I’ve been a nervous wreck all week. I’m 31 and went to my GP 7 days ago with a huge movable lump in the side of my left breast near my armpit about the size of a golf ball, but oblong not round. It’s been slowly growing for about a year now but I’ve been feeling so debilitatingly exhausted, and the lump is starting to hurt - all the time - so I finally went to the GP. I also told her that two aunts and a grandmother had had BC. She examined me and said there were skin differences too, and given the family history will refer me. So after having consulted Dr Google I knew I should be seen within 2 weeks. I called up Worthing breast clinic and they still haven’t received my referral, another phone call later and it transpires my GP surgery are only getting round to sending my referral today, 7 days later! So you can imagine all the things going round and round my head, I’m a single parent to my lovely 3 year old son, I’m in bits and just want answers but after having called the breast clinic today, they said I’d be seen within 2 weeks of them receiving the referral (which at the time of writing they still haven’t received). I just wanted to vent because I haven’t told anybody and I feel like I’m having a mental breakdown.
Hi, goingcrazy
I know exactly how you feel. The waiting is driving me in sane, slightly different to you as I had/have breast infection and dr carn’t do referral until antibiotics finished! 9 days on, seeing Dr tomorrow and referral will be sent off, so it will be at least another week till seen in breast clinic and bank hols coming up will delay process even more. Brief history, infection started around 16th, tabs subsided infection, left with 2 lumps and skin indent. No cause for infection. I just want to know what’s going on, ive waited longer than i can bare. Hope you get app through soon and then hopefully you can relax a bit knowing that wheels in motion x
Going crazy, you could try showing up at accident and emergency at your main city hospital tomorrow and see if you can get seen by the breast unit that way. It’s unlikely that full staffing will in place on a weekend to get seen by a specialist. Xx
You could call the breast clinic and ask them if it would be possible for you to be considered for any cancellations (if you can be available at relatively short notice), mentioning the delay with your GP sending the referral letter, family history, size of lump and age.
It is a worrying time waiting for tests. While I am aware you have family who have had breast cancer, which understandably will make ypu more concerned, it is also possible it is something else, of a relatively harmless variety, such as a cyst or fibrodeama.
Given you sound so worried by the lump and delay, it may be a good idea to confide in someone you trust and who is generally relatively calm/pragmatic.