Hope you are all doing well. I have a question about whether you feel confident with doing self-exams.
I finished active treatment last October and am on Letrozole. My right boob where I had the lumpectomy is hurting (more than usual)- have been experiencing quick lightning flashes of
pain for the past week, and feels unusually tender and bumpy. I rang the follow up team and they said pain alone is usually not a sign of anything, just monitor it, and come in for a check up if I think it’s necessary.
I rang today to make an appointment for a breast exam to be on the safe side and the woman I spoke to was a bit dismissive ‘I don’t know what we can do… we won’t do a mammogram’
I explained that though I try to do self exams, I’m not very good at it! I’ve watched the videos but still don’t really feel confident - I didn’t find the original lump (though I did find an earlier lump that was benign!)
And when they have done breast exams at the hospital, they seem to feel things that I don’t (such as raised tissue)
My breast doesn’t feel as familiar since the operation, and it’s hard to tell what is scar tissue from the surgery and the radiotherapy, and what is just residual pain from surgery.
I don’t want to waste their time, and try not to be over-reacting to every little thing. But I did want to say to the lady on the phone ‘how can you tell it’s nothing over the phone? And have you had cancer? Come back once you have, and tell me to chill out!’ 
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Hi, hope you are well. You are doing the right thing by getting reassessed. They are the experts and as you say, they know what they are looking for. I dont feel over confident in my ability either. I was diagnosed after first routine mammogram. Due to having no concerns and work commitments, I nearly cancelled. I am so glad I managed to go. When I was called back, on examination, the nurse could feel an area of thickening. It is only after she got me to feel it too that I was aware. After lumpectomy and radiotherapy, I do now check more regulary but very concerned I miss something. I have my 2nd follow up in 4 weeks time. Although a nervous wreck I am happy to be getting a check up.
Best wishes x
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Thank you Poorlyboob! It is reassuring, getting a checkup, even though nerve-wracking. I kind of wish it was easier to get GP appointments for this, instead of relying on the hospital follow up service. But I’m grateful we have this. Best wishes xx
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I’m on the flipside and have more faith in my spotting an issue than a mammogram does. Probably because I found my lump myself. I suppose we are all products of our own experiences.
I finished radiotherapy back in August and there are still ongoing effects, so your boob is never quite the same after, or takes a long time to settle down. I massage my breast twice a day, so Ive come to know it quite well, thanks to ongoing oedema. Only a few weeks back I developed another cord in my armpit, happily gone now after aggressive massage and stretching…
Still get occasional lighning’ zaps, they were quite frequent initially but a rare occurance now. Sometimes these days, I am aware of a soreness around the site where the tumour was removed, I suspect its just part of the healing process. Radiotherapy effects continue far beyond treatment I have learnt, I am also aware that when symptoms increase, I become more tired in general, I suppose healing takes energy. What you describe doesn’t sound out of the ordinary, but its wise to get anything you are worried about checked out. Not sure what a BCN can do other than refer to others, I doubt feeling another persons breast is a usual part of their role, though they could refer you to radiotherapy late effects team if they exist in your area (I’ve heard some mention this option on here). They make referals based on what people say mostly IME, they seem particularly keen to offer physio referals, to the point where I kept saying ‘no, I can handle it’. That has been the only thing offered up as an option.
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that is interesting Entropy, that is very true about being products of our own experiences! I wish the oedema better. I did visit them once before for a breast exam post radiotherapy, (I don’t think it was a nurse I saw in the clinic) The practitioner I saw felt something too and sent me for a mammogram straight away. Thankfully it wasn’t anything, but the half hour waiting for results from the radiographer was tense! I guess it is just difficult finding a balance between being vigilant and getting on with life.
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I recently felt a ridge in my left breast (had lumpectomy on it march 23) when I was shown how to examine myself, i felt quite confident but then I felt this ridge. I got quite obsessed with it, I made my boob sore constantly prodding it. I eventually decided to contact the team, I missed the call back and tje message said to pop into a hospital and get it checked or if that is too far to ring my surgeons team to make an appointment. This annoyed me because that’s what I thought i was doing! Anyway I have an appointment for the 16th May! I have said that’s too far away but in the meantime, the ridge doesn’t appear to be there! Anyway, I totally understand where you are coming from. They should examine you if yoy have felt changes. Before I found my lump I had armpit pain and was told I couldn’t be referred for just pain, 3 months later I found the lump! I understand you don’t want to waste their time or go in unnecessarily but honestly, I would up the anti and say the pain is unbearable or pain meds don’t help. I thought it was bad enough I was turned away before diagnosis but the fact we’ve had cancer, they should be checking everything. I feel your pain, good luck 
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@MargotL I discovered my breast cancer lump. I have always had lumpy dense breasts, so i wasn’t particularly worried at the time thinking it was just another one of those lumps. How wrong i was. I was no longer receiving mammograms because of my age. I am 76 years of age.
All I can say is to keep checking, keep feeling your breasts so that you will get to know what is normal for you. I too have discovered a lump close to where my tumour was, but I think it is probably from the lumpectomy surgery. I did have a seroma and was told it could take several months to disperse, but of course it could be almost anything, including (hopefully not) another tumour?
I will be going to see the oncologist on Friday, so I will ask for a breast examination, or book an appointment to go back to have one, just to be safe. I have had painful breasts too, including armpit pain but I have it in both breasts. My right breast had the tumour. My lymph nodes have been a bit swollen, so I have probably got something going on.
You are not wasting anyone’s time. My team told me to phone at any time if I was worried about a new lump.
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thank you @sprout78! I will go in next week, which is good - good to know you’ve got an appointment too, though sorry you have to wait so long. About you not being referred when you had pain, I’m so sorry! It is frustrating when we’re not listened to. I appreciate they are trying to be reassuring but what is really reassuring is being listened to and given an appointment…
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thank you @angelina! Good luck with your appointment (or hope it went well, if it was today.) I wasn’t concerned at my initial mammogram too, because I’d had a benign lump removed in the past, so I was sure this was another one. Honestly boobs are such a liability! I’m grateful for the NHS but I feel like we have to push push push sometimes to get seen and heard.
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Definitely. Hope your appointment goes well and it’s nothing to worry about x
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