I found a lump

[aodirjjd]

Sorry you probably get hundreds of these on the board. I’m only 35 and found a breast lump when showering today. I’m shit scared and just really worried that I won’t get seen quickly because the nhs is such a mess right now. I’m going to call gp in morning and beg for an appt.

do all lumps get referred to breast clinic or is there chance doctor will poke it and say it’s not needed ? Are people still actually seen in two weeks if a referral is needed ? I’ve spent all evening googling private breast scans trying to get an idea of costs because I can’t bear the idea of waiting weeks for a referral that is delayed or some other drama like lost test results. Has anyone done this? It seems initial appt is £250 which I could afford but I wasn’t sure how much biopsy’s etc might run too. If I’m seen with nhs do I have to wait ages for any results or can they give me all clear quite quickly from breast clinics?

I’ve got a holiday in 6 week that I’m desperate to go on as well. I know logically this lump is almost definitely nothing and I’m really upset that if I don’t get seen quickly I might struggle to get travel insurance.

Call them, say you're in a lot of pain and painkillers aren't helping, say you cannot cope with the anxiety. And then keep calling them!

Be as annoying as you can. Hopefully that way they will book you in quicker.

It's horrific you're having to wait so long for a plan!

I'm so sorry OP, I hope you hear today from them but if not follow up. I'm like you, I would go mad waiting. I just like to know a final answer on things so I can plan and move on.

Popping by to send my love today OP XXX♥️

left a voicemail yesterday and nurse called me back today. Said they are unlikely to proceed with treatment plan before the biopsy and biopsy is unlike to happen before the 20th. She’s going to ring and try and book me in so we know what we’re aiming for. Assuming biopsy results is 10 days that’ll be 2.5 months between gp referral and treatment plan.

I just feel so let down.

I’m so sorry @aodirjjd that is utter shit. Really feeling for you.

I’m just gobsmacked that they can tell someone they’ve got aggressive breast cancer and then just not plan any treatment for over a month. It’s probably going to be a month between agreeing and starting treatment as well.

OMG OP that’s shocking! They shouldn’t be delaying things. Is there any service you can make a complaint to? PALs?

I’m Grade 3 also. My biopsy results came back as Grade 2, so I’ve already had a lumpectomy. My pathology results returned as Grade 3, so I’ll now have a double mastectomy (my choice).

I had my GP referral the beginning of February, my lumpectomy in late April, and won’t start chemo and radiation treatment until June or July, then will have the double mastectomy within the next 12 months which will allow me time to regain my strength after treatment. It’s not an unusual wait. They’re not being negligent; they’re operating under a great strain on the system. The waiting is the worst part, by far, but unavoidable. My care has been exceptional, just taking a long time.

I know it’s scary and I feel for you. The waiting is brutal.

@BookishSort thanks for sharing your timeline. I’m working on presumption lumpectomy /masectomy will happen about a month after we devise treatment plan so late July /3.5 months if things happen as they are saying. . I’m not accusing anyone of negligence but that’s much longer than anyone else I know. I wish I didn’t know it was grade 3. I’ve just got this horrible feeling it’s goinf to spread if they don’t get a move on. I’d do anything to know it hasn’t spread.

Oh dear! I didn’t mean for that to sound like I thought you were being accusatory. Sorry for the choice of words, as I’m in a loud, distracting environment at the moment and my brain doesn’t like it. 😖

I was much more at ease thinking it was Grade 2. I just found out Tuesday it was upgraded and it’s still got me reeling a bit. Originally I was told I wouldn’t need chemo and that 5 days of radiation and then 5 years of medication would be it for me.

I’m so sorry this is happening to you. I hope things move along a bit more quickly for you soon and your treatment isn’t too lengthy. Hugs.

I agree with you!! Could you ask to go private for the biopsy to speed things up? I know it's a lot of money but if it were me I'd just spend it.

Wishing you get better news about when your appointment is likely to be. The waiting must be horrendous. So sorry you have to go through that xx

@BookishSort I’m so sorry if I snapped at you. I think I was just really stressed yesterday and I misread your post as saying it takes a while stop being over dramatic but I can see now that’s definitely not what you said. I’m so sorry you are also in grade 3 bucket. I think I’m going to have masectomy as well, I feel like I’m never going to feel confident naked again which is better than habjng cancer angsun but is stil really rubbish.

