Breast lumps - help please

[Helpme214]

Okay, I know this is my 3rd thread in two days but I promise it's my last. Honest.

I had my GP appointment and she examined my breasts. She found that one was definitely lumpier than the other but she said she wasn't too concerned because she thought it felt as though it was glandular.

She asked me to continue to examine and to look out for any changes, particularly on the lumpy side.

Do you think the doctor definitely would have known the difference between it being glandular or being something more concerning? I know can't help but worry incase it is something more.

Thanks for your help.

That should say now, not know.

Anyone?

The thing you need to address is your health anxiety.

Gosh. It's really not helpful for people to indulge you in this.

You've got health anxiety, make sure that's your focus for treatment

I know I've got health anxiety. I'm dealing with that. I'm working hard to get better. My doctor has told me one breast is lumpier than the other, I didn't imagine the lump that I found, she could feel it too. I'd be worried about the lump regardless of the health anxiety. My question is (if anyone knows) would a lump which could be cancerous feel different to a glandular type lump, to a doctor? If the two feel very different, that would give me some more peace of mind. I know I'm struggling with my mental health right now, but my question regarding the breast lump is valid and I would be asking even if my mental health was in tip top shape.

So ask a GP. A medical professional. Don't ask strangers on the Internet.
And if you have anxiety no amount of reassurance will help.
What treatment are you having?

Personally I think it's odd that she hasn't referred you for a lump - especially as you say she could feel it. Surely if GPs could tell the difference between a glandular lump and any other sort then there would be no need for a lot of the referrals to the breast clinic that take place? You could ask your surgery for an appt with a different GP.

I haven't read your other threads.

I should have asked the doctor but sometimes not every question pops into your head in the short time you're in the room with them. I am asking on here incase their is someone who happens to know the answer.

I'm doing meditation at the moment and I'm being supported by my GP. If things don't improve in the next few weeks, I'll be going on medication.

Maybe no-one on here will know the answer but i just wouldn't want to make another gp appointment, just to ask one question. Seems a massive waste of their time.

Ask for a phone appointment? Perhaps also ask to be referred for CBT or similar?

I can't have CBT at the moment as I don't have anyone who can take care of my children for me to attend appointments. This has all been discussed with my gp and is the reason I'm trying things I can do at home to help reduce my anxiety.

I have health anxiety too - it eats you up inside and makes you feel aches and pains as well as lumps and bumps - do seek further assistance with the anxiety side of things, I'm sure if a doctor did examine you she'd have referred you if she was at all worried
Good luck

Phone your doctor again and ask for clarification? I would suggest that their many years of training and practice will stand them in good stead when it comes to their decision making on what is and what isn't suspicious

I remember your thread about a rash in your foot the other day. Honestly it'll be something different next week. Just keep telling yourself ' I have health anxiety and that should be my focus ' as opposed to ' I wonder if my highly qualified GP has got it wrong.'

OP I have had CBT over the phone!!! Worth a try? The GP can also prescribe reading. You can then borrow the books for free from your library!

The doctor said to check them once a month and that I'd know in the next 6 weeks-ish if the lumps are changing at all. She identified more than one you see whereas I had only felt one. I suppose maybe I should just trust her and do as she has said.

I think I'll stick with the meditation for now wolfie and give that a proper chance of working but I'll bare the telephone CBT in mind. Thank you.

I hope it helps you OP. I really do. Anxiety is bloody awful.

Thanks Wolfie

Op, I think I commented on your last post. I'm a fellow HA sufferer too. I get what you are saying totally.

I'm here to try and put your mind at rest. My boobs have always been a concern for me and I still go through periods of being totally paranoid about finding something.

I went through something similar to you a couple of years ago, thought I could feel a lumpy area in one breast. Went to gp, gp dismissed it as glandular "no lumps". No need for referral. My mind was put at rest for about a week but then I started to doubt what he said. So, I asked for a second opinion from a different gp. The second gp examined me thoroughly and said exactly the same. Just glandular. He explained in great detail what the difference was. He said that what I was feeling was normal for me. He said I need to basically stop checking so often, just once a month and a lump would stand out amongst the normal glandular tissue as a defined lump a bit like finding a rock on a gravel path (if that makes sense). I would feel reassured by what your gp says but if you want to go back they will refer you if you insist.

What I did was use those appointments as knowing what was normal for me and I now check my breasts and use that as a baseline if that makes sense. So I would definitely know if I felt a lump that needed. Checking out.

Did they offer you an ultrasound?

Do you have any other symptoms?

I have an app this afternoon at 3:40 and I'm petrified but I have every symptom. Inverted nipple, orange peel, discharge, pain in breadt , armpit and lately collar bone!

What would put your mindxat ease? I think most people feel like the GP could have mussed something and this is normal.

So many typos! I need to go to Specsavers also ha

Hope the appointment went well Myheart

I hope you got on okay today Myheart thinking of you

Thanks for your reply Tanfastic I'll try to bare all of that in mind. I know it's my anxiety that is my main problem but there are definitely lumps there which makes it really hard for me to just dismiss it.

Breasts are lumpy op.

Your gp will refer you if you insist. Go and get yourself a mammogram or ultrasound if it's affecting you that much. However as you say it's your HA that's the problem. As a fellow sufferer I would imagine even after a mammogram that wouldn't be enough to put your mind at rest, it might for a few weeks but then....

I've had health anxiety in the past for 1.5 years.

Every round of re assurance someone provided me for my very very convincing (to myself) potential illness - kept my health anxiety going for a while longer.

I got rid of it one morning when I found myself in a bright and sunny park - and just decided not to seek re assurance. I knew I couldn't cure the anxiety but the moment I realised it was re assurance that was kindling it -I told myself I will seek re assurance after 24 hours. Then 48 hours. Then a few days.

I kept postponing re assurance seeking till one day I was suddenly free.

Thank you both for your kind words. Went for my app, doctor examined me and said I'm not going to sugar coat this and then I can't remember what he said exactly just that there was something to worry about.

He could feel a small lump in my armpit and has referred me to the breast clinic.

He faxed the referral letter there and then in front of me and said if they hadn't called me by Monday to either call him or present myself at the clinic with the referral letter, which he gave me a copy of.

Max I'll wait is two weeks but he wants me to be seen sooner.