Hi all, this is my first post so bear with me!
3 weeks ago i found what felt like a rather large lump in my left breast. I saw my gp who agreed it was definately a lump. At no point was i scared and the day after seeing my gp i got a letter with an appointment for the local breast clinic a week later. i convinced myself they would tell me it was nothing to worry about and i wouldnt even get a mamogram (i’m 39)at the appointment i got a mamogram which i have to say did not hurt like i was told. i have fairly big breasts so expected pain but no it was fine.
next i went to have an ultrasound, seeing this large mass on the x-rays totally freaked me out and i was in shock! the doctor was fab and explained she was going to do a biopsy. this did not hurt, the area was numbed with anesthetic but the shock of the little gadget she did it with did make me jump. it sounded like a wall stapler! but i have to stress it did not hurt. she did this twice, bandegded me up and i sat back to wait.
the consultant then examined me and said they didnt think it was cancer but a fibroadenoma but the results would take a week to come back.
back in the car i burst out crying, i think just from the shock of what i’d just been through. i was very sore and uncomfortable for the next week and the anxiety of waiting for results was overwhelming as you never know what may come back do you?
but i kept telling myself there was nothing i could do, after all no amount of wishing would change what was already there.
A week later back for results, hurray!!! not malignant but the name of the growth made us laugh - (benign hamartoma with pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia no atypia) which basically means a non cancerous tumour
they spoke about it very casually and i was asked what i wanted to do about it?? errr…it has to come out! no question, i think its a woman thing as my partner couldnt understand why i want to go through surgery.
now i am waiting for an appointment to go in for the removal and then another wait for it to be tested again.
but having typed that very long name into google it shows it is a rare form of growth, and could still show up as malignant!
i am now still very anxious but feeling positive. i still believe having it taken away is the right decision for me, apparently it is 6cm x 2cm so not small! and she did say when gone it will leave a dent in my boob! a very small price to pay i feel.
i hope describing my experience will help anyone going through the same procedure. i feel very blessed to have strong family support and will take each day as it comes. just because its not cancer doesnt stop you feeling anxious. but until that final test comes back i cant fully relax.
i also want to say the staff at Glenfield Breast clinic in Leicester are amazing, each one made us feel so at ease and so important, they are all gentle, caring and understand how you feel.
i have found this forum so comforting reading other peoples experiences i hope you do too. H xxxxx
I am new to site as well and just posted something on here and then read your post. I can so identify with what you described. I was so calm about going to the breast clinic as my GP had offered me so much reassurance. Then it’s like bam,ultrasound, bam, biopsy, bam we are going to need to take it out. I was a wreck afterwards and sat in the car crying-it is a huge shock. I went on holiday the next day and amazingly managed not to think about it. However, when I got back there was a letter saying hat they thought I had a usually benign condition-a phyllodes tumour measuring a whopping 13x14cm. I went online realising that it could be malignant or borderline. They have since said that it could be a fibroadenoma but the consultant mentioned only knowing the diagnosis for definite once taken out.
Had my operation yesterday as a day case and it went well. I have small breasts so was expecting there to be very little there. It probably will be smaller than the other one once swelling has gone down. The relief of it being taken out is great but like you it is the not knowing for sure what it is. I hope your appointment comes soon and that it all goes well.
Thanks Thalia
i’m just waiting formy date to come through. I know what you mean about emotions. its like "why shoud we feel upset? after all its not cancer? but i still feel so delicate. no we havent been givene a death sentence thank godness and there are far worse outcomes but its still a traumatic experience isnt it?
i just feel now i want to get this removed and get the all clear. i also havent told many people so i am ‘smiling’ an awful lot at work and most of my team don know whats going on, its very personal and i just want to wrap myself up in my family and home, sounds selfish but i spend most of my time sorting out others i need to retreat and focus on me.
when i read up on what they told me i had it told me loads more than the consultant knew, apparently it is a rare type and could still show malignant so we can never rest can we?
keep in touch and i will let all know when i’ve been in. they said it will be a day case which is wonderful as i hate hospitals.
xx
It isn’t selfish at all and it is a very personal matter. I didn’t want many people to know until my biopsy result came through. I now know that it still does not show exactly what type of growth it was, but up until then I just needed space. I have since been very open about it but found that with people who I don’t know as well I don’t want to go there. Now I’ve had the op I do feel strange, wanting to talk about it but feeling like I can’t quite articulate my feelings to my family. Not in much pain but emotionally still feel unsettled.
