I’m new here, but having called the helpline and spoken with a lovely lady, I’ve since phoned my gp to get the ball rolling on having my lump investigated.
A little background - I’m 45 and had a full hysterectomy a little over 2 years ago for lots of benign issues, one being pcos, and I have a tendancy to be a little “lumpy” all over. I’ve previously had a mammogram around 11 years ago after finding a very hard tiny stone-like lump in the side of my left breast. I was told this was a hard cyst and nothing to worry about. Since then I have noted my lumps and cysts, and how they come and go. But now, I have found a lump that has me concerned. It feels very different to all those others, while it’s not hard, it’s not soft and squishy and mobile like the cyclical cysts of the past have been. I’ve monitored it for around 3 weeks and it’s still there as it was when I first found it. It’s at the top of my right breast and feels probably around the size of my little finger tip. I can only feel it with my arm raised in the shower, which is why I have hesitated in taking things further - but, I have had a nagging shoulder pain on this side for a while now and wonder if there is any connection?
Does anyone have experience of this size of lump? Is this small or fairly normal? I’m quite alarmed to be asked to phone the gp in the morning to get an urgent appointment for the same day, but perhaps that’s me wanting to put my head firmly in the sand!
Any tips and advice will be most gratefully received x
As LadyB says & don’t be concerned if your gp refers you to your local breast clinic as this is normal practice as only the clinic can do the investigations required to get to the bottom of it. Mostly, it turns out to be nothing serious. Well done for getting it seen to, you’re not sticking your head in the sand at all!
Thank you both. I’m booked in this afternoon to see the GP. Don’t think it takes too long to be seen in my area so hopefully I’ll get to know soon enough. Not worrying too much at this point, now the decision is made to actually do something about it, I feel much more settled! What will be will be… pretending it’s not there or nothing to get concerned about is much more stressful than actually doing something about it, and putting my mind at ease or facing whatever might need to be done.
One thing for certain, if it is the worst news, it would be even worse news in a years time. If it’s not the worst news then it’s a year of worrying what it might be… xx
My appointment went well. I did see my gps face change a little when I said I was on hrt but I did have things fully explained when I went on it after my hysterectomy. I have been referred under the 2 week protocol and are awaiting my appointment. My husband has been googling and has told me all about what will happen there - bless him but I’ve told him to stop doing that, he’s worrying himself for nothing just now. My lump (I’ve called it Albert) is quite deep and around 2cm. I keep thinking about Kylie Minogue oddly, as Albert is in a similar position to where hers was. I’m very much of the opinion that what will be will be, worrying or not worrying will not change what it is. If its the worst news then finding out asap is the best outcome at this point. I have to admit to feeling an odd sense of euphoria for getting the ball rolling with things, all that worrying was silly, it wasn’t going to make Albert go away on his own xx
Way to go, mrs h! you are so right about getting the anxiety around this into perspective. I did turn out to have an early bc diagnosis & ended up feeling very relieved it was picked up when it was.
Let us know what happens
ann x
I got an unexpected phone call before 9am this morning offering me an appointment, thought it would be next week before I heard anything so that was a surprise. I’m being seen on Wednesday 11th January, first appointment in, and it’s a one stop centre so results on the day. Hubby is coming with me (hopefully, he starts a new job on Tuesday so doesn’t yet know what they’ll say, I would imagine he will be looking for another new job on Wednesday if they say he can’t come with me!).
I am a bit scared, I reckon that’s natural, but I am positive for finding out, whatever the news will be. Really not looking forward to having to break any bad news to my Dad, but we’ll cross that bridge if we come to it. For now, it’s me and the husband, you lovely lot and a few close work colleagues in the know, and that’ll do til we know if we’re going to have any nastiness from Albert in the coming months or not xx
hi again mrs h,
Just bear in mind that if you need a biopsy, then there is another week or 2 for the final results, so you might not get an answer on the day. If its clear what it is, a biopsy wont be needed, but it does not necessarily mean it is bc if one is done, they are just being thorough.
ann x
Thanks Ann, sorry for not replying for a while, got that darn flu thing and it floored me. Just 2 days to go now and Albert hasn’t grown but is definitely still there. My husband is worrying, doesn’t matter what I say to him, he’s still a worrier - he’s the type that feels if he worries enough, it’ll go away, or if it’s not good news, it’ll be because he didn’t worry enough for it to go away!
I’m quite nervous but keen to know what it is. My parents are going away the same day for nearly 3 weeks, so I guess if the news isn’t good, then at least I’ll have more of an idea of what will need to be done by the time they return, I certainly don’t want to be interrupting their time away until we know for sure what is happening (if anything). My Dad doesn’t enjoy the best of health and he’ll only join my husband with lots of worrying.
I’ve been reading some of the threads on the newly diagnosed boards, and can totally relate to not actually knowing much at all about BC. Shall have a good read around the resources before Wednesday comes so I can be a bit more informed x
Thanks, I’m only reading the resources on here, tried downloading at work but it wasn’t having it so have popped on tonight to have a read through. I’ve taken the full day off work as hubby isn’t working tomorrow, so we can spend the afternoon doing something nice, whatever the outcome of the morning is. Shall let you know xx
Firstly - all is well. Albert isn’t nasty, he’s just a bit of a rogue.
After a long old time at the clinic yesterday, involving 6 mammograms and 2 ultrasounds, they had gathered enough evidence to be sure my lump was nothing to be concerned about. So, other than a very sore booby and arm from all that squishing and stretching, I am well.
It seems that I have a little bit of breast tissue that has somehow got itself sat within the fat layer of my skin, so it’s not where it should be, and is presenting as the lump. The final mammogram they did, with a very small plate, was to see if they could squish it back to where it should be - I was quite alarmed at that prospect and it really did hurt, but it seems to have done the trick and there was nothing of concern.
Thank you for the support shown on here, it’s been really helpful being able to get it all out, and I know without a doubt that had Albert been a nasty, the support I would have got on these boards would have been nothing short of marvellous.
I wish you all the very best on your journeys, thanks so much xx