Very anxious abt appointment

[charlie_3]

Hi, a few months ago I found a quite big breast lump and when I went to the doctor, she told me to come back in 3 months if it had not gone away. I am a teenager, and I understand that the risk is very low, but that seemed quite irresponsible to do?

3 months have passed and no changes so I’m going back in in a few days. From what I can tell, it seems quite suspicious because It’s hard and I can’t really move it around. What can I expect when I go back to the doctors if they think it’s got the potential to be something bad?

I’ve been stressing myself out with google searches and the rare odd cases even though rationally I know it’s very unlikely to be cancer. Still, I’m very worried and anxious- I wish I could just know already.

[demimiray]

Hey! I’m sorry you’ve got this going on, and having to wait 3 months to see if it changes won’t have been any fun either. Even if rationally you know the odds, you’re gonna be anxious and scared it’s human.

What you should probably expect is for your doctor to re-examine it and refer you to a breast clinic if they don’t know what it is yet. If they want you to just ‘wait and see’ again you can tell them that for your own mental health you want the referral to get it checked out by a specialist. It doesn’t need to be cancer for it to be worth getting diagnosed and understood.

What then happens is you’ll get an appointment through at a specialist clinic where they usually do a ‘triple assessment’ all in one appointment. They examine it, take images (mammogram or ultrasound - or both) and a biopsy if they need to. Don’t be surprised if you go and they do everything, because when you’re young you have denser breast tissue so they are much more likely to need multiple approaches to make a diagnosis. They’ll also ask about things like your menstrual cycle, any family history and as much info on the symptoms as you can give - when did you first notice it, does it hurt/move/change.

Then you usually wait and get a result through, you won’t find out on the day - especially with biopsies they can take 1-2 weeks at least to come back.

Then you take it from there. I’m 34 and had nobody in my social circle who could relate to having to go through this sort of process - so I would be surprised if you did as a teenager, hopefully this community can help you through the process and you’ll come out the other side with answers and good ones at that

[charlie_3]

Hi! Thanks, this is very helpful and is a little daunting but I’m glad I know what to expect now. And yeah, it does feel a bit strange to talk to my friends or my mum since people kind of just brush it off and tell me not to worry about it because of my age. I get that they mean well but it’s easier said than done

I’m trying to put it out of my mind until my appointment but I think I will push to get the checks if the doctor tells me to wait again because I’d like to finally just stop wondering!

[lori2]

Hi @charlie_3

Well done you for advocating for yourself. You are totally right about the statistics and it being less likely to be something sinister but being told to wait for 3 months would feel worrying.

If it was me I would go back and see a different gp .

You could explain in exactly the same way as you have done on the forum that you understand the statistical risk but that you feel like you need more information.

Maybe ask the gp explain/ write down for you there reasoning /thinking behind any decision at this second appointment

Getting the gp to write that info down will get them to pause and explain to you. .something that does not always happen in a very short appointment time. knowing that info helps a patient feel validated and listened too and hopefully knowing that information will help you.

And it gives the gp a chance to think Have I made the right decision here?

The high chances are once you have the info clearly explained you will be ok but whether that is the case or you decide you need to push to be seen at breast clinic because you are worried as @demimiray suggested ( perfectly valid to want that) you have the right to know about your own health . And as @foxgem has said already it could be lots of other benign things that need checking at the clinic .

Lori x

[foxgem]

Hi @charlie_3 nice to meet you. Sorry you’ve had to reach out here although im glad you did

You did the right thing getting it checked, yes your age means it is unlikely to be something bad but you still need to know. I was sent away the first time (I am much older than you) and to be honest I just put it to the back of my mind. I will say though that over that time there was definite changes. As you said there haven’t been changes that sounds like a good sign to me.

As good as doctors are, they arent breast doctors so if they do tell you its nothing to worry about, still ask for referral to a breast clinic, they are able to deal with our demanding boobs. It doesnt have to be cancer, it could be a cyst they want to help you with. It could be a hundred non cancer things. There’s no point being left to wonder though.

Sending you big hugs

[charlie_3]

Thank you @lori2 and @foxgem for reaching out, it’s honestly really helpful to have more understanding about my own choices dealing with this. I have an appointment tomorrow and I’ll do my best to ask all the questions I have and write down the answers on my phone.

