Las summer, I thought i had been bitten by a mozzie on my boob, which had become infected, went to GP who gave me antibiotics (didn’t really help), and told me to go back if it didn’t clear up. I was really busy so didn’t! after a couple of months the ‘sore’ cleared up, but i was left with an angry red mark which over the last couple of months has developed a small lump under the skin. I also have noticed (well husband has), that my nipple has changed direction a bit and the surrounding ‘darker bit with goosebumps’ is shrinking (now looking like a young girl as opposed to a Mum who has probably spent 5 yrs feeding babies)! i also have constant itching but can’t identify which bit is itchy and nothing to show for it, and intermittent stabbing pains!
I suppose the biggest change is that i am constantly aware of my boob, but not the other one. I am also absolutely exhausted all the time, and am losing a bit of weight despite Xmas. Am I panicking about nothing - my instincts say that i have a majorish problem but I want to bury my head in the sand and do nothing!
Has anyone else had similar symptoms?
Hi Sally, you probaby know what you need to do…get to your GP and have it checked out. It can’t be any worse than the worrying you are putting yourself through now, at least you will know what you are dealing with, if anything. There’s lots of support here for you should you need it, but pleeeeease go and see your GP. Di
Sally
I agree with Di. You must get this checked out. All of our symptoms are irrelevant as we are not you. It would be wrong of us to give you false reassurances which may stop you going to gp. It may be nothing, but the sooner checked, the sooner you’ll know.
Julia xx
Hi Sally,
Please make an appointmet with your GP as soon as possible,as you do need to get this checked out, i think most of us want to bury our heads in the sand at times so i understand how you feel, but the worrying wont go away untill you know what the problem is, as others have said it could very well be nothing but untill you see your GP you wont be able to put your mind at rest.
Make that appointment now if you can and please let us know how you get on.
Best Wishes
Linda x
Many thanks for the responses, i feel a bit of a fraud reading other posts, i haven’t even seen anyone and i am in meltdown! Appt. made for tomorrow am! trouble is that i am pretty sure that this will be the start not the finish - presumably it is likely that i will just be referred on to a clinic for tests? Best regards
Sally
Absolutely you should be referred to a clinic, and be seen within two weeks, which is the norm. I would insist you are referred as further tests are essential for any diagnosis, be it cyst or anything else.
Julia xx
Hi, well I have done it, been to see the GP and am relieved that she has referred me as ‘Urgent’ and I will be seen within 2 weeks, (though she hastened to add that this does not mean anything other than that I have one or more of a list of possible symptoms)!
Strange though, as I sat in the bath this morning, all my smptoms disapeared - well until I came out of the surgery anyway!
She didn’t seem particularly worried which I suppose is good, but I am glad that she did refer on as 10yrs ago, I went to my GP with a tiny black mole (more like a biro stab), which was itching and was sent away packing only to discover a year later that the ‘freckle’ as he called it was a stage 3 malignant melanoma!
Anyway, any idea what is likely to happen next? I seem to remember that mammograms don’t work so well with women on HRT (am 48 and have been on it following a total hysterectomy since 1998)?
Also (and I am jumping ahead now), if the worst comes to the worst and I end up having surgery and treatment, any suggestions on how to reassure my baby (15yr old daughter); she is as she puts it ‘special’ as she was (not unusually), born with three nipples, rather more unusually she actually has 3 boobs! she is waiting for a date for surgery to have a wide excision and nipple removal for the extra one, with a plan to subsequently, when she is fully developed to remove the additional breast completely (they are uncertain at this early stage whether she has a full additional breast with ducts etc., or whether it is ‘fatty’ tissue so we could be talking a mastectomy at 18). We have been very low key about this and basically encouraged her not to worry and to take one step at a time - it isn’t purely a cosmetic issue as she is struggling with bras etc., as they currently cut straight through the nipple and unfortunately you can’t buy bras with 3 cups!
Anyway, sorry this is so long, all I can think of at the moment is ‘boob’ stories, including my other daughter’s method of purchasing bras - she places the cup on her head and if it fits across her ears she has the right size - sorry! Couldn’t resist that one! Sally
sallyjo - I think there are various things that could happen next. If a mammogram isn’t suitable, you may have an ultra sound scan. If anything shows up, they will probably take a biopsy of it there and then (painless - takes a few seconds), and the results will take about 10 days.
As regards your daugheter - I am 51 and was told my daughter (18) would not be treated as at higher risk due to my age and no family history of BC. He said the cut off was 40 - but I know oncs seem to agree on very little, so you could be told differently.
