Just a brief history, I’m 32 years old and have 3 children, 4 if you count my husband! I found a lump in my right breast about 8 weeks ago just under my nipple below the aereola. Prior to this and since my breast has almost doubled in size, although I haven’t had pain as such more tenderness. I have had a fullness of my breast for a while which I had put down to my menstrual cycle, the breast is practically solid unlike my other which is jelly like and wobbly and smaller! I have nipple changes (Pimpling and drawn in), burning sensation and the breast is warm/hot to the touch and I get the odd shooting/stabbing/Throbbing and a tingling sensation around the breast but it is not painful, the lump isn’t painful more tender, I also have numbness on and around the nipple area. I also have some swelling around the side of my breast and around my armpit which is also tender. After having a Cervical cancer scare a couple of years ago and treatment you would have thought I would know better (and not to google!), but I didn’t go to my GP until last week. She gave me antibiotics I think to rule out infection…I was just finishing my cycle so she had a feel and felt the lump but to be sure wanted me to come back today as it was hard to examine at this time due to menstrual changes, which I did.
Today my breast is the same mid cycle and she put an urgent referral into the Breast Cancer clinic at our local hospital…I have been knocked sideways by a phone call from them tonight with an appointment for Ultrasound etc on 23rd December (dead on their 2 week remit), I wasn’t expecting a call until at least next week. I keep telling myself I am not going to get myself into the state I did before my CC scare but I know it’s easier said than done!!
Really I just want to know if there is anything I need to concern myself with re:the above, peoples experiences, symptoms, what the protocol is etc, you know the questions we all ask?! Here’s hoping for a cyst!! :O)x Thankyou in advance!
I’m sorry to hear about your worries. You did the right thing going to the doctor. There could be all sorts of reasons for changes in the breast and I hope yours are OK. I understand the worry you feel, I worried a lot too and couldn’t wait for my NHS app and got myself a private one in the breast clinic. For me it was good I did as I was then diagnosed with BC and it meant I could start chemo one day after my original NHS app!
Hi EmsyLou79,
I am so sorry to hear what you are goin through. I had different sort of scare this past month. I am 33 years old and have a 15 month old daughter. I went to the doc for breast pain in Nov and had a mammogram and ultrasound in Early Dec. My diagnostic Mammo and Ultrasound came out clean. I still don’t know why my breast hurts but at least we were able to rule out BC. An added bonus (i guess if I can call it that) is that I learned I have extremely dense breast so I need to be screened regularly with a mammo and ultrasound because of increase risk for breast cancer. In a way, I am glad I have gotten into the system and know what I need to do. One of the things that really helped me was all of the support that I received on this website. A lot of the women here reminded me that most of the lumps are benign. I wish you the very best and I will check back in to see how you are doing.
As a ps to other posts you have received, do give the helpline a ring. They will not be phased by any kind of phone call, so just do a bit of off-loading with them and they’ll be lovely.
Well my wait for my US at the breast clinic is almost over, although trying to stay positive I had abit of a wobble today, which after an almost two week wait I have surprised myself! I Can’t even think about Xmas right now, nothing has changed in my breast except I feel more aware of it now and it’s abit more numb, just want Friday morning to come so hopefully my mind can be put at ease to some extent, then I can concentrate on Christmas for my boys. I haven’t even started my wrapping yet and that is so unlike me!! I was hoping that by now the breast would have changed in some way but after weeks of it being there it’s not going to is it?!..anyway I think I’m going to give the helpline a call tomorrow if I get a chance and if not I will see what happens Friday, will keep you posted :O) Thankyou all xxx
hi emsylou79
Getting through the waiting seems to be the worst part, from my own experience and that of what i have read from others. I do hope you get some answers tomorrow and whatever happens you will feel better for knowing.
sit down with some mulled wine and a naff christmas movie!
good luck, i hope all goes well xxxx
Hi all…Well it’s not a cyst, I went To BC and saw a consultant initially who had a good grope and then prescribed me antibiotics as he just thought it was a mastitis type infecton and told me to go away and “google it”!!! He then said he would send me for Ultrasound to be on safe side.
Anyway waited abit for US and then another consultant who was lovely did my scan which took about 25 mins, he was lingering alot and measuring alot on the lump and also one of my lymph nodes in my armpit. After that he said he wanted to do a mammogram to get a more detailed look so off I went to another room with the lovely nurse who coincidentally had the same surname as me!!..they did both boobies and off they trotted I assume to look at the mammo…waited again then had another US Scan and then he asked if I minded him taking some biopsys, he took 5 :O( WORST experience ever a huge great needle in my boob etc, won’t go into the gorey details!! (I don’t do needles but the nurse was wonderful) Then another US, I assume to make sure he had what and where he wanted. He then asked me if I would let him take a sample from the “dodgy” Lymph node, which I allowed him to (Ouch), at that point I braved the question “It’s not mastitis is it??”…his words were “No it’s not, I’m afraid its abit more than that and we need to wait for biopsy results”…I have to wait til Friday due to Xmas etc.
I’m probably reading into things but the look on their faces and tones of their voices didn’t fill me with delight…anyway I am now sore and very tired but just need to get through Chrimbo and what will be will be!! Just have to keep positive xxxx
In addition to the support here please feel free to call our helpliners for further support and information during this worrying time for you, here are the Xmas opening hours:
Thanks so much for the update, I keep thinking of you. I don’t really know what to say, sometimes they suspect something and they’re right and sometimes they get it wrong. Sorry you still need to wait for a week, I find the waiting nearly the worst, not quite the worst but nearly. Send loads of positive vibes wherever you are :).
This is a repeat post in case you haven’t seen the “waiting for results”
Hi Ladies,
Sorry I haven’t updated re: today but It’s been a long day!
I am joining the club…today I was diagnosed with aggressive inflammatory breast cancer, Grade 3.
I start Chemo next week (Wednesday) its too big for surgery right now,(12cm) It has spread to my lymph nodes, maybe further just have to wait for CT Scan.
If Chemo goes to plan I will have mastectomy at 3/4 months followed by radio. My nurse is fab, my doctors are fab.
In the meantime this is all I can muster and have told my nearest and dearest today including my children which is the hardest thing I have ever had to do.
I am currently halfway through a bottle of wine and my GP has given me some sleeping tablets if need be.
I will be here for a while longer…I apologise in advance!
Thankyou all so far but I have a way to go yet…
Emma xx
Sorry you have had to join us but hopefully you will find this a supportive and helpful place.
I have had an extremely similar experience. I was 33 when diagnosed in May. I had the same symptoms and was dismissed on 4 occasions over 6 weeks and told that I had mastitis. However when none of the antibiotics worked and as my breast got bigger and redder, I finally begged for a biopsy in floods of tears - the results of which were positive. I had 3 lumps - the biggest at 9cm. I also had chemo first followed by a bilateral mastectomy and radiotherapy and will have recon next year sometime.
The diagnosis time is the worst. Chemo I found nowhere near as bad as I expected (no sickness, kept my hair as used the cold cap), even the surgery wasn’t as upsetting as I thought it would be and I’ve seen lots of recons that look fantastic - so looking forward to my new boobs! Radiotherapy was also fine for me - just got a slight tan! And Tamoxifen has also been a doddle so far. My biggest issue (along with hoping and praying that I beat theis cr*p) is hoping that I haven’t been left infertile as I am desperate for a family.
Do let me know if you have any questions or just need a chat at any time.