I am 29 years old and mother of 2.
I had found a lump in my left breast 6 years ago, it really hurt and it wasn’t nice, it turned out to be a cyst.
On the 2nd of this month I found a lump in my left breast again, as far as I remember it is in about the same place, the difference is that this lump doesn’t hurt, I have been to the doctor and he was going make an appointment for me to have an ultra sound, it is the 18th now and I still haven’t heard anything from the hospital.
The lump is still there and I have sharp shooting pain going into my left armpit and have a stiff neck and shoulder ache, I have constant thirst, and can’t sleep sometimes (stess, worry) other times I can’t stay awake.
Can someone please tell me if these could be symptoms of breast cancer??
Welcome to the Breast Cancer Care discussion forums, I hope you find them helpful.
Whilst you are waiting for the other forum users to reply with their experiences you may find it helpful to talk things through with one of our trained members of staff on the helpline. Here you can share your concers with someone who will offer you a listening ear as well as support and information if required. The number to call is 0808 800 6000 and the lines are open Monday to Friday 9 to 5pm and Saturday 9 to 2pm.
They are there to help you please do give them a ring.
Sorry you are having such a worrying time. There are lots of different symptoms of breast cancer, a lump being a significant one, I have not heard of thirst or shoulder pain. But a lump can also be something benign too as you already know from your cyst. You are doing the right thing by getting it checked out. You are very young and this does count in your favour but I would suggest you keep pushing for an appointment as you wont have peace of mind until it is thoroughly checked. Make sure you are 100% satistied with the checks that they do.
Sleeping issues can be a mechanism for coping with stress either too much or not enough- but mention it at your app. In fact tell them everying even if you think it is not relevant- let them decide
Sorry you are having a worrying time. I can’t say about your symptoms as everyone is different but you are doing the right thing by getting checked out. I want to say try not to worry too much but i know it’s hard when your waiting for appointments and checks.
Could you call your doctor and try to ask when your appointment is? The helpline here are good too, they are lovely and it’s nice to speak to someone rather than worry alone.
Let us know how it goes and i hope everything works out well for you.
thank you for being so kind.
I did phone my doctor back, he said I should come in straight away and I did.
He has made another appointment with the breast clinic for me and hopefully I will get this appointment.
When he was doing the exam again he did look worried, but maybe I just read to much into it.
Thanks again. xx
Hi Mirror, I had a lump in my breast many, many years ago, wish was benign, after a mammogram in January, they found another lump under the scar, mine was cancer, but it does not mean yours is! l had no other sypmtoms. Just pleased they found it, because l could not feel it!
As for your symptoms, do you think you are aggravating it, by keep touching the lump, sometimes the more we press the more it hurts, if this is the case try not touching it for a week, easy said than done, because we all want to wake up and find it gone! Mine had spread to the lymph nodes, but l had no pain, which l wonder if it is because you keep touching it?
As for the stiff neck and shoulder pain, that is really probably down to stress, you are probably very uptight and your body is feeling tense, try taking some pain killers see if your body relaxes after them. The thirst is again probably down to stress, your body is so stressed and your breathing is possibly through the mouth, hence making you thirsty, whereas we usually breath through the nose, but when stressed we take to take bigger gulps through the mouth, anyway it will do you no harm to drink lots.
If it is 16 days since you saw your GP, then a call to the surgery to ask what is going on is not out of order, can do no harm to ask, rather than worry
Good Luck
Sandra xxx
Mirror - You don’t say whether the first lump was a fluid-filled cyst. If so, and it was drained, they can fill again. I had them on more than one occasion in my left breast. However, the lump in my right breast turned out to be cancerous. So, as the others have said, it is best to get it checked out. I don’t think pain, or otherwise, is any sort of clue. We are all different. Any of the symptoms you describe could just be coincidence or due to the stress of it all. You will be amazed how quickly they can disappear if given the all clear!
As far as waiting for your appt goes, my understanding is that you should be seen within two weeks, so maybe you should ring your GP and find out why you haven’t been contacted yet.
The first lump I think it was a cyst, but no one drained it, I had an ultra-sound and that was that.
I am not as worried as I first was anymore. I don’t keep touching the lump I don’t want to make it any worse. That is one of the reasons I went back to the doctors again
I know the other symptoms can be stress related, I don’t know if any one else has this, but I seem to be more aware of my body at the moment and everything worries me.
And the I will go on the net type in my symptoms, and that is no good for me as it makes me worry more. I don’t do that anymore!!!
I got worried because most of these symptoms were already there before I found the lump, I know I have been making things worse with all the worry, it is easy said don’t worry not so easy done!!
Hello everyone,
I have recieved an appointment finally. I am feeling much better now I have no worries just because it has taken this long too just get the appointment. I do not agree with it though, women with a lump in their breast have too wait 3 and a half weeks too just get a letter and then still wait 2 weeks before going too this appointment, it is not good.
Hi Mirror - I agree with you, that is too long to have to wait, and NHS guidelines state two weeks as the target. If you have a biopsy, there will be a further wait for results, and this can be very stressful. I agree that the BCC Helplines are very good, because talking the possible scenarios through and arming yourself with information help you feel more in control of the situation. Keep posting here too! Good luck,
Love Thorn
Hi everyone, I am well informed about BC but to the point that I made myself ill. I am not worried at all anymore and haven’t felt the lump everyday I still have too check if it is there sometimes.
I just don’t understand why the wait. Other women I have talked too said that they were seen in the first 2 weeks of finding the lump, then came the issue about my age and I think it is that, this is because I am 29 and 6 years ago I had a cyst, that is why I am not seen as quickly, I do know BC is rare in women under 40 but no one has said it was impossible, some even say that BC in women under 40 can be more invasive.
Just venting out give my sweet husband a rest!!LOL
Thank you!!!