Scared

Good morning

 

I’m looking for some advice and reassurance please.

 

Around a month ago I noticed that my left breast was a little tender to the touch, there was no obvious lump or other symptoms so I put it down to the fact I’d recently been doing some exercises which involved press ups and planks and thought it was muscular aches.

 

Yesterday morning I noticed the pain was still there (it doesn’t hurt all the time, only when touched) myself and my partner have felt the breasts and we feel we can find different tissue in the left breast above the nipple; I wouldn’t call it a lump, it feels like thicker tissue and is quite long.

 

My breasts dont look different to each other when I’m relaxed but I’ve found that if I bring my arms up above my head the left breast then looks slightly different to the right.

 

I’m terrified that I have breast cancer and just keep thinking how I dont want to give up work or the other things I like.

 

I do have an appointment with my gp tomorrow but I’m just so anxious and can’t sleep.

 

I’m 37 by the way and in good general health

 

Thanks in advance

Hi denbob

 

I’m sorry you’ve had no responses. I remember the fear in my 30s when I found a huge lump - it turned out to be a fibroadenoma, a lump of fibrous tissue that had accumulated and was removed ‘just in case.’ Yes, I’m here for breast cancer but this is 30 years later - and no links between the two.

 

Remember that most breast lumps turn out to be harmless. Keep telling yourself that till you see your GP who’ll have a better idea from what it feels like as to what next. It’s all very scary but I think that’s because, as a society, we are trained to be afraid of cancer when the survival rates for breast cancer are extremely high. Don’t start googling, whatever you do. Good luck and I hope you get the reassurance you want. If you don’t, it’s not the end of the world - we’re all here :wink:

 

Jan 

Hi, I also had a huge lump in my breast for many years. The breast tissue around it felt weird, it was permanently sore and it was visible because it pressed against the skin. It was also completely benign. It was eventually taken out in March this year (after 17 years) because I developed DCIS in the tissue. As Jan said, most lumps and breast changes are benign, if it does turn out to be more it is far better to find out now and have it dealt with. Yes, it’s tough being diagnosed and treated but cancer treatments really are excellent and the long term prognosis is amazing. My cancer was caught early and I’ve pretty much managed to work right the way through. I had time off for surgery and recovery and a few wobbly days here and there but I’m doing good.

 

Hope your gp appointment went well

 

big hugs, Naid xx