Hello,
I’ve been lurking on here for a few weeks, and have been very impressed and moved by the community here.
About 8 weeks ago I noticed a reddish mark on my right breast about 2 inches above the nipple. I had just returned from somewhere tropical and thought it was perhaps a mosquito bite as it looked a bit like the many others I had elsewhere. However, it didn’t itch or anything. I don’t remember whether it disappeared or whether I just ignored it, but about 3 weeks after that I noticed there was a hard, fixed lump directly underneath the red mark, which by now was more purple-ish. On close inspection, the bruise looks a little bit like lots of tiny blood vessels all close together. It’s about the size of a 10p piece.
The lump that I can feel is about 1.5 cm in length and seems to be wedged into the tissue. I can’t move it, but I can move the skin over it freely. It feels like a small jelly bean - about that hard, and about that smooth.
I went to the doctor immediately and she referred me to the clinic on the 2 wk wait. As I knew would inevitably be the case, the appt came through for the very last day of the 2 wk period, which was the same day I had to go away on a work trip for a week. So I now have an appt on Mon 21st May which will be a total of 4 wks after I first went to the doc.
The doctor said it felt to her like “an infected node”. I can’t seem to find out what that means. She asked me repeatedly if it was tender, which it isn’t.
I have been doing a ridiculous amount of googling, which I know is counter-productive, but the waiting is driving me insane. The question I really want an answer to is - I know that 9 out of 10 lumps turn out to be benign, but what’s the percentage of fixed, hard lumps that turn out to be benign?
Also, I keep reading that cysts and fibro-wotsits are smooth too, but also that they are squishy (cysts) and freely moveable (fibros) - which my lump isn’t.
I should add that I am 41, I have never had children, I have PCOS, and I am about four stone overweight. I feel like, if I do have breast cancer, I have brought this on myself. I knew I was high risk and should’ve looked after myself better.
Anyway, I’m just rambling really. I will know more on Monday. I’m just very terrified because I’m self-employed and I’m also single. I have no-one to take care of me except myself.
I feel terrible writing these things when I haven’t even been diagnosed and there are people in such dire circumstances on here. But my mind keeps running away with me.
Thanks for listening xx
Hi CalaLuna,
I am sorry you have found yourself with this worry I know how I was when waiting for hosp appt. I am not sure about stats for your type of lump sorry just wanted to say hello. I am also single and live alone and I coped with all the treatment surgery chemo and rads and you will too if it comes to that. You will find friends rally to help and sometimes it is just nice to be on your own!!! I am sure there will be others along soon to reassure and with better advise.
Good Luck for your appt on Monday I hope you get the answer you want
Jill
Hi CalaLuna
Whilst you are going through this difficult time of waitng for your appointment and results, if you need to talk things through and just have some extra support please don’t hesitate to give the BCC helpline a call on 0808 800 6000.
Here you can share your concerns with a trained member of staff who will offer you emotional support as well as practical information. The lines are open Monday to Friday 9 to 5pm and Saturday 10 to 2pm.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes Sam, BCC Facilitator
Thank-you for replying, I appreciate it. I’ve now had a letter to say my appointment has to be changed. Only to the following day so it’s nothing really, but still an extra day of worrying…
Hi CalaLuna
Do not blame yourself cause there are so many on here who are not overweight, teetotal etc and still have bc, so please do not worry yourself silly.
Perhaps you can phone clinic and ask if you can come in earlier, they maybe able to help, there might be cancellations etc.
Hopefully everything will be fine so take care, keep posting, keep busy, anything to keep dark thoughts out of your head,( easier said than done!!!) As everyone says waiting is the worst time ever. Fingers crossed for you xx
Hiya…I no how you are feeling I’m waiting to be seen at the moment and it’s driving me crazy…please don’t blame yourself that’s the last thing you want to do…hope your appointment goes well thinking of you xx
Thanks Katy and Cara for your support.
