Breast thickening/lump

[FromWalesAndBackAgain]

Hi everyone- I know everyone’s experiences are personal but really looking for some positive stories to stop me spiralling. I have been breast for a year, we are currently transitioning from three feeds to two.

over the weekend I noticed some pain in my left breast into the rib cage, and just thought it was a pulled muscle. The next day when getting a shower o thought I best check my breasts as I couldn’t recall the last time I’d checked them (which I know I’d bad :()

I could feel a lump, at first I thought it may be breast feeding related but there is no pain when I feed so unlikely to be a blocked duct/mastitis and I’ve not really suffered with this during bf. I tried massaging it and if anything it has got more painful.

went to the GP today and they have referred me to the breast clinic as presenting possibly cancer symptoms as the GP felt a “thickening and hardish semi fixed lump” The GP did say these things can be caused by hormones, and the majority of women referred to the breast clinic don’t have cancer. I’m 35 and have a young son and I can’t help but keep looking at him and getting so upset thinking it’s going to be cancer and I’m not going to get to see him grow up.

Im annoyed with myself that I haven’t checked my breasts recently and if it is something I could have caught it earlier and I’ve let my son down .

I now have to wait for 3 weeks for a referral and I’m really struggling to move my mindset past the worst scenario - it doesn’t help that my breast really hurts when ever o tense muscles around it so it’s a constant reminder

Just bumping this in the Hope some people see it scrolling after the kids bedtime- could really do with any words of encouragement ❤️

Hi OP. I’m 37 and was diagnosed with breast cancer when my now 11 month old DD was 16 weeks old. The GP is right, the vast vast majority of women referred to the breast clinic do not have cancer. In fact, the lump I felt wasn’t cancer it was a milk
cyst that was hiding my cancer 🙄 BUT even if it is, believe me when I say that this bit you’re in, the waiting bit, is the worst bit of the whole thing. You’d think it would be surgery or chemo but having been through two surgeries and 8 rounds of chemo and about to start radiotherapy I can tell you for certain that the waiting you’re doing now was the scariest part of all of it. You’re more than likely going to be told it’s something else, but if it is cancer, they will treat you quickly and once your treatment is underway you have something to focus on. I’ve looked after my baby, been running and cycling and lived semi-normally throughout my treatment and the NHS (in particular the chemo team) have been beyond wonderful.

Nothing I can say will take the worry away though. If you are really struggling and can be flexible, it may be worth asking to be considered for any last minute cancellations. That’s worked in my favour before. All the best ❤️

@WorryMcGee I am really sorry to hear about your outcome, but hope the treatment is working well for you. Your DD is luckily to have such an incredible mum going through all that and raising such a young child - you are amazing.

Thank you for your kind words xx

@FromWalesAndBackAgain thank you 🙂 you are an amazing mum too, you found something that wasn’t your normal and went to get it checked out despite that being a very scary thing to do. Many women don’t but you did and you should take courage from that. Before you know it you’ll have an answer - which really is overwhelmingly likely to be “not cancer” ❤️ I’m going to be fine. They caught it, they removed it, they’ve poisoned it and now they’re about to zap it 👊🏼 not how I thought I’d spend my mat leave but I’m not going anywhere xx

@WorryMcGee Thank you :)

I’m so pleased to hear treatment is working well, you have an amazing outlook - and sounds like you have been far more active than me during my maternity leave!! I hope you a speedy all clear soon and thanks so much for bringing such positivity

Update ?

@Bex4567 it tuned out to be thicker breast tissue but nothing they were concerned with x