View Full Version : Dr referred me to evaluate a lump for cancer
Hi everyone!
I'm writing this from my mobile so please excuse any mistakes. I've been a long time(years!) lurker of this message board and it's gotten me through some really dark times in my life, so thank you!
For the most part, my medical fears have been strictly fears which were taken to the worst extremes by my anxiety. I was able to overcome the majority of my medical anxiety by reading the stories on this forum and being able to understand which fears were fantastical and which were likely. Looking back I'm like a different person.
But today I come with a concern that I believe is not anxiety based. In fact, I've already been to my doctor and she has confirmed this. I found a lump beneath my left areola (I'm a male) it's rubbery and mobile, about 1.5cm. My doctor verified it is abnormal and has scheduled further testing. In a few hours i will have completed the testing.
I may have cancer.
The anxiety is coming back and I'm convinced this is cancer, probably spread, and I'm just terrified the ultrasound will come back as a "birads 5" reading which has a 95% of malignancy. Birads 4 or under would be preferred, as the chance of those readings being malignant are low.
This time things are real. I really could have cancer. I don't know what to do. I don't want to get my results back on Friday and be sitting in a cold hospital office being told i have to undergo all sorts of treatments.
I wish I could say this was just an anxiety attack and the lump is normal but doc already confirmed it isn't. Sigh. I have had full blown anxiety attacks and have woken up in a panic a few times. Even if my cancer is early stage and I'm treated successfully, it tends to come back as stage 4 in the brain or liver. I don't want to live under the constant anxiety of waiting for it to return and kill me. That's if it's not stage 4 right at the time of diagnosis, which given my luck, it will be.
Is ther anyone here, male or female, who was referred for further breast imaging? Did you make it to the biopsy stage? What happened?
Ok, stop.
You've literally went from having a 1.5cm lump on your chest to stage 4 cancer which has spread to your brain etc.
Sometimes doctors can't be 100% sure what a particular lump is so they schedule biopsy. It is far more likely to be a cyst or some other clump of nothingness than it is to be something sinister.
I understand that it's an anxious wait, but you really need to reel it in a bit. At this point you have zero idea what it is, so to have yourself diagnosed with stage 4 cancer is very extreme.
Hi just to chime in, my brother has a lump there too and he went for an ultrasound and it's just normal tissue. He was so worried he asked for s biopsy and that was normal too. Apparently hormones can cause this. He still has the lump to this day. What age are you?
Woman have lumps all the time and 98 percent of them are not cancer. I know it is easy me saying this.
I'm female but I'm going to give you my story. Back in June I found a lump, just as you described. Rubbery and mobile but it was firm. I freaked! I went to see my GP, she sent me to see a surgeon. I saw him a week later, had a mammogram and ultrasound. Neither test showed the lump, but it did show fluid which indicated an injury. So the radiologist said I must've bumped myself to cause it. They wanted to follow up in 3 months. I spent those 3 months OBSESSING over this lump. Constantly feeling it, checking it, googling etc. It totally ruined a family vacation back in August because I was obsessed with checking it the whole time. Fast forward to November, I went back for my follow up ultrasound. This time they could see what I was feeling. The fluid had gone away, which as covering the lump on the ultrasound. The radiologist said it appeared benign but it was solid so he wanted me to have a ultrasound guided core biopsy. He reassured me he felt it was benign and this was strictly for my peace of mind since I was so worried about it. I had a consultation with my surgeon before the biopsy and he said the same thing. He said normally he would take the "wait and see approach" but since I was so concerned lets do the biopsy. A few days later I went to have it done. I was a wreck! I cried the entire time they were doing it, I was scared it was going to be painful, I was terrified of the results. It sucked! The biopsy itself was no big deal. Not painful at all. It was overwith very quickly and I went home. I did bruise quite a bit from it. I had it done on November 21st and today is Decmeber 14th and I still have a large bruise from it. Anyway, I got the results 5 days later, BENIGN! The radiologist and surgeon were right, it was from an injury because it came back as reactive scar tissue. The fact that it is rubbery and mobile is VERY good. Its probably a cyst of some sort, which I should add, I have those too. They saw them on the ultrasound. I know its hard to relax during times like these, not let your mind wader off to a dark place. I'm not even going to tell you not to worry because I know I was a mess. Nothing reassured me to the point of not worrying until that biopsy came back benign. You will get benign results as well, I assure you! Oh and by the way my ultrasound was a birads 4 when I went for my follow up because they chose to biopsy. Otherwise it would've been a birads 3. You'll be ok! *hugs*
I've been for emergency scan when I found a lump just between my bicep and armpit
they said it was lipoma. I still have it and some others to boot
it's not bad news until it's bad news
ScaredLizard
14-12-16, 16:40
Hi Woeisme! I've been there. I am female but last October I was sent to get a mammogram because they found a lump in my breast. After the mammogram they wanted to do a biopsy but I had to get an MRI Biopsy. It took about 2 months to get everything good. I got the biopsy in late November of 2015. Then they tell me the biopsy was negative but they aren't sure they go the right spot. In December of 2015 they wanted me to be put under and get it taken out. I first had to get into the MRI and they put a wire in the spot (did not feel it) I was then wheeled to surgery and it was removed. I had a bit of pain that night and nothing after. The spot was nothing, just a fatty tumor with scar tissue around it.
