Recently found a lump in my breast and I have been referred to a breast clinic I am 52 in may. This is so scarey, I’m at a loss on how to deal with this. Unfortunately I did Google and that’s made things feel worse.
Hi Gemmys,
Thankfully you have found the lump & have now been referred, so although that doesn’t feel like it, that’s good. There’s nothing more you need to do.
Mostly, there is a more common reason for the lump & mostly it is not bc, but if on the off chance it is, then it will get sorted out. There are loads of us here who have been through bc treatment & are getting on with life, so it’s certainly not the end of the world IF you do get diagnosed.
Best to stay away from google, it’s not helpful & only feeds anxiety for no good reason. Try to carry on with things as normal & distract yourself - although, easier said than done of course!
If you want to, let us know how you get on
ann x
gemmys
Just wanted to say hello and to echo ann’s very good advise.
We are all here for you whenever you need support be that questions or just sounding off
And please please keep away from Dr Google, he is not a very good one
Helena xxx
Thank you Ann, I feel in a daze, I was in hospital in December and told I have a bowel condition and now this, I am trying to be strong but I’m so scared of the unknown. I will do what I can to be strong.
Thank you Helena my name is linda. At this moment I’m not really coping my minds racing and I just can’t help but fear the worst, I pray all will be okay. X
It’s the fear of the unknown that’s the worst bit, Linda & the mind certainly does go into overdrive in filling in the gaps.
Honestly, even IF you do get a diagnosis, treatment is excellent now & can be quite straightforward. I got an early bc diagnosis after routine mammo 2 years ago, treatment was quite straightforward & back to life as normal within a few months. It’s rarely as bad as we imagine.
Thankfully, you will soon get this sorted out.
ann x
Thank you for being here I felt so alone have no partner and don’t like worrying and putting it on my sons. Your strength will be in my thoughts and I am great fun for your advice x
Greatful*
Thanks Helena and Ann, yes I’ve a appointment for 7th March, the lump seems to go up and down, been trying not to keep touching it. Going into work today to keep myself busy couldn’t go in yesterday I was consumed with fear, worry, anxiety and crying. You are both strong and inspirational your words have kept me going. Xxx
Thanks for your kind words, Linda.
I’m sure Helena would agree, that we are no stronger than anyone else, just further down the line, that’s all. We all deal with this if we have to & chances are it won’t come to that for you. Even IF it does, then thank goodness it would have been picked up & can then be dealt with.
ann x
Hi, I feel for you. I’m in the same position, saw my gp last Wednesday about a lump in my left breast and have an appointment on 6th march at the breast clinic. I too have googled and scared myself to death, although i do feel a bit better after reading on here about how life can return to normal after treatment. I’ve had a benign breast lump in my right breast since I was about 27 (I’m 55 now) and I’ve had routine mammograms which showed nothing in my left, so I know this is a new lump. Gp said it felt like a thickening. Got such a bad feeling about it. xx
Hi, thank you both for your replies and support. It’s helpful to discuss my fears with people who are going/been through it. I haven’t told my family, I don’t want them worrying about me and I wouldn’t want them to know how worried I am. I’ve stopped googling now and just been looking through the posts on this forum and what I’ve read is quite reassuring. Fingers crossed we’re both worrying unnecessarily, maybe sharing our worries this week will help get us through it? Sharon xx
Hi, Sorry I didn’t reply sooner, imagination has been in overload this last few days. Before I found my lump I had been off work for 3 weeks with severe back/hip pain. From nowhere this thought pinged in my head, what if I have breast cancer and it’s already spread to my bones. I had to ring my gp for a new sick note so I mentioned it to her expecting her to reassure me. However she simply said she understood my concerns but it would have to be very advanced to do that and let’s just take one step at a time. Strangely after the conversation I didn’t go into panic mode, I sat there and thought well, I wasn’t expecting that! Serves me right for asking! Anyway I’m calm again at the moment, the main thing I’m dreading is the mammogram, I hate having my very small boobs squished, but accept it’s only for a minute so have to grin and bare it. How are you coping? xx
Sharon and Linda
I know that this might not be the answer, but what you are going through is totally natural, it is fear of the unknown and your anxious mind is taking over your rational thoughts. You are both nearly there, try to keep in mind that there are a lot of benign breast conditions it can be.
Sending you both lots of hugs
Helena xxx
You’re absolutely right Helena and in my ‘sane’ moments I can totally accept this. I’m usually the type that doesn’t worry about anything until it’s a proven fact. My GP says the painkillers I’m taking for the back/hip pain can make you feel really down and because I’m fairly immobile at the moment I’ve got too much time to overthink everything. At one point this week I was so convinced it had spread to my spine I would have been relieved to have a treatable breast cancer diagnosis! I know that’s an awful thing to think and totally irrational and I feel so stupid now but that’s what I mean about my imagination working overtime.
Sorry I’m probably no help whatsoever to you Linda, apart from reassuring you that it’s normal to be having these awful thoughts. Sharon xx
Hi Linda, hope you’ve had a reasonable weekend and not like mine where I’ve convinced myself I’m on my way out and been planning my funeral! ? Can’t believe how stupid I’m being and how much my emotions are swinging from low to high and back again numerous times in one day! As for tomorrow, I can’t decide if I’m anxious to get it done and over with or dreading it possibly being the start of a living nightmare. I feel like I’m dramatising but I’m shocked at myself with how I’ve reacted to this, I’m peri-menopausal so I wonder if that’s why my emotions are all over the place? Anyway, just to let you know you’re not going crazy, or if you are then that makes two of us. Sharon xx
Thank you Helena and Linda. I’m actually feeling strangely calm at the moment and almost accepting that what will be, will be. There’s nothing I can do to change the outcome tomorrow so I’ll just hope for the best. I’ll let you know tomorrow. Thanks for your support and the pants ? xx
Hi Linda, thank you so much for your prayers! They worked and I’ve been given the all clear! Apparently the lump I felt has been noted on previous mammograms but no-one told me about it so I thought it was new. In fact it was first seen in 2008. The lady who did the ultrasound said I have ‘busy’ breasts which means I have multiple fibroadenoma in both breasts and cysts in my right breast but nothing suspicious or worrying. I can’t explain how relieved I am. My thought and prayers will be with you tonight Linda and I hope I can return the good vibes and you get the all clear tomorrow!
Thank you to Helena for your support and the ‘tough pants’. They certainly came in handy. I sensed when I saw the consultant at first that she was worried and when she gave me the results at the end she admitted it had crossed her mind that I had breast cancer that had spread to my spine when she saw me on crutches because of back pain. But I got the all clear so your words of wisdom were spot on!
Best wishes to you both, love from Sharon xx
Excellent news Linda! So pleased for you. The relief is overwhelming isn’t it? You will sleep well tonight, as I did last night. This forum has been so helpful when we’ve been at our lowest and I thank all you ladies for that. Best of luck for the future! ? Love Sharon xx