Hi everyone, I’m writing on behalf of my partner. She went to the GP with a lump in her breast and the GP then found 4 lumps and a furtehr lump in her armpit. The GP has told her to wait a few weeks to see if it’s something to do with the menstrual cycle. This seems insane to me, you can’t afford to wait around with things like this. Is it common for breast cancer to present this way? With so many lumps at once? She’s only 23 but I think there is a history of breast cancer in the family. Does anybody know of any way to get a mammogram without a GP referral?
Hi
All I can say from personal experience is that you return to the GP and insist that with the history etc and to have peace of mind you need a mammogram or an ultrasound ( much cheaper and will still help in first instance).
They may wish to ultrasound because of her age…
Best wishes
Beth
I agree. The odds are vastly stacked in favour of this not being bc, but sadly there are young women who develop bc in their early twenties. Definitely go straight back to the gp but perhaps armed with full written history of bc in your gf family with ages of diagnosis included if they were young, and young in bc terms is under 50! It may help to have some information about girls diagnosed in their twenties. The koppa feel website may help, tho consider carefully if you suggest this to your gf as could upset her more. Perhaps see a different doctor? Shockingly some gps are terribly uninformed about young women being able to develop bc. There is a thread here of how young women were when they were diagnosed, one on how you found your lump and one for women diagnosed in their twenties. These may be good things for you to read to arm yourself with persuasive information. Search those key words on this sites search facility.
Please realise that any urgency coming through from my words is not because I think it is cancer, or because if it is then that every second counts to stop it growing and spreading. Yes it Is best to catch it early but I am more concerned at your gf state of mind as, with her history and the lumps, she will not be satisfied even if her lumps fade thru her menstrual cycle and her peace of mind is very important.
All the very best and let us know what happens.
Vickie
How lucky your gf is to have such a supportive partner. Well done.
Hi b.vic87
Welcome to the BCC forums, in addition to the valuable support you have here please also feel free to call our helpline where you can talk to one of our team about your concerns. the line is open 9-5 weekdays and 9-2 Sat on 0808 800 6000.
I am posting a link to our booklet ‘Your breast your health-Throughout your life’ which you may both find helpful to read:
breastcancercare.org.uk/upload/pdf/BCC2_ybyh_throughout_life_web.pdf
Best wishes
Lucy
Thank you for all you comments. She’s managed to get another appointment for tomorrow and I’m going to go with her and insist on a mammogram.
Hi
I found a lumo about 9 days ago have your partner thought about going private it will cost but worth every penny, I was lucky I have medical insurance with bupa and I had my scan today they saw a rugby ball looking lumo about 2 centimeters and called it a fibro something or other ive also had a biopsy get results monday now, they were not concerned at all and said it looked normal but procedure to have biopsy, I know its easy to say dont worry but please dont wait doctors are so keen to say come back but you have a duty to yourself not to wait and you dont have to do what your gp says u follow your heart x
I agree with Nicola. Sometimes you have to push GP’s for the tests you want, if they do not cooperate then ask to see another GP. Your partner knows her body and if alarm bells are going off then fight for the tests you need.
Im not sure how old your partner is but sometimes an ultrasound scan is good as well as a mamo, it was an ultrasound scan not the mamo that showed up my ‘lump’ and im currently waiting for results on that.
Good luck to you both and well done on being such a fab support.
Becs.
Sorry i just saw she is 23, then i would defo ask for an ultrasound as well as a mamogram as her breasts will not be that dense. Good luck x