Hi everyone, my name is Roisin and I’m 39 years old and 2months ago I found a small lump in my left breast. Very silly if Mr but I ignored it!! I was very busy organising our house move and relocation, sorting out schools Tec and I just forgot. I realised it was still there and thought it felt bigger too. I saw my old doctor from my teenage years yesterday and after feeling it said the lump was round a little squishy but not completely smooth. It is located on the upper quadrant (?) So sent me for an urgent referral. I an trying to stay calm but failing miserably :-/ I have 3 small children 2 if which have autism, so worried for them.
Any info or support would be gratefully appreciated xxx
I am so sorry you find yourself in this position, but you are in the right place for support and advice. There is little you can do at this stage until you have had your tests and know what you are dealing with. Please remember it may be nothing at all. You did the right thing in the end by going to your GP and he has done the right thing in referring you. It won’t be long before your appointment comes through. I think urgent referrals should be within 2 weeks.
Meanwhile, spoil yourself! Find things to do that you enjoy, see friends, eat chocolate, do some retail therapy.
Once your appointment comes through please make sure you take someone with you. This really is important because you will forget most of what is said to you and will need an extra pair of ears.
Thanks so much Lola65! Very much appreciated. I am going to take my husband with me. Although he is a bigger worrier than I! I am trying to distract myself. I do keep feeling my breast in the hope that the lump will have disappeared : p. Thanks again xx
I know from experience that it is all too tempting to keep poking the lump! PLEASE don’t. This can aggravate them and make them feel worse … and worry you to death at the same time. My breast care nurse told me to leave mine alone and not to check it more than twice a week! I didn’t dare tell her I was poking it twice a minute!
Welcome to the BCC forum. You have come to the right place for support from our other members.
As well as the support you will receive on here you may also find it helpful to talk things over with one of our helpline staff. They can offer you practical information and emotional support. The opening times are 9-5 on weekdays and 10-2 on Saturdays. The number is 0808 800 6000,
I have also attached a link to our publication “Your breast clinic appointment” which you may find useful. This will give you an idea of what you might expect- what tests will be done etc.
Thanks so much Janet that is very kind and knowing what will happen and how has put my mind at ease a little. I think I might phone the helpline as I don’t want to worry family and friends with my ramblings!!
Much appreciated x
Hi Roisdara i was diagnosed with breast cancer at 39 and i have 4 children aged between 14 and 6 so i know exactly the worries you are going through. You are probably more worried for them than for yourself. Please try not to worry i was send for an urgent referal by my Gp who told me it was protocol for women under 45 to be seen as urgent. This may only be a benign condition as these are very common. But if it is bc then you are definatly in the right place for the support you may need. i will be keeping my fingers crossed for you. xx
Thank you so much Eaton and yes, I am so worried for my kids, I had been unwell for quite a while from last Oct with flu, recurrent infections and anaemia and it really upset them. If this turns out to be ‘something’ then I’m not sure how they would react.
I have decided to treat myself to some Indian food and a few glasses of wine later : D
Hugs xx
Hi Roisdara, sorry you find yourself here but you have definately come to the right place, as others have said it may be nothing and it is good that you are finally getting it checked out. Please try not to worry we are all here for you and are in the same boat as you, although at different stages we will see you through whatever happens. One piece of advice, please stick to this site or macmillan and no where els as the info can be misleading. Good Luck and take care of yourself x
Thank you so much Coco, I did the Google thing and yep it completely freaked me out!! I feel like I was looking to find someone who could tell me exactly what my kind of lump would be. I am fast learning that there are no answers until the test results are in. Everyone is so different and the info is mind boggling!! The waiting waiting is really frustrating and mind bending :-/
I have to say, this site is amazing, so many inspirational support and advice. I wish everyone here strength and love on their journey, wherever they are. Hugs to all xx
Roisdara
sorry you find yourself in this awful waiting room, but stick with this site, there are lots of people here who understand exactly what you are going through so always feel free to say what’s on your mind. It’s helped me enormously and I know I’ve ‘met’ people here who are going to be my friends forever. I will keep you in my thoughts and pray for good news for you. Cress x
The wait is awful, but have done alll you can and have done the right thing getting the lump checked. Ditto the advice not to google. I have two young children and I know the fear that hits you when you look at them thinking “what if…”. Should the result not be what you want and it is cancer, there is a wonderful resource here on the breast cancer care site called ‘mummy’s lump’. I found it invaluable. Good luck. xx
Thanks so much Paged and Cress. I feel so lucky to have found this forum! I know some of you are further ahead on a journey which is very difficult so I really appreciate your warm words. Thank you x
Any time hon. Feel free to message me if there is anything else I can do to help. I am a nurse working in mental health and I can tell you that this is a real mind game!!! Stay strong. xx
Thanks so much Paged, very kind of you. Still waiting on my referral letter, I suppose waiting goes hand in hand with this stage.
I swing from - it’s definitely nothing - to - what if it is breast cancer. I never in a million years thought I would be in this situation after many combined years of breast feeding. I thought I was immune to anything being wrong with my breasts! Very silly I know.
Roisin x
Hi Roisdara, the waitng is so hard try and keep urself busy as much as u can to take ur mind of it and hope ur letter arrives very soon, im 42yrs with 4children 17,16,4 and 8months… after all my tests i waited but had prepared myself (well as much as u can) for the worst newes…im about to start chemo…but seeing my kids need me just makes me stronger and i will get there with a big smile at the end , take care sharon xx
Sharon, heartfelt hugs to you on your journey. I think preparing yourself for the worst is a good plan, if it turns out to be nothing or something I’ll be prepared. I’ll try to be a practical no nonsense person as normal Kids are great motivators. Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and best of luck for your chemo xxx
Hi Roisdara, just wanted to reassure you that what you are feeling is completely normal- I am in a similar position as yourself- I went to GP, was referred to breast clinic and have appointment on 7th Aug. As everyone else says the waiting is really hard and I too find myself thinking there’s absolutely nothing wrong with me the one minute to thinking the absolute worst the next! For both of us there is much greater chance of it being nothing to worry about yet the mind plays funny tricks on you and I’m normally such a level headed positive person as I’m sure you are too! It does make it worse having kids tho- I have two both under 2 years and I look at them and the fear descends and I have to remind myself that I’m worrying about something that hasn’t even happened! Will be thinking of you and hope you get to hear about your appointment soon. As you say this site and the lovely people on here are amazing, it’s keeping me sane until I find out xx
Kids are great motivators. Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and best of luck for your chemo xxx