Being a day case was right up my street too, although make sure that you receive any important info about dressings and aftercare as they didn’t tell us anything at the hospital. Felt like they just wanted to discharge me so they could go home!
its strange but i was elated to find out my lump wasnt cancerous but once people know that its like “oh well its only a lump” its still a benign tumour.
i guess it is emotional having the lump removed. maybe more psychological than we realise. we are both very lucky that the removal of the lump is as far as it goes. lets keep our fingers crossed thats all we need to worry about.
by the way i’m sort of thinking ahead and owndering about after the op. can you drive? and i guess you cant lift things for a while?
hoping you’re not too sore…xxx
You’re right it is a huge relief and I don’t want become self indulgent about the whole thing, but it doesn’t stop it feeling like a big deal. I was busy right up until my op date so this is where it is all sinking in. I’m really surprised because I have only felt the odd twinge and the area of the excision is still numb. I am concerned that it will remain that way actually. I’m only taking paracetamol (but was also given diclofenac). Am still very lethargic at times and am itching to get in the car, but even though I am not in any pain, I’m not sure that my reaction times would be great at present.
If I was in agony I would be wanting the pain to go away and the fact that I’m not feeling any pain worries me as well. Typical!
i think anything you are feeling is perfectly normal following an operation. i never take time off work ill so i keep feeling guilty about appointments etc but work have been great as my line manager has been through cancer treatment only last year. i’m not sure how long after the op i’ll be off work, i’m guessing a week? but i suppose it depends on the individual doesnt it? i’m an administrator so not a very physical job just have to think alot!
i have got a pretty high pain threshold but show me a needle and whoops…i’m on the floor!!! so silly but its not the pain of a needle just the mere thought of one and i lose all face colour!
will just take it as it comes, small price to pay hey?
x
so when do you get results back from the lump being analyzed? i heard they send it off to double check?
should hear in 4 weeks, which people around me are saying sounds like it won’t be anything to worry about. Before my op I was thinking about work but post op and it is last thing on my mind now. I’m suddenly realising that all the little things that get me worried aren’t worth getting worked up over after all.
I was also dreading the needle going into my hand as it always looks so painful, but it wasn’t really. In fact as long as people you know and love are there for you afterwards it really will be okay. It is just a case of taking each day as it comes, you’re right.
just a quick update, i have been waiting over 2 weeks for an appointment to have my lump removed and have been getting more and more anxious, especially since the lump is feeling more prominent and ‘lumpy’ also feeling more uncomfrotable which i’m not liking.
i rang the hospital today and apparently my card ‘got lost’ and didnt make it to the consultant!!!
i was thinking that they werent hurrying because it was nothing serious but now i am anxious thinking what if it is serious and this time has been wasted?
they promised to call me back on monday with a date for the op if they dont i will be calling them!
i’m in limbo until this is sorted and wont relax until they have total clear results once the lump is analysed.
Oh mate I am so sorry to hear that and I can understand why you would be feeling anxious. I have been thinking about you. Sorry not been on for a while. I think it is wise to call them if they didn’t call yesterday. Let me know how you are getting on xx
Well she promised to call back monday but its now tues eve and still nothing, i went back to my GP and she had another look and agreed it had got alot bigger, its now visable without having to prod too much and its worrying me that the bigger it gets the more impact removing it will be!
i will be ringing again tomorrow
anyway how are you? feeling much better i hope. and not too sore? have you been off work long? sorry too many questions!
will keep you posted
x
Hey you
congratulations on your engagement, i read about it on another post! wonderful to have something to smile about after such a tough time eh?
i’m still waiting for op date, keep pestering the consultants secretary but she keeps saying she is still sorting one out. but then she said the consultant wanted more test results? or waiting for more notes so that has set my mind racing thinking is something wrong? hope not! just cant rest until this thing is out! its almost doubled in size and is starting to worry me even though they have said it is benign you cant help but worry can you?
hope all ok with you
x…of course it is YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED!!! YAY
just a quick update…hospital phoned and my date for my op is next wednesday!
then they rang back about two hours later and asked if i could pop in for a pre-op so i’ve been and just got to wait for next week now. i will be relieved when its all over and i can hopefully relax.
lets just hope my MRSA tests come back negative!!!
x
Just got a letter through today and I think it’s the same thing you have. They said it was a fibroadenoma that shows a condition called PASH: Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia. There isn’t much info out there other than that it is benign and rare but I am keen to know whether there is a link with the oral contarceptive pill that I have taken for painful periods and whether it will recur. Got my appointment for a week on Tuesday so I will be armed with loads of questions.
