Probably fine but still worried

Public Archive
1

Hi all

I found a lump just below my nipple a couple of weeks ago. It’s hard and fairly round, it doesn’t move. I’ve had rashes on my nipples for a long time, which I put down to eczema, but the creams aren’t shfting. I feel that I’m now reading far too much into that of course.

I had a GP appt last Wed, and he said he thinks it’s a cyst. I’m going to the breast clinic on Friday.

The lump has increased in size slightly since I first found it.

I know I am being ridiculous as I am 21, but I am terrified about my appointment. I can’t seem to get a straight answer about what will happen as much of the information is about older women and says that those types of procedures aren’t suitable for someone my age.

The wait for the appointment is so frustrating, I am finding it incredibly distracting at work.

Can someone please tell me what will happen and how long it will take? My appointment is 9.25 and I am hoping to get into the office for the afternoon (takes me almost an hour to get to work).

If anyone else has had these symptoms and can tell me their outcome that would be nice too.

Sorry to witter on for so long.

Aimee.

2

Hi Aimee and welcome to the BCC forums

I am posting a link to the BCC publication about what to expect at the breast clinic which you may find helpful:

breastcancercare.org.uk/healthcare-professionals/publications/worried-about-breast-cancer/*/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/59/

Please also feel free to call our helpline on 0808 800 6000, open weekdays 9-5 and Sat 9-2 where you can talk your concerns through with one of our team.

Take care
Lucy

3

Hi Aimee

The BCC leaflet you’ve been pointed at will probably have most of the answers you’re looking for.

They will probably have a feel of the problem and may well do a mammogram, which is undignified and uncomfortable but no worse than a cervical smear really. They will also be likely to do an ultrasound on the whole breast (not just the lump you’ve found) to see what they find. That usually includes the armpit area too, so don’t be alarmed if they go all over the place and not just on the lump you found.

If they think it’s a cyst they may do a Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) which uses a long and rather scary looking needle but it’s extremely thin so it looks much worse than it feels. It’s a LOT less painful than a wasp sting or a local anaesthetic you’d get at the dentist. This is done while using the ultrasound so they can see what they’re doing. If they can drain fluid out of it they may send a bit of it off to be checked but most likely they’ll just chuck it down the sink!

If it’s not a fluid-filled cyst don’t worry, there are lots of ther things ig could be that are harmless so it is still very likely to be nothing to worry about, but they may want to do a core biopsy just to be sure. The needle for this is much thicker so they’ll give you plenty of local anaesthetic to numb the area, and the anaesthetic is the most painful bit, but again it’s less painful than having anaesthetic at the dentist. If they do a core biopsy they’ll probably make a little cut in your breast and insert the needle into the area to be tested, then they press a button and you’ll hear a sound like a stapler! But don’t worry, you shouldn’t feel anything because of the anaesthetic. They might need to take several samples. They might also take a still picture from the ultrasound, which is sent off with the samples. They will put a couple of steristrips over the small cut and then a sterile dressing, and this heals up completely and on me left no sign of a scar.

When I was there I also asked them to take a very good look at the other breast just to make sure and they were very happy to do so, to put my mind at rest.

All of this is just a list of possibles. Don’t worry if you don’t have all of these, or have other checks.

The waiting for the appointment, and then if necessary the waiting for results, is really horrible and we all know that because we’ve all been there, but you can be assured by some of the statistics, that the younger you are, the less likelihood that it’s anything to worry about, and also around 9 out of 10 lumps referred to breast clinics turn out to be harmless conditions that are NOT cancer.

Let us know how you get on, we like good news!

4

Hi both,

Thank you for this information - the BCC leaflet was useful thank you; it’s a lot clearer than information I’ve read on other sites.

ChoccieMuffin, thank you for explaining things in your own words, it really helped clarify things.

I just felt a bit alone in this, my mum’s only just been for her first ever breast screening and other than that I’ve only mentioned this to my 24 year old partner.

Can anyone give me an idea of how long the appointment should last?

I will definitely be back with results - when you’ve invested time helping someone it’s nice to know the outcome.

Thank you.

5

Hi

On both occasions that i went as a referral i was about an hour late for my appointment.

it then depends on what you have done.

