Hi everyone, I’ve been trawling through the forum for a week or so now and finally plucked up the courage to make a post. Last week I found a lump on the outer edge of my left breast - found it just by chance so I don’t know how long it’s been there. It’s about 1.5cm diameter and feels like a marble, it’s quite moveable and doesn’t hurt to touch. I’ve been putting off seeing my doctor because I was foolishly hoping it would go away, but it’s not got any smaller and it’s definitely still there. Over the past couple of days my right breast has started feeling tender and im sure it’s a bit bigger than before - it’s always been slightly bigger than the left so I’m not sure if it’s just my mind going in hyperdrive. Last night and today I’ve been experiencing slight stabbing pains in both breasts, I wouldn’t say they’re painful as such but they’re obviously worrying.
I’m so worried that it’s something really awful…have made an appointment with the doctor for 9am Wed morning and I know I shouldn’t worry myself silly until I know more but unfortunately it’s in my nature to be like that!! I just can’t focus on anything at the mo (doesn’t help that I have my driving test tomorrow lol), I’ve been yo-yoing between ‘I’m being stupid’ and ‘I’m going to die’ all week. I really don’t feel like myself at the moment…can’t talk to anyone and I’m constantly on the verge of tears. I keep thinking about the people I love because I don’t want to hurt them…even started thinking about how I’d tell my bosses lol.
Sorry for the rant lol, I must sound like a hypersensitive idiot…but I just can’t stop worrying. I know BC is very rare at my age, but equally I know it’s not impossible. I’m lucky never to have had anything worse than viral conjunctivitis in the past lol. But that just makes me think I’m ‘overdue’ something bad…I know that sounds daft. But I’m so scared
Lots of love and hugs to everyone, it’s been really helpful and comforting to read your experiences and thoughts. Helped me get things into perspective - I’m glad I’ve made a dr’s appointment at least - but like I said, I’m a 5’8" bundle of nerves lol
Hello. Well done for making the GP appointment - you’ve done the right thing. As you say BC isn’t common in younger women but it is possible. It’s very likely to be benign (a cyst, fibro-adenoma etc) - but it needs looking at.
Good luck for Wednesday and also good luck for your driving test ! Let us know what happens. Best wishes Anthi x
So sorry you’re having such a bad time.
Believe me, I’m exactly the same. Thinking one minute - get a grip, it’ll be nothing, then next minute thinking about having to have sick leave to have treatment, lol.
Perhaps you have someone who you can tell & take to the Dr’s with you hun?
We know that worry makes us worse & causes other physical problems (not sleeping, not eating feeling sick, anxiety etc etc lol), but you can’t switch off your feelings.
All the best for your driving test.
You can always private message me if you want - I’m on & off here alot at the mo, lol!!!
Welcome to the BCC discussion forums, you’ve come to the right place for some good support.
I have put for you below the link to one of BCC’s publications that you might like to read before your hospital appointment on Wednesday it explains what is likely to happen at this first appointment. Hope it helps. If you need someone to talk to in confidence then please do phone the freefone helpline, the staff are here to support you.
I just wanted to wish you well for tomorrow. It’s crazy how our minds work isn’t it, I kept playing out scenerios in my head, thinking how would I tell people.
Waiting is definitely hard, but you’ve done the right thing, I could have quite easily ignorned my symptoms, but that doesn’t help anyone does it.
Hi guys, thanks for the comments It’s such a comfort to know I’ve can retreat here if it’s comes to the worst. It’s horrible not having any definite answers, which is why I knew I had to see the GP whether I wanted to or not…I think the uncertainty is enough to drive anyone crazy. Whoever said ‘ignorance is bliss’ was clearly mistaken lol.
Pompeyfan - I’ve told someone (took me about 5 days!!) and he’s going to meet me after my appointment so I can have a good cry if I need to. I don’t want to tell my mum until I know I have something to worry about! Will be sure to drop you a message if it gets too much
Cat, my mind’s gone into overdrive recently, it just won’t let me stop thinking until about 9pm where it’s obviously too tired to think anymore and just shuts down completely lol. I’m having a ‘calm’ day today…the calm before the storm I guess!
Oh…and I failed my driving test - left corner reverse let me down again, rest of my driving was spot on! Me and the reverse gear just don’t get on lol!
Hello Little*miss,
just wanted to wish you luck for tomorrow. Its a really stressful time and I hope that things go well for you. Going to your GP is the right way to go, but please come here if you need to ‘talk’. Be thinking of you
best wishes
monica xx
Hi all, just a quick update…went to my GP this morning and unfortunately he was no use at all, apart from referring me to the breast clinic (he wasn’t even sure if it would at the hospital down the road from me or the one 25 miles away!). As soon as I told him what the problem was he seemed a bit uncomfortable…he left the room to get a female witness (which I didn’t object to but I wasn’t really given the choice!) and didn’t ask me undress before having a prod about, in the specific area I pointed out - nowhere else, even though I’d said I’d had a few pains in the right breast too. I’m no medical expert but I don’t see how he could gauge anything from such an unthorough examination except to clarify that I’m not some mentalist who’s dreamed up a lump!
