Been referred for breast scan - SCARED AS HELL - DEATH SENTENCE IN MIND

[GirlAfraid23]

Just turned 22 this month. I have no family history of breast cancer at all. A couple of days ago now I lifted my left breast up into my bra and felt a shooting sharp pain come from underneath and through the nipple area. It was very painful. I let it go for a day but I kept noticing the pain and thought I may aswell get it checked out (severe health anxiety sufferer btw). He was a new GP and slightly informal so that worried me from the start. He looked at my breasts and felt both of them, saying that I had "lumpy breast tissue" in both of them but more on the left. He said he could feel a kind of "grapes" sensation in the upper quarter or something. Then he said that its his procedure to send anyone with slight lumps for a scan. Of course right away I started panicking and began to cry right there in the surgery. He told me that it was just a precaution and I should just get it checked out. Apparentley I have no lumps under my armpit and no discolouration of the breast skin or nipple, I also have no nipple discharge. Despite that I am driving myself crazy with worry, he put it down as non-urgent so said it may not even be until after my holiday on 19th-26th July :( How can I enjoy a holiday with this hanging over my head? I've even taken drastic measures and have contacted my local private clinic in order to pay at least £500 to get it checked. At this moment in time I'm not having any rational thought and that would be most of my savings gone...
Just want some reassurance from you nice people although I know you cant give me much when you don't know for sure. The waiting is the hardest :(

[nomorepanic]

I think the title of this thread could upset some people who have had breast cancer scares and not died!

It is not a death sentence by any means. One of my neighbours has breast cancer and is still alive!

Don't spend the £500 - you don't need to. If it was urgent the doctor would have you in hospital NOW and not in a few weeks.

You need to calm down, go on holiday and stop worrying about this as there is 99.9% nothing wrong like the doctor told you.

Sorry if that sounds harsh but I want you to be rational about this.

[snowgoose]

hello girl afraid :)

can understand your fear ........it is horrible to have health anxiety :hugs:

the fact is if your doc thought for a moment this was serious stuff ..you would have been referred immediately under the guideline two week rule . We have to trust them .they know .

this could be hormonal [are you on your period or just before ? ] .........it could be cysts which are common but will not turn cancerous .............lots of reasons that are not cancer. it is good you are having breast scan in that it will reassure you I think ...........not that you have breast cancer .:hugs:


keep your savings Girl Afraid ...............if you feel you need to before your holiday go see another Gp to reassure you ...one you know .
take care and dont fret
:hugs:

cancer is usually thankfully not a death sentence these days .........wish we could change the word to something that didnt strike fear in all our souls .

[JaneC]

Nicola is right. At your age and with no family history there is really, really, really very little chance that you have it.

There might be some helpines you could phone for extra reassurance - better to use you money for your holiday xxx

[GirlAfraid23]

Sorry if I offended anybody. Is there anyway I can change the title of this thread?

By some miracle, I have an appointment tomorrow, its private but I'm only paying £45.00 (a donation). Very very scared and very very worried. I really dont think i'll be sleeping tonight. Or eating. Or in fact anything...They will tell me there and then after an ultrasound whether it is something nasty. I hope some kind of positive energy force is with me tomorrow. I'm not going to have time to take it all in if its something bad :(

[kah]

Hey,
I totally understand, I've been referred to the Breast Clinic twice (once for a lump and the other time for discharge from nipple) and both times nothing sinister has been wrong. Some people do just have lumpy breasts, I know I do especially before my period.

Good luck, I'm sure you won't need it
Kerri-anne xxx

[snowgoose]

please dont be scared ........easy for me to say I know .............but the probability is miniscule . but hey can well understand why you want a private appointment to reassure you as soon as possible .
just been there with family stuff ..so do understand .........and you didnt offend me at all .
will be sending sleep waves to you tonight .....cos not sleeping is horrid .
:hugs:

[Magic]

To girl afraid,
Wishing you well for tomorrow:flowers:

[debs71]

Hi,

I had the exact same symptoms as you last year. I had shooting, stabbing pains that travelled right through my right breast to the nipple. It was excruciating.

I went to see my GP who examined both breasts and said she felt a lump in my LEFT breast, so of course this worried me more as I hadn't even had any problems with that breast. She referred me urgently (seen within 2 weeks) to the breast clinic at my local hospital where I was sent for a scan - like you.

I was also very worried before the appointment but thankfully managed to keep a lid on things. I went for the scan and it showed that I had numerous micro cysts running throughout my left breast. Although this wasn't the breast originally giving me pain, my assumption is that the right one has the cysts too. Cysts are benign and they said that they will either resolve on their own or can be drained if they get bigger, but they are too small to bother with right now.

Please be reassured by the fact that anything sinister DOES NOT hurt. I was told this by the doctor that I saw in the breast clinic, and that 9 times out of 10, any changes in the breast are hormonal.

I hope this reassures you a bit and wish you well.xxx:hugs: