Breast clinic appointment

[Vi37]

If any of you ladies have ever been referred to the breast clinic following finding a lump, could you please tell me how you stay sane waiting. I’ve had to be put on diazepam I feel sick thinking of the worst outcome. I have a 9 month old little boy at home.

How long have you to wait? Sorry you're so anxious x

I have my appointment next Monday, this is the third (or possibly fourth) time I have been referred. I stay sane because I know that over 97% of referrals turn out to be nothing serious. When is yours?

Not got the appointment yet. I only went to the go on Friday. X

*gp I meant.

She said it’s meant to take about two weeks. I’m constantly thinking the worst, that I’ve noticed something too late and it’s spread, I’m looking at my son thinking I’ll never see him go to nursery or school etc. X

The wait is awful- you have my sympathy. I went through similar last year. Try to stay busy and distract yourself. It is very likely to be a benign cyst and easily treatable and very common. I found going to sleep at night particularly hard while I was waiting for my appt so I had to have warm baths to relax.

Thank you. X

You should be seen within two weeks so tell yourself the odds on that two weeks from today it’ll all be over and forgotten about. Do you have a lump you can feel? I had a ‘hard’ area in one boob when my little boy was just a bit older than yours. I know it’s awful! How old are you? Do you have a history that would mean you’d be more worried? Most girls and women I know have had lumps checked at breast clinics. The huge majority of them turn out to be nothing - cysts, glandular tissue, ducts etc.

I had this a long time ago too. I remember that the time taken to get an appointment felt like an eternity. In my case it turned out to be a fibroadenoma - nothing important or scary. Try not to imagine the worst - the stats are on your side - as per the poster above.

Thank you, it’s sort of like one little ball bearing and another teeny tiny one at the side. All I got from the dr was her shoving her fingers in my armpit and saying there must be something there but the gland isn’t swollen, she then just started typing on the computer, asked if I was available in the next two weeks and that was it. I went on my own so I was all a bit shocked and in a bit of a daze. I thought she’d just say oh yes just a cyst and send me off. I walked out and don’t think I even said bye or thank you or anything. X

My best friend literally just had a similar experience with her gp. I think they have to refer you regardless of what they think so don’t worry about that. It could be anything from a blocked milk duct to glandular tissue. There’s so much they can’t tell just from feeling. However you did the right thing to be checked and there’s the huge odds in your favour that it’s nothing sinister at all! Please try not to overthink. It’s a huge (albeit easy) step to make from having a lump to not seeing your little one start nursery. I’ve done it myself and now I’m through it it’s easier to say this. Nothing will stop you worrying till you I know for sure. But try to keep perspective xx

I'm really sorry to hear that, but honestly you have absolutely done the right thing. You will get an appointment quite quickly, 2 weeks is the absolute max but I was seen a week after I saw my GP. Even the absolute worst outcome here is better than if you hadn't gone. I had a lump under my arm that turned out to be very early breast cancer. My little boy was a year and I was still breastfeeding at the time so it was a shock as I was convinced it was just a blocked duct or sweat gland. But the fact that I did something about and didn't ignore it means I'm here today and you have been brave in doing the same xx

Thank you ladies xx

Forgot to answer earlier question, I’m just turned 34 and only my dads mum had breast cancer at a late age, which she survived from. We’re generally a pretty healthy family apart from a lot of arthritis and being as blind as a bat when we get old! X

I'm so sorry. I had a similar experience at your age too. I hope that whatever is there is benign but there is also life after a breast cancer diagnosis.

Can you book in elsewhere speed things up? Perhaps a private clinic?

It seems to cost a fortune and they just say mammograms which I think I’m too young for. X

You're not too young for a mammogram and they should add a breast ultrasound 

They won’t mammogram under 40s as your tissue is too dense and it doesn’t show effectively. Usually you’ll go straight for an ultrasound.

Well got my appointment for next Friday the 9th x

Sorry you have to wait that's frustrating.

Thank you, thought it would be quite a lot earlier than that. It’s even worse now that I have to wait another week, then when biopsy’s are taken that’ll be a week after that too. I genuinely don’t know what planet I’m on at the moment.

(P.s I don’t want that to sound like I’m cross with the nhs for how long it takes, I have a huge amount of respect for them)

Hi.
Do you bf ? I take it as no because of the medicine but not sure. I’ve a 7m and I was you a few months ago. At the end I took it privately and it was all related with breast tissue and bf. Not promising this will be the case as well but what kept me sane those weeks was to think that 80-85% of breast lumps are nothing to worry about so you’ve more chances of this.

Good luck

Btw 33 here and got an ultrasound as others have said

They may not do a biopsy so it’s wntirely possible you’ll have a positive outcome next Friday!