I tend to find any phantom pain I’ve had wasn’t apparent as soon as I wake up because I’ve not had time yet to put it there. The pain from my lump didn’t come and go at all. It was always there and got progressively worse over time.
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Same here - clear after June 24 mammogram then Oct 25 pleomorphic invasive lobular 3.6cm and 2 lymph nodes - obviously missed year before 
I had a shooting pain from my breast to under my arm - Looking back it was from tumour to positive lymph nodes.
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I am the same as @mssteel … my lump when diagnosed was 3.2cm x 2.2cm in January, treatment started at the beginning of March and the pain had got worse and worse to that point, almost constant … my lump felt as if it had grown as well, but then I’m TN and Triple Negative is super fast growing (I had my first mammogram exactly 1-year before finding the lump of which was clear, so this lump had grown to that size in less than a year) … once I started treatment, within a couple of weeks, the pain has subsided 
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Great to hear that the pain has subsided @big. 
Mine has too, although interestingly it never occurred to me it had gone until the ultrasound to insert my clip showed surprise tumour shrinkage between my single dose of EC and starting my new chemo regime. Like phantom pain in reverse!
Back on the thread’s subject of tumour size, my original tumour was confirmed at 10.5mm after surgery and had previously shown up on ultrasound at 11mm and 12mm on mammogram. My local recurrence showed up on ultrasound as three tumours, but I didn’t get the measurements as it was thought to be just fat necrosis until the biopsy confirmed otherwise.
A subsequent mammogram of the recurrence showed two tumours at 16mm and 14mm but the third, which was much smaller, didn’t show up. My MRI clearly showed all three tumours totalling 36mm so I’m assuming the smaller one was 6mm, which is consistent with how it felt on manual examination.
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My experience was very similar.
Felt something was “off.” After mammogram identified something small doctor suggested that I return in 6 months for a follow up. I did so, all the while continuing to have that “off” feeling. (Tired, sore in the same spot, and itchy in the same place. Actually felt like I wished I could remove the breast)
Next appointment I received an ultrasound. The primary doctor said “looks good, probably just menopause. Come back on your regular 2yr cycle.”
Luckily, another colleague saw the same scan and thought differently. I was brought back for an MRI that identified a 3mm growth. They suggest another 6 month wait - I said let’s do it now.
I’m scheduled for a biopsy next month.
as you said, it’s important to advocate for yourself. I have been steering each conversation to the next step. I also believe it’s very important to listen to your body - it knows when something is not right.
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Welcome @tfch . Sort you find yourself here but you are definitely in the right place!
First of all, good luck with your biopsy. It’s done with like a little clicker machine, that is super quick and you will just have a tiny incision. They use a local and it’s guided with ultrasound, so they get tissue right from where it’s needed. Hopefully, it isn’t BC, but if it is, for the vast majority of us it is treatable and the treatment pathway is pretty quick into surgery (whatever surgery you have).
I really don’t understand why so many of us are fobbed off with this. When you find a lump, or as in our case, we know we feel ‘off’ prior to finding a lump/abnormality, it’s just infuriating that we have to fight the patronising “it’s just your age love” crap.
We know our own bodies 
The sooner we catch these critters, the better. I was flabbergasted when my own gp said that I didn’t meet the criteria for a fast track referral. I found a lump for goodness sake!
Thank god I stood my ground and insisted, because I did have bc. And it was caught just in time. Another six months?? … I reckon it would have reached my lymph nodes by then. And the treatments become more invasive too.
So, well done for standing your ground too.
I sincerely hope it isn’t bc, but if it is, you’ve got yourself into the system as quickly as you could and that’s a major step forward in getting this thing out of you, if it needs to be gone.
The hardest part is the waiting for results, but they won’t keep you waiting any longer than necessary. When they know- you’ll know as soon as they can tell you face to face.
