Come reassure me, just found a lump

[Notimeforaname]

In my right armpit.
Its very sore to touch/press lightly.

I suddenly noticed the pain about an hour ago and there's a visible red mark where the lump is. Its definitely not an ingrown hair as it doesn't hurt if I drag my finger across the hair follicles if you get me,its definitely in my armpit/a lymph node possibly?

But I've had some other issues over the last few weeks which are really concerning me now.

About 6 weeks ago I started getting pain in that right shoulder,like it was the rotator cuff or something was trapped if I I tried using my full range of motion. I just got on with things. It didn't go away.
For the last two weeks I've had more severe shooting pains in that shoulder and arm.
My neck has been stiff and painful on and off and some small stabbing pains in different parts of my chest and shoulders (sometimes both sides). On and off through the day.
I have lost about 8lbs in the last 3 weeks..I have lost my appetite a little... But I still eat.

Now this coming up in my armpit is freaking me out and I have stabbing pains in my arm/shoulder/armpit area as I write.
The pains are quite strong now. And if I raise my hand above my head...it feels like I'm tugging on the lump kind of..like the lump wont allow me to get my arm up all the way. If that makes sense.

My whole upper arm feels heavy and sore as well as the stabbing pains.

I'm going to call my doctor in the morning and beg to be seen.

My partner was here when I found it. He tried his best to calm me down. I had a shower and got myself together.
He's asleep now and I'm starting to let my mind wander and I really don't want to start crying and panic again so if any of you nice people have any advice,words of encouragement or perhaps a similar story to mine that might help me out do please leave it here.

Thank you so much, I can attach a lovely picture of my pit if it helps but it just shows up as a small red patch on the photo so not very helpful.

Hopefully, everything WILL come back fine, the point is, at the moment, they don't know that this isn't cancer, so they aren't doing their jobs properly by not ruling it out in a timely manner. Pointing this out to the practice manager and the consultant secretary might sharpen their focus a bit

I agree with you 100%. I just fear saying this will have the opposite effect of what I'm hoping for.

I feel they'll be like ''Ah, and there we have it,she thinks she has cancer'' then if it comes back clear they'll treat me like a thick. I shouldn't care about this. I know. I'm going back and forward between 'advocate for yourself' to 'They're not going to take you seriously''

The secretary at the gp office was quite off with me too when I called. I said my name and said I was looking for advice ...she kept stopping me saying ' are you even in this practice,I'm not here to give advice,that's not what we're here for'' so I couldn't even begin the conversation properly.

I just felt stupid the whole time interacting with anyone.
It's like they thought I was someone else,someone who always bothered them or someone known to them. Then the gp called me back with that attitude. It's a weird one.

I absolutely appreciate what you're saying to me InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream Thank you for even taking the time to speak with me.

I hope I'm not being too frustrating by saying 'but' a lot.
I do agree with absolutely everything you are saying to me. You are right.

I definitely won't be calling anybody now on a Friday evening after the reception I got the night before Paddy's day 🤣 If I've heard nothing Monday morning I will start calling around again.
Thanks so much.

Please please keep at it. I was put off for four years when I had something wrong with my nipple. I knew it was wrong but the gp just said it was eczema and trying different creams. I felt like I was being a pain and tried to just get on with my "eczema"! They made me feel like I was being overly anxious but it turned out to be Paget's disease and breast cancer. I don't want to scare you but I really wish I had pushed more. Now I don't believe what anyone says to me about my health.

You're not being frustrating at all and I've been through some very similar experiences myself, as have a lot of the women on here, I totally sympathise.
But this is not a case of someone with a headache demanding an MRI because they've been googling brain tumours.
You really do have a genuine need for these tests and you've already waited longer than you should- people with a thicker skin than us wouldn't care whether a secretary thought we were neurotic or not! We should bloody stand up for ourselves! This is your health on the line!
You go girl!

