I feel a bit bad posting on here as I know a lot of people who use this forum are in far worse situations.
Last Sunday I noticed a bruised feeling to the right of the nipple in my left breast and under it a lump- it’s hard, not mobile and feels like it’s stuck to my chest wall. I went to the doctors and he referred me urgently to the local breast clinic as my mum had breast cancer, ruling out it being a cyst.
I attended the clinic today. At physical examination the doctor reckoned the lump was 1.2 cm long. The sonographer thought the lump was fat necrosis. This would make sense as I have a toddler who’s going through an aggresive phase! She sought a second opinion and the lady said it wasn’t fat necrosis but normal breast tissue and that I wouldn’t need a biopsy.
I then saw the registrar again who asked to examine the lump again. Said he was sure it was nothing nasty but there was part of it that was a bit bumpy so took a biopsy as a precaution.
I get my results within a week but am concerned about what this lump is. I’ve got lumpy breasts but this doesnt feel normal. It’s tender and in a wierd location. I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar kind of lump and if so what it was and whether it turned out to be cancerous or not?
Fingers crossed for you. My SIL was out of her mind a couple of years ago with something similar - it turned out to be nothing more than calcification. The lump was removed but she unfortunately gets them a good couple of times a year.
I don’t know if hers was an age thing though - she was nudging 50 when she found her 1st one.
Easier said than done, but try not to worry - you’ve done the best thing in getting it checked out. Don’t think your concern or situation is any less significant than anyone else on here - everyone will cheer your news that it’s something like fatty tissue but we’ll equally all be here for support if it’s not.
Aaah the joy of breasts! They are naturally lumpy and change daily. Great.
I would try to stay on the positive side. Both the professionals you saw were thinking it was probably nothing.
now immediately you have jumped onto the word ‘probably’, which is what we all do. ‘Probably’ just doesn’t sound good enough. Try to see that the tests are to confirm what they think, rather than prove them wrong.
Unfortunately a lump is a lump and so impossible to say. I had 2 lumps appear (over night) which unfortunately did turn out to be cancer, however, saying that 3 years ago another lump turned out to be nothing.
best of luck and remember that the odds are in your favour.
Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly, this is such a supportive forum and I really appreciate your replies.
I was actually surprised they didn’t say it was malignant as so many things led me to think it would be. It’s even in the same area as my mum’s and none of the benign lump descriptions fit mine!
I know there’s a still a slight chance it could be cancerous but at the moment I’m just so pleased that this is unlikely. I tested positive for a serious genetic illness a few months ago and I don’t think I’d have the strength to deal with anything else right now!
I hope your situations have had happy outcomes. I’ve never realised the importance of being well and in good health until these past few months!
9 out of 10 lumps referred to breast clinics turn out to be non-cancerous. There’s a leaflet in the Publications section on this site which you might want to read that talks about what happens at the clinic, perhaps a mod can add a link?
also give the helpline a ring tomorrow, they’re very good and will give you solid, sound advice.
Being the impatient person that I am, I rang the clinic to ask if my results letter had been sent yet. The consultant’s secretary said she’d find out whether the results were back from the lab and ring me.
She’s just rung and said she’s got all my info and passed it on the registrar I saw on Monday. She said she can’t give me my results over the phone and the registrar is in clinic but she’ll ask him to call me later this afternoon or tomorrow.
Does this sounds a bit odd to anyone? I expected her to say the letter will be in the post after the registrar has looked at all my info. I’m not sure why I merit a phone call out of all the other people who must be waiting for their results! Has anyone else had bad news over the phone?
I don’t think it is usual to have bad news over the phone; it is generally against all guidelines and wouldn’t be considered good practice; so I would think would only be something anyone would do in exceptional circumstances. But, there are bad practitioners out there. The only ‘bad’ news I have had over the phone is to ask me to come in again to discuss something and to have more tests - which is frustrating and in a way, I would prefer to just be told, but at least I had all the support there when receiving the bad news.
