ive had some pain in my left breast and just half hour ago have found a small lump theres no history of cancer in my family but worried because i wont see the doc til monday. should i keep it to myself for now i dont want to worry my adult kids im not sure if talking about it will make it a real possibility of having breast cancer or try to ignore it for now sorry just in a total panic
Hi Wendy and welcome to the BCC forums
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Lucy
oh wendywoo-- what a state you must be in. Cant get to the doctor cos its weekend, keeping it all to yourself, wonderng what on earth it all means.
I found my lump the day my husband was leaving to drive to Denmark, a trip he could not have cancelled, so I did not tell him, he could not have done anything and would have worried all through the week long trip. My 30 year old daughter came to vist, so i booked my appointmen at the docs for the day after she was going to go home. I was not going to tell her , because at this stage its just a lump isnt it? But she mentioned her friends mum had breast cancer, and i felt it would be lying by ommission not to tell her. It was such a relief to discuss it with her, even though at that stage I was only slightly scared. She has since said she would have been realy upset if I had not told her. Once my husband was back and he knew then i sent the boys an email just saying I was off to the docs cos there was this lump, but it was probably nothing.
so its up to you wether you tell your kids, just think, if you are unlucky enough to need more tests or a little op, what would they feel about you not sharing it from the begining.
Now how are you going to cope this weekend till you see the doc? two whole days of worrying about it, or ignoring it, whichever way your brain makes you react, we are all different and everybodies reaction is different.
I was gobsmacked, no cancer in the family, of general good health, active etc. even more gobsmacked to be refered to a breast clinic, and even now do not believe that the lump was cancer, i have had it out and am awaiting radiotherapy but no chemo thank goodness. Its 9 weeks since i found it, and i am now back to normal activity, still feeling whole and hearty.
I would think at your age the doctor is going to refer you for an urgent appointment at a breast clinic. So get on line and see what hospitals are near you and if any of them have one stop breast clinics, or find the one with the best facilities. You might decide its better to travel a bit further to find one that has a one stop clinic, or is a center of excellance. these hospitals can process results so much quicker, sometines on the same day and tend to have lots off support facilities for breast cancer. ( i get a massage after my radiotherapy to make me feel better). You can ask to be refered to any hospital so its good to have that info when you go and see the doctor. My doctor was a bit startled when I said I did not want to go to the local hospital but one furthur away with better facilities, but he did not object.
All i can say to reassure you is that only 1 in 8 breast changes turn out to be cancer, so for every 1 person that needs treatment there are 7 that are given the all clear, but all 8 have gone through the terrible time waiting for appointment, waiting for results etc. Only people on here know what that period is like.
do use this site to help you get through it, ask questions, shout and scream, whatever. It has kept me sane.
Hi Wendy
OAL has said it all, really. A couple of other things to consider.
Don’t google your symptoms indiscriminately, at risk of diagnosing yourself to be dead by last week. If you do want to do a bit more investigating, stick to reputable sites such as this one (look at the Publications section from the Home page for some very useful leaflets), Macmillan, Cancer Research UK, if you need to.
Write down any questions you might want to ask. You’ll be thinking of so many you’ll probably forget them, and then you’ll stress about that, so if they’re written down, you won’t forget them.
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A SILLY QUESTION. If it’s enough to make you wonder, it’s enough to be asked.
This weekend will be horrible, as will the wait for your appointment, and then the wait for your results. The Waiting Room, where you don’t know what your facing, or even whether you have anything at all to face, is just horrible.
But take consolation from the fact that MOST referrals to the breast clinic are NOT cancer. Cysts are very common cause for lumps. I’ve had lots, and had a very alarming one 7 or 8 years ago, which turned out to be a cyst. The doctor drained it instantly, and sent me on my way with no further treatment needed.
As for whether to tell anyone about it, that very much depends on what sort of relationship you have with them. You might get comfort from sharing your worries, or you might feel silly in a week or two’s time when it comes back as all clear that you’ve worried them. Only you can decide, as you know them and how you deal with each other.
Good luck, use the forums as much as you find helpful, or just switch off until your doc’s appointment and clinic appointment, whatever suits you best. A lot of people indulged in frantic housework to take their minds off it. Not me, personally, I find housework far too stressful in its own right! Others have got stuck into those little bits of DIY they’ve been meaning to do, others take themselves out of the house and go out, it’s all very individual for you to find what’s best for keeping you moderately calm.
good luck, and do come back and tell us your good news when you get it, you’ll get the loudest cheer from us lot, because we really understand how horrible The Waiting Room is.