I found a lump, aibu to not make appointment?

[Zanna19]

I found a lump in my breast, it's been there a couple days I keep checking it, we are buying a house and my life insurance policy hasn't started yet, should do in next couple of weeks, I have a young family and a husband on verge of redundancy and want to wait to my insurance is in place before I see a Dr, will a couple weeks make a difference? If it's bad I need to know they are protected financially. If I go Dr now I need to let insurance know and prob wouldn't be covered for breast cancer when the policy started. What would you do?

I would make an appointment. Even if you went after you took out the policy majority of them wouldn't cover you for the worst anyway due to time periods etc.
Go get checked out

When I found a lump, they kept the surgery open till I could get there that evening at 6pm (pre late opening).

I saw a Consultant and had a cone biopsy and mammogram within 5 days, and a lumpectomy 5 days later.

That’s how quickly the medical profession moves when it comes to treating breast lumps. That’s how seriously they take it (it was benign).

I would not wait.

Check your policy because it's possible it won't cover you anyway, there is usually a waiting period.
I have Stage 4 breast cancer which on diagnosis was to be treated in 6 months.
Turns out it spread. I'm not dying imminently but I won't ever be cancer free.
So I understand the need to be covered financially but also it can go from one lump in your breast to tumours in other organs and the bones without obvious symptoms. So the quicker you get checked out the better.
Hopefully it's a benign lump and you have it removed after you've moved to your new home 🍀

Get appointment

YANBU but be aware most policies have caveats that if you should have been aware of a potential problem you are not covered, even if you claim you weren't aware.

So when you go to the doc, you will have to lie about when you first noticed the symptoms.

If it’s only a couple of weeks, I’d wait. But certainly would bow to the greater wisdom of cancer sufferers here.

I think they would put your health as the priority over money. Get it looked at.

Check your policy, you might find you wouldn't be covered anyway. That's what I would do. You don't have all the information you need to make a decision about being seen until you know how a breast cancer diagnosis would affect your insurance.

I understand the need you must be feeling for everything to be sorted, just in case, but it may not be cancer. It's not common, despite the level of awareness of it.

If it is breast cancer, you know that getting seen now and getting treatment started could make all the difference.

I found my lump, went to the doctor ASAP, was referred on the two week pathway and my cancer was diagnosed very quickly. Mine didn't spread beyond the breast but it was grade 3 (most 'changed' from normal cells type) and fast-growing so I was lucky.

It won't take long to read the details of your policy. Do it today, and then you can make an informed decision.

Don’t wait. The questions you are asked for insurance may mean you aren’t covered anyway and waiting won’t improve the outcome. Best of luck

There’s no reason why you can’t start a life policy now - you don’t need to wait until you own a house to have life cover. It will cut a couple of weeks of waiting if that’s what you want to do.

Hi OP - you could sign up to Dead Happy life insurance in minutes, instant cover and no medical questions.

Then just cancel it when your other insurance kicks in.

Don't delay going though, I lost my husband to cancer at 33, we had plenty of life insurance but I'd rather have lived in poverty with him alive.

I'm sure it will be benign, but you must get checked.

I saw a Consultant and had a cone biopsy and mammogram within 5 days, and a lumpectomy 5 days later. That’s how quickly the medical profession moves when it comes to treating breast lumps. That’s how seriously they take it

I think that experience might not be typical. I had biopsy and mammogram, waited two weeks for results. Mine was cancer. Then had to wait a month for lumpectomy surgery. Then three weeks for results, etc.

Go immediately to get medical help. It's a year exactly since my Dad's major surgery. Every minute was important on the run up to it.

Don't wait for the appointment. The chances are is it isn't anything serious but it's not worth the risk. It took 5 weeks from referral to treatment plan for my lump, which was cancer.

I very much hope it's nothing significant.

Sometimes a GP can tell you that a lump is nothing serious with no need for further investigation. I think you should get checked to put your mind at rest or to get treated quickly, if necessary.

YWBVVVVVVU to wait.

My DM's BFF of 30 years found a breast lump, but was due to fly to Australia for a big family holiday the following week, so put off making an appointment. By the time she had returned home and she was seen by the Specialist, the cancer had spread and she died at 46, leaving her DH, her 16 yr old DS and 13 yr old DD.

Imagine having to explain to your young family that Mummy is really poorly and them finding out later in life that it could have been caught earlier, but you chose to put it off, for financial reasons.

I sincerely wish you all the best, but please make that appointment as soon as you can.

Please go - I saw a GP 3 weeks ago today about a breastfeeding issue and he found a lump in the other breast. I was seen at the screening clinic today and all is fine but their aim is to see referrals in 2 weeks and it's taking longer at the moment. (Incidentally the hospital was super quiet, felt really safe despite covid). But don't wait as things are moving a bit slower than they'd like in some areas.

Don't delay. It's better to be alive than not.