Cara, I saw your post and think it’s terrible that you haven’t had an appointment yet, if you don’t get any joy on Monday you really need to kick up a fuss. Just as a bit of added stress, I am also waiting for a shoulder operation at the moment, I’m in such a lot of pain with it and I was referred to the surgeon in January this year and FIVE MONTHS later I still haven’t had an appointment. Well this morning, after weeks of being fobbed off, I phoned the hospital and literally sobbed down the phone to them - not something I’d ordinarily do - but what else can you do when nothing else works? Now as if by magic I suddenly have an appointment next Friday. You should try this too if they don’t get their act together 
So now I have *two* separate hospital visits to look forward to next week. (And of course, my mind is completely running away with me and convincing myself that the reason I have such severe shoulder pain is because the (as yet completely undiagnosed) cancer has spread to my bones… it’s ridiculous what all this waiting can do…
Take care everyone xxx
I did everything right to avoid BC - diet, exercise, no hormone treatments or contraceptives ever, and I still got it so don´t beat yourself up on top of everything else…
Shoulder pain from any kind of breast problem, mastitis, bruising etc (ie not just cancer) can cause pain in shoulder area, mine was really bad for weeks beforehand, its because the nerves and muscles are connected so you get strain
I think that will be my plan if I don’t have an appointment though by Monday, my friend is all for driving to the hospital and staying there until im seen haha…I’m a bit like you…every niggle and I’m thinking it’s cancer…the not knowing and waiting is just so hard…it’s great to talk to people who are in the same boat…my biggest problem is I can’t stop touching the area, people will start to think I have a problem…hope everything goes well at both appointments xx
Thanks Sascha and Cara. Trying to just hold it together for the last 48 hrs before my appointment on Tuesday. The worrying and panic definitely seems to get worse the closer you get. I keep worrying about how I’m going to cope with my work if I get bad news this week. I have got so much on (which is good in a way as takes my mind off it) but no-one to palm it off to as I’m self-employed. Anyway… hope you will get somewhere with the hospital tomorrow Cara. xxx
Good luck for tomorrow will be thinking about you, I no how hard it is to keep it out of you mind, my house has never been so clean just trying to do anything I can to stop thinking about it, I have still not got an appointment called the hospital today but they couldn’t help me said thy would get someone to call me this week with an appointment so here’s hoping they are true to their word…please let me no how you get on tomorrow xx
Been to the clinic this morning. I have had a fine needle biopsy and have to go back in two weeks for an ultrasound and mammogram. I’m not exactly sure why it’s being done this way round, or why I couldn’t have the other tests today. The good news is that the consultant said he suspects it is a fat necrosis. He said his suspicion was ‘low’ that it was anything else.
I think I had so convinced myself it would be different news, I can’t seem to remember what he said after that. I think he said the biopsy results will be sent to my GP, but I wonder, will they call me with them or what? How long does it take?
Anyway, I guess I will be back in the clinic in a fortnight for the imaging tests, and hopefully by that point they will be able to give me a definitive diagnosis. I know I just need to pull myself together now, but I still feel a bit wobbly.
Thanks everyone for your support. Cara, I hope you get your appointment soon, I really feel like they are giving you the runaround xx
Hiya…so glad you were seen today, hopefully all the tests will still come back ok…I’m still waiting for an appointment…still no word from the hospital, hopefully you will be ok…thinking about you xx
One of the other ladies’ directed me here, to your post. Fat necrosis, hey? I am about read up on FN. Have you had a trauma to the breast?
I have and I quote “may represent fat necrosis” from my report, which I am challenging. However, while fat necrosis is benign, it is important to know definitely that it is fat necrosis, which can mimic a carcinoma. I had a lumpectomy, which apparently caused trauma, fat necrosis are common after reconstructions. However, I am intrigued as to why you are having your FNA first, and then a mammogram with a follow up ultra sound?
Thanks Cara and Sommer43 for your messages.
I also have the same questions as you Sommer43. You’re probably a lot more informed than I am, but I have also read up on lot on this and understand that it can be quite a challenge to definitively diagnose a lump as a fat necrosis and also that it can mimic a carcinoma. I haven’t had a trauma to the breast that I can remember. I’ve also never had surgery.
I phoned the BC clinic just now to let them know I’m on holiday 2nd week of June and they said they are running behind with imaging appointments, so my ultra/mammo won’t be until at least w/c 10th June now. I also asked when I would get the results of my FNA and they said it takes 6 weeks!! (Which is why I have another appointment on the 6th July I suppose). This has troubled me because I thought it would only take a few days. I questioned this over and over on the phone and they were adamant this is normal. Not sure what to do now.