It helps to busy yourself with a project, if you can. (I re decorated my dining room 
to keep me sane).
if you need support, reach out. We are all here to help. Sometimes it’s easier with ‘strangers’ to say how you really feel. And we all know …
All the best to you xx
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I woke up with a large painful lump that felt about the size of a plum so just thought it was a weird homone menopause thing. When I finally had my triple check mammogram they said they couldn’t really see it as i have very dense breast tissue and they could only sort of see it on the ultrasound.
After my biopsy showed high grade dcis and then my mastectomy it showed a 5cm dcis and 5mm idc. So I guess what your breasts are like makes a big difference as to how easily they detect cancer 
So I’m now wondering how they will keep tabs on my other breast? And whether perhaps i should have pushed for a double - although it’s felt tough enough recovering from a single 
Three weeks out and still pretty sore and now the dreaded waiting for my node biopsy results…
In response to your question regarding ongoing monitoring for your other breast: it’s my understanding that all of us will be closely monitored for at least 5 years - with yearly mammograms etc. In fact I just had the all clear from my first one since my diagnosis last year.
I had lumpectomy and SNB last summer but I would imagine it’s exactly the same with a mastectomy (if I’m not correct, mastectomy ladies, please jump in and correct me!). Also, you will have access to your breast cancer nurses, so if you feel concerned about anything- get in touch with them and they’ll assist you in getting to the right people asap.
When you get your pathology results (& the very best of luck for that) maybe ask them about ongoing monitoring for your remaining breast at the same time. But, they will be keeping an eye on you, one way or another, for a long while yet 
All the best xx
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Hi @misswoof-88 ,
Thank you so much for your kindness in responding to my post and for providing comfort.
I chose not to discuss the situation with anyone other than my husband (and ChatGpt) because I didn’t want to raise worries, unnecessarily. But, as he’s a huge/kiss/“I’m sure it’s going to be fine” type of guy, it meant that I didn’t have much conversational support. So, again, thank you.
In the end, I was scheduled for an earlier biopsy (last Friday) and the results are in - benign. 
The doctor wants me to return next year, as the imaging was inconclusive, but it appears that I am all clear.
It’s quite a relief, as I just supported my uncle through terminal cancer and my mom also had cancer (though she made it through).
I wish you all the best and I wish everyone here strength, health, love and blessings.
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That’s great news- the best of all possibilities in fact! Whoop whoop 
Time to celebrate and exhale!
treat yourself to some nice news bras, you and your girls deserve a treat!
All the best to you xxx
My tumor was discovered when I had a scan for another medical problem. It was 19mm but not able to be felt. I believe a mammogram can pick up one as small as 2mm. This is a picture of a keyring I purchased a while ago.
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At biopsy they thought mine was multifocal. With two tumours under 2cm. After surgery it was one invasive tumour 52mm sitting inside 70mm of dcis.
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Haha! You’re great - thank you!! 
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Thank goodness they found it on the scan for something else! I’ve heard that before, from other ladies on here. It certainly makes you think, doesn’t it?
we all have our individual tales of how we ended up here. And thank goodness the vast majority of us will get our surgery, do our other treatments and get on with our lives. That’s a testament to how far cancer diagnostics and treatments have come. There’s still more to do, of course.
But, as someone with cancer in her family (lots of diffrent types), including myself now as well, I hope the future is even better for the next generations.
I don’t know how recent your diagnosis is @mell.5 but I wish you all the best.
Love to all you boob babes. 
Thankyou, misswoof-88, I wish you all the best too. I was diagnosed just over a year ago, aged 77. Although I fully intended to have mammograms privately after 70, I never did, so was very fortunate I had that scan and it was found, as it was not able to be felt. It was a 19mm, IDC, grade 2 hormone positive tumor. Lymph nodes clear. I had a wide local excision, 5 sessions of radiotherapy and for 5 years of anastrazole. I have just had my 1 year checkup and all is good, tho having a break from anastrazole and may switch to another. However hormone treatment apparently only gives me another 1% chance of living another 10 years, so at my age, maybe not be worth staying on it. Something to think about.
