Hi there,
I have just been diagnosed with BC. I first found the lump over three months ago. I waited until three mths had passed before going to the doctor about it. Was three months too long to wait? I had thought I had read somewhere that you should wait until then and if it was still there then to then seek medical attention. I’m guilt-ridden over this now.
Thanks,
Smythie
Hi Smythie
sorry to hear your diagnosis and welcome to the club we don’t want to be in. You’ll find loads of support on here right through your treatments and beyond. I suggest that you get the resourse pack - it will give you loads of info, plus a really neat file to write down all the information you need, and questions you want to ask. If you go to breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=7514
you’ll see what i mean.
Three months must seem a long time to you, but there is nothig can be done about it now. I’m sure you’ll get to hear from people that didn’t wait but were told not to worry - so ended up being delayed. What matters is you’ve been to clinic and you’ve been diagnosed, now’s the time to concentrate on your treatment and getting through this.
The people on here will give you loads of support and if you need to talk there’s a great helpline.
take care
hugs
x
Thanks Quisie,
The resource pack sounds great. I will order one straight away. I guess you are correct to say I should concentrate on my treatment.
But I wonder what is the correct lenght of time to wait before seeking medical attention for a lump? Is there an official lenght of time to wait?
You’re right quisie about it being a club that no one wants to be in. You made me smile when you said that.
Thanks Quisie,
Smythie
Smythie
just glad to be of service, Ma’am 
I don’t think there is a correct time as such. I waited a week - well, it might have gone away! It was a dear friend in Thailand that nagged me to go to the doctor - that was in July, without his nagging I’d possibly still be sitting wondering if I should see the doctor! Some people go straight away, some wait ages. We’re just different.
hugs
Ruth x
Hi
Please try not to feel guilty you did what you did and that can’t be changed. I waited 7 months because I was ignorant and thought that pegnant 37 year olds didn’t get cancer??? I have at times been racked with guilt and have tortured myself with what ifs and have come to the conclusion that if I had gone when I had found the thickening early in my pregnancy then I would have most likely been advised to have a termination. My fiesty little darling is now 4yrs old and have treasured having her and being there for her. At the end of the day I have to live the fact that I didn’t go.
This is a difficult journey with many ups and downs so try not to be too hard on yourself. This is a great source of support that I still use 4 years down the line.
Big cyber hug to you
Becks xxx
Hi Smythie
Just wanted to welcome you to this brilliant site - so sorry you’ve had to join us, but the girls on here are wonderful. You’ll find so much support, advice and laughs (which you probably don’t want to do at the moment, but believe me you will soon!).
I wouldnt worry about the time you waited. I noticed pain in my breast in early December last year, consulted my Doctor on 23rd January, who sent me away saying she couldnt feel anything, “breast cancer isn’t painful”, and that I was “too young” (41 at the time), so it was most probably “hormonal”. Two months later I went back as I was still in pain, was referred to the hospital, and diagnosed with bc on 4th April. An MRI scan measured the tumour to be 5.3cm x 2.5cm, and I felt sick. To me this was massive, and I kept thinking “if only I’d gone sooner…”.
Seven months on, I’ve had eight sessions of chemo (which got rid of the tumour completely), a mastectomy, and started radiotherapy yesterday. Back in April, I thought it was the end of the world, but with the support of my wonderful hubby, kids and friends, I’ve grown more positive. Keeping my sense of humour throughout has really helped me too.
Smythie, I wish you all the very best with your treatment. Let us know how you’re getting on.
Lots of love and a HUGE hug
Julie xxx
Thanks Julie,becks and Ruth.
I honestly thought the lump was nothing. What a fright i got.
I guess from reading your posts more education is needed to alert the medical profession and men and women that BC can affect anyone of any age (I’m in my twenties).
I wonder is it correct to tell someone to get a liump checked out immediately on finding it or to wait a certain length of time?
Smythie
I think it depends on the person… I went to the doctor the following day after finding mine, but I know I’m impatient. I was convinced mine would be something harmless - I’m in my 20s too (just!)