For suspected cancer it's supposed to be more than two weeks from point of referral to having the scan

Are you in UK Inspace? Unfortunately we have no such clear rules or guidelines in ireland for this kind of thing. You could be waiting months for a scan and as you can see from OP’s post it’s a very confusing system. I agree with you of course that OP shouldn’t worry about what they think! I’ve been in similar situations and as you say so frustrating.

OP hope you make some headway soon. I know what it’s like trying to get answers in the Irish health system

@ColonelNobbyNobbs

For suspected cancer it's supposed to be more than two weeks from point of referral to having the scan

Are you in UK Inspace? Unfortunately we have no such clear rules or guidelines in ireland for this kind of thing. You could be waiting months for a scan and as you can see from OP’s post it’s a very confusing system. I agree with you of course that OP shouldn’t worry about what they think! I’ve been in similar situations and as you say so frustrating.

OP hope you make some headway soon. I know what it’s like trying to get answers in the Irish health system

Yes, you're right I realise it isn't quite so simple in Ireland

I live in NI now so have experience of both systems and the nhs is far more straightforward. The care is excellent in Ireland but getting the right care is the tough part with waiting lists and no clear rules etc.

How are you OP?

Hello lovely people of the Internet.

Just thought I'd stop by again as I'm feeling a bit shit and angry and you all seem to have magical powers to calm me down.

It's been a month since the private appointment where Dr told me he would move up my public ultrasound and put me in for bloods and a chest xray. I did have the bloods.

After I got that horrible reaction frommy GP I decided to just try ignore it.
That didn't really work so my partner asked a family member to check the system in the public hospital.

As of this afternoon... I dont exist on the system for an xray and my original ultrasound still has no date and is noted as ''Non urgent '' .

I cant fucking understand why that man refused me and my cash at the private hospital. I would have had my results two weeks ago !!!!!????

Well...I kind of do understand but I'm not sure if I'm being paranoid or precious .
I know I am no more important than anyone else and I'm likely to be fine.. but I cant stop thinking that man just wanted the €180 and to get me out.

Had he done those tests on me that day, he would have pocketed no more money from me. Just that 180. The rest would have gone to the hospital.

So all I can think is he just told me that to make a quick buck and then forgot about me.

I'm planning to call his receptionist at the private hospital in the morning to tell them he has done nothing he said except the blood tests (which came back as 'satisfactory' my gp texted it to me)

But I'm not sure exactly how I should say it.
Perhaps you can give me some advice?

My partner is beside himself with worry and now hes getting very upset and threatening to call.

Also thank you InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream I am still losing weight and have pains in my armpits and right breast. Lymph nodes still up one week - down the next.

@Notimeforaname this is ridiculous! I'm livid for you.

Please kick up the biggest fuss you can. I'd totally be willing to go to A&E with this, after all of this time and with these symptoms. Perhaps you feel 'faint'? whatever it takes, you can't keep on waiting.

Good to hear the blood tests were 'satisfactory' however. That is a tiny little something.

Crossing my fingers that you make the loudest noise and get this dealt with soon.

Notimeforaname I'm really sorry you are going through this, it's crap the way you are being treated. I was misdiagnosed and only 3 months later when my lump was getting bigger did anyone listen to me.

Sometimes getting angry does work it did for me. Hope you get the tests soon.

2018SoFarSoGreat ZaraW
Oh thanks so much. I really thought I would be in the wrong to get angry after just a few months but I keep telling myself different things. So its confusing.

Should I just start by telling the receptionist I'm confused an need some advice.. then tell her everything?

Or do I just call and say ''Here's the deal..I want somthing done''??

I'm worried if I come off as crazy or angry they will be annoyed and keep pushing me back. They have the power to do this.

ZaraW...how are you now??that's shocking,I'm so sorry.

I wouldn't tell the receptionist anything but that's me. I'm not in the UK or Ireland but I put a complaint through to Patient Relations and that got things moving.

Later I saw my medical notes and my referral to the surgeon was denied as he was too busy. My mammogram results and ultrasound results were misread. They really messed up.

Once my treatment began my medical team was amazing. I'm 12 years cancer free and doing well.

Good luck don't accept any BS be firm but demand the tests. Waiting is the worst part, it's crap.

