Help, panicking over breast lump

[2Earlgreysplease]

Have a difficult few days, noticed a breast lump in left breast just before getting in the shower. I lifted my arms above my head and noticed a definite pea like lump towards the edge of the breast towards the armpit area. Luckily I was able to see my doctor the same morning who referred me and I now have an appointment booked for next week.
He said he thought it looked/felt like a lymph node, but obviously absolutely needed checking out. It actually feels quite painful and I'm I super aware of the whole area feeling quite tender now. But it's amazing how the power of suggestion can literally make something feel quite real, so I'm trying not t read too much into that.
Trying not to google too much, but I'm finding this wait before the appointment excruciating. Have two young children and can't help thinking about the worse case scenario. I had a routine mammogram in the Spring so thought all was ok but am now in a major panic. Any support most welcome. How do you get through this tricky patch without losing the plot?

I’m sorry to hear you’re worried OP. I completely understand, I’ve had several lumps over the years all requiring investigation and the wait never gets any less stressful.

The only thing I’ll say is try and relax, stay away from Google. The likelihood of it being anything nasty is very slim. A small, smooth pea sized lump is usually a cyst or similar. They’ll be able to tell you on the day when you have an ultrasound. Best of luck.

Thank you CZA, I can manage the days by distracting myself but the nights are dreadful so I'm suffering from loss of sleep which is making me feel ill. I am trying to imagine myself on the other side of this with all being well, but that is very hard to do! Will stay off the google and listen to the mumsnetters.
I know so many people who have had this so it's difficult to imagine it won't be me too!

I found a lump in my breast earlier in the year, saw dr who wasn't overly concerned but did a 2 week wait referral to the breast clinic. During that time I was an absolute mess and developed bad anxiety and panic attacks and the dr had to put me on medication. I have 2 young children and I had convinced myself it was the worst case scenario, I obsessively googled (please don't do that, you only see the bad stuff and it doesn't help at all!)
Anyway I had my appointment at the breast clinic and as soon as the consultant examined me he said he was sure it wasn't anything sinister but would send me for an ultrasound which I had done there and then, it was all fine. The whole experience has left me with bad health anxiety and on medication.
What I would say is nothing you do now will change whatever the outcome is, worrying isn't going to change it. Statistically it's much more likely to be nothing than something bad. Try doing things to distract you from any bad thoughts, I found yoga helped and listening to audio books, headspace it a great app too.
Really hope it all goes well for you!

Waiting is the hardest part. If you had a routine mammogram in the spring and it was clear then even if this lump is cancerous it will be very early stages. I was treated back in March, I was told on the day of my first appointment that it looked suspicious but was small and contained. Once I had a treatment plan it gave me something to focus on. Please be reassured by the fact that 3 out of 4 women who are referred are for benign reasons. If you do need treatment you will be treated swiftly and with great care. I cannot praise the NHS enough for the treatment I received. If the urge to google gets too strong to avoid can I suggest you only look on the NHS site or Cancer research UK. Good luck for next week.

Hi OP
I've been living with breast cancer for a number of years now.
I'm really sorry to read that you've found a lump, but do try to take some comfort in the fact that up to 9 in 10 breast clinic referrals turn out to be benign.
The waiting to find out is by far the hardest part, so just do what you can to distract yourself and keep busy.
When I was going through diagnosis, I would really upset myself thinking about the "what ifs" and the impact on my DS, and actually the way things are working out for me at the moment, some of those worries were needless.
Sending lots of love from the other side x

Thanks to all who posted earlier.

Just had my hosp apt today and was not the greatest outcome, as although the mammogram didn't show the lump, it was clearly there and the sonographer doing the ultrasound said he thought it looked suspicious. He took two core biopsies and I now have to wait for a week before I know more. I must admit I am petrified now and fearing the worst, even though they have said they need the pathology results to know for sure. I feel weirdly calm but I think it's shock and am hoping I can cope when this hits home. I know I won't really know what's what until the lab sends the results but, if the sonographer is suspicious I am not filled with confidence. Wondering if they are ever wrong, but assuming they know exactly what they are looking at.

@2Earlgreysplease, I'm sorry to hear you didn't get the reassurance you'd hoped for today. I was in your shoes 6 years ago, with a 5 year old son, so I know all the thoughts that will be going through your head. I honestly don't know how sure the sonographer would be - the surgeon told me at the end of my initial breast clinic appointment that they were pretty certain it was malignant and the biopsy would tell us exactly what they were dealing with. You've been given a less clear picture, which in many ways is harder to deal with.

I do hope there's still a chance that you have something benign and easily resolvable going on. In the event it is a malignancy, the fact that you had a clear mammogram in the spring is a good sign that this has been caught quickly, which means a very very good prognosis would be likely.

Huge amounts of love to you. This will be one of the hardest weeks of your life. Be extremely kind to yourself.

Keep thinking positively.

I had a biopsy for indeterminate calcifications a couple of weeks ago following mammogram. It didn't sound positive but was benign in the end.

Fingers crossed for you xx

Thanks TheForest, I'm not sure or the difference between a lump (which I can feel) which didn't show up on mam, and calcifications.
Do glad your news was good though.
Banana you are right this is the hardest part of my life so far, the waiting is awful as I have a vivid imagination. Lump is actually painful so am sooo aware of it, and can't imagine that it won't be anything other than serious.

Is your appointment tomorrow? Thinking of you and I hope your results are better than you're fearing.

I am in a similar position and absolutely terrified!! Found a lump on Wednesday, doctor saw me immediately and referred to breast clinic as suspected cancer. The two week wait is killing me. I have already had a stroke, brain condition, and heart problems in the last 12 months and this is tipping me over the edge. I just need answers!!