GP found a lump [Archive]

Jessxxx1

02-07-20, 19:13

Hi everyone, I posted a week or so ago about weird feelings in my boob and finding it hard to check after a family friend passed away. Well I went to the GP and she found a lump and has referred me urgently. I was expecting to just go in and all be OK. I'm (obviously) feeling quite anxious about this and don't want to spiral. Please recommend all the things i can do to try and get through this....

Obviously I'll stay away from Google.

Thank you

Xxx

pav1984

02-07-20, 19:52

I'm sorry to hear this, however it isn't forced to be what you think. There are plenty of other possibilities and your GP has to fast track you if you match certain criteria. This doesn't mean something is definitely wrong but I do understand your anxiety.

I cant imagine what you are going through but wanted to pass on my best wishes and support if I can.

I'm sure there are people on this board who have been in your position or similar and hopefully can offer some good advice.

In the absence of better advice try distraction or focusing on positive outcomes. You cant do anything until a diagnosis is confirmed so you may as well enjoy yourself until you know for sure there is anything to worry about.

Even if it is something sinister, there are plenty of success stories from people who have posted on this board.

Sorry I cant offer anything better but didnt want you to receive no responses due to people not knowing how to respond.

Take care and I wish you all the best

O_O

02-07-20, 22:57

I was fast tracked recently for several lumps in my neck.

I was seen within two weeks, and when they performed a scan one of the lumps looked suspicious. However, it turned out to be not-cancer.

Just because you're given a two week wait referral does not mean you have cancer. In fact, MOST of the time it isn't cancer. It's simply that (unfortunately) GPs can't diagnose a lump in their consulting room and so anything that could potentially be cancer needs to be urgently referred - better safe than sorry.

Of course you're going to feel anxious, we all would, and we can't know what kind of diagnosis you'll get yet. What we can know, however, is that your referral does not mean you have cancer and in fact statistically you're more likely NOT to have cancer.

I hope the wait goes ok for you - I'm absolutely terrible at staying relaxed while waiting so not the best to give tips! Do you have some hobbies you can get stuck into, or maybe a new TV series, and some friends/family you can chat to?

katniss

03-07-20, 06:08

Hey! Believe it or not the SAME thing happened to me. I had been having pain in my right breast but couldn’t feel an actual lump. Sure enough my doc found ( in her words) a “lumpy bumpy” thing. I was also expecting to be told that it was nothing. This can be incredibly frightening given the amount of awareness women have about breast cancer. My doc referred me for an ultrasound. I was given an appointment a week away. I ended up calling a bunch of places to give me an appointment that very evening. I live in Canada so I am assuming it’s easier to do that here. Lo and behold it was just extra tissue, there was nothing to worry about.

I hope that it is the same for you :)

WiseMonkey

03-07-20, 07:42

Yep I've had this too, went to the Dr for the yearly manual breast check before having a mammogram and she says there's a lumpy area here! I told her that's been there for 15 years (hasn't changed) and never picked up on a mammogram before. She says get it checked immediately, which I did, the 3D mammogram showed up nothing (it's just extra glandular tissue) ... crisis averted (for my Dr)!!

pulisa

03-07-20, 08:55

I've had this too and it was just glandular tissue which was diagnosed by ultrasound. No mammogram required.

I hope you get your appointment through soon-I'm sure you will do but this is a good thing and breast care clinics here are really thorough and you will leave with a diagnosis.

Jessxxx1

03-07-20, 09:48

Thank you everyone, so good to hear positive stories of it turning out to be ok - so good to hear. I know reassurance seeking isn't great for HA but I'll take what I can right now! Apparently the breast consultant will be calling me today... Wavering between "everything will be ok" to "I'm doomed"... Urgh.

Edited to say they've now called and I will be in the breast clinic next Friday. Only a week away but feels like an age 😭

Justme1970

03-07-20, 11:41

Hi Jess. I had a lump a while ago, the doctor told me that although she was sure it was nothing, all lumps should be urgently referred. She was right, turned out to be a cyst - it’s still there 10 years later!

BrokenGirl

03-07-20, 12:05

Just wanted to add my story to this aswell. I found a few breast lumps over the years and when I went to the doctor she referred me. And each referral was an urgent referral.
Breast lump referrals are usually urgent referrals. And this can sound scary to us HA sufferers, but the majority of these lumps turn out to be nothing.

A week isn't too long to wait (although I know it may not seem like that at the moment). Hang in there and try to challenge those negative thoughts when they pop into your head.

Best of luck with it xx

nomorepanic

03-07-20, 12:43

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

Jessxxx1

05-07-20, 09:24

Thank you everyone for your stories... They make me feel a bit more positive that it will all be ok. I'm doing ok all things considered. Im at my mum's (we're a bubble) but I haven't told her as she doesn't need that worry just now. Just told my partner and some close friends. My mother hasn't picked up on my anxiety so I guess that's an indication I'm doing ok. But it's occupying almost every thought in my head. 5 days to go.