Hi Smythie
I went to docs on 30th Oct, having found a ‘definite’ lump the day before - but if I’m being honest, it was there 2 - 3 months previously (hubby spotted it) but then it felt like a ‘thickening’ and I just kept telling myself it would go away.
When I saw the consultant on 1 st Nov, she assured me that beating myself up over not going two months earlier was pointless, as in her opinion it had been there ‘some time’ and 2 months would not have made a difference to my diagnosis and my treatment (mastectomy and full node removal) would have been the same.
I have to say I always tell people to get anything checked out straight away - obviously just not very good at taking my own advice!
hope all goes well for you - keep us posted
Margaret
Hi Smythie
Sorry you’ve had to join us but there’s plenty of advice here that you won’t get from doctors - they haven’t been through it!
Like Margaret & Vickybumblebee I went the day after finding my lump - it scared me witless - I had a cyst previously & it felf the same but still wanted a professional opinion. Well in her opinion it was another cyst, she was certainly not concerned that it was cancer, I’m too young!!! (34) but referred me to the breast clinic to get it checked out.
Well so much for the professional opinion- here I am with no hair after 6 lots of chemo, scarred from node removal & lumpectomy & about to undergo mastectomy.
I suppose what I mean to say is there is no correct time to wait to see a doctor. If you’re worried then it’s time to go but even if you’re not it’s definately worth getting it checked. So what if it turns out to be nothing? And if it is something that needs treatment then you are well on the way.
I think younger women should not be put off going early to their GP as they will more than likey (like me & many others on this site) end up being put on a “non-urgent” ,“too young” referral list.
GPs DO need to wake up to the fact that young women get breast cancer. Therefore we should not be discrimitated against with regards to referral just because it is LESS LIKELY to happen to us. It CAN happen to us - that should be reason enough.
Good luck with your treatment - let us know how you get on
Big hugs
xx
Hi Smythie
I felt a lump in March 2006 and told myself it was nothing. In April 2006 my mother in law was dx with bc after a routine mammogram. She is 72 and it was a fluke she was called. I spent 3 months telling her she would be fine as I had a lump and it was nothing… She had WLE, rads and Tamoxifen and is fighting fit and was really positive throughout it all. An inspiration really. In August 2006, as I was waking up one morning, I heard someone say to me “trust your instincts!!!”. I am convinced that it was the spirit of my grandmother who died from breast cancer when I was a yong girl. In Sept 2006, after my son had restarted school, I plucked up the courage to have the lump checked and it was 2cm, grade 2 Invasive ductal breast cancer. I had WLE, rads and Tamoxifen too. I was assured I had caught it really early and even the doctor was amazed that it was cancer. Every time I get a check up at hospital now, they say that they can’t believe I found it as it was so high up. I didn’t need chemo and, apart from the odd Tamoxifen side effect, I am feeling really well. Don’t beat yourself up about it. I have heard of women who have waited a lot longer and have been fine. And don’t feel guilty. You have nothing to feel guilty about. Whether you left it through nerves or through the thought that it might be hormone related, it doesn’t matter
Take care
Debbie
xxx
I was misdiagnosed for around six months so although I went to the docs immediately I found the lump the cancer wasn’t all removed until six months later. it made no difference to my prognosis. I think there’s a lot of luck or bad luck in it. Apparently cancer takes about ten years to develop into a recognisable lump so it’s been around for ages by the time it’s detectable. So a few months either way isn’t as significant as they make out. The more serious tumours can seem to enlarge suddenly over night as well, so if you suddenly see a great big lump you are likely to run off to the docs immediately. My lump was the same size after six months as it was at the beginning. I also beat myself up about not doing breast self examination which I’d been told to do from adolescence. 30 years later, i discovered they’d done trials of this which found it did not have any impact on the outcome of breast cancer, and was actually harmful as women taught to do it ended up having more biopsies for harmless lumps.
Plus there’s nothing you can do about it except get on with where you are at. Not that I didn’t get extremely wound up by my misdiagnosis.
Mole