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?

I’m really sorry you had that experience @Fadeout83 it’s certainly very different to any time I’ve been to the breast clinic here. Normally they are quite indulgent, definitely warm and reassuring. I hope you get good news tomorrow.

Are you not in England OP? All trusts have one stop breast clinics so it shouldn’t be your GP who gets your results, you should have seen a surgeon and had biopsy at same time, if necessary.

I’d be interested to know where isn’t providing this.

@LemonRoses the OP said in her 3rd post she was in Australia.

@Fadeout83 am sorry you have a longer wait than you'd like. I hope your GP is able to give you some positive news asap...

Thanks myrtleWilson. I clearly didn’t assimilate that bit of information. Gosh much harder waiting than at our one stop clinics.

Thanks everyone. I saw my GP today and everything is fine. They couldn't even find anything in the spot where we thought we felt something so I guess it must have been normal breast tissue or whatever. Massively relieved and a timely reminder to myself to be more vigilant about those monthly check.

Excellent news.

Good news, what a relief for you.

I had all the same as you and my lump got bigger and more painful but then disappeared after my period so was definitely a cyst .then about a year later I discovered a lump again this time smaller and no pain so I was more worried I went to the GP and she said give it a month and see if it goes with my next period as it's likely to be a cyst again. It didn't and so she made me an appointment with the breast clinic it was super quick (always within 2weeks). Of course by then it had shrunk and it was really hard to find! I still went and it was great to have the reassurance that it was another cyst. It's hard not worry but it's most likely to be nothing. I hope everything goes well for you.

Great news!

Im very glad you had good news :) if you suffer from anxiety it may help you in the future to know that completely painless lumps are often a much bigger sign something is wrong. My grade 3 cancer was completely painless and so big it was easy to feel through a tshirt ! As always the 100 percent right thing to do is get any new changes checked out, but remember exams should be done with soft, flat hands, poking with fingers will expose( normal) knotty breast tissue and cause pain. You should only examine your breast about 2-3 times per month and spread it out over your cycle so you get to know whats normal changes. Again, congrats on the good news :)

Ah glad to hear it was good news, especially after the less-than-reassuring appointment!!

I think maybe they’re wary of saying anything too encouraging in case it does turn out to be a problem, as people can hang a lot on the words they use. I remember my dad saying that the radiologist told him “we’ll have you back at work in no time” which he took to mean they hadn’t seen anything bad. They had, he was just trying to be cheerful, so I can see why they have to be a bit neutral, but it doesn’t help if they’re abrupt too.

I had a lump a few months ago (which I was told was nothing to worry about) and I had a feel after I read your thread and it’s gone now. They said probably a cyst and that it would likely disappear. Yours may have been the same thing and it’s just resolved itself. Anyway, good news so now you can relax!

So pleased for you OP, you must feel relieved and utterly exhausted too. Lovely to hear a good outcome.

Thank you everyone, for your thoughtful words and for sharing your own stories. The first thing I did after this was make an appt at the breast clinic to have a proper look at how I should be doing breast exams. I know it sounds simple enough but going through it with someone sounds like a good idea to me. I’m glad everyone here is checking their lumpy bits regularly!