Hi to you all…I’ve been reading so many posts on this site and cannot get over the warmth, sincerity and support that you all give to each other. I feel slightly uncomfortable posting on a breast cancer site when I haven’t been diagnosed with cancer (you are all going through so much already to hear my woes about my apt with the breast clinic). My history, I’m 42, no children, healthy living, had a fibroadenoma removed when I was 17, advised in my 20’s that I had ‘nodular’ breasts, found a lump on my left breast in May 11 which, after going to the breast clinic and having a mammogram and US, was a cyst which they drained there and then. I was also told that I had other non palpable cysts that had shown up on the US. Soon after going to the hospital, I started to experience an ache in my breast/armpit/arm (same side as cyst), this was just for a few days of my cycle, generally just after menstruation, I didn’t pay any heed to it as I’d just been given the ‘all clear’. Discomfort continued, sporadically, until March this year when I was feeling uncomfortable for 1-2 weeks of my menstrual cycle. I went to my (very lovely) GP who said she thought it was excess fluid in my breast and that the ache was hormonal, she was emphatic that it was nothing to worry about. The next month I went back and she re-itterated that she wasn’t concerned. Three weeks ago though I noticed that my left nipple had become ever so slightly inverted - I pressed on it and it came out easily, since then it’s been inverted 2-3 times, the last time last Tuesday. I went back to my GP who examined me and said that she feels like the fluid in the breast is changing into cysts and that the nipple may be connected to this…she said that there wasn’t any alarm bells going in her head but that I should be referred to the experts to see exactly what is going on. Needless to say since then I’ve been worrying, googling etc etc and self diagnosing…it’s been a nightmare…my apt is Wednesday pm, just keeping busy to distract my thoughts from going to dark places. Has anyone here got any words of wisdom for me? Any similar experiences? Thanks so much.
Hello Geranium,
I am so sorry you have had no replies to your post - unfortunately due to the upgrade to the website which has proved very problematic people have found it dififcult to spot new posts.
My story is very different from yours but I do remember how I felt waiting for the breast clinic. Do you know how your clinic works? At mine I saw a doctor who examined me then sent me for a mammogram. I was then sent for an ultrasound (given your age, you may well get this as younger breasts are more dense than older ones). When I went back in to the doctor he took a fine needle aspiraton (FNA) and two core biopsies, both with local anasthetic. He told me there and then it was “almost certainly cancer” and an hour later ocnifrmed that diagnosis from the FNA. I had to go back the next week for the formal diagnosis and treatment plan.
Now, that’s the worst case scenario. Hopefully you will get a simple explanation and leave with a spring in your step and a big sigh of relief.
Try to avoid google - a lot of stuff out there is out of date or plainold fashioned wrong.
Hopefully your visit here will be fleeting, but if not, you will find lots of support - especially once the forum is working properly again
Big hig and hope tomorrow is less scary than you fear.
Hello Geranium.
I just wanted to wish you luck for your appointment tomorrow and keep in mind 9 out of 10 woman who are referred to breast clinics do not have cancer. I didn’t find a lump, like you my nipple inverted but did come out easily. I hope things go ok for you. Xx