Anxious 16 Day Wait For Urgent Breast Clinic

Have I got breast cancer? Appointments and waiting for test results
1

Hello everyone, I’m hoping that by posting here I might be able to offload some of the anxiety I’m feeling which I haven’t really expressed to anyone.

I’m 48 and 5 weeks ago I found a lump in my left breast. Slightly larger than a pea and it hasn’t moved or changed position since then. I’ve got a weird deep dull ache in the breast that’s not muscular, that comes and goes as well as burning pains that come and go in the same breast.

I also have a large area of thickening in my left armpit, low down, and for the last few months I have felt sick on and off for no reason I can think of and have joint stiffness and pain in both elbows, so of course, I’m thinking the worst!

I waited a month to see if the breast lump went, thinking it could be hormonal, but last week after being aware of it for just over a month, I went to see my GP about it. Part of me thought she’d tell me she couldn’t feel anything and I convinced myself I was just being paranoid and hyper-vigilant as my sister (younger than me) was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year.

She put me down for an urgent referral and anyway, long story short, that was on Friday 24th November and my appointment with the breast clinic is Sunday 10th.

Sadly from what I understand, despite it saying it’s a 2WW urgent referral in my notes, the wait time falls outside of the 14 days, but I believe the 2WW was actually scrapped by the NHS last month and they now use a new 28 day referral to diagnosis pathway which could account for the longer delay.

I started off playing it calmly, telling myself it was fine, but honestly, I don’t really believe that.

My husband knows, but I’ve chosen not to tell anyone else in my family (despite being super close) because of what my younger sister is currently going through. As a result (I’m used to being a sharer and am very open and honest about things) I feel a little tied up in my own head with this.

I’ve got this unshakable intuition that this is not benign and no matter how much I try to chill and think of how statistically unlikely it would be for me and my sister to get diagnosed in the same year, I can’t shake the icky feeling and the long wait isn’t helping at all.

I feel sick with worry and I’m not sleeping. Having recently been through it all with my sister, I know the waiting is the worst bit, but knowing that still doesn’t make it any easier does it?

I’m not sure I’m asking for anything specific from this post, but I guess just being heard is comforting.

Thanks for reading x

5 Likes
2

Hi,
I feel your pain! I know it’s easy to say don’t assume the worst until you’re told, but genuinely the majority of lumps turn out to be nothing. I pray this is the same for you.

If you feel like you cannot wait any longer due to anxiety and you can afford to pay around £300 - there are private clinics who are a “one stop breast clinic” that guarantee an appointment within 48hrs. They will do all the scans and biopsies on same appointment and usually give you an indication.

It’s the avenue I went down as I couldn’t bear the wait (plus I had insurance). In another note, always feel free to offload here. We all know what that anxiety feels like and can support you. I promise once you know what’s what; it does get easier regardless of the results.

Hope this helps and sending lots of hugs
Carrott xx

4 Likes
3

Hi Carrott

thanks so much for your response, you’re absolutely right about not assuming the worst. It’s so silly how our brains often override logic and just jump to worst-case and then stay there!

I didn’t think about private clinics! I think that would certainly be money well spent for sure. I’m going to look into that possibility.

Thanks too for the hugs, much appreciated :smiling_face:

3 Likes
4

Yeah we all get it. I’ll echo Carrott and say if you can afford a private clinic to have it looked at it would be worth it just because the stress of waiting is horrific. Hopefully it is just benign and most by far end up being so but waiting for a while wondering about it is pretty much torture in my mind so the sooner you end it, the better. You can always return to the NHS afterwards if need be.

1 Like
5

Thanks for your reply and reassurance and for the additional thoughts. Much appreciated.

6

Hello,
Just wondered how you got on today? Did the scan go ahead? I hope everything was ok and remember we are all here for you either way xx
Lots of love
Carrott

7

Hi Carrott, how kind of you to have followed up!

I had my appointment yesterday (Sunday), no biopsy was needed after a mammogram and ultrasound and I was discharged! I am relieved beyond words as I was completely convinced it was serious despite trying to stay level-headed about it all, I just found it impossible.

Thank you SO much for the advice and support and I’ll be staying here as I want to know as much as I can to help my sister who was diagnosed just a few months ago and has just started treatment.

Thanks again x

1 Like
8

So delighted to hear this! Thank goodness the wait is finally over too. Your sister will get through this and come out the other end stronger than before. She’s lucky to have you looking out for her.
All the best
Carrott
Xx

9

Glad you got good news! What a relief! X