Inflammatory breast cancer symptoms or just pure anxiety?

[MollieTD]

I’ve had a lot of weird health issues recently which cannot be explained, most notably total alopecia (head and body) over about 6 weeks. I’ve had a swollen gland in my neck and groin the whole time.
Now, I have a burning pain under one arm/the side of my breast. There’s a particular spot that’s very tender and if I stretch my arm, that spot is very painful. It feels more like a burn or graze but there’s nothing on the skin. No lump I can feel, no skin changes.
Ive scared myself silly now googling and I’m worried all of this is breast cancer. It’s impossible to get a doctors appt but obvs will try to put my mind at rest but does this seem likely? Am I being ridiculous? I’m 35 and up until a few months ago had always been healthy!

I think Google always comes up with cancer and usually there's some other explanation! I'd just get a drs appointment - it isn't that impossible!

I would definitely see a doctor for those symptoms to get further testing. Keep calling GP or if no luck 111 can make them give an appointment sometimes.

@lavendersbluedillydilly12 unfortunately it near enough is at ours - not been deemed serious enough through the triage phone system to see a doctor face to face yet, even though I’ve lost literally all hair on my head and body and have painful joints and swollen glands. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve called.

@Silkiebunny thanks - will give it a go, was worried I was getting worked up over nothing.

Why is it ‘impossible’ to get a doctor’s appointment? Are you just putting it off? You need to see a doctor. It’s unlikely to be IBC but need to get it, and other sinister things, ruled out.

Didn’t see your update. Demand an urgent same-day appointment. I can’t believe they’re refusing you an appointment at all, even routine.

Does your surgery do eConsult? I always have more luck with that - you can put way more detail into your request than a quick phonecall to reception. Plus there's no waiting on the phone so it's much quicker - just make sure you don't miss the call back when it comes!

@YouBetYourBippy they don’t. I can call at bang on 8am, hold for 20 mins to possibly be one of the few who gets a triage call from a doctor at any point during that day or book a phone call, current waiting time 3 weeks. The receptionist is ‘not allowed’ to book a face to face appt.

As you can imagine, this system doesn’t really practically work with working full time as a teacher with a small child!

I agree that system sounds challenging to navigate.

But you have no alternative other than to navigate it. Call 111 and see if they can book anything for you. Explain you are extremely anxious and distressed.
If no movement, call your GP again.

Emphasise that you are worried about cancer and wish to be referred for assessment on the 2 week waiting list pathway. Keep saying that, and say you feel fobbed off.

You can't say it is impossible, that's a defeatist attitude. It is potentially life or death, so you need to woman up and push.

Utterly ridiculous. That's rubbish for you. Have you got a walk-in you can try and access care at? If not am, I am the last person to go to A and E for non-urgent issues but in your shoes I'd really consider it and explain the circumstances that have led you there. At this point I really think your GP is failing you.

It's bizarre to me that the system is still so mucked up 3 years after Covid forced a lot of these changes - and it's a total lottery - the next surgery along from mine won't see people almost on pain of death, but at our surgery you can normally get an appointment within 48 hours of an eConsult. So odd.

Really wish you well and hope you get some help soon.

But NHS issues aside, thanks for the advice and I will do my best to get it checked out!

I suggest you ring on Tuesday and are very assertive with the receptionist and say you have phoned x times over x days and have been refused an appointment. Say “I have gone completely bald in 6 weeks, have lumps in my groin. I think there is something very wrong with me. Please could you give me the contact details for the practice manager.” If none of that works you could try 111.

Hair loss is not really a symptom of cancer - it’s the chemotherapy that causes hair loss. I would guess at an autoimmune disease that needs diagnosis and treatment. (IANAD but I have several friends with autoimmune diseases.)

@IrresponsiblyCertainAboutSexualDimorphism thank you. Yes absolutely, thats why I wondered if I was just being over the top because my body’s gone haywire!

Sometimes a small white lie is the most effective - just say you have what feels like a lump in your breast. They will find an appointment for you.

Pain in the breast is usually not indicative of anything sinister. But the only way to assuage your worries to see the GP. Ask for a longer appointment so you can discuss your hair loss and swollen glands.

Good luck. Hope all goes well.