The biopsy wasn't a big deal at all in my eyes but I worried like heck about it
I'm a survivor. I understand the stress and anxiety you're experiencing. That being said, there's a saying among us warriors and survivors...
"It's NOT cancer until they say it is".
Positive thoughts
Thank you everyone!
I can't mention everyone by name at the moment or I'll be late;
My appointment is in an hour so I'm heading there now.
But these responses are helping me to know it could be benign even though they're screening me to check for cancer. For the first time since I found the lump I feel hopeful.
Ps - don't think it's a cyst, it isn't perfectly round and there's no give to it.
Dr said it's rubbery though and not hard like most cancers she feels, but that cancer can present in many different ways.
Mobile just means the cancer hasn't grown enough to attach into the surrounding tissue. But hopefully for me it means benign.
Well ****. Had a freakin panic attack in the mammagram room when I got a glimpse of the images they took.
I'm so scared.
keep strong, you're not alone here.
there's a hundred things this could be that aren't cancer , and only one that could
they're not bad odds.
ScaredLizard
15-12-16, 00:12
woeisme we are here for you and you've got this. As stecakes says there are so many things this could be.
How are you doing now? Were here for you. *hugs*
On mobile so a bit hard to navigate the entire thread
The responses are so helpful in keeping my calm. I know this all sounds so ridiculous but you guys are the only people who understand the attacks. So it's much easier to take it seriously when I'm offered other alternatives to cancer
I know I'm annoying people offline with my anxiety. They should just be lucky they don't have it.
My insurance didn't even cover the tests. Not sure why as I have the highest level of they offer
I keep having rollercoaster feelings. One minute I'm fine. The next I'm in tears with. Othing actually coming out of my eyes.
I have survivers guilt after my dad passed from cancer and I dunno. I just feel like it's my turn now
I'm so scared. I don't know how I will deal with the looming fear of the cancer coming back if they "cure" me. I can't get the thought to leave my head.
This is so bad I called the drs to have an appointment and maybe get Medication. I've lost my appetite today. Today the reality of the possibility was just too real
UKmamainUS
15-12-16, 02:26
I have been referred for mammogram twice - my second is in a week, because they found a hard lump. I will be honest, I am terrified, but the first one came back fine - just thick breast tissue. I am nervous about this one as it is hard and fixed. Scary stuff. But Unless someone tells you for certain it is cancer, there is always hope! Hang in there!
My insurance didn't even cover the tests. Not sure why as I have the highest level of they offer
It's disgusting your health care system in the states!!! That's terrible :lac:
@ ukmamain -- ugh that's scary. I hope it's nothing to be concerned about. It's crazy how fearful this breast lump stuff makes even the most "normal" of people. I've read a lot of stories of women just breaking down and crying but the way doctors are wording things to people is just doom and gloom and i assume they do it so people get scared into getting checked.
@bikermatt
Ya I was pretty shocked. I pay for my own health insurance and th cover a good chunk of most things. I need to investigate why this wasn't, it's not like I was asking for cosmetic surgery or something.
-----
Having some trouble sleeping feel like I'm gonna miss out on something; this could be my last night as a "cancer free" person.. don't want to sleep through the whole thing.
UKmamainUS: Praying for you! Keep us posted. :hugs:
Hang in there! Are you suppose to get the results today? You have been on my mind because I SOOOO know how you feel. Everything your saying, I felt during my testing and waiting for results, process. I so understand how you feel. :hugs: I wish I had magical words to help you feel better, but I don't. Just do what you can to keep yourself busy. That was the only thing that helped me. I noticed sitting at home did me no good. Getting out with my family was very helpful to me. You may be different than me, though. Although when my anxiety gets extreme, all I can bring myself to do is plant myself on my couch and watch TV. Keep us posted, I'm praying for you!!! Everything will be fine, I'm sure of it! :yesyes:
unsure_about_this
15-12-16, 13:53
The GP referred me earlier this year because of a lump down below, even though it was not cancer, my GP was unsure so he had to referred me to see a specialist. All it turned out was some cysts which I have already named
@ leslie
Thank you :)
Not sure when I'll get the results exactly. Within 5 business days the paper said. Usually 2 days. Scared and shaking when I think about it.
