Breast lump or ribcage???? [Archive]

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ariana95

18-10-17, 10:56

I've been looking at posts here for a while but i've never posted anything. Last night my friend told me she was being sent for a biopsy on a lump in her breast (she is only 21, as am I). This of course, triggered my anxiety and sent me searching for my own lumps. Lo and behold i found one on the edge of my right breast at the bottom near my sternum. It feels hard and like a pea at some times but at others it feels like it could be my rib cage. I'm at my wits end here and could really use some reassurance. I've made an appointment for next friday but I don't know if i can wait that long :weep:

someone please help me :( I'm sick of living like this. I'm on a 3 month waiting list for CBT

swgrl09

18-10-17, 14:06

I am glad you have an appointment just to be safe - a doctor can tell you right away if it is a bone. For what it's worth, I can feel a hard area of bone in the same spot on myself. In the meantime try to do what you can to keep busy. Of course you are going to be more anxious because of your friend's experience. But remember even if it is a lump, most lumps are benign. :hugs:

Ellient

18-10-17, 16:34

I have all this, I have about 4 of the little lumps on the rib cage - I panicked so much but I knew it was rib, this was quite a few years ago. I left it and now I can still feel it just a normal part of the rib cage remember you have a lot of muscle round that area too, can you feel it on both sides?

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ariana95

18-10-17, 19:11

thank you for your responses! It's very reassuring. I can't feel it on both sides and thats what worried me but i suppose i just have an asymmetrical rib cage? I just can't stop poking and checking on it :mad:

budgie1979

19-10-17, 16:10

You have the appointment set up, so you can stop checking yourself. The checking is just feeding your anxiety. I've been there. I know it can be hard, but tell yourself you'll have the doctor look at and go from there. There's nothing to be gained by constant self checking, except you will make yourself sore and scared.

ariana95

19-10-17, 17:32

I totally agree, this happens to me all of the time as a consequence of checking. I freak out and then after a few days I look back and realise how ridiculous I am being. I realise I have a problem with anxiety/obsessive thoughts. However, this problem is new to me so I'm just getting to grips with it. No idea where it came from

Ellient

19-10-17, 17:55

I wouldn't check this will make the little thing a bit more sore and probably a lot more bigger in your mind.

If it's not in both sides that doesn't matter, we all have one side bigger than the other with things.

You have the appointment and you also are very young 21 is so rare to get breast cancer it's almost unheard off unless you look, which of course you will always find stories as these things can happen but the odds are more likely it won't.

If your friends lump is big or causing her problems or she has a family history that's usually when they biopsy. It's quite hard from where I am from to get one before because breast cancer is so rare!

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ariana95

19-10-17, 18:48

yeah I'm definitely not going to check anymore, for all I know it could have always been there and gone unnoticed until this fear popped up! Poking and prodding will do nothing but hurt me (mentally and physically)

I'm pretty sure my friend's lump is benign too, the biopsy is just because of a family history I think.

Thanks so much to everyone who responded. I'm feeling much more calm and rational now :)

Ellient

19-10-17, 19:22

ariana95

19-10-17, 19:53

Thank you! I will :)

ariana95

23-10-17, 13:38

Just thought I'd post an update, I saw a doctor today who said he thinks the lump is actually a swollen lymph node caused by infection, i hope he's right. He said it doesn't feel like anything sinister and should be gone by friday if I take my antibiotics. Let's hope it disappears :)

swgrl09

23-10-17, 16:27

That's good to hear. Those stupid things can swell for so many reasons ... pimples, irritation, etc. I hope you feel a little reassured by that.

ariana95

23-10-17, 17:00

Yeah a little bit! I'm just going to leave it alone and pray it's gone by the time I finish my medicine :)

swgrl09

23-10-17, 18:33

The one behind my ear used to pop up all the time from minor scalp irritations, in-grown hairs, etc. And I would poke at it a lot. Honestly once I didn't poke it for a few days it went back down. It's amazing what we do to ourselves.

ariana95

23-10-17, 21:47

I know! I must admit, at first I doubted what he was telling me because of the position of the lymph node but he must be right, he's the professional. I also had no trouble until I started poking!