Anyone else have dense / fibrous / nodular breast(s)?

[MajorClanger123]

Hi all,

I'm 38 and was referred to the breast clinic in 2014 with persistent pain in my left breast & underarm region. They did an ultrasound and thorough check & found nothing untoward, other than a note on my file that my left breast is particularly 'fibrous' (right breast not so). Pain ceased, worry over.

I have visited my doctor several times in the past month, initially complaining about coil problems, plus some stabbing pains coming from behind my left nipple. He performed a thorough breast check, no lumps found and, actually, looking at my diary, I haven't felt the stabbing pain since Christmas & it seemed to coincide with monthly cycle (although slightly hard to tell as I have a mirena coil & pretty much no periods so unless I note down moods / mild cramping etc its difficult to tell when my cycle is).

However, since visiting GP 2 weeks ago, I have become obsessive about checking my left breast for unfound lumps. It is definitely very 'lumpy' and, when I compress my breast tissue I can find lumps (or nodules?) deep in the tissue, one of which seems to stand out more than the others. I went back to my GP this morning to tell him I was worrying again, he looked concerned (that I was quite emotional), I promptly burst into tears and he promptly referred me back to the breast clinic without doing any more checks, mainly I think because he can see how worried I have become.

Does anyone else have experience of lumpy / nodular breasts? I feel at a loss as to how to know whether lumps are normal or not (and therefore get in a tiz over what's normal and what isn't). The other breast doesn't feel lumpy at all, hence my worry. Plus my lumpy breast feels fine if doing the 'standard' self exam checks, but once I cup the breast and slightly squeeze / compress the tissue, I can feel definite lumps within the tissue.

Me! I have super lumpy boobs. The last time I went for a smear I asked the nurse how you could tell if there was a lump when they're basically all lumps. She had a feel and agreed that yes, I have lumpy boobs, but that I could get to know my 'normal' lumps and would feel anything that was different. So I'm working on that basis. It was reassuring to me to have someone else feel and say yes, this is lumpy and yes, that's normal for you, so do make sure you get someone at the clinic to feel what you are feeling. Hope you get an appointment and similar reassurance soon

I have fibrous boobs too. I had a scare a couple of years ago when I found a lump. Thankfully after an urgent appointment at a breast clinic it turned out to be a fibroadenoma. Some of the doctors found it difficult to find (ultrasound showed it) because my breasts were very fibrous. As above, getting to know your own boobs is a good way to then spot any unusual lumps. As I have family history of breast cancer I should be called for checks when I turn 40 but I have been told I will likely need ultrasound rather than mammogram because they are very dense in tissue too.

Thanks for your reassuring responses ladies.

I definitely think its a case of finding my new 'normal', plus also understanding how to self exam my breasts properly. If I follow the usual self exam techniques (eg palpate sitting / lying / hands above head), then I just feel normal albeit rather lumpy breast tissue. If I start to cup or slightly compress my breast (as I have done over the past 2 weeks when worry kicked in), then I feel much more pronounced lumps. I'm not sure if this is the correct way to do a self exam - I certainly can't find any guidance elsewhere that says to do this, but when my GP examined me a few weeks back he said all felt fine (but then he wasn't pressing hard into my breast tissue like I have done). I'm not sure if i'm creating lumps out of pure distortion of the tissue, but the lumps I'm particularly worried about are only detectable when the breast is held/ compressed from beneath.

I have been referred to the clinic so should be seen (oh, around valentines day I expect ) and whilst i know i'll stress like mad between now and then, i'm glad that my GP witnessed my overemotional state yesterday to instantly refer me.
Thanks once again

MajorClanger123 - how did you get on at the breast clinic? I have been referred for something similar, my appointment is tomorrow and I am panicking.

I have 'lumpy' and sometimes sore area on my left breast, it sounds similar to yours. It;s usually worse for a week/10 days before my period but my periods have started to become a bit irregular (I'm 48) so it's hard to tell if it's related to my cycle.