This anxiety thing sucks!! Yes I believe this is cancerous but to deal with that and an anxiety issue will be tough. Ugh. Dr is supposed to call me this morning because I need to talk to her about seeing someone about this anxiety.
@unsure
Glad your results were benign! Sadly I'm pretty certain mine isn't a cyst, which seems like a very common diagnosis. It's at the very top just beneath my skin so I can feel it really well. Definitely not a cyst. It's very firm with veeeery little give to it. Cysts have give. Fluid.
Due to its location, it could be a clogged duct maybe but there's no pain so I don't know. Cancerous lesions in the same area are typicall invasive ductal carcinoma which account for about 80% of breast cancer diagnoses.
you're stronger than you think, it's only when we're tested that we see our potential
I appreciate how scary a time this is for you, but try not to be so pessimistic about it.
the odds lie in your favour, it's your fear adding weight to this not the statistics.
Doctor called! I have an appointment with the therapist so I can learn coping mechanisms for my anxiety.
@stecakes
Yes you're absolutely right and I've told myself that. This is mainly anxiety. The odds are in my favor but then it haunts me. Like I'm convinced my lump is different and the people who turn out to have benign results are most likely feeling softer lumps.
I did a search on the forum for "breast referral" to try and comfort myself but majority of the posts the patients state their dr said "99% sure it's benign, but let's check". My doctor didn't. Furthermore, many of them begged for a referral due to their anxiety. I didn't. These people could be altering said statistics with their fear-based screenings. My going to dr was not anxiety based. That's what scares me. The lump is very real and the doctor discussed no benign possibilities with me.
I see what you're saying, but these are all different doctors ,
some are compassionate some aren't , some are more thorough than others and some don't
discuss possibilities without all the data..
can you see how you've made a few leaps here ?
I know it's really hard, but you need to be more optimistic
When you put it that way, yes. I'm convinced it's cancer and will be stage iv if not immediately, within a few years. I can see how that's illogical to most people as at this point it still could be benign.
Protection mechanism maybe? It makes me feel like I'm in control like... I know what's going on and Can react to it and the doctors are second to know. Me first. It feels safe. When they tell me I have cancer I can go, "see I knew it!" And have some resources already put together. Instead of going "wow really?" And being unprepared.
Tomorrow I find out. I'm shaking and almost threw up. This is ridiculous. I want someone to tranquilize me.
I can't believe people sit on here wanting to be ill. Looking for an illness in every last muscle twinge. I don't want this to be happening. I don't want to be sick. I just want this to stop.
I worked so hard to get rid of my anxiety and live life. And this is just proving to me that it's one bad thing after the other. First my best friend died by a sniper rifle, then my dad died from a rare cancer, then my moms dog died of skin cancer, then my dog died last month of a rare incurable lung disease. now it's my turn, yes it's rare at my
Age (30) but there's a "death by rare disease" narrative in my life. I'm so scared. I feel like I'm cursed and I don't even believe in that stuff. Idk
I'm afraid there's no way out now other than getting the pathology report.
I know this is torture, I've been there. It's just awful.
i suppose it is a sort of coping/ protection mechanism .
but is it really protecting you? looks to me like it's putting you through hell.
you've already skipped to how far it's spread, and how it will return if treatment is successful.
you seem like an intelligent guy. can you not go over your posts and see what you're doing to yourself ? all you have to go on is an unidentified lump. let's wait for the data before
you start planning your funeral
Like I said... been there, done that and have the merit badge. There's nothing anyone can really say that's going to really quell your worry. It's one day at a time until you get the news and guess what? If it does turn out that there's something going on, you'll deal with it like I did and countless others. What choice do you have?
All I can say is try to stay positive and stay the hell off Google! In life and in general, a positive attitude will take you further than anything else.
"Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we handle it" Charles Swindoll
Positive thoughts
So I just went through something similar...and i felt the same exact anxiety. For six days, I was crying on and off due to a spleen lesion they found on an ultrasound, which required a follow up CT Scan to confirm what it is. I was beside myself. Diagnosed myself with lymphoma or metastatic cancer. Completely understand about the anxiety. I didn't eat or sleep. I kept reading about splenic lesions.
On my CT Scan, they couldn't even see the lesion...they think the ultrasound was a tech error. Sigh. I know your situation is different, but if it helps any, if it was a late stage cancer, I am sure you would be feeling super sick all of the time by now. Also, in my experience, if they did the test and if it was truly worrisome, I think they would contact doctor immediately as they don't want to delay treatment.
Hope this is helpful, please keep us updated...and yup, definitely don't google. It's not reliable. I was 100% sure my lesion was lymphoma...
