CHECK YOUR BREASTS!!!

[FiveSoloRings]

I got news this morning that one of my friends died yesterday. She was in her very early 30's, two young children and everything to live for. Despite a mastectomy a couple of years ago, the cancer spread and she is gone. I can't tell you how dreadful I feel.

It is so important that we check our breasts regularly. It takes a few minutes and could save your life.
One of my best friends had a message just like this one, but it was face to face and by her boyfriends exgf who also had just had a mastectomy because of breast cancer. This message from such an unlikely messenger almost certainly saved my best friends life.

Pass the message on please ladies. Make sure your friends and family are nudged into remembering to check.

FANTASTIC news! really happy for you Amapoleon

Everything crossed for ifancy now.

Hello, I'm sorry I haven't been able to read the whole thread...but the title jumped out at me.
I found a lump in my left breast around 11 months ago... It was small and round, about the size of a pea...
I went to the GP and they referred me to the hospital which confirmed that it was benign (no biopsy, but ultrasound and physical exam). Over the last year, the lump has got appreciably bigger and I don't know if I should worry. I know I can be a health worrier so don't want to waste NHS time, but is the fact it's getting bigger a concern or not? I only began to worry again after recently hearing about someone who was misdiagnosed, despite being checked thoroughly after being referred by her GP.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can put my mind at rest

Even if the lump is benign, it would be nice to know what it is. YOu are certainly not wasting time by seeing your doctor again or contacting the breast clinic again. You need to put your mind at rest and find out what's going on. I hope you're ok and the problem is easily sorted.

spandex - definitely go again - they won't be cross or think you're wasting their time - as silentcatastrophe says,it would be nice to know what it is - otherwise you'll keep worrying that it might be something when it isn't,iyswim.

Thanks all, still can't quite believe it after all this time

Spandex, go it can't do any harm.

Ifancy, hope you sleep tonight!

ifancy - sending special vibes to you...

Thank you - am ok - veering between 'ah, it's all going to be ok - it's going to be benign' and 'oh god, oh god...'

Am easily weepy and very tired but am going to watch some crap telly till I fall asleep and then blitz the house from top to bottom in the morning, to keep myself occupied till the appointment in the afternoon.

And have taken all your advice and I now have a good friend coming with me tomorrow.

Thank you all again - I shall carry your good vibes with me at all times. All feels very very surreal.

Hi, I am doing a sponsored run for a friend who had breast cancer that spread to her liver and spleen (more background story) -- basically I'm helping fund-raise so she can pay for treatment in USA (NHS has nothing to offer her now).

If anyone wants, you can sponsor me.

ps: I hope it's okay for me to ask for this, pls. apologies if I got it wrong!

amapoleon, big yeay from me too. How fantastic and also how lovely of the surgeon to phone you. Hope you're still celebrating.

ifancy, count me in on the hand holding. I'll be thinking of you. Am sending you a big virtual hug.

Ifancy. Hand holding here from me too

Ifancy, will be thinking of you today and keeping everything crossed. Good luck! xxxx

Thank you - am a bit teary and very irritable (a stress-reaction trait I have inherited from my mother...) but taking it out on cleaning the fridge.

But it's great to have logged on here and seen your messages, thank you.

hang on in there ifancy

Thank you - am pretty convinced it's going to be good news but it's the waiting... x

just checking in - hope all is ok ifancy

I've been lurking too!

Ifancy - sorry I've not been here much to be supportive (lots going on at the mo so not got to computer very often) but really hoping things have gone well and all is OK.

Amapoleon - what brilliant news! So glad.

And Spandex, I just had a small lump diagnosed as benign, but the consultant did say to keep checking it and go back to GP if it changes or gets bigger. You need to go back if only to put your mind at rest.

Hello all, firstly, thank you all for checking in and apologies for the delay but not been a great day... or a bad day...

Results have come back as inconclusive...and I've been with friends and wine.

The good news...The first lump they and I thought was benign is indeed benign. And all biopsies have come back as 'clear'. Hurrah!

The bad news... I still have a lump they are concerned about. Despite mammogram / ultra-sounds / biopsies comming back as clear, there is a lump that can absolutely be felt but isn't showing on any scans (anyone know why this would be the case?). Had an exam with the Consultant who said he could feel a distinct lump that he was was 'interested' in. It's the one they did an unguided core biopsy on but the consultant, the nurse and me can all feel it. Consultant said it feels 'rough' and 'irregular' and he wants to perform another biopsy on it but can't do so until the swelling from the first lot of biopsies has gone down. So, I have another appointment for the middle of June (16th).

So, I'm in exactly the same place as I was yesterday. Only this time I have a month to wait for the next lot of tests. Great.

Spent the evening with friends saying, 'This is good news, at least you've not been told anything negative!' I'm sure I don't have to explain how all of these comments make me feel as guilty as sin for feeling the exact opposite.

I'd prepared myself for this but can't quite believe how exhausted I feel. And how numb I feel about waiting a month. Is just too surreal for words.

