Can’t sleep,Possibly breast cancer and feeling frightened

[Rockschooldropout]

I’m 52 and on hrt so when I noticed my left breast felt a bit tender recently I put it down to hormones.Ive been a bit negligent with checking my boobs as I’ve had some heart issues and then my DDad died in April

However I noticed over the course of the last week , my left boob swelling before my eyes , the veins have become prominent and the side and nipple area became very tender . I managed to get a gp appointment this morning and after examining me she said she didn’t like the look of it as my skin is puckered and there’s an obvious quite large ill defined lump near my areola. She’s refered me on the 2 week pathway and I’ve made the mistake of falling down the Google hellhole of inflammatory cancer .
This evening DD came to give me a cuddle and rested her head on the side of my boob and it was painful - I’m not feeling very optimistic at the moment ..

Sending you well wishes and hoping it's not as you fear. Well done for getting yourself onto the pathway. Hand hold here

@Rockschooldropout So sorry you're going through this, my 38 yr old friend was diagnosed with breast cancer this year and has already been given the all clear due to fast treatment, her care was amazing, I'm not going to say don't worry, that's impossible. Hopefully you won't have to wait the 2 weeks to get answers, I know it's easier said than done but you should try and stay away from google it will make you more anxious and it seems to always be worse case scenario. Wishing you all the luck and sending you strength ♥️

Thank you x fortunately my gp didn’t mess around but I’m worried that it may be more than two weeks . Gp said to call if I haven’t heard anything by the end of next week and I’ve got myself in a fizz thinking if it’s inflammatory BC , it’s very aggressive and grows quickly . The waiting for the app is agony

Please try not to panic, my GP sent me into a tailspin over a breast lump, when I actually saw the specialist it was all okay. If you can maybe a private appointment would help, just to speed things up? Or keep calling the NHS clinic and asking to be on the cancellations list, I did this and got a call the same day so I dropped everything and went. Best of luck Xxx

@starlight1111 That’s wonderful news for your friend ☺️ She must be so relieved .

I’ve friends who have beaten breast cancer and sadly lost two , one at 31 , the other at 42 , DH has ordered me to step away from Google now and I’m trying not to worry but it’s hard when I have one boob that resembles a breastfeeding one - it’s bizarre .. it feels firm and full and I can’t get my bra on now .. I’m so aware of it , I just hate the wait for answers

@herbygarden I would go private but I know a biopsy is at least 2-3 k and that’s not viable at the moment as I’ll most likely need a biopsy anyway x

@herbygarden I might try calling later this week to see if they have cancellations, that’s a good idea x

I work for NHS admin. They have to be within 2 weeks or the trust is fined. Occasionally they can go longer. I know at our trust they are 99% within 14 days.

You probably won't believe this, but this is probably the hardest bit. I'm sure you already know that statistically it's likely to not be cancer but that knowledge doesn't help at this stage.

So whilst you are waiting, just go with your feelings. You've had a shock, you've got this horrible wait (which unfortunately may take longer than 2 weeks at the moment) and it's pretty impossible not to race ahead and imagine the worst, but that's ok.

Thank you - I know it was the same at our trust (ex nurse ) so I can but hope .. my left breast feels bizarre .. lying on my back in bed my right one has flopped naturally.. the left one is rigid and hard all round the areola .. it feels like it’s getting harder and more swollen even since this morning

@Rockschooldropout I know, the wait is awful, I had a lump years ago and was referred to the breast clinic, (thankfully it was a cyst) but I was a nervous wreck, I think it's completely normal to feel that way, it's the fear of what might be. My mum has lung cancer and she always calls the hospital to get appointments she never waits for the letters or for them to call her. Hopefully you can get some sleep.

I know inflammatory breast cancer can develop fast but surely not this fast, you say it's gotten worse even since this morning and is very painful to touch?

Could it not be something like mastitis or an infection or a really deep cyst or something? Do you feel unwell with it or have a temperature etc?

I am no expert but reason I say this is I do know of someone who had similar and she was hospitalised with a severe infection in one of her ducts I think it was, all developed extremely quickly like within 48hrs or so but she eventually made a full recovery and no cancer.

@SNMummy2024 I thought the same, it could be an infection or something similar if it's getting worse so quickly, but I'm not a doctor, and if there's swelling I'd imagine there would be puckering, isn't pain usually a good sign as opposed to no pain

@SNMummy2024 no redness , and no temperature . I don’t feel unwell . The gp didn’t think it was an infection . It seemed to appear quickly last week but it could be that now I’m hyper aware of it if that makes sense .. I’ve been so busy I’ve barely noticed my boobs but now I can’t stop analysing the left one . It’s definitely hard for a large area around the nipple and I can feel the lump . There is puckering on the left side

Yes the skin is puckered .
gp put in my notes . Swollen with vein dilation . Ill defined lump . Skin puckered . Malignant breast tumour?

Gp didn’t think so - she said it didn’t look like an infection . Obviously if I start to feel poorly I’ll go back but she said it was the lump and skin puckering she didn’t like the look of

Hi, just popped on to say I had sudden swelling, tenderness and a lump, turned out it was cysts. Had them drained, all benign. The wait is frightening, but it's not always bad news OP. Sending a hand hold.

@Rockschooldropout we're not doctors so probably shouldn't make comments about what it might be.
Obviously the gp can't know anything for sure and they're not always right. I would call though and try to get the appt asap

I really hope that’s the case for me - I’ve just lost my father to cancer and DM also has cancer so I hope it’s innocent

I’ve got a referal on the nhs app that says call if I’ve heard nothing by the 10th - so you better believe I’m going to start calling on weds ! (They’ll be fed up of me !) I think the worry is worse than the appointment itself

I think it’s the “ill defined” lump but that’s worry as I know that’s more likely to be malignant ..
it’s not smooth or moveable

It helped me in the 2ww to focus on the small steps, calling for a cancellation appointment, planning my follow up calls, planning my route etc, etc. Be kind to yourself OP, like starlight1111 said, make your calls in the morning. Sending positivity. I hope you can get some sleep.

I’m going to call this morning and see if they have any cancellations- It’s hard not to think the worst while I’m waiting as my boob reminds me when I wake up .. still sore this morning . DH keeps saying .. do not Google !

He's right! Just keep trying to escalate your appointment, any changes or new concerns let your GP know straight away. Good luck OP, wishing you all good things.

Thank you ☺️ I’ve called but they said my referral hasn’t been looked at yet and to call back if I’ve heard nothing by the end of tomorrow