---------- Post added at 00:35 ---------- Previous post was at 00:29 ----------
Woeisme, I truly feel your pain, none of this is fun, I just went through two hellish weeks myself, very similar to all this, if you want to private message me or go to the chatroom to chat to keep mind off of things, I am here for you
@stecakes. Stop making me think lol
I haven't been able to answer that. I've asked myself if I'm really helping myself after all. I don't know. But I'm leaning towards not.
@fishmanpa - great quote. One I'll definitely add to my quote collection.
And yes if it is something sinister, I have no choice but to carry on
@lpl - yikes that sounds so scary. It is so awful for sure. It's pure torture.
It's standard to take 2-5 biz days with my results, even if sinister. I feel so scared. Like I'm legit scared. Never been this scared in my life. My friend keeps saying it's probably a blocked duct and thinks my doctor approached me the wrong way by strictly talking about cancer but ugh. I just want this nightmare to end, not begin.
fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.
I made the mistake of googling something I thought was innocent, but related to breast cancer. Ended up taking me to a cancer message board where I got lost reading a trail of threads, kind of like you do on youtube with the video side-bar. Anyway.... Found a post by a lady who was stage II, and 2.5 years out from treatment, she was celebrating. Looked at her post history.. a year later her cancer came back in her brain. Her next post was to the "hospice" area of the message board. She passed away.
This disease is disgusting. It's one thing to hear about it casually like in adverts, but to see people's personal journeys like that, man that was sad.
I really hope I don't have this disease.
I know this post is a little dark, I just had to release this from my system so I could breathe.
When I was going through my scare I did the SAME thing. I could get on the b.c boards and get lost in the trail of threads and some of them took me to very dark places. I'd tell you stay off them but I'd be a hypocrite. I couldn't stay off of them. I had to read and read and read. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I wish I had comforting words to take your worry away, I really do. You have a lot of good things in your corner. IF things looked suspicious on the ultrasound, the radiologist would've come in immediately and they would've been setting you up for a biopsy. The day I had my ultrasound, that is exactly what happened. The tech went and got the radiologist, he came in and said lets biopsy. He would've done it right then and there but they didn't do them at that location so I had to wait a week and go somewhere else. I really think you're fine but I totally understand your worry. :hugs:
S.T.O.P Googling!
When I diagnosed... and I emphasized when I was diagnosed, I Googled to learn more about the illness I was facing. What a mistake! I was Stage IV and according to the statistics, I shouldn't be here! I joined a H&N cancer forum and met some wonderful people who taught me quite a few things... One of which is "Everyone is different". There are those with Stage 1 that don't make it and there are those like myself with Stage IV that survive. Also, the mantra... "It's not cancer until they say it is". That's HUGE!
I know you're stressed out but please... please, do not go on the cancer forums. Don't read and for goodness sakes do not join and post. It makes things worse for you and disrespects those that are sufferers. It was HA sufferers posting on the H&N forum I was part of that led me here (to give them a piece of my mind!) and I ended up staying to try and help quell fears with my real life experience.
One day at a time and as always....
Positive thoughts
Thinking of you today... :-)
@leslie
" IF things looked suspicious on the ultrasound, the radiologist would've come in immediately and they would've been setting you up for a biopsy."
I wish this were so. I think my hospital is like one of the few where the imaging center doesn't actually discuss the results with the patients. They send it to the gp and have them go over everything with the patient.
But didn't you say they told you yours looked benign but they wanted to biopsy it for your peace of mind?
Sigh. I wish this feeling would go away. It's turned into like a full fledged fear now that is sickening me.
Do you, or anyone else reading, think my fears are irrational? Like I wonder if a lot of this is anxiety based. I mean, I'm not the one who asked for these screenings. I didn't have an irrational anxiety that caused me to flip out and go through this. I was normal functioning and then found a rubbery firm non squishable lump. Doctor never talked to me about anything benign it could be. She just mentioned cancer. "We want to make sure this isn't cancerous and if it is treatment is successful" she said the lump was abnormal and said she highly recommends I do the ultrasound etc.
I'm not sure if her focusing on cancer is fuelling my anxiety or if i really really have legitimate cause for concern. Why didn't she mention benign possibilities to me?
The lump is near nipple. I dunno? Ductal carcinoma is the most likely diagnosis in people and it forms near nipple.
@fishmanpa - thank you for coming here to try and help people. I'm feeling a little ridiculous about it all but it's like something is attacking my mind. Idk. She never said it could be benign. Just focused on cancer. The doctor.
@nancy - thank you :hugs:
Hi, that's how it is at my imaging center as well, they won't tell the patient anything bc of liability. But if it was serious, the radiologist would have phoned the doctor immediately and the doctor would then get in touch with you very fast.
