when your breasts always feel lumpy

[vannah]

How do you distinguish between a 'lump' to worry about, and general lumpiness. Im so confused. Have been to the doctor and had her talk me through self exam and demonstrate on me. Have watched online how-to videos, but remain clueless. It all feels like its full of hard bits of different shapes and sizes mixed with floppy limp tissue.

A friend of mine died (bc) in her late thirties and I recall her saying that she never really took self examination seriously because it all felt lumpy to her and she was reluctant therefore to see a doctor as she thought the lumpiness was all normal.

Any advice?

I had a breast exam by a nurse years ago. She said that my breasts were full of gristle (sexy!) and it's harder to notice.

That was no help was it?

thats the word i was looking for! GRISTLE.

so now what?????

Is there a history of breast cancer in your family?

Have you ever had a mammogram? Can you request one?

Get to know your breasts !

Seriously, you need to know what's normal for you so you can pick up unusual changes, IYKWIM.
There's no deniying, it is harder for woman with naturally "lumpy" breasts (hate that expression..). But if you are aware of what your breasts feels like before a period/during/after then you are more likely to find changes that are not static and keep changing.
Studies have shown that self-examination is more likely to pick up nasty lumps earlier than a, say, once yearly examination by a doctor.

I suppose the trick is to examine regularly but not to get obsessed about it...

no history, not had a mammogram,
thanks for the advice..

Also stand in front of a mirror and get to know what your breast look like, from front and side, so you can compare them, notice any changes in shape, the way they hang etc.

My lump was deep under my nipple and neither my GP nor I could feel it, but my nipple was slightly inverted on my affected side.