Good luck - I hope you won’t need to join us here, but if you do, there are many lovely ladies here to support you.
finty xxxx
Hi Sally, so pleased you went to the GP and got the referral you need. I was 49 and on HRT so a similar situation. Hopefully your hospital runs a one stop clinic where they will do all the tests they need to in one day, it can mean a bit of waiting around but much better to get it all done in one day I think. There was no question as to whether I had a mammogram, that was the first thing I did, being under 50 it was my first one but the staff were all very friendly and handled me ‘with care’. Once you’re there and actually finding out what’s going on, you’ll hopefully feel more in control and don’t be afraid to ask questions as you go along, they’ll have been asked them all before I’m sure.
Your daughter will want to know what’s going on I imagine, so in my opinion all you can do is be honest with her, seek advice about her particular condition in relation to yours if it would ease your worries, sorry not much help with that am I? I do hope it all goes well and that your appointment comes through soon, keep us informed and ask all you need, take care, Di x
Me again,
Thank you for the support, funny enough, since seeing the doctor i have stopped feeling as though I have a death sentance hanging over me; really weird, but after having symptoms for some time, since going to the GP they all seem to be disapearing (well not the lump or change to nipple but the aches have gone and the itching), is this normal or do you reckon this is all in my brain?
Sally
Well the appointment is looming, (Monday 9am), I am now convinced that it was all in my imagination - I do hope so as my mum had a stroke on Wednesday and is going to need quite a lot of help so I really don’t have time to be ill!
I have checked posts from time to time and am feeling generally much more positive having seen so many people coming back saying that the lumps and bumps that they have found are benign, equally even if the news isn’t overly positive, everyone is so supportive and brave that I don’t even feel too frightened of a bad result, I know that I won’t be alone and that there is support out there.
Regardless of what happens on Monday, thank you all for having been there during my mad moments and take care.
Will be thinking of you on Monday Sally, and hoping for a good result. Hope your Mum is going on okay, take care Di x
Good luck for tomorrow,will be thinking of you.Hope Mum gets on okay.Let us know how you get on.
Best wishes
Ann x
Well, Saw the SHO (who was lovely but only about 15 yrs old), I have had the Mammogram and nothing abnormal showed up. Then the scan and that showed a small area of ‘complex mass’ so they said they would like to do a core biopsy - well they said they woudl take 2 - 3 samples. They took 9!Then i was seen by a different consultant who told me that there was a small complex mass that might be a cyst, and didn’t look TOO sinister and I need to go back next Tuesday for the result - he then went on to say that most of his ladies like to take someone with them to this appointment - so what’s that all about?
Funny thing is that the ‘lump’ was simple scar tissue, the area that they found was somewhere else!
MOre waiting!
Hi
Just just joining this thread.
The reason they ask you take take someone i think is just in case. I am glad that my husband was with me because i didnot think there was anything wrong with me. I shut down and did not listen to a word they said…hence it was just as well he was there. I am not saying that there is a problem and i wish you all the best and hope to hear good news from you next week.
HugsXXXXXX
Hi sallyjo,
You hear lots of “advice” from both professionals and others to take someone with you to appointments. I never have and can’t imagine doing so!
It can be true that it is easy to forget a question you wanted to ask, or forget something you’re told but that is easy to deal with simply by preparing for appointments (and there are some very useful booklets and factsheets available on this site), writing down the questions and taking notes during your appointment.
I think the important thing is that you do what feels best for you. If you want someone with you, then fine, but if not then that is also fine. You really don’t want to have to be worrying about someone else when you are trying to concentrate on what is being said!
Good luck for next Tuesday.
Eliza xx
Hi
Thanks for the advice - I am back out of panic mode (real roller coaster this is isn’t it)!
My oldest daughter is home from the States and has informed me that she is coming whether I like it or not - so having smoothed my feathers of pride a bit (you know on the basis of Hurgh,no one tells me what to do), I am now feeling that this is a nice idea - if nothing else she and I will be able to spend a little ‘us’ time in the waiting room!
I have also now convinced myself that it is all a mistake, a bit of gristle and that come Tuesday I will come out feeling very sheepish but with good news!
Mum is doing well, well as well as you can do after a second massive stroke - she is driving us all potty with demands but as she can’t move without hoists etc., we are able to say ‘no’ and keep a distance large enough for the damage to only be verbal - actually she is quite funny in an endearing sort of way! I suspect that we have quite a rocky road to climb with her so that will take my mind off of me!
Talk soon
GOOD NEWS!!! just got back from the hospital - apparently i have a firbra something or other (stopped listening at that point), have to go for an MRI scan to double check the blood flow or something but basically all clear!
Thank you all so much for being so supportive, i feel an absolute fraud now but a very happy one! Good luck to you all who are waiting for news and to those of you having treatment etc. Sally
That’s brill news, I’m so pleased for you! I bet you’re bouncing…
Good luck for the future and never worry about being a fraud - all lumps and bumps need to be checked and are a very big worry.
Take care
Katie x
Sally that is excellent news.Good luck to you and your family and really hope your Mum improves.
Good Health,Love from Ann xx