My example: Appointment at 1.00 but in at 2.00, then waited for mammogram, then waited for ultra sound, then waited to see consultant. Out at 6!

6

Thank you for the information about times - oh dear, I fear there may be much delegating of work on Friday in this case! Shall take a magazine.

7

Hi,

I think the waiting times vary from place to place. My clinic was really good, I was in and out in less than an hour. This included an examination by the nurse, ultrasound, then mammogram and back for core biopsy of lump and lymph node under ultrasound.

Hope all goes well for you.
J

8

Thanks J - that’s good to hear. And thanks for the well wishes. I know I haven’t said much on here and I only posted first this morning, but I am feeling at lot calmer just from getting this kind of info.

9

my consultant always runs late as he likes to chat and get to know his patients so his clinic never runs on time.

i recently had a solid smooth lump in my most recently affected breast… i was worried because it felt firm and thought this was a bad sign however it was a solid cyst called an inspissated cyst.

my consultant had a feel and sent me for a scan but was pretty sure it was a cyst when he felt it and he was right… they did stick a needle in it but didnt need to send it off as they could see that it was a cyst at the time.

hope all goes well with your appt.
Lxx

10

Thanks L, it’s good to get more information.

I got my letter from the clinic when I got in from work yesterday, and have read it over and over.

I hope to be one of the ones where just a quick feel gives an answer - it says that if you need tests it will take up to four weeks for results; I just couldn’t bear that.

I quit smoking in December (I’ve never been a very heavy smoker) and I keep going over what if it is something bad; I’ll have done it to myself. I’m making myself a bit ill.

11

Well done for getting this checked out. 9 out of 10 lumps are nothing to worry about but it is still better to make sure xx

12

xx

13

Aimee, you’d be REALLY unlucky if it’s anything other than a cyst or a benign something or other, but well done for taking it to the doc and getting a clinic appointment.

And very well done for giving up smoking too. Please don’t let the stress of all this push you back to them, it would seem a shame as you’ve had a month of no fags.

The press reports of recently have really annoyed a lot of us on here, as your typical reporter hasn’t got a clue about what statistics actually mean! For someone aged up to 29 (so that’s you), your chance of developing breast cancer are 1 in 2,000, so much better than the 1 in 8 that’s been bandied around. (If you were 90 then that’d be different, but you’re just a baby.)

Please come back and tell us the good news after your appointment.

CM
x

14

Hi there I hope your appointment goes well on Friday.
I would just like to point out that doing a mammogram on someone your age is often not done because of the density of the tissue its hard to see anything. Of course it all depends on what they find.
I had my first breast problems when I was 26 and they told me this when I questioned as to why I wouldnt have one. They did several ultrasounds and I was booked in for a biopsy.
The waiting is the hardest part really. I am currently waiting for an appointment as I have been referred for the 3rd time in 5 years to the breast clinc.
I hope you feel a bit less daunted about it all. Everyone on here has always been very helpful.

15

Thank you for your kind (and indeed wise) words Mary Grace. You are, of course, right. Thank you.

Choccie Muffin, thank you for those statistics - I feel a little stupid now but because of all these 1 in 8 statistics which have been on the news constantly the past couple of weeks (and I have to watch the news a lot for work) I have been even more worried. It did come across that the 1 in 8 applied to everyone. In fact, 1 in 8 was mentioned in my letter from the hospital. Knowing this isn’t exactly true has helped me to breathe, thank you.

16

Thank you for your well wishes concerned - I am sorry you’ve had to go through this on numerous occassions - I hope that your appointment comes soon and goes well. People on here certainly are lovely, feeling less lonely now.

17

Hi all

I’m back from the hospital. I have a fibroadenoma and some calcification of the breast tissue. So all fine.

The doctor didn’t speak English well at all and wasn’t very friendly I am sorry to say. But you have all been so helpful, thank you so much, and best of luck to everyone.

Thank you.

18

Hi Aimee

Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your good news, it’s always nice to hear someone leaving The Waiting Room by the All Clear door!

You’re doing the right thing EVERY time you find a lump, so don’t feel stupid and don’t feel you’re bothering people unnecessarily. If it had turned out to be something worrying you’d be so upset if you’d just left it, wouldn’t you. So you keep going back if you find anything!

CM
x

19

Fantastic news for you Aimee,

Glad it has worked out well xx