What do I do if I find a lump

[CobaltRewind]

I’ve lost a bit of weight recently and was getting measured for new bras yesterday.

This coincided with me checking my breasts which I do and I’ve found a lump.

What do I do? I’ve googled and it says to contact your GP in the first instance but I can’t EVER get an appointment with my GP or even get through on the phone. You can’t leave messages and you can’t call into the surgery.

I’m really worried as my mind automatically thinks it could be cancer.

I’m NI and I looked up breast screening but there seems to be just one place that does it and they are so busy they aren’t offering appointments.

Any advice welcome 🙏🏼

For this, your GP will have an appointment but it sounds like actually making the appointment is difficult. Why can you not go into the surgery to book one-is it something the surgery do not allow?

You aren’t allowed to call into the surgery for anything. It’s been a rule since Covid and they’ve never reverted back.

My youngest child has never been seen by a doctor at the surgery and she is 9, that’s how hard it is to get an appointment. 😕

I would maybe call 111 and explain you can't get an appointment. I think they should be able to book one for you. Alternatively does your surgery have an online system or email system you could try?

You aren’t able to email the surgery either. I’m not sure if ‘111’ is a thing here but I’ll look into it.

I’ve got Beneden health insurance but have never ever used it so I don’t know if I could speak to anyone there.

Doi Dr.

Phone your gp tell the reception you have a breast lump. You'll get an urgent gp appt then referral to breast clinic (in England every breast lump goes as a cancer 2ww regardless of liklihood)

Screening locations are irrelevant, they only assess those without symptoms. Symptoms are a totally different pathway and investigations

Best wishes x

Most private healthcare have private gp appts too. They can refer you into a breast clinic

A quick google shows that you have a 24//7 gp helpline, so I would start from there.

Just to add I have bupa private health and they have a self referral process for breast - you call them and they put you straight into the consultant clinic bypassing gp referral.

Sorry realised this risks reading as a look what I got post - I meant it to suggest that other private health care schemes could offer the same thing so worth checking.