Lump in breast - devastated and worried

[Fadeout83]

I know I’m adding to about 50 other threads on this topic but really needing some positivity right now as there isn’t anyone IRL I can talk about besides my very lovely husband.

I had some strange pain a couple of weeks ago in the left breast - noticeable only if I pressed down on it. Poked around and couldn’t find anything so left it for a week. I admit for someone with such health anxiety, the one thing I’m terrible at is doing self checks. I never know what I’m looking for and all the texture in there gives me the heebiejeebies. How ironic.

Anyway a week later the pain was still there so I really stuck in and thought I maybe found a little pea sized lump. It isn’t easy to find and I can really only feel it lying down. I have very soft tiny boobs so surprised it isn’t more obvious. It’s on the underside just beneath my nipple.

Of course with all the prodding and now worrying the pain has gotten more noticeable in the area. Kind of a burning, almost like shingles if anyone else law has suffered them before.

Booked myself in to the gp and she felt around and could definitely feel it (quicker than I did!) and said she thought it was as probably a small cyst but has sent me off for a mammogram and ultrasound and possibly a biopsy. My appointment is tomorrow. It’s been a very long 48 hours.

I’m 38, no family history of BC or any other cancer for that matter. But I know that in most cases, BC is entirely luck of the draw.

I’m terrified. I’ve got two little boys and all I can do is beat myself up for not being more vigilant with self checks, and think about not seeing my boys grow up and all sorts of horrible things. I’ve read so many conflicting things - if it’s smooth and movable and painful it’s less likely to be bc, then another site says breast pain is a symptom of breast cancer. I know I should stay off the internet but all I can do is google google google.

Any recent experiences here?

Easy to say try not to worry but I know that’s easier said than done! At least you don’t have to wait too long now.

I had a lump last year during lockdown so got an appt at the (eerily quiet!) hospital within 10 days. Mammogram and examination and was told on the spot that it was definitely a cyst and nothing to worry about. I’m sure your will be the same result. If it does happen to be something else then you’ve caught it while it’s still very small and will be able to get it sorted quickly.

Thank you so much for sharing and that’s so reassuring that you got good news. I’m definitely trying to stay positive and read all the positive stories on here but being quite the catastrophiser, my mind tends to just assume I’ll be the 1 in 7.

Yeah it’s only natural. Hope you manage to get a good nights sleep. Let us know how you get on at your appointment xx

If the GP thinks it’s a cyst then it’s probably a cyst, I had similar to you couple of years ago. Same location. They scanned then did mammogram to double confirm and then the cyst was drained. It hadn’t returned. I do understand it’s scary not knowing. Wishing you all the best.

I had similar to you and it was a cyst as well. The GP was fairly certain it wasn’t cancer but I was still seen pretty quickly for a non-urgent referral so like the previous poster said if it is anything, you have noticed when it’s small and they will get onto things fast. Sending you good wishes

Am literally going off to bed but couldn’t ignore your worry.Generally if the lump is painful it is hopefully not sinister probably a cyst …off to bed now 💕💐💐💕

The breast clinics are often one-stop shop style so they will see and pretty much diagnose in one go. Hopefully this will be the case for you too and that it will turn out to be a cyst. If not, it still sounds like you’ve been vigilant and found it very early on and that’s best. If it is BC then it’s often very treatable and it’s a well-funded and widely studied area so you’d be in good hands either way.
Nothing you do now will change what’s happening, so breathe… listen to a podcast… relax a little and accept that one step at a time and one breath after another you WILL get through this.

Does this help?
www.maurerfoundation.org/are-all-breast-lumps-breast-cancer/

My wife was worried about a small painful lump, GP, on examination said it was probably benign - cyst or fibroadenoma. My daughter - she's a hospital doctor, from what I remember of a phone call, was very quick to alay fears and say the probability was low given no family history of BC, the lump was mobile and it was painful - obviously it will concern you and you'll have to get it checked out. Both the GP and my daughter were right - it was a fibroadenoma and it my wife was advised to stop HRT which she did - no action was needed. It was still a worrying time though waiting to get the results of a biospsy that confirmed it was benign - this was about 6 years ago - the process was pretty quick back then - still several weeks. ATM a lot of services are running much more slowly - my 24hr heart rate monitor results will take at least 10 weeks before I get any results - my daughter described that as "effing ridiculous".

Thanks everyone. Your stories are reassuring. Lost my dad unexpectedly in February and I’m not sure my poor mum could handle any more bad news. Ill make sure I update after my appointment tomorrow ( I’m in Australia)

Hope today goes okay. 9 out of 10 referrals to breast clinic are benign but good to get it checked out x

Thank you WishfulThinking34. My appointment is in a few hours and I’m very much looking forward to knowing one way or another. Not knowing is the worst. My stomach is an absolute mess. Thanks for your well wishes, i will update.

I hope all has gone well today OP. You've done the right thing getting it checked.