Ifancy. I want to say hooray, but I can't ~ yet. I am sure it's really difficult, but please try to relax and put it to one side for the time it takes to get to the bottom of all this. I'm sorry, I probably sound a bit full of crap, but I'd just love to take away your worry.
Stay strong.

ifancy - how crap for you - I'm so sorry you're having to wait again. Did they assign you a breast care nurse ? you can of course ring any of the nurses to talk - that's their job..and of course we are here for you.
As solo says, and i know it'll be difficult, but try to put it to one side as much as you can . Don't feel guilty either - you willo be feeling all kinds of things,obviously other people will want you to be ok and will keep saying it'll be fine etc etc, which can be a bit irritating at times because you are naturally going to be thinking,'but what if it isn't' - hope that makes sense...

Oh Ifancy , I'm sorry it was the 100 percent all clear. Have a read of this thread and see all the nonsense I had to go through before I got it.

My lump was palpable and irregular and didn't show up on one thing and then did on another and didn't show up at all at one point and then was given a number 4 at another ultrasound, which meant it was suspicious. Take hope from my fiasco, breast lumps seem to be funny things and different doctors seem to have different opinions, believe me, I saw about 7!

It's a horrible journey that you are on, mine went on for nearly 6 months and I am still exhausted by it all now. But there is still hope and you have to try and stay as positive as you can but don't beat yourself up if you can't always, you are only human.

Will be keeping everything crossed and popping back on to see how you are. xxx

Thank you - it's so good to be able to come here and talk to people who understand.

And thanks Amapoleon - I will read all your background. Did you have to ask for a second opinion? Push for a diagnosis? As much as I knew the 'thickened' area wasn't something to worry about, I just know there is something suspicious about the other, more definate lump.

I do feel ok today - it was good to sit and talk with my friend last night. She did keep saying 'But you will be fine' and I did have to ask her to stop saying that as I need space to talk about what might happen / how I might feel if I'm not. She did understand and I can see that it's really hard too for those around us. They need support too.

I will try and put it to one side and do something kind for myself. I've got my dad going into hosital this weekend so off to support mum but may try and get a massage or facial too at some point.

Lastly (sorry for uber-long post), no - they didn't assign me a Breast Care Nurse but the same one I saw last week was in with the Consultant - is it likely to be her?

I found a lump in December, I went to the drs in January. I then had to wait about 6 weeks for an appointment. Saw that dr and then had to wait about another month for a mammogram. For some reason, couldn't have the mammogram , so they did an ultrasound, the mammographer was at the hairdressers [I kid you not] so I couldn't have a biopsy.

The ultrasound guy had flown in from England and then went home and couldn't get back because of volcanic ash, hahaha

I then had the mammogram and it told me I had a lump, like I didn't know that already, hahaha. The ultrasound results came back from UK stating it was inconclusive, biopsy needed. Volcanic ash put a stop to that one.

I was then sent to a private hospital in Spain for a biopsy , where I had another ultrasound and mammogram. The dr couldn't see anything because by then I had an infection so they could only see liquid and therefore couldn't do biopsy.

Went back to Gibraltar who still couldn't do a biopsy, had a few more drs having a prod and then it was decided that I needed an mri but couldn't do it because of the infection. A week later the dr decided that it could no longer wait and decided to take it out and do the biopsy later.

We are now in the month of May! I had an appointment booked for the Thursday but had to go in on the Wednesday to secure the bed. The op was cancelled and I eventually had it on the Friday. 2 weeks later I go back for the results, feeling really awful, bleeding etc having convinced myself that I had cancer. The results weren't there, further tests which definitely made me feel like i was definitely in for it!

Anyway , as you know I got the best phone call of my life this week and that was that. I'm sure I have forgotten a few stages, there were loads of problems and half of Spain and Gibraltar have had a feel of my boobs, but I wont list them all!

Sorry that turned into a long rant about me,me,me! what I was trying to say is that even after all that the result was good. I think it is important to think about the what ifs and not pretend that it isn't happening, not quite sure why though, hahaha.

Anyway, keep your chin up and have a weep when you need it, hope your dad is ok too! xxx

yes, do hope all goes well with your dad ifancy.
I saw 3 breast care nurses during my time - but there is one I regard as 'my' bc nurse who I see -she has seen me through much of the treatment and afterwards and is wonderful. It doesn't matter if they haven't said 'this is your bcn' - just treat them all as yours !

Ach, ifancy, can't better what MAS said, as that is well and truly crap. Poor, poor you. Must be horrendous thinking you've got to wait for another few weeks. Keep those friends round you and have lots of treats. Loads of exercise to wear you out so you can sleep and maybe several gallons of wine too..

The fact you haven't got a BC nurse yet is probably because you're not diagnosed - surely a good thing, as you may not need one!! If you are unlucky it probably will be the woman who was in with the Consultant. Mine was there right from diagnosis and utterly fab she is too.