Xxx

pulisa

10-07-20, 08:46

The very best of luck for today, Jess. Please let us know that is said at your appointment? x

Midnight-mouse

10-07-20, 09:33

Thinking of you Jess! Hoping for the best, let us know when you have a moment?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jessxxx1

11-07-20, 09:16

Hi everyone, I was at the breast clinic yesterday after the GP found a lump. I had 3 fine needle biopsies. The sonographer didnt say too much, just that she was doing the biopsies to be cautious. I was ok yesterday, but now my mind is in overdrive and I'm super anxious. I should get my results in the next week. Honestly feeling awful. I'm not even 40 yet with two preschool age kids...😢 I am looking for reassurance, ideas to calm myself whatever it takes to get through. Thanks

Jessxxx1

11-07-20, 10:19

Thank you for thinking of me midnight mouse and pulisa. I had my appointment yesterday and I'm not sure what to think. I turned up and straight away the nurse took a fine needle biopsy without even doing the ultrasound... Cue me almost having a complete meltdown... As once again I'd geared myself up for it "all being ok". I was then sent for an ultrasound (I'm 39). Sonographer didnt say too much. She didn't seem overly worried about the area the nurse had biopsied and said she could see two cysts. BUT there was a nearby lump that was more suspicious (she showed me it on the screen) she biopsied the area twice. However she said if she was very suspicious she would have done a core biopsy rather than another FNA. I felt relieved immediately after (I'd got to the point where I imagined my whole boob being full of cancer) but today the niggles and worry is creeping in.... In typical HA style! Although obviously this is genuine concern and not something "in my head". I have been given a number to call in a week if I haven't heard by then. Wish if had an absolute answer yesterday. But still more waiting... Oh and this morning some white gunk came out of my boob... FFS! 😞

NancyW

11-07-20, 11:18

At this point do whatever it is that calms your mind and passes the time, you're stuck in the waiting for test results twilight zone until you get your results.

Elen

11-07-20, 12:17

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your thread was merged with another of your threads.

Please when posting on similar topics add it onto your previous post rather than starting a new one.

It is nothing personal it is just to make it easier for people to follow your story and to give you advice as a whole.

Elen

pulisa

11-07-20, 13:53

Waiting for results is awful but you have started the process and now you will have to keep yourself as busy and distracted as possible to stop yourself from ruminating and leaping to worst case scenario situations. I imagine that your young children keep you occupied anyway but do whatever it takes, as Nancy says, to get through the hours and please don't Google because the information you will find online will not apply to your own case. Only the doctors studying your biopsies will have the answers..not a soulless search engine.

I'm so sorry you are having to go through this wait, Jess x

Jessxxx1

11-07-20, 23:17

Thanks Nancy and Pulisa. I keep swinging from feeling ok to bring severely worried. Things have moved pretty quickly - I called my GP only ten days ago so I guess it's going as quickly as it can really. Told my mum, she sounds v worried, which doesn't help. Urgh.

singing_rabbit

12-07-20, 01:00

I also have a breast cyst, plus giant lumps in my left breast. They're all fine, as far as I know (couldn't get them checked this year due to covid). Yours is most likely fine too!

Jessxxx1

12-07-20, 07:58

Hi singing rabbit - thank you. Mine isn't a cyst unfortunately, it's solid and suspicious enough to need to be biopsied but hopefully it's a benign mass. Are your breast clinics not open?

pulisa

12-07-20, 08:20

Jess, the waiting is so hard..Do you know how you will be told your results? Do you have to go back to the clinic or will it be a telephone call?

Jessxxx1

12-07-20, 15:41

Hi Pulisa, I've been given a number to call in a week if I haven't heard before... So I guess over the phone. They're avoiding people going into the hospital and I was there for about an hour and half on Friday. Xxx

pulisa

12-07-20, 18:17

At least you have no longer than Friday to wait then which is something to hang on to..Not much, I know but the wait could be much longer. You'll get a definitive diagnosis which will put a stop to the awful speculation which is so distressing and panic inducing. Please keep posting, Jess..You'll get through the week and you'll know one way or the other. I do so hope it's reassuring news but you obviously are doing the right thing by getting this thoroughly checked out now xx

Jessxxx1

12-07-20, 21:24

Thank you. I've actually been ok this weekend, lovely weather and knowing I wouldnt hear anything yet. But I'm now getting anxious about tomorrow... What if they call?! I want to know but I also don't want to know if it's bad news... And the life-changing implications of that. supposed to be going to a holiday cottage next weekend for a week... Can't even begin to think about packing and planning for that. Keep telling myself 80% of biopsied lumps are benign. But I guess that although the chances are relatively low the consequences are huge and that makes me anxious.

pulisa

12-07-20, 21:34

Of course you are anxious but knowledge is power and not knowing is the pits. No matter how scared you are of the "verdict" you will have to know and the sooner the better for your mental health.

Carys is a member on here who has personal experience of breast issues and she has extensive knowledge of breast care forums and also of treatment available should this be necessary.

Of course you can't even begin to think about your holiday..I would think you would get your results towards the end of the week but I know you will be on tenterhooks every time your phone rings tomorrow. Could you tell people only to ring you in an emergency which will cut the number of "routine" calls you get and which will cause panic? I tend to do this because it avoids all those heart-stopping moments when the phone rings and you fear the worst..

Jessxxx1

14-07-20, 16:16

Tuesday pm... Still no news.
Pulisa - thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. You're right knowledge is power and whatever the verdict I will be in a better position to heal mentally and/or physically. It really is horrendous though!

pulisa

14-07-20, 18:00

Yes it's mental torture but every hour is an hour nearer to finding out and taking control of whatever is or is not diagnosed. Knowledge is so much better than speculation and rumination and trying to compare your symptoms with someone else's.

Please let us know as and when? Fingers tightly crossed for good news and for a happy holiday! xx

Carys

14-07-20, 18:03

I'm sorry you are going through this mental struggle Jess, its incredibly tough waiting for results especially on biopsies. You desperately want that answer, an answer which you know will only come from the biopsy and from nowhere else, although in your mind you will swing around between 'it is' 'it can't be' 'its won't be' 'it might be' 'it must be'. The rollercoaster whilst waiting is literally the pits, and very frightening, BUT I repeat what Pulisa said - even if it is 'it' then 'it' will be dealt with and you will know what you are facing - that will be easier than the not knowing and the fear of waiting and your mind being unable to focus on anything else. Hang on in there !