Breast lump

[crunchyfrog]

I've been to the GP today about a small lump in my boob. She has referred me on to the hospital.

I've told my BF and SIL (very close friend) but nobody else.

I'm mildly freaking as I was convinced the doctor would not be able to find it and would tell me off for time wasting. She found it in under 5 seconds.

The lump itself isn't sore, but I do have some pain in that breast. I found it about 2 weeks ago.

She said it isn't a cyst, but could be something to do with BF (Fed 3 children for total of 5 years, stopped over 5 years ago.)

What Will happen at the hospital? What's the wait time like in real life, she said 2 weeks but find that unlikely having recently waited over a year for ENT for DS2!

Please share stories, I am feeling quite wobbly!

Firstly, 90% of breast lumps are benign so the statistics are on your side. It could be a myriad of things and most of them are not cancer.

You will be seen within two weeks, i was just under a week, mine was a cyst that the Dr was convinced was a cyst and only referred because i was freaking out.

I would imagine that most breast clinic appointments are the same now so this is my experience.

First of all you will be seen by the consultant who will examine you (wear clothes that are easy to slip off you will be getting changed ALOT!) and give you some idea of her thoughts. Then you will most likely be sent off for a mamogram followed by ultrasound and you will receive the results there and then. Mine was a cyst and it was drained at the ultrasound. Then you will go back to the consultant to be discharged. You may or may not need a biopsy (if you do, don't panic they often do this just to be sure) and im not sure if that is done there and then or not, sometimes i think it is.

Expect to be there all morning or all afternoon so take someone wiht you for company or a book/mumsnet! There is a bit of waiting between the exams but the staff will be very kind and caring and used to people who are anxious - i was a wreck as i suffer from anxiety anyway.

Well done for getting it checked out. Chances are its nothing to worry about, but always always get it checked.

Thank you LEM. That helps!

You're welcome to join us on the Tamoxigang thread if you'd like. Lots of people post while they are waiting for breast clinic appointments and then most of their lumps turn out to be harmless and they leave :) we have lots of experience of waiting for test results so we can certainly sympathise.

You will most likely get an appointment within two weeks. It's a rule for various referrals for things that could be cancer. Only a couple of people I can remember posting have had to wait a bit longer than two weeks.

Depending what tests you need, you will either have a result on the day or have to wait a week or so for a biopsy result.

I'd recommend taking a notebook so you can write down anything that they say.

All the best

No experience in itself but it will be within two weeks. In our area the referral gets faxed and the 2 week referral team will contact you via phone with the next available appointment. They will likely phone you by the end of the week and it's likely to be a withheld number so do pick up all the best to you

Thank you! Got phone call on Weds, appointment is on 5th April, so more than 3 weeks since referral. Hopefully that's a good sign, that it wasn't an urgent referral.

I'll pop over to the Tamoxigang thread, thanks Leslie

Sorry, I missed your reply. Good luck for 5th. Sorry you've got a bit of a wait. It might be partly because of the Easter weekend.

Please do join us on the Tamoxigang thread if you'd like :)

Crunchy - try not to worry too much ( easier said than done!). As pp have said so wisely, the majority of lumps are benign.
I was in your situation in February, found a lump and was referred to breast clinic. The 2 weeks wait was awful, I rehearsed every scenario in my head. Try and stay away from Dr Google (there are some good support sites out there but much of the info elsewhere is outdated or scaremongering)
My lump turned out to be a cyst, a bloody big one at that! The relief was immense. Whatever your diagnosis is, you'll feel better at actually knowing rather than speculating.
Good luck next week at your appt.

OP - How did you get on today?