You have age on your side - and the fact the overwhelming majority of lumps are benign. Not knowing is definitely the hardest bit.

Even if it was a, much less likely, malignancy it’s perfectly manageable usually. People get treated and come out the other side. Most go on to live a long time after treatment.

I'm wishing you the very very best of luck, OP.

Something like 90% of all lumps referred are not breast cancer. So already the stats are on your side. The fact that it’s painful, smooth, and mobile, again are all good signs.

I know you said you’re in Aus, but in the U.K. you could expect to spend a couple of hours or so at the clinic, with ultrasound imaging and manual examination. That will likely be enough if it is benign. A mammogram is less likely as you are under 40 and so the breast tissue may not be dense enough.

I am a ‘frequent flyer’ at the breast clinic owing to a combination of dodgy family history, being generally lumpy, and a bit panicky about lumps. It’s usually quite thorough and painless.

Hope you get good news.

I hope you have good news today.

When you say pea size, does it also sort of feel like a pea? Or is it much harder / softer?

@BrilliantBetty

I hope you have good news today.

When you say pea size, does it also sort of feel like a pea? Or is it much harder / softer?

I guess it kind of feels like a little rubber ball. It’s not rock hard but feels somewhat rubbery.

Isn’t it funny how we stress and worry when there is literally nothing we can do to change the situation. Such a waste of energy yet it’s all you can do.

Posting now as I saw this early in the morning and was a wreck myself as l was off to the hospital for 1pm with my mum to get her test results.

After discovering a lump and her GP finding a second, my mum was urgently referred to a breast clinic. That clinic appt was 3 weeks ago. She had mammogram/ ultrasound and biopsies done. They found 3 lumps in the right breast in the end, and 2 in the left. Biopsies done on right side but needed a different type of biopsy for left. Scheduled 10 days after the first clinic appt. Then we received a letter last week with lots of scary terminology which I didn't dare search online for. We had an appt this afternoon and l was fully prepared for some bad news. Well, the first thing the 2 doctors we saw said 'not cancer'. Honestly 2 doctors in the room was a worry! Essentially biopsies show changes that indicate potentially pre- cancerous and the lumps on right side need to be removed. Day treatment case only, in the next few months - not considered urgent. They want to do more biopsies on left side to be 100% sure all is ok, they want to get samples from a wider area. I doubt think they're expecting anything sinister but want to be certain.

So there you go, a recent story from today. Just over 5 weeks from my mum discovering lump and 3 weeks after first appt at breast clinic.

Hope all goes well later.

I feel like l can breathe properly for the first time in weeks

Thanks purplegirl13, such a relief for you and your Mum. Can’t imagine what you’ve been through with all that waiting. Breathe easy now.

I have had 2 scares. Both times the lumps were nothing to worry about. It’s pointless telling you not to worry, I was frantic but chances are you’ll be absolutely fine. Good luck, let us know how you get on x

What an absolutely exhausting day. Not much by way of an update unfortunately. I’ve had my mammogram and ultrasound but the radiologist will now asses and send a report to my GP, whom I’m seeing tomorrow. They will then let me know if I need a biopsy etc etc.

The ladies scanning were pretty cold and didn’t want to tell me anything. I was just lying there for my ultrasound quietly sobbing 😬 I think by the end of it she thought I was so bloody pathetic that she said “you’ve really worked yourself up haven’t you?” She said look I don’t want you to leave here in that state so keeping in mind I haven’t seen your mammogram, I haven’t seen anything on the ultrasound I’d be very concerned about. But you need to wait for the report because the radiologist is the only one who will see both the exams.

She was also prodding around my left breast with the ultrasound stick saying so what exactly is the thing you’re worried about? I pointed to where I felt the lump and she was very abrupt, saying I have to tell her exactly where and do I feel it now? I was like, lady I’m pretty f—-ing stressed here, it’s your job to find it, I’m showing you where I and my GP felt the lump.

Anyway I feel marginally better but not really. I don’t have as large a knot in my stomach but I’m still pretty concerned and just want to get though one more day so I can discuss with my GP and see my report.

That sounds horrible @Fadeout83, I'm sorry they weren't nicer to you. I imagine doing these scans all day every day they become numb to it, but they should at least pretend to have some sympathy! In their defence though, they really aren't allowed to tell you anything, good or bad, until it has been reviewed by the doctor/radiologist. I hope you get some concrete answers from your GP today.

I understand that @ScatteredMama82 it’s just been a really hard few days and I thought I’d get to see the doctor at the consult who would let me know, rather than wait to see my GP. I just wasn’t expecting another days’ wait.

@Fadeout83

I understand that *@ScatteredMama82* it’s just been a really hard few days and I thought I’d get to see the doctor at the consult who would let me know, rather than wait to see my GP. I just wasn’t expecting another days’ wait.

I understand, the waiting is just the worst part. I feel for you, I know exactly how you're feeling and it's awful.