However, I was told that one of my results was a benign tumour of the liver - not a cancer secondary - so it seems that good news is OK over the phone.
Not sure this helps, but it is my experience.
Let us know what happens
Thanks for the reassurance, I think you’re probably right. I’m sure he will just be ringing me to let me know it’s benign ss I’m expecting it to be. It just made me feel a bit anxious when she said he’d ring as it made it seem more urgent somehow!
I don’t think he’ll be ringing today as it’s late now, so hopefully it will be tomorrow now.
The secretary won’t be in a position to be able to give you the info as she won’t be able to explain anything. She’ll be getting the reg to call you because you phoned - i doubt if it would be any other reason - my consultant will always return calls as will the nurses but never phone me out of the blue.
I always get letters after seeing the docs as they go thru’ all the things brought up in the time we see each other, so don’t worry about that, it will just be normal procedure.
You are in the worst bit, which is the waiting. Try to rememeber that most lumps are nothing - AND DON’T GOOGLE!! You’ll convince yourself that you have everything!!
Just to update everyone- the registrar never rung and when I rang the consultant’s secretary I got a message telling me she’s out of the office until Monday and to ring her colleague if it’s an emergency. I don’t think this is an emergency so I’m hoping the results come through the post (I don’t know how this can happen since the secretary’s not in to write it!) over the next few days!
I’m hoping this is a ‘no news is good news’ situation as the doc obviously doesn’t need to contact me urgently!
I have to say I’d phone the clinic and explain what the secretary had said about the registrar phoning you. The worry is horrible, and being promised a phone call and then not getting it is double torture.
The registrar finally rang me back. He said the results of the biopsy didn’t show anything sinister- just that it is normal glandular breast tissue. I don’t see how it can be as it doesn’t feel anything like anything I’ve ever experienced before, but very relieved it’s nothing bad.
Because of my family history he still wants me to attend my appointment on 23rd March to review how things are. I think he wants to see if it goes away during my next cycle. If it’s still the same, he wants to do another biopsy. I’ve been aware of it for almost two weeks and it’s pretty sore at times too so can’t see it going anywhere but fingers crossed.
Thanks to everyone who has supported me through this time, especially as you are probably in far more worrying situations than myself.
Sophie, that’s really really good news, so you can have a relaxing weekend without fretting. Brilliant!
Breasts seem to have a mind of their own and things can flare up almost overnight.
As women head into their forties, breasts change naturally, and sometimes these natural changes make the breasts lumpier than usual. It’s good that they’re asking you to keep the appointment you have because that will give you the chance to ask any questions you may have, and to get some reassurances and a fuller explanation of the path report they have received. You may even be able to get the registrar to do an ultrasound and point out the various bits that were checked and show you. He might be a bit more forthcoming with explanations now they are happy that there isn’t anything in there to worry about.
Well done for the great results, I’m very happy for you. As for being sore, your poor boob has been stabbed with a biopsy needle so don’t be surprised if you have shooting pains or general aches as a result of the biopsy. Don’t know about yours but my poor boob was all colours of the rainbow for weeks and I got all sorts of odd twinges.
Good point about my next appointment, I’d like to know more about what it actually is and this will give me chance to ask questions, but think what you’ve said is right- boobs just have minds of their own!
I don’t have any bruising where the needle went in which is wierd- but then there’s not much boob to bruise in my case lol.
Thank you for all your kindness and support- it’s really helped me through this scary and rocky time and I really appreciate it.
On the biopsy front my boob is still sore from the stabbings which happened in the middle of november, i worried about this too but had my consultant check it out and reassure me.
When you go for your next appointment i would ask for an ultra-sound if poss as this can show up things that can be missed on a mammogram, although it sounds like evryone is pretty sure about what’s what.
Yes, do ask for an ultrasound for that extra reassurance. My tumour couldn’t be seen on mammogram but was visible on ultrasound. The doc checked out other side really thoroughly and I felt so much better when the doc said she couldn’t see anything of any concern at all.