As you all said, hopefully I’ll get a referral because I don’t think I’ll be able to take another ‘it’s probably nothing, just wait’ again! It means a lot that you took time to respond, it’s eased my anxiety a lot and I feel way more prepared and confident to go to the doctor

[pmeg14]

Hi @Charlie_3

Sorry you find yourself in this situation but you’ve been given good advice from the other ladies who have posted on here. What I would add is that when I was seen by anyone at the breast clinic, I asked their permission to record the discussion on my phone which I found very helpful. It’s not easy to remember everything when you’re anxious and when you have the consultation recorded, you can play it back several times when you’re at home, and so can be ready to ask any questions about anything you don’t understand. All the medics I asked were very amenable to it. I wish you all the best and am sending you a virtual hug

[charlie_3]

Hi @pmeg14 ! That’s a good tip, thanks for sharing . Definitely going to keep track whatever is told to me in some sort of way- whether I write it down or record as you suggested. And it’s true that memory is bad when anxious, I remember when I was getting the physical exam last time, my doctor was telling me stuff but I don’t remember a word to be honest- wish I knew what she said since I think she was describing the lump and that would’ve been helpful to know now

[charlie_3]

Hi, just an update. I’ve been referred to get an ultrasound at the breast clinic although my doctor told me that she wasn’t worried. I did ask more questions about why she wasn’t worried (wether it was just an age thing or for other reasons) and she told me that she thought it was not very hard and also slightly moveable- which I thought totally the opposite! I guess it shows that self exams aren’t very accurate. But anyways, i guess it’s good news that it’s not concerning and it’s definitely eased my anxiety a lot

[demimiray]

Fantastic, the ultrasound is definitely still worth getting but it sounds like the news may end up being positive.

Also 100% self-exams aren’t accurate, I can confirm that because I was oblivious to what ended up being a 7cm mass! It’s so hard to know what ‘movable’ even means - the whole breast tissue moves around?! And idk what hard vs soft means for a lump!

[lori2]

Hi @charlie_3 ,

Oh so pleased to read this good update.

I would put a smiley Emogi but dont know hiw to do it on this forum!

So glad you asked questions . And it all sounds reassuring.

I am glad you will be having an ultrasound to check everything.

Please tell us when you have the appointment and what the outcome is and I will be thinking of you .

So good you asked the Dr questions .

Lori x

[charlie_3]

@demimiray definitely! Honestly such a shock from what I expected, but definitely pleased. Keeping my anxiety low and I’ll hopefully come back with good news from the ultrasound! Ty for your support.

@lori2 Again thank you for your support! I’ll let you know when I get my results- hopefully all good! Glad I pushed to get the referral- even if it’s not too worrying

[biddy2]

I’m sorry you are anxious about this. Apparently, young breast tissue is far more dense than older breast tissue, so mammograms are not useful on their own. When you go back to your GP, take someone with you. It’s daunting to go on your own and it’s hard to remember what they said. Ask the friend/ relative to bring a pad and pen with them so they can write down relevant points. Hope it’s nothing to worry about.

[poppy261]

Hi Charlie3

I had a cyst a few years ago. It was huge. It needed two syringes to drain it …. 40ml in total. Movable dense mass. No lump.

My first female GP (long term GP) Said it was cancer. I was in a daze. Then a newly qualified male GP. Very young said it could be one of 10 things. Only one being cancer. But he thought it was most likely a cyst. It was a cyst. No further problems with that breast.

Then this year/end of last year, I found a movable, dence mass in my other breast. I straight away thought of cysts. Very similar to the cyst.

Sadly, after more checks it was Lobular Breast Cancer. Which moves with the breast, is like dense tissue. Is not a lump. Can get confused with cysts.

Lobular is thread like and hides behind tissue. So is often missed until it gets too big. Not all scans pick it up. Mine was not picked up until it was huge and I could feel it more easily. Threads are not easy to feel.

However, Some ladies have denser tissue generally. Its not cancer. Older post menopausal ladies can get thickening of breast tissue. Its not cancer. But Lobular almost mimics dense tissue. Hides behind it.

So I definitely wouldnt believe any GP who simply states “it moves…so its not cancer”. That is a dangerous myth.

Lobular is the second most known breast cancer. But is only 15% of breast cancers. Lobular Breast Cancer UK and BCNow have great information on what to look for.

But when it is 1 out of 10 possible conditions, its really important not to panic too much. Thats the stance I took with both situations. I didnt want to be stressed for weeks to find out it was a cyst or something that was not a concern.

When I found I had cancer this year, I decided to be practical and planned. Lobular is one of the easiest to treat. My friend, who had lobular in her 30s, only ever had hormone treatment, as it was caught early, and she has been clear of cancer for over 25years.

Sadly mine was caught late and the treatment may be aggressive now. So you do right to get it checked out asap, then, if its worrying news, the good news is its more treatable, the earlier it is found.

Stick to your concerns, and push for what you need. These boobs are ours and we know when we feel changes. But dont panic.

1 put of 10 are odds in your favour.

Good luck. Thinking of you.