For the last couple of weeks I’ve been experiencing pain in my right boob and underarm area. I finally plucked up the courage to have a feel around, which made the pain worse, and have detected a lump. I’ve held off going to the Dr until today in case I wasted his time.
Following 2 lumpectomies, a mastectomy and 2 failed reconstructions I’ve been cancer free for over 10 years. Am I jumping the gun her in imagining the worse?
I’m feeling embarrassed because no-one has answered my post - What have I said, is my problem not worthy of a reply? I think I’ll delete my information from this site no more to be seen!
Hi SusieQ16
I’m sorry you haven’t had any replies up to now, I hope someone will be along soon to give you some support.
If you would like someone to talk to please do phone the helpline, the staff here are all either breast care nurses or people who have personal experience of breast care issues and can offer advice, support or a listening ear if this is what you need the lines are open Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturdays 9am - 2pm. The calls are free on 0808 800 6000
Kind regards
Louise, Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
Hi Suzie,
No, don’t feel embarrassed, sometimes people just look at there own posts, I know I do. Sometimes there are just a few people on line.
so to reply, I don’t think you are silly to worry, that’s very understandable. I am glad you are going to talk to your GP. You MAY have after all these years have a new breast cancer or a local recurrence, but I feel that’s not the case. You don’t say how old you are could this be happening around the same time as menopause? That might be a symptom.
I hope all goes well, please post again to let us know how you get on, I hope you don’t have to post for too long!
Take care, chin up.
Carol
Hi Suzie
Only just caught up with this thread, as been on chemo all afternoon. I am sorry no one has replied yet, but as Carol says, sometimes we just look at the threads we are on, this has been my case, as catching up with what some of the ladies I have got to know over the months have been up to, as was in hospital for a week, released last Thursday.
Don’t feel embarrassed, as it just takes longer sometimes for us to reply. I am glad you are going to the docs, or probably been now. I hope that you got on OK and that it is not bc again. Please let us know what they said, and am keeping everything crossed for you that all is ok.
You will find heaps of support on here I promise, just keep posting when you need, please don’t feel you are being ignored.
Take care and sending you lots of hugs
Dawn
x
Hi Susie,
I am newly diagnosed and as such don’t feel I know enough yet to give you any advice.
What I can say, hand on heart, is that you will receive all of the love and support you need from the wonderful ladies (and men) on this site. Please stay, and you will see.
Let us know what happened at your Doctors appointment it is imporatant that you do.
Sending you a huge hug and lots of love.
Dyzee. x
Hi Suzie
I agree with the ladies above,
There is always someone around to offer advice and support, Im sorry no one has been around sooner.
Please let us know how you get on with things?
Best wishes
Lynne.x
Hi everyone
Many thanks for your caring comments and concern - I’m sorry I appeared selfish and peevish.
Firstly may I say how sorry I am to all those who are facing this horrible disease and marvel at the way so many of you are battling it.
The pain I’ve been experiencing is a continuous deep ache in my one remaining boob and underarm area. I have a small, soft lump which is painful to touch just above the nipple. The Dr I visited last night confirmed that she could feel something but explained that breast cancer lumps are fixed and painless. I didn’t wish to appear disrespectful so didn’t mention that all my other lumps had been painful and that it was pain that first made me aware of breast cancer. In view of my history she is arranging a mammo appoinment which will take between take 2-3 weeks to come through.
I e-mailed a Dr friend and she told me I could hurry the process up if I contacted the screening clinic myself. When I called they pointed out that I was on the three-yearly programme and as they only have two clinics per week, I would have to wait my turn and that my appointment time depended on what the Dr wrote in her letter.
So, I’ve been well and truly chastised and am feeling (1) guilty at trying to jump the queue and (2) that I should not expect a recurrence between the three-yearly mammo programme!!
I have contacted a private hospital with a view to them giving me pricing - my private health insurance does not cover me for cancer - and am now waiting their reply.