Honestly, I feel we are very similar in terms of health anxiety. I hate when ppl tell me I have anxiety...like, I felt fine until my test results showed something abnormal. I don't have anxiety if my results were normal. I feel what you are feeling is normal, but I think it's a bit too intense to diagnose yourself as cancerous or even stage 4 cancer. But yeah, that's easy for me to say since I'm not going through it right now.
So I went on this website called HealthTap, which can get you virtual consults with real doctors. You can choose to chat with them via text or do a video call. I found it useful when I was going through my cancer scare. I'm in the USA so I am not sure if available in the UK but might be helpful for you in talking to a professional about all this who is available virtually and seeing what they think. Most of them kept telling me, "no I'm pretty sure you don't have cancer" which was reassuring bc they are real doctors. I was on the free trial for two weeks so most of my consults were free; I ended up paying out of pocket for a few of them, but they will let you know if you are being charged. If you have to pay, I think it's something like 50USD per consult.
I think your doctor just wants to be thorough. When I received some abnormalities in my Ultrasound report...the assistant doctor who delivered the reading to me said "this is going to be a long process, make sure your husband goes with you to all appointments." I was beside myself. Now, I'm really really upset at her bc it turned out to be nothing. I think it was unprofessional of her to say that bc she herself had no idea what it was going to be. I then went to a specialist the next day, who when given the same reports, took one look and said "MOST DEFINITELY NOT CANCER." So, I guess what I'm trying to say is...it maybe depends on who you talk to and their areas of expertise.
However, in the end, nothing gave me assurance until i saw the final reports myself. It's terrible and I hate how health anxiety destroyed me for two weeks. But I'm here for you, and I'm hoping you get good news soon. When will you know?
@LP
I'm in the USA too, actually. They told me it takes 2-5 business days for results. I'm sure they have a large queue because they're a radiology clinic. So all day other people are coming in for mammograms and ultrasounds. They go in order I guess. I don't think they shuffle through the pile looking for something suspicious They go in order and assess each case I think.
I wish I knew about healthtap. If my doctor doesn't call today I'm going to try that out. I need to know about other possibilities to keep me calm. Give me a slice of hope. Because right now cancer is the only thing that's been discussed.
Yes my anxiety is like yours! Which sort of scares me. I'm realizing many here sort of invent things or go searching for things. So of course 9/10 it's nothing sinister. For me ... sigh ... the doctors terminology and that would be enough to scare the most rational person I think.
Sometimes I think this is a nightmare but then I check and the lump is there clear as day. So even though I've had HA over this (i.e.: stage 4 etc) the very real fact for me remains that the doctor is the one who was first suspicious. Must be a reason for that. Not just my mind playing tricks.
Several years ago my father in law found a lump in his breast, had it biopsied, pathology report lead us to believe it was breast cancer. During surgery to remove it, the surgeon biopsied the lump... it was benign.
How does THAT happen?
I have the same exact kind of HA. Even when you talked about diagnosing yourself with cancer first, instead of hearing from the doc - I understand about it being some kind of safety net. HealthTap has helped me deal with it greatly during the last two weeks -- you can video chat with a doctor, send them files, or even show them the lump -- obviously since it's virtual, it's not as helpful as an in-person visit, but it still provided some comfort for me between waiting times. If you don't hear from your doc, I would recommend doing a consult over the weekend as it might bring some peace of mind.
The other thing I did that kind of helped was take matters into my own hands to prevent long waiting periods. Like I tried to get the earliest appt possible for everything so I wouldn't have to deal with the waiting. My doc had recommended a hospital in the city for the CT Scan but I wasn't going to get an appointment until a week later there; called a radiology center closer to home, got myself a next day appointment, so saved myself four days of anxiety. They told me the report would take 2 days, but I called the next day to ask the status, they told me it was done and would I like a copy via email! So sometimes maybe calling around, you might get an answer faster.
Good luck, hoping you get good news soon!
@nancy - So strange, I've read of that happening a few times, what a relief!
@LPL
Well, I didn't diagnose myself with cancer though... Er well, I mean.. I guess in a way? I believe I have it, but it was because of the doctor. I didn't go in there going "OMG CANCERRRRRRRR!" She's the one who brought it up and said I need to get tested and if it's early that's really good. She said all of that, not me. She never said, "Hey, maybe its a cyst" or "Hey maybe it's a fibroadenoma"... So I'm thinking she knows its not a cyst or a fibroadenoma given the fact she has felt many many lumps for years and years. That's why things are so scary this time -- I can't say that I am making this up. It frightens me. I don't want cancer, I just.... watching my dad die from it like that... I'm terrified. If there was a chance it wasn't cancer, why didn't she bring it up?
