Do I ask for a second opinion or leave it?

[SteAl0306]

Hi, just wanted to post on here and see if anyone else has had a similar experience or knows what to do.

My partner found a lump on his pelvis/pubic bone area around a month ago, he thought it was a spot at first and left it then thought nothing of it. Just the other day he realised that it was still there and in fact feels like a hard lump. I've felt it myself both times and it hasn't gotten any bigger but feels more firm now, he's not in any pain with it at all even when I press on it.

He rang the doctors to speak to them and his doctor asked for a photo of it (you can't see the lump but he sent one anyways) this was the doctors reply.. I don't know if it's just because I'm really anxious as due a baby in the next 6 weeks but I really feel like his reply in the attached photo doesn't seem convincing. He's quite obviously not 100% set on if it's a cyst or not by the "may be a possibility" part of the message. What happens if his doctors doesn't reopen for another 6 months or so? Then what does he do? Should I get him to ring about it and ask for a second opinion or do we stop worrying and leave it until they re open!

I would ask for a second opinion, or to be seen in person at least, or be given a date as to when they think it will be possible to be seen so you can make a decision. Here's what the NHS say about lumps lumps

@MIgZig he asked when they'll be reopening and all they said was I don't know we don't have a date. I told him he should ring back to try speak to another doctor and ask to be seen in person as I don't understand how they can diagnose a lump without actually physically examining it! Thank you for replying :)

If it's not grown then I'd leave it until he can get a face to face appt. If it changes then I would attempt to get seen earlier

I don’t know if there isn’t anything the doctor could have done though if they aren’t open?

It is absolutely terrible that they aren’t open now, especially as shops are open etc... why can’t GP’s open for things unrelated to covid, exactly like this situation?!

What are you meant to do, just wait and see? This is why people were getting frustrated with the fact covid was given so much more priority over everything else and now look, you find a lump and they won’t see you 🙄

I would say well I want a face to face appointment because if it is a lump then times not on out side!!

@Babesinthewud The thing is they are still seeing patients face to face but only if the doctor feels like it!

It's so annoying, especially when the other day it was on the news that more people aren't going to get check ups when finding a lump because of COVID-19 and if you find one get checked out ASAP whether you want to or not. But then when you do actually do something about it the doctor can't be bothered to see you?

I told him to ring back up and the receptionist said she would ring him back after speaking to the doctor, that was 2 hours ago now and still no phone call back. My point is, if it turns out to be something more serious it could have been sorted straight away, not in God knows how many months time! If they were going to reopen soon they surely would have a date by now.

Really glad someone else agrees with me on this situation, thank you for replying!

Speak to 111 if he’s worried and explain that the GP won’t see him in person, they may offer him an in person appointment elsewhere if necessary, local health centre perhaps.

Also I think face to face appointments may resume next month - my dentist is hopeful for routine appointments next month and dental practices are more high risk than GPs

Just ask for a face to face for reassurance if you need that bit to me the message reads very clearly. In the Drs opinion it is nothing to be worried about.
A lot that a Dr takes account of when assessing a lump is to do with what you say about it eg size, position, if it's growing/ how fast, if it's painful and they therefore may be pretty well able to tell it's nothing serious without seeing it in person

But if you want to be seen just ask directly and I expect they will oblige.

The Dr doesn't know exactly what it is but it is not necessary to know exactly what something is to know what it's not IYSWIM.

@WokeUpSmeltTheCoffee I completely understand where you're coming from but I found a lump under my armpit during the middle of lockdown, when I rang my doctors they wanted to see me ASAP to feel it etc even though mine hurt & I knew it was more than likely off all the pregnancy hormones (which i was right) he has a big family history of lumps being cancerous and has previously been in hospital for an operation due to a very bad varicose vein which started as a lump. So that's the main reason we're both worried about it. The doctor was very dismissive before my partner even described how it felt etc.

I completely understand that with COVID they're probably overwhelmed with phone calls & online appointments but this is why people don't bother going to the doctors when they find a lump as they never feel listened to!

A lump in your armpit in a woman is most likely a lymph node and could be draining a breast cancer (although more often it's just an infection) so a Dr would want to see that.

A small hard painless lump over the pubic bone in a man does not sound likely to be anything suspicious. It's just not a likely area or description for any kind of cancerous lump. If it was a lump in his actual testicle then they would want to see him. Not all lumps are inherently something to worry about.

But I expect they will examine him if he asks them again even if just for reassurance. Drs are being told only to see patients face to face if absolutely necessary so they are not booking appts for some things they would have done in the past but I think they still would make an appt if he made it clear he is worried.