Sudden breast lump

[Welshwabbit]

I posted this in Women's Health but this board seems busier so thought I'd re-post here.

I am going to call the GP about this tomorrow, but wanted to know if anyone had experienced anything similar. I have found a large lump in my breast above the nipple. It is pretty huge (an inch across maybe) and I check my breasts regularly so I am as sure as I can be that it wasn't there a fortnight ago. It feels firm, smooth, regular oval/round and mobile, and it is painless. I think I am probably starting perimenopause so I am wondering if it's related and I have just finished my period. I do have lumpy breasts and have had cysts in the past but never anything this big.

Most breast lumps are nothing serious- and the speed it’s appeared sounds as if that may well be the case. But please contact your gp who will check it out and refer you if necessary. And try not to worry…. Stay away from Google.

Agree with @thesandwich 100%

Hopefully it's nothing to worry about

I would get it checked but it being mobile is a very good sign and smooth is good. I had a similar size lump appear very quickly and was cancer but mine was firm, like a walnut, not mobile and caused pain. Mine was lobular which forms a lump at end but cancer isn't mobile so think you will be OK. If I raised arm skin puckered and breast went deformed looking.

Thanks all of you for the reassurance. I am making an appointment this morning. No puckering of deformity when I raise my arm @Silkierabbit. Thanks for telling me about your experience and I hope you're recovering now.

I had a large lump suddenly come up when I was about 40 and it was a large cyst, the GP drained it at the surgery, this was a number of years ago now so the procedure may be different and not done at the GP surgery any more, he did say it may reoccur but fortunately it didn't or I may have had further treatment. Hopefully yours will be similar to mine

Thanks, I have a GP appointment this morning so hopefully that will get the process kicked off.

I had a similar experience and it was a very large cyst. I had it drained at the breast clinic (the mammogram nurse even asked if I had an implant!). Like you it seemed to appear very quickly and like you, I'd had cysts before so hopefully it'll be similar for you.

I had this happen once. Appeared overnight and I was very certain it hadn't been there the day before. By the time I was seen at the breast clinic it had gone. It was hormonal. I've had breast cancer and that felt very different. Like a pp said, it was not smooth or mobile, it was hard and knobbly. Regardless, you need to get it checked out which you are doing. Hopefully it's nothing.

Thanks for the helpful replies, GP was quite reassuring but also booked under the 2ww (as I assume they have to, which is good!) and I've already got a breast clinic appointment for Friday. I will update whatever happens.

So glad you’ve got an appt. Now stay away from Google.

Updating as promised - and good news, it was a very large cyst (4 cm) from which they drained a syringeful of manky gunk. Thanks everyone for the reassuring replies. Hope you are doing well, @Silkierabbit and @TheFormidableMrsC .

Oh that is good news OP, when the GP, this was years ago, done mine a syringe full of yellow liquid came out, iirc the GP felt the large lump, got a syringe, shoved it in and I was sat there a bit shocked but very relieved.

Ahh that's brilliant news! I think you can usually tell the difference personally. I've had loads of fibroadenomas and a few cysts. Tumour felt very different and I knew even before I was diagnosed. It's a good reminder to know what your boobs feel like and what's normal for you. Check monthly. I'm so pleased for you! Thank you for your well wishes, I'm fine thankyou 🙂

Wonderful news 😃

@TheFormidableMrsC hi please could you try and describe the difference in feel etc of tumour vs cyst/fibroadenomas ? Thanks

It was hard, knobbly and fixed. I could feel it if I moved (because it didn't). That is still not to say that every lump feels like that, I can only speak of my own experience and regardless, any changes must be checked by somebody qualified to diagnose. I hope that helps!

@TheFormidableMrsC thank you! I found a lump 2 weeks ago because I had a red hot sore mark on my breast above my areola so went to the doctors and she gave me antibiotics for a blocked milk duct as I had just stopped breast feeding 5 weeks ago. Antibiotics cleared the redness and soreness but lump still there so went back and GP has referred me to the breast clinic so have my appointment there next week but can’t help but worry/stress and read everything I possibly can online in the mean time😩 x

My surgeon said to me "do not google, it's completely pointless, and none of it applies to you as an individual". That was very good advice. It really helped my mental health while going through it. There are many other reasons than cancer that might cause a lump and if you're on the two week referral pathway, that's great. I took the view that I'd worry when there was something to worry about. Good luck, I hope you'll be fine!

@TheFormidableMrsC im just reading here as have recently been referred to the clinic. Do you mean as in if you moved your boob or body itself that you could still feel the lump? Sorry these forums really help me! I’m so anxious. :(

I found my lump because I leaned over awkwardly and felt something tug in my nipple. Checked and there it was underneath. It was hard and tethered so that was why.

@TheFormidableMrsC yes I get you now completely! I actually got a last minute cancellation for next Tuesday morning in the breast clinic so I am delighted!

Glad you've got an appointment @Healthfreak95. Hope you get the all clear.

Thanks so much @Welshwabbit i will update on here after my appt so I hope it’s good news! The wait is so long ain’t it.

Glad to hear! Try not to drive yourself mad in the meantime, don't Google, ultimately this is entirely out of your control until you know what you're dealing with. Hopefully, you'll be absolutely fine as the majority of women are. Good luck!

@TheFormidableMrsC i will try not to it’s tough and some days are bad (anxiety wise) which is normal I know, I am trying to keep saying to myself this time next week hopefully I will have an answer!