to not need mansplaining regarding my breasts?

[Minimalme]

I have had some localised breast pain for last couple of months.

GP examined me and said she could feel "something" so referred me to the breast clinic.

Appointment today and was told the male
Consultant wouldn't wear a face mask but I had to.

He examined my breasts which I found really difficult because he is male.

He has concluded the pain I feel is because of my underwired bra being too tight. I told him it isn't and the pain has been consistent and I don't sleep in a bra and often wear non underwired bras.

He told me that he "still thinks it is" caused by my bra.

Then he refused to do a mammogram. He said as am 49 I will get one soon anyway.

DH has taken a day off work so I can be dismissed after a 5 minute examination.

I am upset, angry and importantly, still worried because this man has dismissed my GP's concern using his special powers of mansplaining.

I am now going private. We are not comfortably off by any stretch of the imagination.

Wow. I’d like to say I’m stunned, but with various members of my family, for whom I advocate, with various long term conditions and therefore being a ‘heavy’ user of NHS services, sadly I’m not. Did he think you’d self referred to him, is he ignorant of the process? What an arrogant, and potentially dangerous, prick. Have you made a formal complaint?

I recently had a routine mammogram. Timing was excellent as I had spoken to my GP about a number of menopausal symptoms and was experiencing intermittent breast pain.
At the mobile screening clinic they asked about any breast changes and I mentioned the pain. I can't remember her exact words but the radiologist said pretty much that pain isn't something that they are unduly concerned about as most breast cancers do not cause pain. My mammogram came back clear.
In your position, I would stop wearing underwired bras for a couple of weeks and go back if the pain persists.

Well the key thing is, you had mammograms to determine the result.
That, despite the GP feeling a lump, has been denied to the OP.

I wouldn’t say it was mansplaining, I’d say it was the consultant wasn’t listening to what you were telling him.
I’d go get a second opinion. Doesn’t matter if you’re due a mammogram ‘soon’, you need one now.

Ok, that’s quite good. Nothing worse than waiting.

He wasn't mansplaining. As a breast consultant he will have more experience of diagnosing breast issues than you GP (even if your GP has breasts too). In his specialist opinion a mammogram is not required.

tbh I would not be happy with the answer either as I would be worried he missed something, but I would also understand they cannot refer everyone to costly further screening just to give patients peace of mind, or the NHS would be in an even bigger mess than it already is!

I would probably do what you are doing, go private, or if too costly I would prove him wrong not wear underwired bras for a few weeks and return to GP if it continued.

I obviously meant the test takes 5 minutes for the client. Anyway, I’m glad it’s 40 here as I’ve had several friends who discovered breast cancer early.

Why do you care? My husband, my husband's day off.

I was expected an appointment of between 3-5 hours in length and to know definitively at the end of it that I do not have breast cancer. That is how the 2 week referral clinic works.

The type of bra aside, your GP felt a lump and that should be investigated. I would contact PALS and see what they can do to help you, and get back to your GP about his refusal to do a mammogram. I hope the lump turns out to be nothing, but as they say with these things, time is critical. Why have a two week pathway available if it isn't?

Please complain. At the least you deserve a better explanation, and if there is no reason to do a mammogram, someone needs to take the time to help you understand that. Or the consultant may have been wrong.

A friend accompanied me to a breast clinic. I was glad that she had. I hadn't expected it but they took a biopsy and found a further cyst which they chased around my breast with a needle while watching it on the ultrasound.

My body was in shock with the pain by the end of it. Once I'd stopped shaking, I still was a bit too out of it to drive home and was glad to have a coffee with my friend and some normal conversation while I pulled myself together.

She came because my husband wouldn't have been such good company, but maybe the op's husband was totally up to the job, should the op have needed some more support.

It was investigated

By a consultant

The op doesn't like the answer she was given and is incorrectly calling it mansplaining

Yes it is a standard proceedure for when a lump is detected either manually or via mammogram.

But it was ok because this guy just examping my breast for a 2 mins max and told me it was my bra and that was done.

Saving the NHS a fortune I should think.

You included it in your original post. That's why several people have picked up on it. It apparently is part of your complaint. If it's irrelevant, you shouldn't have mentioned it. It's not the doctor's problem either.

Lucky for you. My appointment was during covid so no one other than patients was allowed into the hospital. I and every other woman there managed perfectly fine (and there were enough chairs for actual patients, for a change).

Male, highly qualified medical consultant, give his professional opinion and you call it mansplaining. Lol.

@candycaneframe it was investigated by a consultants hands. Not a mammogram.

No person's hands can perform what a mammogram can.

I don’t care, I wondered. You made it sound like this was the gp’s fault and a part of why you are so annoyed. That’s why. You mentioned it, several people picked up on it.

YANBU to want a second opinion but what would you have called it had the consultant been a woman?
This is not mansplaining this is a consultant giving an opinion. I'm not saying I agree with him and I would get a second opinion to put my mind at rest if I was worried

I'm sorry this was your experience and glad that you managed perfectly fine.

I hope there was a good outcome for you.

Are you medically trained OP?

I'm 41 and I went to the breast clinic this week, the consultant sent me for a mammogram and scan even though he couldn't feel anything when he examined me. It turns out there is a lump, he thinks it's harmless but I had a biopsy anyway. YANBU to want them to check you out to make sure it is nothing.

I'm sorry you had such a shitty experience. It's a complete contrast to my experience in the middle of lockdown when I found what I thought was a lump. GP was sure it was a lipoma and would normally have requested a primary care scan. Because the primary care centre wasn't operating at the time she referred me to the breast clinic. The male consultant agreed with her that it was a completely harmless lipoma, reminded me that I'd be called for a mammogram within the next nine months (53 so due to have my first that year as it rotates round practices on a thre year cycle- if I'd been 49 and worried I wouldn't have been happy potentially waiting three and a half years for it) and crucially, did an ultrasound scan there and then to confirm his diagnosis. I was in and out in under ten minutes but definitely reassured.

Christ, really?

Shall we all start demanding female only consultants when we need emergency c-sections?

What utter sexist drivel.

It's hardly surprising that OP would bring someone with her for support

I've had similar, lump felt by me, DH, GP & Nurse.
Referred to Breast Clinic, where the expectation is that you get fully checked.

My consultant couldn't feel a lump, but he basically roughly & quickly felt my breast.

Still got a mammogram & ultrasound, and a cyst was found & tagged to check for Changes on any future mammograms.

I think OP expectation was bang on, and would have felt frustrated in her shoes.

Prevention is better than waiting