Great to hear you’ve got an op date too. That’s half of it isn’t it, so that you can prepare. They took mine out from underneath the breast (a Wide Local Excision) and so I have a scar but it has healed really well already and three weeks on I am in no pain and starting to feel like me again. Do take it easy afterwards. I kept thinking that I could do more than I could at first.
oh my goodness! how bizarre is that? here we’ve been chatting away and you get the same results as me!
fab news you have healed so well, i’m looking forward to feeling more like me again.
you’re right there is very little info out there except that it is rare and rapid growing.
i have also had concerns with the pill connection. i recently changed to the progesterone only pill and within three weeks i had this lump! too much of a coincidence i think as i was on a combined pill for over 20 yrs then i get zero eastrogen and wham i get this!! so i’d be interested to know the connection.
did they say how big your was when they removed it?
mine is now visable, far more than last week! in fact i can almost grab it in my fingers! probably the size of a satsuma! just not as sweet
had to tell people at work on friday why i wouldnt be in next week they couldnt understand why i’d not told them before but its not an easy subject to start for me! but they were all great and i’m in work on tuesday so got to try and make sure everything is cleared so guess it will be a busy day.
how long have you been off work, or recovering? and were you able to lift/drive etc?
if i find out anymore info i will let you know
x
sitting here at 6am waiting
my op is not until this afternoon but me being me having an anxiety overload, hoping they will give me something to help me relax!
normally i am a level headed logical person but odd times like this put me in a spin!
will let you know how it goes
xx
day two post op and omg the tears have flowed!
i’m not that kind of person but i just keep crying! hope it goes quickly.
the op went well although the lump was bigger than they first found but the surgeon got all of it and i have my stitches out next friday.
my needle phobia escalated before the operation but when the anethestist came round he suggested i be put under with gas which i did, the down side of that was when i did come round i was very sick! but a small price to pay.
i’v had to keep a bra on ever since because my boobs are fairly big and heavy if left to their own devices they pull don which does hurt.
i’m going to try and remove the dressing today. and i am dying to wash my hair!
but at least the sun is shining so my wonderful teenage son will plonk me in the garden to watch him do bmx stunts!
x
Its been a week since my tumour was removed and i have to say i’ve had very little pain. Of course the area where the lump was removed it is very sore and having stitches round my nipple is not the nicest experience i’ve ever had but the pain has been managed by ordinary painkillers. Showering has been difficult mainly because i just darent let my left breast hang down because that is painful. i’m hoping when the stitches are out tomorrow that will feel much better, i think its more me not confident enough to let it go! when its safely tucked up in a secure bra i feel ok i am just being careful what i lift but making sure i dont sit around for too long. I think the one thing i wasnt expecting was the tiredness, and can now understand why they signed me off work for two weeks.
starting to feel a bit human again! using this site as a sort of blog ha been a great outlet to me and i want to thank anyone who has been reading. i know i am very lucky that my tumour was benign and will thank the stars for as long as i can.
xx
Hi, I’m new to this site and have to confess I’m feeling pretty anxious and confused. I found a large lump (7cm x2cm) in my breast mid may and since then have had 2 ultrasounds, a mammogram, 2 biopsy’s (taking 7 segments) and have been told that although it isn’t malignant they are unsure whether it is a hamartoma or a ‘someting…hyperplasia’. I have been seen by a different Consultant for each appt (which has driven me to distraction as they all have differing views!!!) but generally the view of the Consultants and the MDT is that I should play safe and have it out because the results are indeterminate. I have been offered an LD because I’m only a 34c and the lump is so large but it seems rather drastic for something which is almost definitely benign. The breast care nurses, however, are suggesting I have the lump monitored so, I’m really not sure which decision to make? I know it’s my choice but has anyone else with such a large lump taken the risk of just having it monitored?
Rainey xx
Hi, I’m new to this and I’m not sure I’m in the right place. I am 29 and was recently diagnosed with a 10cm hamartoma in my left breast. Surgery to remove it will be next month. During the surgeons exam, she found another fairly large (4-5cm) lump in my right breast. She told me hamartomas in the breast are rare, so I’m wondering what the chances are that the lump in my right breast is another hamartoma. I’m having another US and mammo today and I’m worried all over again. Has anyone had this kind of experience? I’m pretty nervous about these new tests.
xxxxx