Huge mass in breast aibu to go to a&e ? **Diagnosis in and treatment underway for the OP** Title edited by MNHQ

[needabitof]

Last week I went to the doctors - my right breast has a big mass in it that has appeared in the previous week.
He checked my liver, lymph nodes, so I know what he's thinking, and referred me to the breast clinic under the 14 day rule. Except it isn't 14 days, it's over three weeks before you can be seen. The gp can do nothing to speed things up apparently.
I thought I need to pay for a private mammogram, it's £400. I'm desperate - imagining the worst constantly.
Managed to get a referral sent by the gp to the private hospital, only to be told they're breast clinic has been cancelled for the next three weeks.
Aibu to go to a&e to get some medical advice or wait? The mass is getting bigger and painful each day.
What would you do? Thanks in advance.

Good luck for today

To give you one far less scary possibility. O had a large, hard lump in my breast that appeared suddenly one day and grew. It turned out to be a blocked milk duct/mastitis. This was years after I last breast fed so don't dismiss for that reason. Antibiotics sorted it in no time.

Good luck at your appointment xx

YANBU

Thinking of you OP. Xx

Good luck

God I was scrolling through this thinking you wouldn't be seen for weeks.

Best of luck today OP.

Good luck OP

Good luck this morning @needabitof

Do you have the travelling clinics where you are? Google where they are today and drive to them if you must?

You are being unreasonable to go to A&E. Did you not watch the news last night
Going to A&E won't get you a mammogram or a diagnosis, at most you'll get antibiotics which you could just ask your doctor for.

Make another appointment with your Gp, tell them it's grown and now painful, they will prescribe something whilst you await your appointment

@needabitof

I've just had a call from the breast clinic saying my appointment has been cancelled due to the Doctor being taken Ill. Where do I turn now? Back in the queue on the phone to the gp, but what can they do if there is no breast care clinic, either nhs or privately. I'm despairing here.

All you can do is wait the same as many other women in your position are also having to do

@HalzTangz maybe read all the OP’s posts before commenting

[quote toomuchlaundry]@HalzTangz maybe read all the OP’s posts before commenting[/quote]
I have read them all, to the point she said she wouldn't go to A&E then in a further post she was going to A&E. To the point the mass had grown considerably and rapidly to the latest point that it's slow growing in that it felt bigger (could it actually be fear/panic that makes it appear different)

And then, as it happens her appointment came through for Tuesday.

I'm sorry but people should use A&E for its correct purposes and not to try and fast track or jump queues. It's no wonder NHS is struggling when people act like this (just look at the number of people advising her to go to A&E)

Good luck with the appointment.

Good luck

Hope it goes well for you.

Good luck

Good luck OP

Good luck OP.
I was at the breast clinic 2 years ago for a lump.
They were brilliant.

I'm sorry but people should use A&E for its correct purposes and not to try and fast track or jump queues. It's no wonder NHS is struggling when people act like this (just look at the number of people advising her to go to A&E)

The OP first priority is to advocate for her own health. NHS is struggling because of politics and because it appears that a tory government want it to fail so that private health insurance can be brought it.
Use the service, but lobby your government at the same time.
Sitting at home suffering to avoid "overloading" the system is pointless.
A&E triage people on arrival. Let the experts decide if it's an emergency. A large rapidly growing lump that is extremely painful could be an emergency.

I had similar symptoms and phoned the NHS phone line and was told it was an emergency. Apparently in a bad case (which mine was) you can die from blood poisoning.

@Nootall - this is what I was thinking. If you are in enough pain that you can't deal with it, then it's an emergency. You not going to A&E is not going to save the NHS.

Thinking of you today OP xx

I hope it goes ok x