Possible breast cancer?

[NoNamemama]

Hello everyone, a bit of a long post, been having some pain in breast, armpit, collarbone and shoulder blade followed by a slight redness and small lump/lumps in left breast. Doctor referred urgently to breast clinic, have contacted them about a date almost 2 weeks later and have been told could be another 4 weeks before being seen.
I have severe healthy anxiety and I can’t help but get teary when I look at my children and imagine how they would cope without me, one of which is autistic and extremely attached to my hip ☹️feel like my brain is in overdrive. Googled (I know I shouldn’t have) symptoms and breast cancer is the first one that comes up every time, very scared.
was wondering if anyone has had anything similar and wasn’t anything serious?
Appreciate any advice in advance.

No advice regarding anything similar, but just wanted to reach out as the waiting for appointments is so hard and I sympathise. I hope you get seen soon, maybe there is a cancellation list to call about?

I thought if cancer was suspected there was a two week maximum wait (or am I totally out of date?)
Could you afford to have a mammogram privately? According to google they cost £250-395.

@ladymammalade 2 weeks is the target but it's not always achieved; I waited over 3 weeks and the current wait at the same clinic seems to be 5 weeks. I wish you well @NoNamemama - the waiting is brutal. Try not to google.

thank you for replying, I phoned yesterday and the lady i spoke to said I can only call for cancellations when I have an actual appointment booked and they’re still working through referrals from the previous week. Just waiting and not knowing is awful feeling. They are so backed up that even for urgents at the moment it’s a long wait unfortunately.

I’m too young for a mammogram so would be an ultrasound she said on the phone and I wish I could afford to do but just don’t have the spare cash at the moment. I think I have exhausted every possible aspect on google so far anyway 😅

Having been in the same position myself, I'm not sure anyone can say anything that actually helps to be honest. The waiting is just brutal.
I found trying to keep myself busy / distracted was helpful initially but I was very vacant and now I'm just knackered from trying to keep so busy for weeks on end.
I hope you get an appointment soon and can close this horrible chapter quickly.

@AlwaysALargeSauvignonBlanc Thank you, that’s how I feel, vacant and anxious all the time, cleaning and doing things all the time. I hope you also have positive news if you are going through similar.

Thanks @NoNamemama
I have my biopsy results appointment tomorrow. I’m prepared for bad news given so was told I would get a phone call and that changed to a face to face appointment

I hope this reassures you a little, I was in your position last month, I had a lump in my left breast, which grew and became painful whilst waiting for my mammogram results. I was unable to get an appointment with my GP, despite ringing every day and telling the receptionist what I had, in the end I self referred to the mobile breast clinic, they said as I had symptoms I should ideally go through the pathway and they urged me to write to my GP but she booked me in for a mammogram in the meantime.

I had 3 phone calls from my GP the day she read the letter, she put me on the 2 week pathway, then called and asked for a photo of the lump and then prescribed antibiotics after seeing a photo but she told me to still keep the appointment on the referral.

I went to the appointment and was convinced I had cancer and as the lump had gone from the size of a pea to the size of a 10pence piece I thought it would be late stage, I was told however that my mammogram was clear and the lump was an infected sebaceous cyst and not inflammatory breast cancer which I was certain I had.

I can relate completely to your anxiety and google isn't your friend, fingers crossed for you that it is a cyst and not what you are fearing xx

I'm so sorry to hear that, you must have been beside yourself waiting for that appointment! I hope that you didn’t have bad news. @AlwaysALargeSauvignonBlanc

Thank you, glad you had good news, it does help. It is just hard not to convince yourself it’s something serious in these awful situations, especially when symptoms point to the worst scenario.
Hoping now the children are off on their Easter break I’ll be extra busy and won’t be able to dwell on it too much.

Hello. I’ve had bc. It really isn’t a death sentence and actually one of the worse things about cancer is people just assuming you are a. Brave; b. Going to die; c. Going through chemo and being very poorly. They are always slightly disappointed when you do none of these things. Honestly, the waiting is the worst bit but you cannot do anything about the situation, which, is most likely to be cysts. Keep really really busy. My garden actually looked quite good for a bit! Lots of walks to walk off the adrenaline. If it is bc then the outcomes are pretty good compared to other cancers. I didn’t have chemo at all. It isn’t fab but honestly, being fit and healthy will help. I know this is gnawing at you but you are highly likely to be wasting energy on this fear and anxiety which is hopefully misplaced. Inflammatory bc is really rare. Invasive ductal is the most common and easier to treat with a very high success rate. Or, most likely, you’ve got inlamed cysts.

good luck.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have good news but I can absolutely agree with the many others who say, the waiting is the worst.
My feelings have definitely changed and I have new things to consider / think about now but knowing the facts is definitely a better path than the unknown.

I hope you have a positive outcome