Scared I've found a breast lump

[Littlesparrowherenow]

Hi anyone awake? I'm petrified. Found a lump on my breast and can't calm down. I'm going to book a drs appointment as soon as I can but so scared as to what that will say. Hoping it's a cyst, as my auntie died of breast cancer so quickly.

Does anyone have experience of what a cyst feels like? My lump feels round and hard... I'm scaring myself silly, hoping that it's just hormones as I'm half way through my cycle. I'm 43.
Any advice or words of wisdom please?

Easier said than done, but please don't worry. Get to the gp as soon as you can to put your mind at rest.
I had a lump when I was 23, seen very quickly and it was just a fatty lump. A friend of mine more recently found a lump which was diagnosed as a cyst. It doesn't always have to be bad news.
Hope you can get in at the gp quickly.

Thank you for replying helbelle75. I'm just thinking of worst possible scenario. No female family to confide in, or friends. I just feel so scared for the future.
Do you mind me asking what your fatty lump felt like? Mine feels about size of grape... I think! And smooth. Appreciate if you'd prefer not to share though.

It was about the size of a pea I think (nearly 20 years ago now!) and quite hard. I understand the being petrified but try not to think the worst.

Thanks. You are saying same as my husband but I feel in freefall, as I bet you understand.
Trying to get some sleep before school run tomorrow but not very successful!
Just had a lot of things to cope with over last few years, including loosing my mum and auntie, both under stressful circumstances, and I'm seen to be strong one in family... just don't know if can carry on coping with any more bad news... but I will have to. Just feeling very alone and scared.

Sorry to hear about your mum and auntie. It sounds like you need to lean on someone else for a change, and just be kind to yourself. I don't know if it's appropriate, but i found cruse bereavement counselling very useful.

Thanks, i think it might be a good idea to do that. I did have a few sessions of counselling which were useful, but my little one was tiny and I needed family to look after her to allow me to go- that came with its own stresses!
Tried to get access again after Christmas but was told I was coping well given circumstances and criteria had changed since I'd last accessed service☹️ So no use, but to call back if things changed.
Hopefully can talk to gp tomorrow... although I remember cruse where self referral - with a wait, but can look into that too. Thanks.

Appointment with gp I know this morning. Still trying to keep calm and hoping it's not as bad as I'm imagining.

Good. In my experience, they get you seem very quickly.
Try not to think the worst. Our dd is 11 weeks old and when she was about 5 weeks old I noticed one of my moles had changed shape and texture. I was beside myself thinking i'd finally got the fily i'd been longing for and i wouldn't be around to see her grow up.
The doctor took one look and said it was some kind of wart , not the mole and it was very common.
It's normal to worry but it will probably all be ok.
Let me know how you get on.

^family not fily

Thank you- your reply means so much. I'm sat waiting in my car now.
I too have waited for my little one. That's just how I feel.
So glad yours was positive news. 🤞🏻 Mine is too.

How did you get on sparrow?

I hope your GP was helpful Littlesparrow I imagine you will have a two week referral to the breast clinic to have it checked

You might find some of the information in the first few posts on the cancer thread reassuring. I won't copy and paste it all here as I don't want to bombard you. But 9 out of 10 breast lumps are benign, so there's a very good chance that it's not cancer. You're welcome to join us while you are waiting to have it checked though. We get lots of people who join while waiting for tests and nearly all of them get good news :)

helbelle75- your last post helped me keep myself together in waiting room- didn't feel so alone, thank you!

...And thank you to the other posters too. I will certainly look at the link mentioned.

Glad I went, my gp was amazing, knows me so well after everything that's happened to my family. Was really reassuring and said nothing to worry about, completely mobile- phew! Obviously need mammogram etc at breast clinic, so referral has been made and I feel much calmer. At least will get results on the day too.

She spent a long time chatting to me about how everything is going, and suggested counselling again and told me of a few places that do Pilates and yoga etc... never done them but I need to do something to stop myself feeling so isolated and try to meet more people.

Thank you all. You have really helped me loads this morning. 🤞🏻All goes smoothly at appointment, but don't feel in free fall again.

WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo... just briefly read the start of the thread in your link. How I wish I'd seen that last night!!! Totally agree not to google... afraid I did and it scared me silly!
Will read the other posts later with a cuppa, thank you for taking the time to paste the link for me 💐.

That's really positive. Your gp sounds great.

Yes, I'm very lucky she's very straight down the line, pulls no punches when needed but very caring at same time. Just very thankful I could get an appointment with her at such short notice. Trust her completely, so much so I've been able to relax with my little one after school too! Never thought that possible 24hrs ago.
Know that I've got the clinic appointment to go but it seems manageable now.
Thank you once again for being voice of calmness!

Glad you've been able to relax. I suffer from anxiety so toally get it!

Just to update- all fine, cysts. So relieved!

Just wanted to post to let anyone who is going through a similar thing, the mammogram was nothing to worry about, a little uncomfortable but not painful, and although I scared myself silly with worry when waiting (and I really shouldn't have googled!) I'm glad I went to get it checked out.

Thank you Garden Geek!