My friend thinks its a clogged duct and he keeps going, "you don't have cancer." but what if I do? The Dr never said clogged duct, she said CANCER. *Edit* The only remotely hopeful thing she said was that most cancers she feels are hard, like a literal rock, and she said mine was "soft/robbery (compared to an actual hard tumor) and mobile" which she said "was a good thing." But cancerous tumors can very well be softer and mobile, it just means it's in an early stage, which mine would be given the size of the lump (It's pea sized, if not a bit smaller). So everything she was saying was like, "Cancer probably, but if it is, it's mobile, so that's good."
Sorry, I know I'm sort of going off the deep end, I just .. my mind is just going in circles... why did she put such emphasis on cancer if she wasn't pretty sure it was a cancerous lump?
I am looking at healthtap right now! Going to register. I know it won't change the results of the ultrasound/mammogram, but it might help me.
Ate you waiting for them to call you?
I thought I read if you didn't hear today you were going to call them?
Ate you waiting for them to call you?
I thought I read if you didn't hear today you were going to call them?
It's 6pm where I live, and the offices close at 5pm, but sometimes they call after hours... I waited by my phone, they didn't call. I was saying if they didn't call today I would do healthtap to try and calm myself. Healthtap is an online medical resource with doctors that another member commenting on this thread told me about.
The radiology clinic said to give them 2-5 business days for results.
Honestly, I'm happy they didn't call. I was petrified today, barely moved. Got sick and everything. I don't want to be told I have cancer right now, I just want a few more days of normalcy.
*Edit*
Is it possible my doctor has my results and they're malignant so she's waiting for me to see a therapist before she tells me so I can deal with the diagnosis?
Let me know how you get on with healthtap! Also, sorry if already mentioned, but how long has the lump been there?
I really don't think your doctor would be withholding news about malignancy from you! If it was malignant, I think she must be required to tell you ASAP! She probably knows you are anxious but she wouldn't want to delay treatment even though you are anxious.
At this point, I noticed it 1.5 months ago, but I am unsure how long it has actually been in there. It feels about 1/4inch (.6cm or 6.35mm) and isn't getting larger. It actually feels smaller to me BUT I think that could maybe be because I've "accepted" that it's there so it isn't as shocking/infringing to feel anymore.
I did a general inquiry on healthtap but tomorrow I will very likely pay to be able to submit a more detailed/personalized question. thank you for the tip!
on the sidebar, there's "get help now" which you can click on and will connect you to a doc immediately. If you're not on the free trial it's usually around $50 per Consult. If you are on free trial, you can get several 30 minute consults to try out the service for free.
Maybe the lump is going away! I've had many lumps here and there that have gone away. Good luck, and hopefully you are able to enjoy some of your weekend. I also listened to some guided meditation when I was freaking out and it also helped a bit
Hi woeisme, I'm really sorry to read about your current health issue. As others have said, I can understand why you are anxious and it is important to try to remind yourself that you have not had a cancer diagnosis yet. Hopefully you get an answer/results soon.
I just wanted to post a warning about healthtap to be careful - it can be a rabbit hole! When my anxiety was really bad, I used to occasionally use a similar website that links you with doctors for a fee for each chat. Eventually I was spending more than I would if I had just gone to the doctor and used my health insurance. I relied on it for a lot of reassurance. I think it really fed my anxiety and the HA cycle. So now I try to stay away from it and just call my doctor if I need to. Luckily I am also very anxious about money so that kicked in and over-rode the HA, lol.
So just a thought about keeping an eye on health tap and not letting it get to be too much. A one off convo with a doctor might be okay, but I just know for me and my anxiety it was not.
Like Fishmanpa said, it isn't cancer until it is.
And there are many, MANY things it could be.
A year and a half ago I had a very bad looking atypical mole. I mean, it looked like a blood blister. My doctor really was worried and (without knowing about my HA) thought it could be nodular melanoma, and literally biopsied it on the spot.
I had done everything but buy my coffin. It looked EXACTLY like a large number of fatal melanomas I found pictures of online.
It was benign, and there was no idea what it was. It was not normal, but there was no issue with it at all. To this day, no good explanation for it. Looked and acted like the deadliest form of melanoma, was nothing at all.
Don't sign up for hospice just yet my friend. It has a far greater chance of being nothing than it does cancer.
I don't understand how an online doctor can give any sort of reliable diagnosis without examining the patient. Surely any sort of reassurance to be had from these types of chats is compromised by your knowledge that only a real life consultation with a doctor would be reliable. It just seems like a scheme to make money from vulnerable people to me.
@Swajj - healthtap isn't supposed to be for diagnosing anyone, I didn't spend much time on it (at all..) but it seems like they'd prefer people to ask them over asking Dr. google and scaring themselves shitless. It pings your location and shows you nearby doctors who you can talk with and see in person. But $99/month is insane. I used it to ask a generalized question, and was given a generalized answer. He told me there's many things a rubbery mobile lump can be besides cancer: papilloma, cyst, etc. and urged me to see my GP if I find anymore.