Nurse didn’t ring me back. I had an appt for something else yesterday and they asked how I was coping and I talked about this and she was reassuring and I think I had got some bits wrong.

she told me that they can’t do ultrasound before mri results because mri might reveal need for further biopsy’s and additionally next steps wouldn’t be decided anyway till herceptin results came through which takes 4-6 weeks (and I’m only 2 weeks into that ). Oh and finally she said based on my notes there are no concerns it’s spread past lymph nodes (and that’s only slight possibility as only one is lumpy) which was hugely reassuring.

so like @Delphina17 suggested I was once again thinking do I go private for this test but I feel reassured now so not considering that.

I don’t know if I should stop reading about others experiences because it doesn’t seem to be helping.

It’s all good. The stress is overwhelming at times, so I’m glad you have had things explained more in depth to you. I have found that some doctors and nurses have been extraordinarily helpful and others less so. It makes all the difference when they take time to explain how the process goes and give you the reasons things are done the way they are.

Personally, I won’t feel safe in my body again until I’ve had my mastectomy, so I’ve got quite a wait. I know, intellectually, that there’s a little difference in rate of recurrence whether you have a lumpectomy or a mastectomy (at least in my case), but my gut instinct tells me differently.

I’m truly so glad that you’ve had some reassurance. It makes all the difference.

If it helps, my timeline was found lump end of August, seen by hospital end of September, diagnosed early October, met with oncologist end of October (with various scans and tests during October) and chemo started mid November - so from diagnosis to start of treatment it was around 5-6 weeks - I think they aim for under two months to begin treatment.

I've just been catching up with this post, I am about a month ahead of you and just had my lumpectomy today. Circumstances are different but I will just say what others have said and the waiting you're in now is the worst.
I had delays because I had to wait for an MRI due to dense breasts, then the MRI picked up a shadow on my liver, but because then a liver ultrasound had to be requested it delayed things more, luckily that turned out to be just a cyst.
Anyway so nearly 3 months from finding the lump and being in uncertainty to the lumpectomy, and obviously now waiting for results of today before I know when oncology will start their treatment. Meant ton be going on a big holiday in July and waiting to know if that will happen, and what my annual travel insurance are going to cover.
Sending you my thoughts as I know what it's like to be in limbo and just trying to say it does get better. I've had to be on sleeping pils throughout as it became too difficult to cope with those issues on top of everything else.

Biopsy end of June. Bit gutted.

Sorry it's all taking so long, OP. How have you been coping with it all?

When do you go on holiday? Hope it's somewhere nice!

Oh that's bloody awful. I'm so sorry it's taking so long.

Saw a doctor today who said they are going to push to pull biopsy forward and I should get a call tomorrow. They said it will be lumpectomy normally 6-8 weeks after biopsy results. So at least I have a plan.

That's good news! I've got my fingers crossed that it can be pulled forward. I'm sure you'll feel much better once you have a full treatment plan in place xxx

Biopsy rearranged to tomorrow ! So basically I will go on holiday and when I return all test results will be in and we can hopefully set a surgery date. I can’t believe how pleased I am to be stabbed with a giant needle.

also sorted out travel insurance for my holiday. That was a big worry for nothing!

I have bc.

I was told that the should be within 31 days of diagnosis. Mine was 45 days but I could have asked for a different surgeon apparently.

Yay, I am so very pleased for you!! 😁😁

Is the biopsy painful??

Hope it goes well tomorrow and you have a really amazing holiday next week!! ❤️

That’s fantastic news, and hopefully the lumpectomy won’t take as long as that.
im recovering from my lumpectomy now and the relief to have it done is amazing, just waiting for results now.
can I ask who you got insurance with? I’m supposed to be going away in 5 weeks (whether I’ll get to or not if treatment is planned is an issue). But my existing annual cover is saying they won’t cover me for anything cancer related

Staysure. but they excluded breast cancer from the policy so maybe not what you’re looking for.