Hi there I am hoping that someone will be able to give me some advice on this one. I’m a 36 year old mother of three and in November last year I found a lump whilst in the bath. I gave it a couple of weeks but it was still there so I visited the doctor. He told me not to worry but he sent me to the breast clinic for checks just to be sure. A couple of weeks later I was sitting in the waiting room. I had a mamogram and the nurse checked my lump and then said I should also have a ultrascan. I then had the scan and went in to see the Consultant.
She told me that the mamogram and scan were both clear and that the lump was probably normal breast tissue. So I went away happy.
Since then I have been back to my doctor as I started to get a little discharge from my nipple. Again this was checked and came back ok. I still get the discharge, which is clear, and now I have pain in my breast as well. Should I go back to my doctor? I would be grateful for any advice.
Hi
I would certainly go back to the GP and explain all the symptons. I have a freind who has discharge from her nipple and its now 8mnths on and no-one is doing anything about it but to me I would think thats not right and would like at least an explanation.
Good luck try not to worry but remember you are your boobs are important. Keep us posted.
Hugs
P x
Thank you for that. I just this that you are made to feel you are making a big deal over nothing.
Sian X
Hi Sian
I am being investigated for discharge I have no pain but if I did I would go straight back to the doc as it is a new development in your case. Good luck let us know how you get on.
Yvonne xx
Hi Sian,
If in any doubt it is worth going back to your GP again. You aren’t wasting anyone’s time but merely being reasonable and logical - your health is very important and there is still a problem.
Can I ask you a quick question?
At your visit to the breast clinic did the medics at the breast clinic agree that there was a palpable lump (a lump that could be felt)?
If so I would expect the doctors not only to give you a mammogram and/or ultrasound but take a sample of the lump’s cells using fine needle aspiration or core biopsy as recommended in the NICE guidelines (England & Wales) and the SIGN guidelines (Scotland). This is because the guidelines recommend something known as the Triple Assessment which consists of:
- Clinical examination - the doctor examines you.
- Imaging - mammography or ultrasound (ultrasound tends to get used in younger women because they have denser breast tissue which can mask problems on mammograms)
- Histology (either by fine needle aspiration or core biopsy) where cells are taken from the lump and examined under a microscope by a pathologist.
The Triple Assessment is best clinical practice and is 99.6% accurate.
If the medics agreed that you had a lump and you still have the lump then please make sure that you find out why you didn’t receive the Triple Assessment. Don’t panic - most lumps are benign - but do make sure that you have both the lump and the nipple discharge checked out.
Best wishes,
Sue
Thanks Sue that was very helpful. And just to answer your question the nurse who did my mamogram felt it and then suggested an ultra sound but the Dr just told me it was normal breast tissue and it was just nodules.
Hi Sian,
A couple more questions. Did the doctor tell you that your lump was normal tissue after seeing the mammogram or before? Did the doctor do the clinical examination or was it the nurse?
I notice that on another thread you say that you think that the lump has got bigger.
Go back to the GP and get referred again. Just because a lump has got bigger doesn’t been that is breast cancer (there are benign things such as fibroadenomas and cysts) but better safe than sorry.
In addition the guidelines say that a woman should be referred urgently if she has unilateral nipple discharge.
If you need to look up guidelines they are as follows:
NICE guidelines on breast cancer can be found at:
nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=csgbcguidance
The SIGN guidelines can be found at sign.ac.uk/pdf/sign84.pdf
The NICE guidelines state:
URGENT REFERRAL (within two weeks):
• Patients aged 30 or over (the precise age criterion to be agreed
by each network) with a discrete lump in the breast.
• Patients with breast signs or symptoms which are highly
suggestive of cancer. These include:
• Ulceration
• Skin nodule
• Skin distortion
• Nipple eczema
• Recent nipple retraction or distortion ( 3 months)
• Unilateral nipple discharge which stains clothes
CONDITIONS THAT REQUIRE REFERRAL, NOT NECCESSARILY URGENT:
• Breast lumps in the following patients, or of the following types:
• Discrete lump in a younger woman (age 30 years)
• Asymmetrical nodularity that persists at review after
menstruation
• Abscess
• Persistently refilling or recurrent cyst
• Intractable pain which does not respond to simple measures
such as wearing a well-fitting bra and using over-the-counter
analgesics such as paracetamol.
Bilateral discharge sufficient to stain clothes in patients
aged over 50 years.
• Bloodstained discharge in patients aged over 50 years (urgent
referral required if discharge is unilateral).
• Any nipple discharge in patients over 50 years of age.
Again don’t panic. It is very likely that your lump is not anything worrying but do get checked out.
Best wishes,
Sue
Hi Sue,
The Doctor did my examination after the mamogram. I know I shouldn’t be worried and I should try to put it to the back of my mind it’s just that something doesn’t feel right and I just can’t put my finger on it. Thanks for all the info it’s very helpful.
Sian X
Hi Sian,
Just get checked out.
Best wishes,
Sue