@swgrl - yes, good advice. I pay for private medical insurance so will use that over paying for an online service. I try to stay away from any doctor, I hate going. I definitely don't have the typical HA seen on this board. This entire episode is being sparked by my GP focusing on cancer and not talking to me about alternative things. I still think it is cancer, and I Wonder had she mentioned other things if I would have went through this whirlwind of emotions.
@lofwyr - thank you for the story, I hope I am as fortunate as you. Even if im early stage cancer and they "successfully treat me" I don't want to live with the looming fear it will return as stage 4.
You guys I've freaked myself out with this
"Depending on prognostic factors, in the worst-case scenario, up to 30% of node-negative and up to 70% of node-positive breast cancers will relapse. The prevalence of metastatic disease is high because many women live with the disease for several years. "
WTF???????????
OK first that quote doesn't apply to you because you aren't diagnosed with breast cancer today. Even then statistics are something to avoid, because as FMP said, a lot of people defy the statistics.
I interpret that as saying a lot of women live long lives into their 80s and 90s, so if they have breast cancer young, there is a lot of time left during which they could develop cancer again. I think it's just simply an age thing.
You guys I've freaked myself out with this
"Depending on prognostic factors, in the worst-case scenario, up to 30% of node-negative and up to 70% of node-positive breast cancers will relapse. The prevalence of metastatic disease is high because many women live with the disease for several years. "
WTF???????????
STOP GOOGLING! You're making yourself crazy! One step, one day at a time until you hear from the doctors.
Positive thoughts
Mrschurchill
19-12-16, 15:47
Yeah STOP GOOGLING!!!!!!
HealthTap helped me when I was going through my anxiety and thankfully I was on the free trial so I didn't incur any great fees. It's not for everyone and if you have intense HA, probably not great for you since it will lead you into a spiral. But I did find comfort in talking to a real doctor about my issues. The doctors on there received pretty much the same information my real doctors got: I uploaded all of my files from scans and bloodwork and they were able to consult with me. Of course, in-person is always more reliable since they can see and probe you if needed.
Good luck, @woeisme! I am hoping you will receive good news soon!
I don't understand how you could be reassured by a doctor on the internet if you weren't reassured by your real life doctor. For one thing your real life doctor actually knows your medical history. For anther, he/she also has access to all your files. It sounds like reassurance seeking to me. Which I kind of understand but to have to pay for it after a real life doctor has dealt with the issue I just don't get. They are just preying on the vulnerable imo.
My doctor sees hundreds of patients and she never remembers me. Partly because I only go once a year for my annual. For my specific case, I then went to a specialist, who saw me for the first time. So neither of them knew me that well. HT served well for me when I needed a second opinion. They are not just "internet doctors"; they are real doctors in your location that you can also see in person if you'd like. I can see how this is useful in certain situations; for example, if you needed to consult about something but can't get an appointment right away with an in-person visit, the service would be useful. I don't think they are "preying" on anyone; I think if you choose to use it all the time for every single symptom, then obviously it would not be useful. And if you have intense HA, it might not be the best for you; in that case, therapy might be better. Many things have moved online in this age of technology and I think they are just trying to fill a need.
I did say imo. And that is still my opinion. You are entitled to yours.
I'm not here to change your opinion, I don't care to. I just thought it presumptuous to make all these statements without ever having used the service once.
That's the last I'll say of this. I apologize to OP if the service was not of use to you, but as we were suffering from similar HA, was hoping it might be of some use. I think all of these tangential discussions are not useful to what this thread is really about. So I think any further comments here should really just focus on the OP and his concerns.
Once again you are entitled to your opinion. From where I sit it is useful to point out the obvious. That is, if you have seen a real life doctor and been given his or her opinion then it is unnecessary to seek a second medical opinion from a doctor who is unable to examine you. imo
lol
MyNameIsTerry
20-12-16, 05:21
My doctor sees hundreds of patients and she never remembers me. Partly because I only go once a year for my annual. For my specific case, I then went to a specialist, who saw me for the first time. So neither of them knew me that well. HT served well for me when I needed a second opinion. They are not just "internet doctors"; they are real doctors in your location that you can also see in person if you'd like. I can see how this is useful in certain situations; for example, if you needed to consult about something but can't get an appointment right away with an in-person visit, the service would be useful. I don't think they are "preying" on anyone; I think if you choose to use it all the time for every single symptom, then obviously it would not be useful. And if you have intense HA, it might not be the best for you; in that case, therapy might be better. Many things have moved online in this age of technology and I think they are just trying to fill a need.
A doctor has to conform to the codes of ethics demanded by his/her medical licence. If they want to breach that, it's a matter to be pursued through the correct process. They could do that in any practice setting if they are so inclined.
