Worry over breast clinic urgent referral.

[Exhaustedandworried]

Looking for a handhold really as I don’t feel like I’m coping at all.

I’ve been experiencing some mild/moderate pain on and in my breast for a couple of weeks. I went to the doctors who has referred me on the 2 week urgent referral to the breast cancer unit.
The gp found a small lump whilst she was doing the examination.

I don’t feel that I’m coping at all. My appointment is Wednesday. I’m struggling to eat and massively catastrophising. I can’t seem to keep it in perspective. I am in a toxic marriage and I’m terrified I’m going to die and my children will end up left with their Dad. (I know the marriage is an issue within itself but not something I can deal with right now).

I accidentally saw something on Facebook this evening about Hodgkins lymphoma which I’ve terrified myself with this evening. I’m struggling to stop my heart racing.

I feel pathetic writing this as I know I’ve got everything well out of proportion.

The stupid thing is I had breast implant when I was 18 - low self esteem, not a very nice boyfriend who convinced me to do it. They’re well overdue for removal so logically it could quite easily be this.

I just don’t know how I’m going to cope until Wednesday. I’m sat here shaking from the worry of it all.

Hi, I'm sorry you're going though this. I found a very hard lump 3 weeks ago, measuring 2 inches above my nipple (left breast) I was put on the urgent referral and will be seen at the end of May. I've cried buckets, I've lost weight because I can't sleep or eat.
I completely sympathise with how you're feeling. It is awful. You automatically assume the worst as we are taught lumps in breasts are never a good sign.

I know this sounds insane but I feel on the verge of a mental breakdown. I can’t stop shaking, I can’t eat I just can’t function.
so sorry you’re going through this too @Thumbelinahope
i’ve talked myself out of going to a&e today as I know they can’t do anything but the panic attacks are awful. I feel like I’m losing my mind. I don’t know why I can’t get a grip on it.

Could you phone 101? They may prescribe you a couple of diazepam or similar just to calm you down. My sister has health anxiety and she has been given these in the past.

I've been in your position and the breat clinic found nothing worrying. They got a second doctor in to look just in case and it was definitely nothing of concern.

I've also known three people survive long-term after a breast cancer diagnosis, one was a very aggressive type at a young age.

So sorry you're going through this OP

I was recently referred for lumps in my armpit sand have all the same thoughts - catastrophising, spiralling, panicking

The scan showed large lymph nodes and they've said to come back in a few weeks if no better. I'm so worried it's lymphoma or some other cancer.

I'm constantly obsessing over the lumps and worrying about my young kids. It takes over your whole life.

Just a handhold, and I hope you get great news. As PPs have said, most lumps are nothing to worry about and it's great you're being seen so soon.

You just need to get to Wednesday. You can do this. Do you have a partner or friend you can talk to for support?

Thank you @MarioLink that’s really reassuring.
@LizzieSiddal that’s a really good idea. I will give them a call. I’ve not had diazepam before but if it would help me to just be able to eat and sleep for the next couple of days I think that would be a huge help.

GPs are very risk averse when it comes to breast cancer and they use the 2WR very liberally for those within a broad age range. I hope everything is ok, breast changes are relatively common and there’s lots of possible explanations. Good luck.

NICE guidelines say anyone with a breast lump should be seen within 2 weeks. The urgent referral doesn’t mean the GP has felt anything sinister.

Don’t worry- urgent referral is standard. My GP referred me on the 2 week pathway even though he was almost positive it was nothing (and he was right)!

@ExhaustedandworriedI understand :( I've spent two weeks unable to function. I even called in sick to work because it's eating away at me. Last night I was poking and prodding. The lump is big and hard. When I went to the GP she said she will get me into the breast clinic as an urgent referral, which I assumed was 2 weeks, which it is, but it's a 4 week wait for me and I don't know why. It really is a dark and lonely road :( my arm pit feels swollen, but doesn't look swollen, but the left breast looks much fuller than the right.
I am praying for a good outcome for us. I'll be thinking of you.

I do have a story of a positive outcome. My partners cousin, a young lady in her 30s had a lump, plus the skin on her breast became puckered and pulled in forming a dent. She had to wait a long time to get the final outcome. It turned out it was a large cyst.

2ww is standard for any breast limp, I e been referred 3 times now and had a few lumps in between. Theyve all been fine but always worth checking

Yeah the wait sucks but the 2ww is just a better to be safe then sorry thing they don't actually expect to find anything serious it's just a standard tick box they follow. Iv had this issue twice both times it was a cyst. I bet if you looked at percentages of anything serious being found it would be ridiculously low

Firstly that's the police and 111 will not prescribe diazepam

Thanks for the replies. I rang 111 who I felt were very good and they’ve prescribed me a low dose of diazepam.
hopefully it will mean I get some sleep tonight.
At this point I absolutely can’t imagine it being anything other than bad news but I suppose a lot of people feel like that and it ends up being nothing.

No one is resilient when they think it's cancer and I'm not surprised with everything else you are having panic attacks

I've been through this twice and each time it wasn't cancer. I cried with relief.

I do hope it turns out to be a cyst or your implant.

I dont know how you got 111 to prescribe a controlled drug especially one that's not on repeat

What does it matter? @Exhaustedandworried just needs to get through until Wednesday.

Where did i say it mattered. I said i don't know how she got 111 to prescribe a controlled drug to her as its not something they do.

@feelingbleh i spoke to an initial call handler at 111 who then got someone from the mental health department to call me. They deemed it appropriate to arrange a telephone call with the out of hours gp who then prescribed the diazepam over the phone.
Just 2 days worth.

That makes more sense if you had an ooh gp appointment. Im glad you got sorted and it will hopefully help you get through until Wednesday

Statistically it most probably isn’t cancer but in case it is I was where you are now 2.5 years ago, it was cancer but whilst getting here has been no picnic I am fine and a long way from leaving my children motherless. Breast cancer caught early is very treatable.

If you have no history of early breast cancer in your mother or grandmother, the lump is very unlikely to be cancer. It's far more likely to be a bit of scar tissue from the implant, a cyst, or a "breast mouse" (benign lump common in younger women).

You're under a lot of stress with your dad right now, which is probably causing you to panic more than you would have done normally. You need to try to find something to distract yourself, like watching a film or visiting a friend. Did you say how old you are, sorry if I missed it? If you are over 45 there could be a bit of hormone fluctuations from peri-menopause joining the "party" and causing your cortisol to go through the roof - not a pleasant experience.

I've had a breast mouse myself; I was so impressed with how quickly I was referred in a few days and screened at the hospital, it was all over in an hour - one thing the NHS actually does do very quickly, thankfully. At least you don't have a long wait.

Good luck, I'm sure you don't have anything to worry about.

I hope all was okay today xx

Hi all, thanks for all your supportive messages. My appointment was this morning and they found absolutely nothing of concern. I feel mightily relieved but also a bit silly for what a state I got myself into. I hope everyone else waiting gets positive answers soon.