After the ‘examination’ he said something to the effect of ‘it can’t be cancer because of your age’…!! That obviously doesn’t go any way towards allieviating my anxieties as there’s no medical reasoning whatsoever behind it, just seemed like he thought I was overreacting. Doesn’t seem like I have much choice but to sit and wait for my appointment to come through with no clues whatsoever as to what it might be. I’m trying to get on with my job rather than worrying myself sick, but no matter how rational I try to be I can’t shake the thought that the lump shouldn’t be there and there’s no way it can be anything but bad news…just hope the appointment comes through very soon so that I have some inkling either way…
thanks for all the messages, will be frequenting here a lot over the next few weeks!!
As well as the support you are receiving from the other forum users, as Jo mentioned above, you may find it helps to talk things through with one of our trained members of staff on the BCC helpline.
Here you will be able to share your worries and concerns with someone who will offer you a listening ear as well as information if required. The number to call is 0808 800 6000 and the lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm.
Hi little*miss, Have you seen the post from jbug on a post on this page? I have just sent her a reply and I think you may be able to support each other as you are both in your 20s and have a similar story to tell. The post I have just sent her is really for you too. LOve Val
I am going through a similar thing at the moment too, I am the opposite to yout i think though and I never get worried about anything, but have to say this one is bothering me…I think I even dreamt about it in some strange way last night?!!
I am waiting to hear about a referral, so hopefully it won’t take too long. I hope you get yours soon and sorry to hear about the driving test. It took me until my 3rd attempt to pass mine. x
Thanks Val, have read your post to jbug, it is something of a relief to have the ball rolling. I’m hoping the appointment comes through sooner than later because I am going to make myself sick with worry…lost my appetite as it is. I do feel daft for wittering on after one GP appointment, thanks so much to everyone for your advice, thoughts and kind comments, I really do appreciate it - you’re a lovely bunch xxx
Hey all, just thought I would let you know that I have my appointment at 9.50 tomorrow morning - the letter was waiting for me when I got in from work yesterday. It’s the hospital just up the road from me so at least I don’t have to go far. Finally told my mum and she is going to try and get the day off work to come with me. Dunno what to think now, I’ve put it out of my mind for the last couple of weeks and now I’m starting to worry again…xx
Wishing you good luck for tomorrow… hope all goes well and everything is fine, Just remember 80% of lumps are fine. It’s good someone is going with you it really helps. Let us know how you get on…Big Hugs xxxx
Hi ladies, just a quick update…had my appointment today and both the consultant and the ultrasound guy seem pretty confident that they’re dealing with a fibroadomena (the ultrasound guy said he’d eat his shoes if it wasn’ that…let’s hope he gets to keep his shoes!). It looked exactly like I’d imagined, a 2cm minstrel! They took two samples by FNA (first was fine but the second was nasty!!) to be sure, and I’m going back in first thing Thursday morning to get the results, so fingers crossed.
I must say (after my hoplessly unsatisfactory GP appointment) I was really impressed by the service and the treatment I received at the Breast Clinic…lovely staff, speedy but not rushed service (despite how busy it was…I heard one of the nurses comment that she’d never seen it so busy) and a comforting sense of professionalism - I really felt that they knew what they were doing, and at no point did I feel like I was being dismissed because of my age (none of this ‘it can’t be anything bad because of your age’ nonsense!. I was out of there within an hour and a half and went straight to the shops to finish off my xmas shopping and treat my mum to a special thank you present! Obviously I’m hoping for a good result on Thurs but if not then it’s reassuring to know that I’ll be in good hands (and at a hospital 5 mins walk from my house!)
Thanks everyone for listening and offering support, had a very strange 4 weeks!! Will keep you posted xxx
Really pleased to hear that your appointement yesterday went so well, I 've been following the thread and was wondering how it had gone.
Hoping and praying that the results on Thursday will be good and then you will be able to put the last few weeks behind you and have a brilliant Christmas.
So pleased that everything seems ok and hope results will be too. If nothing else, I hope it has lessened any anxieties you may have had about getting such things seen to and you can pass on the word to others who may go through the worry of such things.
Well I went to get my results this morning and was slightly concerned when a different Dr came to deliver them…thankfully he told me the results show it to be ‘nothing sinister’ and that it definitely seems to be a fibroadomena He then told me I could leave it where it was or have it removed, and I opted to have it taken out. I chose to have a mammotome (?) rather than a full-out op, so I’m now waiting to be booked in for that. They say once they’ve got it all out they will do a final test on it just to make sure that it’s completely harmless, so I don’t think I’ll be 100% at peace til then (I always have to be worrying about something lol).
Obviously I feel relieved, but it’s a weird sense of relief because I know others haven’t been so lucky…and knowing the worry I went through before I’d even been seen by the specialists makes me realise how hard it must be to be diagnosed and have to face treatment. I thought if it was good news I’d wanna get drunk…but more than anything I wanna sleep lol!!
Thank you all so much for all your kind words and wishes, I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t have this forum to publish my woes!! I will keep popping in and be sure to let you know about the mammotome.
Good luck and lots of love to everyone…and Merry Christmas!
xxx
It’s such a comfort to know I’ve can retreat here if it’s comes to the worst. It’s horrible not having any definite answers, which is why I knew I had to see the GP whether I wanted to or not…I think the uncertainty is enough to drive anyone crazy. Whoever said ‘ignorance is bliss’ was clearly mistaken lol.