Also, this must be legal otherwise it would easily be shutdown.
They are preying on people at all, it's the age old issue with HA people - this service wasn't designed with you in mind. Just as going private over here can be compared as the GP will still charge you even to say they are going to offer no testing as it's all anxiety. You took their time up, you pay the bill.
That's a problem with these sites but it's not easy to resolve unless they keep records and you have to be truthful about your identity.
My surgery has about one minute in between appointments. How much has my GP read in that time, as well as made their notes about the previous patient? It's a revolving door.
And then we have the walk-in clinics. The NHS are still centralising patient records, and there are exemptions, but the NHS are fine (and actively promote) using these doctors instead of heading to A&E. The onus is on the doctor conducting themselves how they should to be able to do the best for the patient. It's best to see someone who has your records, not always someone who knows you as some GP's make assumptions about HA people, but services can't always be designed with the risk a HA person might seek to abuse it in some way.
They are preying on people at all, it's the age old issue with HA people - this service wasn't designed with you in mind.
Yup, precisely.
@woeisme, have you heard from your doctor?
I got my results back finally. After about 5 days of waiting... it was a cyst!!
The mind is scary! I really thought it was cancer. For a cyst, it feels unlike any I've ever felt, but the ultrasound clearly showed a cyst with no features of cancer.
I'm really very relieved and have learned a valuable lesson. I just feel guilty about the countless people whose imaging wasn't benign :( sigh.
I really appreciate those of you who took the time to calm me and give outside perspectives.
Although I haven't actively been involved with this thread I am very pleased you got the all clear :).
LPL the last you will say. SonI guess "yup" doesn't count as saying something lol. What is it about the phrase "in my opinion" that is so hard to understand? My opinion remains the same regardless of what Terry thinks. He is not the fount of all knowledge here.
Woeisme I am glad that your outcome was a good one. Now you can enjoy your Xmas. ��
Yay!!!! So glad to read a happy ending after reading through all of the posts!
I go in to have a lump checked tomorrow. They are doing an ultrasound possibly followed by a mammogram. I am freaking out right now!
I've had that done. You'll be fine. :)
Congratulations, what a relief!! I am really happy for you, woeisme. Now quit feelin' guilty and enjoy your day! :D
Mochi - good luck tomorrow :hugs:
I got my results back finally. After about 5 days of waiting... it was a cyst!!
The mind is scary! I really thought it was cancer. For a cyst, it feels unlike any I've ever felt, but the ultrasound clearly showed a cyst with no features of cancer.
I'm really very relieved and have learned a valuable lesson. I just feel guilty about the countless people whose imaging wasn't benign :( sigh.
I really appreciate those of you who took the time to calm me and give outside perspectives.
I read your whole the thread the other day (as I was in a state of panic myself, well I still am). I didn't comment but my gut had a good feeling and I knew you were going to be okay :) I'm SO HAPPY you got the all clear.
I'm in a horrible position myself atm, I have a large lump in my neck and a tiny little pea above collarbone (not a good place) I discovered yesterday. Going to the doctor tomorrow, I hope it goes well even though I'm convinced it wont. :weep:
Congratulations, Woeisme, now go and enjoy your holidays!!!!!
Great news! :yesyes: Save this thread as a reminder of what you put yourself through so you don't do it to yourself again. Remember, Dr. Google will tell you a pimple is cancer ;)
Positive thoughts
Congratulations!!!! YAY!!!! Enjoy your Christmas and New Years! So happy for you!!!! :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :bighug1: :yesyes:
Congratulations, what a relief!! I am really happy for you, woeisme. Now quit feelin' guilty and enjoy your day! :D
Mochi - good luck tomorrow :hugs:
Thanks SWGRL09! I'm getting ready to leave now....
MyNameIsTerry
21-12-16, 23:23
LPL the last you will say. SonI guess "yup" doesn't count as saying something lol. What is it about the phrase "in my opinion" that is so hard to understand? My opinion remains the same regardless of what Terry thinks. He is not the fount of all knowledge here.
Woeisme I am glad that your outcome was a good one. Now you can enjoy your Xmas. ��
Eh? I'm only stating my opinion. Given we both shared the same opinion, I'm not surprised we are in agreement. No need for the silly comment, swajj.
Terry I didn't know we shared the same opinion. LPL and I do not share the same opinion so when LPL quoted and agreed with you I assumed you were disagreeing with me too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyNameIsTerry View Post
They are preying on people at all, it's the age old issue with HA people - this service wasn't designed with you in mind.
Yup, precisely.
---------- Post added at 15:54 ---------- Previous post was at 15:53 ----------
My apologies Terry but your post was a little confusing. :)
glad to here all went well,
I hope a lesson in logical thinking has been learnt here lol
:)
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