Hi, I am 28 years old and have just been referred to a breast specialist because of an area of thickening behind my left nipple rising rising up into the left had, upper part of my left breast.
I noticed it first about 8 weeks ago but thought nothing of it because i’d just finished my period. I went to the doctors as my breast has now gone up around a cup size and the thickening is still there. she gave me antibiotics and told me I must return in a week. I did so, thursday just gone, the thickening is still there and i’ve now urgently been referred and been told to expect a call with an appointment within a few days and to see them within 2 weeks.
I’m really quite worried but whenever I try to talk about it to friends and family it gets brushed aside with “you’re only young, it will be fine”. Obviously I am aware that the risk of BC is not as great at my age but it doesn’t stop you worrying does it??
Any advice would be much appreciated, Thankyou so much for reading this, Larraine x
28 is very young and hopefully it will be nothing to worry about but I do have breast cancer and mine was a thickening which I put down to PMT for a month or two. I am however 51.
This is probably why you have been referred quickly. The type I have is Lobular and isn’t always picked up on a mammogram (of which I did have just a few months before).
Your friends and relatives wont want to talk about it as they are probably concerned too but think by not discussing it and dismissing the likelihood of your problem being anything sinister then
you will worry less…well intentioned but not always correct.
All this said because of your age the chances are will just be hormonal but it is better to be checked as if it is cancer the sooner you are looked at the better.
I hope I haven’t made you feel worse and if you want to ask me anything else feel free.
I am fit and well after my diagnosis and nearing the end of my chemo which I have not found as scary as I thought.
Thinking of you and hoping it is nothing to worry about.
X
Thankyou so much for replying, you haven’t made me feel worse at all!
I’m sure my family do feel that by downplaying it, I won’t worry so much. they’re probably scared too and by telling me things will be fine they’re telling themselves the same thing. Sometimes you just want to talk about how you feel and even discuss the worse case scenario, just in case that’s what it is. I want to be realistic and prepared for anything rather than going in expecting to be fine then finding out i’m not.
I’m glad to hear you’re fit and well after your diagnosis and your chemo is doing well and nearly over.
No problem and I can see where you are coming from wanting to look at all the possibilities - some people are like that and some just don’t want to think about anything but the best case scenario . Must admit I look at all the possibilities so that I can cope with any eventuality. Will you be taking somebody with you to your appointment? I would recommend it if only to have a coffee with afterwards!
Keep posting and I am sure you will get a lot of feedback to help you along and get anything off your chest that you feel you need to.
XX
I will be taking my husband with me to the appointment and leaving our 3 children with my mum, I just wish it would hurry up and come through so I can get it over with, the waiting is the worst part! I’m sure they’ll call me by tuesday as my doctor faxed my referral through when I was there thursday so should be pretty soon. Thanks for listening (again), Larraine xxx
Hi - sorry that you have the worry of waiting for an appointment for teh breast clinic. I totally agree that he waiting is the worst part. I hope you get a call soon and once you are at the clinic I hope you get a favourable result.
When I was in the pending ray as it were everyone kept telling me I would be ok, it would be a cyst etc… then when they confirmed it was not a cyst they started saying, oh it could be loads of things, it won’t be cancer… I had prepared myself from the start for it to be cancer, I had a gut feeling and I was right. Luckily for me it was very early stage so my treatment has not been too bad.
Thanks for replying I will keep you updated, my doctor has already confirmed it’s unlikely to be cysts as it isn’t a lump as such and does not appear to feel fluid filled. I keep finding myself checking if it’s still there and feeling terrible when it is, sometimes I feel like it is better then realise i’m now just used to the way it feels. Ridiculous really.
Tbh i’m preparing myself for the worst, I think it’s the best way to be for me.
I’m pleased your BC was found early and your treatments not to bad. Let me know how you’re getting on too.
Sorry to hear that you have to go through this, I always think that waiting is the worst. I’m 24 and have no family history of breast cancer so it was a complete shock when I found the lump but I did have a gut feeling that it was more serious than just a cyst… because everyone says it because it is unlikely and they want you to be ok but you are doing the right thing preparing yourself for the worst news. I’ve always thought the worst through my treatment but I’ve never given up and the preparation will help you because if it is awful news it will still be a shock… but just know that you get through it!
Saying all of that I hope that it isn’t anything serious and that you don’t have to join the rest of us!
Thanks everyone for your replies, it’s good to find people out there who don’t make me feel like i’m going mad by being worried! Obviously I hope more than anything that there’s nothing seriously wrong but if I find out otherwise, at least I know there’s somewhere I can go for advice etc:
Just to let you all know, my appointment still isn’t through, I called the hospital monday and they hadn’t heard of me, so called my docs again, the sent fax through for a second time. I then called hospital yesterday to be told they still had not got it so docs sent it through again and called the hospital themselves to be told it’s now been recieved! So 3rd time lucky. Not happy though because my 2 week wait will now be from yesterday rather than last thursday. I’m so frustrated. Do they not realise what a horrible time it is waiting anyway without them messing things up and making it longer. Will post when my appointment comes through.
Hope you hear soon,they may fast track you as the referral went missing which was not your fault,fingers crossed!
I was the same as you and neede to investigate the worst case scenario.Despite being diagnosed with BC,I was lucky ,if you can call having a mastectomy lucky! I have needed no chemo and no radiotherapy .So my worst case scenario did not come true .I do hope its the same for you! Even better if you do not have to join us!
I would suggest that you phone the hospital and tell them that you want to be put on the list for cancellations - given that they have lost the referral twice they should get you the earliest possible appointment. The waiting is horrendous, I was lucky that I had private insurance so was seen by GP on the Monday evening and was at the clinic on the Thursday, but even at that it seemed to take forever to come round.
Just to let you know I have an appointment on monday morning for an ultrasound and to see my consultant. I’m actually really scared now. I’ve been feeling relitively ok up until I was phoned with my appointment, now i’m really going it feels more real.
I will let you all know how it went. Thanks everyone again for your support, it’s been a great help. xxxxxx
Remember most lumps and thickenings in younger ladies are nothing sinister, I was diagnosed at 31 which was 5 years ago and it was quite a nasty cancer, it can be done honey even if god forbid it turns out to be the worst.
You are doing the right thing getting this thoroughly checked, i had a thickening which felt hard behind my left nipple and alas mine was cancer but it can also be caused by many other things.
Lets all get together in a big good luck cyber hug for Larraine…
Good luck and please come back and let us know how it went good or bad we are here.