Oh dear, so sorry to hear nothing has happened. I would start with the secretary of that private consultant, and firmly explain how many weeks you have now been left without basic diagnostic tests when you could potentially have cancer, and how can this possibly be acceptable? Tell them your lymph nodes are still swollen are you are still losing weight. Don't get emotional. Then phone your GP and ask to speak to the practice manager and tell them the same thing.
Good luck.

Get your partner on the case - you can give him permission to speak on your behalf. I've been waiting for a year for a hospital appointment (nothing near as urgent as your case, but still needs sorting). I rang the doctors and hospital last week, hospital has no record of my referral although they rang me last year, to tell me no appointments until further notice due to Covid - they would be contacting me in due course? I was so upset, DH rang the GP, they asked for my permission for him to deal with it - despite 2 bank holidays in between I have a phone appointment on Friday. Progress, and I'm sure it's because he kept his head (I'm in pain and get upset with them easily) and would not take no for an answer. I wish you all the best and hope you can get something sorted soon. You have waited long enough!

ZaraW
InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream
Sagaris

I have a little update. But first off I want to say I'm sorry you've all had to go through this kind of crap at some stage... its makes me furious. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.

Before I could call the private hospital to complain...I had a call from someone I know in public hosp saying they have gotten me in for an ultrasound in two weeks!??! I dont know how they managed to do it!!!

Still nothing for a chest xray but perhaps someone can swing something for me on the day of ultrasound.

Who knows.

I am just delighted I have a date...for something!!!

Obviously I can't kick up a fuss now with the consultant as I would get this lovely person into a lot of trouble!! So I will do this first at least and then see what's next.

I'm so grateful to be in this position,but it shouldn't take someone risking their job to get me seen to.

I feel a lot better now having a date and feel so supported by you all. It may just be a few minutes of your time replying to me.. but it has made all the difference. Thank you

That's excellent news you must be relieved. The ultrasound should give you some answers. When I went for my second one they knew straight away it was something suspicious and I had a biopsy soon afterwards.

Good luck.

So pleased something is happening! Yay! Great news. Feel free to update whenever or if you just need a moan!

glad to read your update, @Notimeforaname, That is something, at least.

This thread makes me realize that, much as I moan and complain about the high cost of healthcare here in the US, it can pay off. I found a lump. Went to my regular doctor, who said 'nothing to worry about, not in the breast, we'll just have it looked at with ultrasound. Got that 3 days later - Monday. Ultrasound doctor stopped after two seconds, and told me it was the breast, that I had to go upstairs to The Breast Clinic, she'd call ahead. Walked upstairs, receptionist told me to go right back, got ultrasound, then mammogram, then met doctor and surgeon within the hour. Doctor told me she needed to do a biopsy, did it immediately. By this time it was after regular hours - around 6:00 p.m. on a Monday. Tuesday was a holiday. Told she would call me as soon as results came in, but not to expect that week due to timing. Got the call Thursday first thing - tumor, but benign. Had partial mastectomy following Thursday, and all is well. It was a whirlwhind, and my head was spinning, but so grateful for the medical team and the speed with which they dealt with this.

It does cost over 1k a month, in UK terms, paid by my employer luckily, but I pay the first 4k of claims. This one I was delighted to fork over for.

Anyway, long story, but mostly to say I'm so sorry that it has to be this way for you. Wishing you speedy resolution!

Just want to say ................ my mum had breast cancer in 1984 - she had a mastectomy ( and obviously the treatment wasn't as good as now ! ) she is now 97 and still going strong !! Hang on in there xx

So pleased to see you have an appointment at last! How distressing it has all been. Can I suggest you take a couple of paracetamol before you go as it will be a bit of pain relief if you need a biopsy or they press hard with the ultra sound. Good luck.

I found a breast lump and I’ve used my private work insurance to see a consultant tomorrow but I’m hopeful it’s a cyst. There is nothing wrong until I get told otherwise.

good luck tomorrow, @BashfulClam. The odds are in your favor!