Thinking of all travelling this journey and very thankful for the support of this forum.
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Very similar treatment/stats to me @mell.5 . I was diagnosed June 25. IDC but mine in the upper inner quadrant (which is apparently unusual) 15mm’ish and I found the lump. It felt like a little hard torpedo.
Has to fight like hell for fast track referral wity GP, but once I got to breast clinic, they were very quick! I had ultrasound biopsies same day, in another hospital.
Same surgery as you, and thankfully clear nodes as well. I had some complications post surgery, that I could have done without as it meant 2nd surgery a month later.
Then, anastrozole as well. My stats are same as yours. And I have to say, I stopped anastrozole after 4 months, in agreement with my onc. My body just couldn’t take the side effects. I had what they described as “an unacceptable level of toxicity “ …
But, I’m feeling strong and healthy now and doing what I can to stay that way. They have offered my exemestane, for 5 yrs but I’m very wary. I’m still thinking it over : risk v quality of life… I’m a little younger than you (mid 50’s) but I completely get where you are coming from. Thankfully most of us tolerate the AI’s with side effects that we CAN live with (or just put up with, like we all have with period stuff). But, for a few of us it’s pretty extreme. And the scary thing is- you don’t know until you try.
I’m still mulling it over. I see my surgeon tomorrow actually, and it will no doubt be a subject of discussion
Only you know … you have to weigh it up and look at your own risks/life.
Not easy, and what ever you choose, all the very best to you lovie. Xx
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Wow, so very similar to you. I was diagnosed May 2025, surgery July, tho all went well and I didn’t need further surgery as you did. I was given the option of having radiotherapy and consented thinking of the possibility hormone medication side effects might be intolerable. My sister in law had a bad experience with whatever medication they put her on after her breast cancer surgery so I was aware it could become an issue. I have been off anastrazole a week and noticing a difference already. The doctor I saw after my annual check up gave me a prescription for exemestane should I wish to try it. I probably will try it, but will wait another 2 or 3 weeks before I do.
I do hope all goes well when you see your surgeon tomorrow and what ever you decide to do too. Will be thinking of you. xx
I had 5 sessions of radiotherapy last autumn too 
. Very similar pathway…
I’ll be honest, I’m probably not going to chance exemestane. I had such a bad reaction (and I’m still dealing with the after effects today) that I am very wary of putting myself/my system at risk of further dibilitating SE.
In my case it is also to do with my hb. He has been through 2 lots of cancer treatments since Covid. And infact I was diagnosed just after he had finished his last treatment for prostate cancer. He is doing great but we’ve both been through the wringer in the last 5 years.
Watching him, watching me struggle on anastrozole was probably the lowest point of all of it. And, I cannot, in all conscience do that to him. We have been together over 30yrs and are rock solid, he’s wonderful, but there is an age gap between us. He is in his 70’s as well. And although he is doing fantastically. He’s very very fit and active, the next five years of me being on AI’s could be the best years he has left… So, do I really want to spend those next five years, as a fragile, depressed shell of a women ?? Hell, no! - not on a 1% advantage on an already super low recurrence risk.
That’s my situation though, and everyone else’s is individual to them…
Yes, with me, about two weeks after stopping anastrozole, it was like night & day… and I got fed up with being told, ‘no, it won’t be the anastrozole’ … it bloody well was!
So, advocate for yourself. Exemestane works a bit differently to Anastrozole & letrozole, so it could be better for you. But, there’s only one way to find out. Just don’t rush it, take that full month- at least. Feel stronger before you decide.
Good luck lovie 
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You and your husband have really had a rough time, so sorry to hear that, and I fully understand your wish to have a better quality of life. My sister in law could not remember the name of the medication she was on but it caused her to be severely depressed. It is quite clear as you read the experiences of others here also, and the documented side effects that these medications can cause many unpleasant side effects, so I don’t think anyone has the right to say yours are not caused by anastrazole. I may yet decide not to even try the exemestane. You take care and I wish you well for tomorrow.
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