On holiday and found a lump in my breast

[MidnightEagle]

In the shower first day of my holiday and found a large lump in my left breast. Feels about the size of a grape and feels firm. No pain or tenderness (which I know isn’t good) I am absolutely freaking out. Anyone been through anything similar or going through similar? Has anyone went private for investigations? Apparently locally it is taking about 4-6 weeks for people to get seen at the breast clinic.

Sorry, I should add I'm 42.

Are you in England? If so, my understanding that any breast lumps should be placed on the 2 week pathway.

Could you phone your GP and ask for a telephone consultation to find out what to do?

It depends where you live, my appointment is next week, referred on 12th July. I would recommend GP first and if they are concerned they will refer from there. Sorry you are worried, but If you only just found it, and you check daily it must be new so I can't see a few weeks making a difference.

The two week pathway is aspirational, not a definite guarantee

There’s no way it’s taking 6 weeks for women in your area to be seen at breast clinic. Phone your GP and explain your situation. If you give them a detailed account of your symptoms they will no doubt complete a referral in readiness of your return from holiday.

In Scotland unfortunately where I don't believe we have the 2 week guidleine.

Someone recently asked on a local Facebook page and there was numerous responses with the same time frame from personal experiences

Try not to panic. I found a big, firm, painless lump in my breast a few months ago. It was about 4x5cm. It took over a week to get a GP appointment 🙄, then 2 weeks until hospital appointment after GP referred me. At the hospital appointment I saw the consultant, had a mammogram and then an ultrasound - which showed a large cyst. They drained it there and then. It's very stressful to wait and I was convinced it would be cancer, but thankfully it wasn't. I'm not sure how it works in Scotland but I don't think going private would be too much quicker here.

Thank you Cocoaone. So glad everything turned out ok for you. I think I'll speak to GP first and get an idea of timings.

I'm the same age as you and from age 33-40 have had several painless breast lumps, all benign. I had ultrasound and biopsies done to take a closer look at some of them. They were harmless cysts and lipomas. Try not to worry!

Thank you. Nice to hear some good outcomes.

For your peace of mind if there's any way you can afford to go privately I'd be arranging it now from holiday for my return. As others have said it's probably nothing but I wouldn't be waiting. You could have a mammogram, ultrasound, and get the result straight after.

I went Private, mainly due to not being able to get a GP appointment and also hearing that the 2 weeks wasn’t being achieved in my area. I have access to a private GP through work. They referred me and my insurance covered the tests. Even that wasn’t quite as quick as you might expect. But was worth it.

@MidnightEagle we do have the 2 week guideline in Scotland. I hope you are seen. Contact your GP and they will refer you to the one stop breast clinic.

Thank you travelforthesoul. I might ask on the local Facebook page if anyone has been referred recently and how long it took. The last post was about 6 months ago but a few people said their aim was 4 weeks but they weren't meeting it (Tayside).

Thank you. I've sent an enquiry to Edinburgh Spire to see how soon they could see me.

good stuff. I went to a Spire and I couldn’t fault them. Good luck.

I too have a grape sized painless lump. Mine is smooth. I was referred through the breast clinic, had an ultrasound and they took a biopsy there and then as it was solid. The waiting for the results was hideous but it turned out to be fibroadenoma which is a benign lump and quite common.
I hope you get to enjoy your holiday.
Might be worth calling for an appt whilst you're away so you don't have to wait so long to be seen when home. If it's a while I'd go private if you can xx

Two week pathway isn’t used anymore.

Silly question, but what time of the month is it, has your immune system had to work? Both of these things cause me to get little lumps that come and are gone again within 24 hours. Phone your gp and get an appointment for when you get home, but try not to panic.

I have used Spire in Edinburgh, albeit it not for the same as yourself, both Murrayfield and Shawfair and have received excellent care, hopefully they can see you quickly op

I quite often get lumps in my breast and they come and go.

The last one I had for a while so I got it checked. The GP wasn't worried as it wasn't "attached to anything" and said it's just fatty tissue.

The time I had to get a scan for one (whilst bf baby ds) it was less than 2 weeks to get an apt.

I'm not sure about cycle times as I have a mirena coil.

I seen the GP and they are sending an urgent referral. She thinks it should be about 2 weeks. I asked on the local Facebook group yesterday about wait times and most people said they were seen in 2-3 weeks of seeing GP. A couple of out liers at 6 weeks (who knows the situation, maybe they were deemed low risk??).
Spire also contacted me to say they could see me tomorrow!! Or next week. Prices starting from about £800. I don't have private healthcare so would have to self pay.
I was thinking maybe wait to next week and see if the NHS one comes and if not book the spire?

That sounds sensible. Now you are in the system, I would try and wait if you can. My tests at Spire were over £2k.