Appt. to check out breast lump & terrified - need to talk to someone please!

[flippyflop]

Hi I have a lump in my boob that the doctor says is a 'mobile cyst' & so not suspicious but I have an appointment this afternoon in a one-stop clinic where they are going to do all tests needed & should be able to tell me by the time I leave if all is ok (or not). I never found 'the lump' & only went to my doctors because it was causing me pain. Now I know its there I still can't even bloody feel it.. I am a crap woman. I don't even have big boobs so its not as if it's lost in there!

I am terrified about this afternoon's appointment, don't really have anyone I can talk to abouut it & so just wanted to share it to see if anyone had any experience of similar. I am going on my own as my other 1/2 is at work & only 2 friends know, who I couldn't ask to come. I haven't shared it with mum/MIL as they are both complete worriers, & both with their own health probs & I don't want to make it an issue until I've been & know if there's any need to make it an issue IYKWIM ( & obviously hopefully there won't)
Even worried that if god forbid there is anything bad wrong I'll be stranded at the hospital several miles away cos I won't be able to drive home.

Really really sorry to rant.. just needed to share.

FYI - I am a nurse & work in cancer so I know lots about breast cancer (too much than is good probably) so obviously I am thinking the worst

where are you all? someone must know something?

Firstly do not call yourself a crap woman! You are not, you are a great woman who can't find a wee lump in her breast probably because its mobile

I've been mammogrammed, u/sounded, biopsied and felt at various times at one-stop clinics for lumpy boobs and have been lucky every time. A mobile cyst (doctor would'nt say that without good reason) doens't sound suspicious, but a good doctor will ALWAYS get a lump checked out. Some not so good doctors don't, but all the good ones do - yo'ure lucky with your GP!

I would need, in your shoes, to have a plan of action 'just in case' even though its very very unlikely...thats the way I am. So how about telling yoruself you'll take a mini-cab if you get stuck, and equally plan how to celebrate if you get good news? Understand the worry-wart mother figures, thats not easy, you need space to be the one freaking out without anyone else joining in

Good luck, let us know how it goes, I'll be thinking of you.,

I didn't feel the lump in my boob either. The way they pummel you to find a lump is often the same kind of thing as cracking your head against a wall to see if you are awake or not. It is not the kind of thing most people would want to do to themselves!

I expect that being a nurse, you may feel as though this kind of thing just doesn't happen to nurses (it doesn't happen to anyone, in truth), so you also know that if you were talking to someone in the same situation that you would tell them not to read up about anything until everything had been checked out, and not to worry (ahem) about it. You would NOT be telling your patient that they were a crap woman because they hadn't noticed a lump.

YOu won't get stranded at the hospital. By the time you read this, you will probably be back home, and hopefully they will know what happens (if anything) next.

I remember my first time at the breast clinic, and being a bit alarmed. The woman doing the biopsies was horrible and I ended up with a massive uneccessary bruise on my boob (now rubber).

I hope all goes well and you get good news.

Thank you Elibean & Bladebla.. I'm so grateful & relieved that you replied! It was very reassuring. Bizarrely just after I posted I got chatting to a friend on facebook - I told her & she had been through virtually exactly the same thing, so it was good to talk to her 'real time' if you like.

Anyhow the good news.. I had Mammograms which were both normal & ultrasound scans which were the same..the radiologist told me this at the time he was scanning so that put my mind at rest!
I saw the consultant (who was lovely which helped a lot) who had a good feel (ooer) & found the lump - he thought that it was prob nothing significant but took a biopsy, which I should have the results of in the next couple of days, but he really didn't expect it to show anything nasty at all. He's booked me in for follow up in a few months just to check things out.. so so long as biopsy ok that's that.

Again, thanks so much for your replies, it really did help! & yes as a nurse and a midwife it is completely different when its you/yours..the rational part of your head says one thing & the 'normal' woman something totally different - even though you acknowledge that you're doing this.. it doesn't help!! x x

btw..lol about banging your head on the wall to check you're awake!
Reminds me of when I was working nights & you'd go round shining a torch on people to see if they were asleep. derr!