I will be 60 in December and have been cancer free for 20 years (sorry put 10 years in my original post - typo). I sailed through the menopause with no other symptoms than night sweats and hot flushes which, thankfully, have now ceased.
Thank you in anticipation for your responses.
SusieQ16
Hi Suzie
I just wanted to say that I think it’s terrible the way the doctors and hospital have treated you. You must be very frustrated. I also wanted to urge you to visit your doctor again and tell her how worried you are and let her know that you had pain last time you had BC. My mum had BC when she was 48 and had a mastectomy, everything went well and for the next 9 years had no problems, then she started to get a pain in her back. She saw the doctor about this and over the space of a year was constantly dismissed and told it was her age, sciatica etc. Eventually my dad had to beg the surgery manager to make her GP do more tests as he was worried it was to do with my mums BC. The pain turned out to be the re-appearance of her BC which had spread to her bones and was causing the back pain. By the time they had realised what was wrong with her it was all too late. She said that she wished she’d insisted on more tests sooner and that she hadn’t wanted to cause a fuss or doubt the doctors advice. She told me that if in my life I ever suspected anything to be wrong healthwise that I shouldn’t take no for an answer and should never be afraid to make a fuss to get the tests or treatments I thought I might need. I think that you should fight to be seen quickly and have your worries taken seriously. If they find that you are all clear you will feel so much better and it will be worth it. If the worst case scenario was found at least you could start treatment straight away and increase your chances of survival against this awful disease. Please don’t let anyone put you off from having the tests that you are entitled to or make you feel ‘guilty for trying to jump the queue’. Take care and let us all know how you get on.xx
hi Susie
only just caught up with your thread. I’m so sorry to hear the problems you’re having trying to get this checked out, and I agree with the others, you really need to push for an appointment at the breast clinic. You are not ‘jumping the queue’, the two week rule is there to be used. It may well turn out to be nothing to e concerned about but, until you’ve had all three aspects of attending the clinic(examination, mammogram and biopsy) nobody CAN know. Goback to your GP and refuse to take no for an answer.
If nothing else, with your history, you need the reassurance that your concerns are being taken seriously.
That said, the vast majority of lumps seen at the breast clinic are benign, but until you get the checks done you will just worry.
have a hug
x
Hi Ballerina and Quisie
Thanks for your comments.
I have decided to go private on this one - for the princely sum of £600 I “qualify for a package” comprising consultation, mammo, ultrasound and needle biopsy. An expense I could have done without before Christmas - but then, what price life?
We shouldn’t have to pay out for private medicine in a country that was proud of its National Health Service in 1948. Sadly, it has become a bureaucracy run by politicians providing ‘mediocre’ healthcare and performing much less than almost all of its peers in western Europe.
Hi Susie
I agree that it’s an expense you could well do without - shame that you even have to contemplate it. I wish you all the very best when you go for the consultation and that it proves to be benign. I think that if we have had a previous diagnosis of a complaint that has required treatment by a consultant, then we ought to be able to make further appointments at their clinics if we are at all concerned. The nonsense of being ‘approved’ by a non specialist before we can go ahead seems quite bizarre in some ways.
All the best
hugs
Ruth x
Hi Susie
Glad to hear that you will be getting a comprehensive check up…although it is appalling that you have to go private to get it.
It seems a shame that so many people are working on campaigns to make women breast aware and to pluck up the courage to go to the doctors and yet someone like yourself with a history of the disease isn’t given the service they deserve.
Good luck for the appointment …staggeringly expensive but well worth doing.
Take care xx
Hi Susie,
Just caught up with this thread. I come on this site in my lunch break at work, and was off last week so barely looked.
I am outraged that you have had to pay for your screening. With your medical history you should have been seen straight away. When I found my lump it was a Friday night. I had a very worrying weekend, saw my GP late on the Monday and was at the breast screening unit the following afternoon. Under normal circumstances it would probably have been a wait of a week or so but I was due to go on holiday so my GP pulled some strings. Your GP should have been able to do this too.
At least you will now be seen sooner. I wish you well.