Anyone due to go for a mammogram and feeling really nervous?

[pinky36]

I found a lump in one of my breasts about 3 weeks ago, only just plucked up the courage to go to GP today! She confirmed that their was a lump and has now referred me for a mammogram! I feel really scared, am I worrying for nothing?

Anyone had similar experiences, and what were your outcomes? Im 36 with 2 children!

Hi Pinky

First of all try not to worry (easier said then done I know). My sister had the same experience last year and it turned out to be harmless cyst which she had treated as an outpatient.

You are doing totally the right thing getting it checked out at the hospital.

I had a scare just before Christmas was seen very very quickly and had examination and mammogram.

Thankfully all clear and the mammogram wasn't half as bad as I expected.

I'm going for one tomorrow - it's my first and i'm a bit scared tbh. I'm 40 with three dcs and have a strong family history of breast cancer, so mine is preventative/hypothetical rather than having found a lump.

I'll let you know how it went tomorrow, our trust has same day turn around on results, so i may be barely comprehensible, but i'll talk you through my experience if you like, while it's still 'fresh'.

I do hope you'll be fine - statistically you will be, you're very young for anything horrible, but it is still a horrible experience t go through. x x

Thanx all mumsnetters

I really appreciate you writing about your experiences, and am really hoping its nothing serious! The waiting is the worst part, mines not till nxt friday, then its a 5 day wait for the result, which seems like forever!

Persephonesnape The best of luck for today, and only talk about it if your up to it! x

I had my first mamogram last year - Im 51.

It wasn't as bad as I had built it up to be. It was a bit uncomfortable I think mainly cause Im only 4ft 11in and the machine is made for people of ordinary height

I did feel a bit but the nurse was excellent.

Anyone who has to go for one please dont worry - pinky you are doing the right thing. More than likely it will be something or nothing but you need to get it checked. Good luck to everybody.

I found a lump when I was 36 as well and was expremely worried. I had an ultra sound and eventually also a couple of mammograms. The mammogram itself was not too bad at all - slightly uncomfortable but over very quickly. My lumps { it turned out there were three in fact } were 2 cysts which they aspirated - hardly felt that at all and a fibroadenoma which I had removed as a precaution.

I know you can't help but worry but remember that the probability is extremely high that it will be benign. Benign breast lumps are far more common than anything sinister and you have done the right thing by getting it checked out.

to be very brief as i have insistant children trying to pry me away from keyboard so they can get on club penguin...

mine was in a huge old nhs hospital in glasgow. the surroundings were nasty, the toilets, when they were finally found were manky, the waiting area was bleak, no water. magazines were of the dogeared chat/hello! variety. 14 women all waiting together - it is very depressing. once my name was called i was seen very quickly by a lovely female doctor who checked out my rack (...) finding nothing untoward. because i am medium risk due to family history I have to have a check and mammogram once a year from now. mammogram itself, was just a bit weird and squishy. not painful, just a little pressure. I felt a bit weird about someone handling my breasts who i wasn't on first name terms with at first, but by the end of the mamogram (done in a mobile unit as they are refurbishing)_it actually felt almost normal. i felt a little shy at first, was fine by the end. All of the staff were lovely. Despite the literature they sent out saying same day results, i do have to wait for a few weeks. I can only think this must be very worrying if you do have cause for concern, but i think my mammogram was routine rather than emergency - and like to think if it was urgent you would get results quicker.

my experience was that if you make a fuss, you'll get the results quicker. sad state of affairs but true. and i expect that even if you made a fuss and they stuck to their guns about 6 week result, if it was anything to worry about, they'd come back to you sooner.

my experience was that i was meant to just have an exam, but after i'd seen the registrar and burst into tears on him (that wasn't planned, just happened), he made sure I got ultrasound and mammogram and biopsy on the same day. which is just as well because it wasn't good news for me and i'd already waited 11 weeks for my appointment. but, as others have already said, the likelihood of it being something sinister are tiny.

persephonesnape

Thanks for telling me your experience, fingers crossed for your results, i'd push for them earlier if i were you, 2 weeks is a long time! Good luck hun x

lalaa

I'm sorry about your results, how hold were you when you were diagnosed? x

winetimeisfinetime

Thanks for talking about your experience, so glad it wasn't anything sinister!{Smile] x

Mine is nxt friday, will let you know how i got on!

i was 33. less than 1% chance but i guess someone has to be that person. i'm 2.5 years post diagnosis now and all well.

I've been through this about 4 times now, most recently a couple of months ago - I have super-lumpy breasts and get new lumps regularly. It's always been benign so far and they are always lovely about it, though I keep turning up like a bad penny. The waiting bit is very hard - this last time I did dwell on it even though I knew it would probably be OK. I tried to take my mind off it with trashy telly and going out - a babysitter and a night out with DP really helped. Also remember that whatever happens, even if it's malignant, you're doing the right thing to get it checked and the chances of a full recovery are good.

The good thing is - at least at my hospital - you get the results immediately after the test, no waiting for a letter. So assuming it's OK (and it probably will be) you can go home relieved.