got into see a private consultant you'd probably have your appointment through anyway.

Hope you don't have to wait much longer.

Thanks Shrieking! I did go for a run this afternoon and I think it helped a bit :). I was wheezy and struggled a bit, which is unusual as I haven't really had asthma symptoms for 5+ years so I don't know what's causing it.

Thanks GreatDuck, I have two other unrelated appointments tomorrow (counselling and optician) but I think I'll phone up the breast clinic again in the morning because I will cancel the other appointments if a slot becomes available.

At this time of night I literally feel as though I cannot cope.

I'm very concerned about my chest (lung) symptoms, swollen neck and the fact I have symptoms on both sides. I really hope I can write back in a month to say I was just being silly and that it's all surprisingly fine/benign!

Try not to worry, and definitely stay off of Google. I'd also recommend spending the money on a private scan if you can afford it.
I really hope to check back in a couple of weeks (or earlier if you go private) to hear it's some totally mild ailment and nothing to worry about 🤞

...and we all hope so too Emily !! Keep it up, whatever it is you're doing to keep going. Any day now lets hope x

It's the worse time of day for our difficulties in life isn't it, at our most tired and no distractions when time to sleep, and up it pops. Have you got any absorbing audio books you can listen to?

Thanks JollyHolly, I'm staying away from Google now! I don't think I really can afford it so I'm going to wait but my appointment has come through for next Wednesday so hopefully that will be OK.

Thanks Shrieking, I had a much better day yesterday as I was too busy to worry! Thanks for the audio book suggestion- I will look for some as I find it difficult to concentrate/read when I'm anxious!

hurrah you have a date now. You could still call in for the cancellations each day. enjoy, run, listen to your audio books and distract as much as poss.

Thanks so much Shriek! I'm really glad that I know when it's going to be! The consultant is someone my Mum saw for a benign lump and apparently she's really lovely and it's a one-stop clinic so they'll do everything they need to do in a three-hour slot.

Thank you for caring :)

As others have said, stay away from google. I had a lump appear really really quickly and it was sore and then I started seeing other symptoms such as you are.

Turned out to be a massive cyst that they drained there and then. It’s really easy to convince yourself it’s worst case scenario.

The breast clinics are fab and they’ll sort you out.

Fingers crossed for you OP

Natural to be scared. Fingers crossed that all is well. So hard to wait that long - sending 💐

I'm waiting for a dermatology appointment on Wednesday for a weird mole/growth thing which is most likely nothing but it is worrying none the less! So a handhold from me. Googling really fed my anxiety so I've stayed away for a couple of days and I do feel better. Bloody nodula melanoma pictures all over my phone which I've saved to compare to mine! Having a definite appointment helps I think. I hope you can enjoy your weekend x

Oh and try and keep busy!

It is less that £150 at Nuffield and I had mine the same day.

Back away from google. I had an urgent referral and got myself into a ridiculous state. Couldn’t wait until the appointment and got a private appointment, and got the all clear. Best £200 I have ever spent.

Thank you Costacoffee, Dollymixture, Trappedin and Bluedog.

Costacoffee, I hope your mole/growth is benign and that everything seems better after Wednesday. I'm the same about jumping to the worst possible outcome! Do you have a morning/afternoon appointment? Mine is in the afternoon and apparently I have to be there for around three hours!

Thanks everyone for the info about the cost to go private- I sort of wish I had done that earlier on this week or even last week but oh well! I will wait until Wednesday now I think.

I know it sounds silly but I think I could cope with this situation if it wasn't for the chance that this could be stage 3 or 4 cancer- IBC (which my symptoms might indicate) is not diagnosed at stage 1 or 2. Also because I know if it is that it will definitely prevent me from ever having a family. However there's no point worrying myself silly over this!

I got myself into this state too not long ago. I also had swollen glands and an extremely hot heavy painful swollen breast. I have to say the breast clinic are so lovely and amazing, you get everything done in one go where I live and the doctors and nurses are so nice. When the doctor looked at my breasts and pointed to the exact area of concern I felt very sick and i wshed i had taken someone with me. Mine turned out to be fibriod tissue, fat deposits and age related hormonal thickening and no idea about the swollen glands, which eventually went of their own accord. My asthma is always worse in the cold too.
Try not to panic and at least you will be seen by experts very soon.

Thank you FleurDeLips, that's really reassuring to hear!

I need to keep in mind that it's still possible that I just have something benign going on! I will definitely go with someone as that sounds as though it was a bit scary to go by yourself.

Thank you!

Everyone else had someone with them!

What was good was when I got to the ultrasound it was done by a consultant and they show you and explain everything that is going on. So I kind of felt like if it was bad news that they would take care of me and I didn’t feel like they were keeping things from me. I realised I just wanted to know a definitive answer and then deal with it as it was the unknown that was horrible

Yes I thought most people probably take someone with them. You were really brave!

I hate the uncertainty too so I've come up with plans! Plan A is my plan for if I just have a benign condition- I've decided I need to make some changes in my life regardless! Plan B is the plan to follow if I have IBC- full of things that will help me to cope a bit better in that situation.

And today's plan is just to enjoy Saturday- to go for a run, to do some shopping and to get on with things!

Thanks for helping FleurDeLips :)

Next Wednesday is good OP, not too long now. Once the weekend is out of the way your appointment will soon be here.

Do something nice for yourself

Thanks GreatDuck :) yes not long to wait so that's good!

Hope you have a nice weekend!

Thinking of you, OP. Good luck tomorrow

Thank you VeryClumsy, I'm really hoping I'm panicking over nothing!