Worried about breast cancer - advice re MRI

[Gluggity]

I have been to the breast clinic today after being referred by my GP. I have thickening in one boob and it’s tender to the touch almost like it’s bruised. It also itches inside sometimes. I can’t feel a lump but just a general solid thickening in one area.

I was given a one minute ultrasound where the sonography said there’s nothing there. I asked if it was a cyst causing the pain and she repeated there’s nothing there. The consultant said you can go home now and so I did.

obviously I know it could well be hormonal and I’ll be keeping an eye on it for the next few months. I’m 38, not menopausal and have been on the coil for ten years so no periods. My youngest child is 9 so it’s nothing to do with recent pregnancies or anything. The breast does not feel tender like in pregnancy and I’m concerned it could be invasive lobular cancer that goes undetected in ultrasounds.

I would like an mri to rule this out. I’m happy to pay but you need a referral. I’m not sure the consultant would refer me because she seemed happy all was fine. But lobular cancer does not often show up on ultrasounds and I have a lot of the symptoms. Does anyone know how I could get a referral for a private mri.

to add I have a strong family history of breast cancer including my Nan and my sister. I really want to be absolutely sure that all is fine.

thanks

Did you get sorted @Gluggity ?
You can refer yourself for an MRI

www.vista-health.co.uk/services/mri-services/mri-scan?_its=JTdCJTIydmlkJTIyJTNBJTIyNDI5YjQyY2QtMjFlZi00OTVkLTljNGQtYmRlNGE1NDhmZWQyJTIyJTJDJTIyc3RhdGUlMjIlM0ElMjJybHR%20MTcxMDI4MDY1MX5sYW5kfjJfNzIwNzFfcHBjYXV0b183OTJhMGZmMmQ1NDdhYTRlNDc5MjU5MTJlYzEzMTgzNiUyMiUyQyUyMnNpdGVJZCUyMiUzQTg5NTclN0Q%3D

You can pay to see a consultant, a different consultant to the one you saw.

You can see the consultant without a GP referral if you are willing to pay the consultant cost, which is hefty at maybe £200-300?

You can then ask that consultant for a referral for a breast MRI.

If you are paying the consultant and paying for the MRI, they probably won't mind doing the referral.

I've been struggling to get this with lobular breast cancer history, gp won't do referral for MRI, private need referral and hospital aren't doing referral.

Ways round it appear to be see oncologist privately (GP can refer if needed) and hopefully they will refer for MRI and then may need a further oncologist for results. At least GP and hospital here are refusing to help with 2 cancers missed by mammos before. Maybe £1,000 in all.

Vista I think has a no cancer rule. https://uk.scan.com/ will allow an MRI scan without referral as long as its not 2 week wait and that is c £500.

Another way would be breast biopsy if you know where lump is and the NHS should do that if get rereferred back, done with an ultrasound.

If any tests do pick up cancer can get referred back via NHS.

@Gluggity i am experiencing a very similar thing atm. How have you got on?