Bla hope all is ok with you, & you're out the other side ok now (complete with a rubber boob ) so sounds as though you've been through it a bit x

I'm glad you're getting the reassurance you need. I had a very similar thing a few years ago and the biopsy confirmed it was just a harmless fibroadenoma. They offered to remove it anyway and I bit their hand off!

Good luck - I know those breast clinic places are a bit scary, but it sounds as if all is well for you. .

That's fantastic news! Hooray hooray.

My new boob is fine, although slightly lumpier than ideal, but that's just because there isn't enough saline in it. The surgeon offered to do another op with a different implant, but I didn't want an unneccesary operation just for the hell of it

Hi flippyflop

i went through the same thing a few months ago. If your GP says it feels like a mobile cysts then it is extremely unlikely to be cancer - my GP said that they do feel different - and mobile is good.

If the cysts are far down you won't be able to feel them - I went in with a lump on my left breast abnd it turns out I haver multiple cysts on both breats.

You may not even have a biopsy - I had a mammogram and utrasound and the Radiologists could tell it was a cyst at that point so didn't need to have a biopsy or fine needle aspirate. And I got the result on the day - here's hoping the same for you.

Hurrah

Love good news!

Great news that they were so reassuring and did so many tests there and then. Fingers crossed for the results for you.

I'm in a similar situation, I found a lump and am going to the breast care clinic next Tuesday and am terrified too. The doctor said they felt more lump than a defined lump and because of that she didn't think I should worry - what that means I don't know, I'm not sure I want lumpy boobs though

Was the biopsy OK? I'm really needle phobic and the thought of getting a needle in my boob fills me with dread.

that should say 'felt more lumpy rather than a defined lump'

It wasn't the most pleasant thing I've ever done but it was ok & quite quick. He actually took longer to find it (it moved between him finding it the 1st time & getting the needle!) than it did to take the biopsy.
Its a bit tender & bruised feeling today - no actual bruise - but to be honest that's how it felt to inspire me to go to the Doctors in the 1st place anyway!
I actually found the mammogram more unpleasant that the biopsy, but that may be because I am quite boobly-challenged, so I felt like it was the whole of me getting into the machine rather than just a part that I could dangle in!!

I'm going to the QEII in Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire - it has a new breast care unit that was opened recently after fundraising by a local lady.

I'm glad you said the biopsy was quick, I have been worrying about that. I asked my GP if I would get the results there and then and she thought possibly so hopefully it will be the same as you had yesterday.

Sadly I have dangly boobs I will be able to dangle them where directed LOL

I think it depends on what kind of tests they do. They can see things in mammograms which may lead to further testing. They may do a Needle Test which is less painful than a biopsy, or they may want to do a biopsy. They may also do an ultrasound. So... there are things they can see, and things they need to take off to the lab.

Mammograms are pretty horrible, aren't they? At least I have only one side left to crush!

My experience of breast care has been very good. Some of my experiences of tummy care has been truly terrifying.

Thank you BlaDeBla it really helps to have people explain because I think the fear of the unknown thing is happening with me.

Yes, ClaireDeLoon, it is horrible when our bodies start doing things that we can't quite connect with.

Had my appointment, it was a cyst, they drained it and lump gone. I will go for a mammogram in a few weeks then a follow up appointment for the results of that.

Am so relieved. The biopsy was much less painful than a blood test, I could hardly feel it.

thank goodness!! was thinking about you.
I finally got the all clear yesterday after a delay with my consultant's secretary being off & no-one else would give me any info over the phone. So I am now back at work & trying to catch up on all the work I've not done for the last month!
Happy news all round, we should get together for a glass of wine!!!

Great news I have to admit I had a celebratory glass of wine or two last night and my head was suffering for it this morning