Thinking about symptoms, waiting for appointment

Public Archive
1

Hi all

 

I’m just putting my thoughts down and don’t expect anyone to respond. I know there will be so many messages every day on here. Nevertheless, I’m a bit worried about my symptoms.

 

I recently got back from honeymoon. While on honeymoon I had a niggling pain in my right breast. I barely thought about it, but when I got back, one day there was a searing pain and I found a smaller than pea size round lump, next to my nipple. I went to the doctors, and he gave me antibiotics, and wrote to the hospital for an appointment at the clinic. I’m in Wales so there’s no minimum time like in England as I understand it so I don’t know when I will get an appointment. 

 

Since that doctors appointment, I realised I actually have another lump I missed before. It’s at the bottom of the same breast, and is like a small cigar. I went back to the docs (I called the reception and they said pop in) and the doc could feel it too and doesn’t know what it could be. He said just to wait for the letter from the hospital - of course, but I just wanted to put him in the loop. And the anti-bs haven’t touched the lump.

 

I’ve actually been to the breast clinic before, in 2012 I think, and had fibroadenoma (same breast, different area) and calcification of the breast tissue. No biopsies, just an ultrasound. 

 

The thing is, since noticing the lump, I’ve paid attention to other changes I’d been ignoring and I’m not sure if they mean anything. My right breast has grown slightly bigger and I have a bit of a double boob in bras that previously fit fine. Not by an enormous amount, but where my breast didn’t touch my chest underneath before, it now does, but the left doesn’t. My nipple also seems further right on the breast if that makes sense - the top part of the boob is barely perceptibly swollen and the nipple has shifted round. My areola is also longer, more oval, than it was before. And the outer shape of the breast is ever so slightly different - less round, a little higher and flatter on one side. Barely noticable, but my wife agrees that there is a change.

 

I don’t know if the fact I gained 10lbs quite quickly (stress eating and honeymoon - we’re moving abroad in September) has changed my breast, but it seems weird for one to change and the other to stay the same. 

 

As I say I know so so many women post here, but any thoughts would be welcome. And I promise to return after my appt when it eventually arrives and update on the outcome. 

 

x

2

you have done the right thing and any if you notice any changes to your breast you need to get it checked out.    I know in England there is a two week referral and when i went to the gp i was given an appt for about 1 week after in fact they phoned me.   It is a worrying time and its bad enough waiting without worrying about how long it will be.   Why not ring the BCC helpline they will be able to tell you if there is anything else you can do to speed up your appt as they will be up to date with the postion in your part of the UK.    It may be nothing to worry about and I think that the stats say that 90% of referrals are not cancer but you need to at least put your mind at rest.  xxx 

3

Hi Amyeek,   So sorry you have this worry too.  The guidelines (as published on this site) are as follows:

 

National guidelines say how soon someone should be seen after being referred to a breast clinic.

  • In England: everyone referred to a specialist with breast symptoms should be seen within two weeks of referral by a GP.
  • In Wales: anyone suspected of having cancer should be seen within 10 working days after referral to a specialist.  
  • In Scotland and Northern Ireland: anyone suspected of having breast cancer should be referred to a specialist breast clinic promptly, ideally within two weeks.

I hope you get your date through soon although I guess it depends on whether your GP mentioned suspected cancer or not?  Maybe worth checking with your doctors?  I went to GP on Tuesday and had a call from the hospital on the Wednesday with an appointment for next Friday so really quickly in the scheme of things.   The waiting is just horrible as we, naturally, imagine all sorts of things. 

 

I have also noticed other changes in my breasts after finding a lump in my right breast - I think the right is more swollen on one side (near the lump) and like you, the nipple does seem to have moved and slightly different shape and my breast does look slightly bigger and lower than the left. 

 

Keeping my fingers crossed that it’s just a cyst for both of us and we get the all clear quickly xx

4

Hi Amyeek,

I’m awaiting an appointment too at the moment, for my second visit to the breast clinic in 6 months. The waiting is awful isn’t it. I would much rather know when things are and what they are rather than be in limbo.
It sounds as if you have so many things rushing through your head, especially with the move abroad coming up. Hopefully everything will be sorted for you long before then and it’ll be something easily treated or requiring no treatment at all. At least you’re in the system now, so good luck! x

5

Just an update to say I have had my letter and my appointment is 9 June, 5 and a half weeks after my initial referral. It feels an awfully long way off. 

 

It also means I will have already had my US visa interview and will have already heard back about whether the visa has been approved. We planned to buy our flights as soon as we find out about the visas, but buying an £800+ one way ticket before the appt feels a little risky to me. But leaving it til after any investigations could potentially cost me hundreds of pounds as the prices go up so quickly. 

 

I’ve been through a period cycle now and I hoped my breast shape may magically return to normal. It hasn’t, it’s still definitely ‘wrong’. 

 

I wish the appt were sooner. 

6

Hi Amyeek,

 

I could say dont worry but I know from experience you will anway.  Our breasts can change size and have lots of lumps and bumps that are nothing to do with the dreaded Cancer.  My sister had a cigar size lump on her breasts and it was just a fatty mass.  It could also be a small benign cyst.  However it is always a good idea to get everything checked out.  You will feel so much better once you have had your appointment whatever the results, if there are some cancerous cells then they can let you know the treatment plan to get rid of them. 

 

I am having a day surgery lumpectomy (removal of lump) and then 3 weeks of Radiotherapy, 10 mins everyday for 3 weeks at hospital. Will feel tired and maybe bit nauseous but should still be able to work.

 

In the meantime keep busy, find someone not too emotionally involved that you can talk to and keep putting thoughts on the forum because it really helps me to have support from women that are going through similar experiences.

 

Hope I’ve helped alittle,

 

Sandra

 

 

7

Hi Amyeek,

I empathise as the waiting is so hard. I’m sorry you have to wait so long for your appointment. I’m back to the BCC next Thursday. It’ll be my second visit in 6 months and I hope to get some definite answers this time.
It is really difficult not to think about symptoms and keep re-examining to check for changes, so I know how that feels. I hope you’re doing okay. x