I have a horrendous history of breast and armpit lumps. Have been told I have swollen lymph nodes for about 4 years now but no one has ever told me why.
My lumps come and go. Some stay a few weeks some for years. some never go.
I leave each one as it comes as long as I can before going to GP as I feel I am on an endless cycle of breast clinic referrals.
I have lost count of the amount of times I have been to the breast clinic in the last 9 years. The problem seems to be when you are referred you can only be referred for 1 lump. The looks on their faces when they say so where is your lump then? I say well I have 1 here, 1 here, 2 here, and 3 here and 2 under the arm are looks of disbelief. They only evert scan 1 lump and only ever do a needle biopsy in 1 lump too.
I have had some brown/bloody type discharge the past year too from the same breast where the lumps gather.
Its been 4 years since they started gathering in my arm pits but they just keep saying swollen lymph nodes.
Anyway today I went to GP about a suspected chest infection. She put her hand in my armpit to see if my glands were up as I am feeling quite unwell when she comments on the lumps.
She has asked me to make another appointment to see her re my breast lumps as she is concerned. She said she wanted to read my full medical history from my notes too but that was another issue - the recptionist told me on the way out that my notes have never arrived from my old GP - requested almost 12 months ago. They appear to have been lost in transit. I have moved miles away - so totaly new Health Authority.
I just feel utterley depressed that this saga is unfolding ahead of me yet again. I knoe I should be grateful I am being taken seriously etc etc but I am scared. Terrified in fact.
I know too well what lies ahead and all the anxiety and my mental thought processes I will torture myself with over the coming weeks.
Am scared and utterly pissed off.