Hi all, this is my first post, I’m anxiously awaiting my breast clinic appointment on Monday …
I actually visited my GP regarding a large golf ball like, firm lump under my left armpit (not tender) - she didn’t seem concerned and said it felt about 2cm and was probably a cyst. It’s has been slowly growing since summer.Don’t know much about cysts , I’m 43 and not had one before!
She then said while your here, I will check your breasts - she then found a small pea like lump in my left breast below nipple and has referred my under 2ww to breast clinic.
I came home and felt my breast myself and my heart sank when I could feel the breast lump - to me it doesn’t seem like a pea, it’s more long in shape, I’d say about the size of the last top section of a little finger… could this just be breast tissue?! It’s bottom outer quadrant of left breast.I’ve also noticed when I stretch my breast/chest skin upwards there’s a small indent at very top of breast.
I will know more on Monday obviously but just wondering if anyone out there had a similar experience at diagnosis? And if anyone had the lump underarm alongside breast lump?
My experience was different in some ways, but also similar. I went to my GP due to a lump in my right armpit and was referred on the 2WW. No-one seemed overly concerned by this lump, however when I was examined at the clinic the consultant found something in my left lower outer breast (I had no clue, I had a cyst biopsied in that area years ago and would’ve assumed it was that even if I had felt anything). Unfortunately the stuff on the left turned out to be cancer, but the lump in my armpit was biopsied and was something harmless called PASH. I’ve since had treatment but the armpit lump was left alone as causing no harm. I noticed a few weeks ago it has disappeared but am grateful it was there when it was as that’s the reason my cancer was found and sorted.
I know it’s difficult, but try to keep calm and distract yourself until you know what’s what. There are many reasons for lumps and bumps which turn out to be nothing sinister and if it is cancer there are treatments and support available. Best of luck with everything. x
Hi Southwest thank you so much for replying to me, my goodness your scenario sounds so much like mine!!! If it wasn’t for this big lump in my armpit I wouldn’t have had the breast check and subsequently not found the lump!! I hope all your treatment went well? My lump is longish in shape and located around 8pm on my left breast bottom outer area- it’s firm but not rock solid… do you mind me asking what yours felt like? I’ll also have a read about that PA thing you mentioned, thank you xx
To be honest, I was never really sure what it felt like. Once it was pointed out to me sometimes I thought I could feel something, other times I couldn’t. It wasn’t big, 1.7cm, but I had a couple of tiny ones too. I don’t recall feeling anything I would describe as solid.
My treatment all went really well, thanks. I was 46 when diagnosed last year and had a lumpectomy, radiotherapy and taking tamoxifen for five years. None of this has been anywhere as near as bad as I feared and I am back to being happy and healthy. x
That is such good news!! I’m so pleased all went well.. and thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me. I’ll update on here Monday night after my clinic appointment with hopefully a positive outcome xx
We’re all rooting for you @pip1 . I’m a few weeks ahead of you -i have been told that my lump is cancer, but after scanning I was told it’s 15mm (and a couple of other possible areas about 5mm) rather than the golf ball sized lump it felt like from the outside. I suspect some of that could be because I spent the week between seeing my gp and the breast clinic appointment poking, squeezing and prodding it trying to work out what it felt like. It was different every time, and I had nothing to compare it with so got myself into a right state. I’m currently waiting for the results of the biopsies but much calmer now that I know it’s not as big as I’d thought and that I’m in the system for treatment.
Oh my goodness I hope your biopsy results come back as low grade as they could do thank you so much for replying and yes I can understand how it strangely feels better to know what you’re dealing with! My left boob is so sore now god knows how a mammogram will go I haven’t stopped poking either!! Feel like I’m going mad! Xx
The waiting and the anxiety is horrible! I’ve been doing lots of jigsaws on my phone and reading lots of crime novels (too many secondary characters with cancer in romance novels and at least in crime novels people tend to die of other things!). Others on here have recommended batch cooking, wrapping Christmas presents and generally trying not to put life on hold, and I’m finding that helpful too.
Sorry you are here with us. I’m newly diagnosed too.
The waiting is the worst part and the brain coming up with scenarios making you think if you think the worst you will deal with it better. As you have been ‘practicing’ all honesty it just robs you of now. It won’t make hearing the news if it is cancer easier.
Keeping busy is a good distraction as well as feeling the emotions, but try to move from them than being stuck.
Journaling has helped me.
Write questions you may want to ask.
Breathe slowly and take care of yourself.
Sending huge support vibes for Monday - let us know how you get on x
Thank you so much for your kind words it’s so weird I go from thinking the worst to thinking absolutely no way this will be anything, I’ll be in and out with the all the ‘just lumpy breast tissue’ talk.. only got to wait until tomorrow now been a lonnng 2 weeks my appointment isn’t until 5.20pm tomorrow but busy working all day so that should help! I will of course update on here once I’ve been. Everyone is so lovely here im so glad I found this forum XX I really hope you are doing ok and managing to move forward positively with your diagnosis, sending big hugs to you xx
To be honest it has been such a year, that when they told me I was like so that it. What do we do, can we just move on.
Of course I get swaying emotions- but, on the whole I am fine now and will face the operation when it gets here. So when my brain spirals- I tell it to be quiet, I’m healthy. I was walking around with cancer before I knew and trying the best I can to carry on with the knowledge.
It has already made me more able to speak my mind and set boundaries.
work will help with distraction and will be sending supportive vibes for you x
Hi, I’m so sorry you find yourself in this position. The wait is the worst part, every day drags doesn’t it.
I got BC in 2018, came out the other end feeling stronger and proud of myself for dealing with it all so well. Once I got a plan I just focussed on the next step and I got through it. For me, it was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be but I didn’t have to have chemo.
Unfortunately I am back here. I go on Tuesday for my biopsy results but have been told it’s almost certainly cancer. I have had to wait 3 weeks for my results. Every night I get into bed and say ‘that’s one less day to wait’ it’s awful isn’t it.
I just wanted to say I really wish you good luck tomorrow and no matter what the results are, you will be fine. We are all here for you xx
Oh sue thank you so much for your kind words I’m so sorry to hear about your situation and I hope tomorrow brings more positive news than expected You’ve got this xxxx
I go this evening and will update this thread with the outcome I’ve kind of run out of worry and have now convinced myself it’s just a lump of breast tissue so I’m holding on tightly to that thought thanks again for your thoughts and I will think of you tomorrow xx
I would just say from personal experience, don’t assume it’s a cyst even if they say it probably is. I had BC in 2010, just a small lump. Then in 2021 I found a lump in my armpit on the same side, which they said was ‘just a cyst’. To be fair they offered me a punch biopsy but as they kept saying they were sure it was a cyst, I declined it. In 2023 they took it out (about the size of a golf ball) and did a biopsy. I never got the result (despite asking) and 2 years on ie this August, when it came back, I was told it wasn’t a cyst, it was a tumour. The biopsy was positive but was missed. So I’ve now had a mastectomy, all the lymph glands out, and of course the cancer has spread, and my chances are not great. So… I really hope yours IS a cyst, but don’t take anything for granted.
but just wondering if anyone out there had a similar experience at diagnosis? And if anyone had the lump underarm alongside breast lump?
I’m so pleased all went well.. and thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me. I’ll update on here Monday night after my clinic appointment with hopefully a positive outcome 
I haven’t stopped poking either!! Feel like I’m going mad! 
I’m going to do a bit of house painting tomorrow to keep me occupied for another day lol hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend xx