Urgent referral to breast clinic

Public Archive
1

Hi

I went to my GP on Friday about a large patch of flaky, thickened skin on my nipple/areola that I cant seem to get rid of. Over the last few months I have tried among other things cocoa butter, bio oil, clotrimazole - just in case it was thrush, and hydrocortisone in case that did anything and all it’s done is slowly get bigger. I was expecting the doctor to maybe give me some stronger cream than the over the counter stuff, but he’s referred me to the breast clinic. After a little google (which I know doesn’t help and I really shouldn’t have done) I am now having a bit of a panic about paget’s disease - because it really looks like that, and the symptoms fit, and I am also panicking a bit about the actual clinic tests and results too. Also I have a tissue expander in the breast that has the issue, been there for a few years, was for breast assymetry, and I am worried that it’ll mean that it’s harder to tell if something is wrong, or that it’ll affect tests in some way.

I should say that I suffer pretty badly from anxiety anyway, so tend to worry about things a lot more than necessary, but this is freaking me out a bit and I don’t really have anyone that I can talk to about it. I’m a single mum with 2 teenagers, so just trying not to let on that I’m worried at the moment.

 

 

2

Hi Floofy,

Anxiety is quite normal when going through this, we’ve all been there!

Although it doesn’t feel like it, it’s good that you have been referred to get to the bottom of it. Try not to worry about the process, the team at the clinic do this all the time & will sort this out for you. 

As you say, please avoid google, it is quite usual to then begin to imagine you have all the worst scenarios & suffer a lot more unnecessary anxiety. 

Most breast changes turn out to be nothing serious & if on the off chance it is more serious, then the sooner it is dealt with the better.

If you can, try to keep yourself distracted, do not think beyond the appointment & it helps to carry on as normal.

Let us know how you get on. 

ann x

 

3

Well done about google, floofydoof!
Hopefully all will be well, it usually is, let us know how you get on.
ann x

4

Good …I’m really glad it’s come through! Remember no amount of worrying will make any difference to anything ( says she who was doolally with anxiety about her recent one year check up lol).