Breast exam?

[Carys]

While your lump is unlikely to be sinister, they should refer you under the two-week wait if you ask them to.

They will only refer you under the 2 week rule if they believe it is something of concern, not sadly 'if you ask them to'.



Why not, without seeing your GP, ask the nurse at your clinic to give a quick 'once over'?

[Limeslime]

Oh, can you do that?!!! That’s all I really want!

---------- Post added at 18:05 ---------- Previous post was at 17:50 ----------

It’s just a bit of a ridge down the side of my boob. I don’t have the same on the other breast. That’s it. I don’t know if it’s a worry or not!

---------- Post added at 18:06 ---------- Previous post was at 18:05 ----------

I suppose we’re just surrounded by soooo much breast awareness campaigns, it makes us think everything is a concern!

[Carys]

It is tough, people struggle with knowing what is a 'change' or not a change, as everything is kind of objective and you can start to see things which are normal for you as 'not normal'. I certainly know at my practice that you can make nurse appointments for well woman types of things, and the nurses often deal with the cases of minor checks like this. If there was any concern then she would call a GP in. DO remember though that you only had your last manual check in August and there was deemed nothing there of any concern

[CatLady1]

They will only refer you under the 2 week rule if they believe it is something of concern, not sadly 'if you ask them to'.

You're quite right Carys, I worded that badly. Obviously the decision to refer is at the discretion of the GP, I meant more that sometimes they can be persuaded to refer if you ask them to, depending on the situation and the NICE guidelines.

[Limeslime]

It is tough, people struggle with knowing what is a 'change' or not a change, as everything is kind of objective and you can start to see things which are normal for you as 'not normal'. I certainly know at my practice that you can make nurse appointments for well woman types of things, and the nurses often deal with the cases of minor checks like this. If there was any concern then she would call a GP in. DO remember though that you only had your last manual check in August and there was deemed nothing there of any concern

Thats right Carys, I did! Although it wasn’t an annual check, just a quick “once over” in a lying down position only, to put my mind at ease. It does count for something though and does provide some reassurance!

[Carys]

Yes, I think sometimes that some can be 'persuaded', I've heard of that happening, for example if someone is really incredibly anxious - but the trouble is that when the clinic is really busy and too many are coming under the two week rule, when they don't need to, then it means everybody gets later appointments to be checked. Also, the level of anxiety might be the same between two different people about the referral, but one just accepts it and the other is quite vocal about it. The clinic can only make a judgement about the urgency of the referral by going from the GP's assessement. What I guess I'm trying to say is that I think its only fair that those who have a real major concerning issue get seen under the correct rule. I'm sorry, I'm really not trying to be critical CatLady1, please don't be offended, but I just have quite strong feelings about the whole matter - I've been 'through the system' and seen some women have to wait weeks, when they really urgently need to be seen. For anybody interested, here are the criteria for the 2 week rule....

Refer people using a suspected cancer pathway referral (for an appointment within 2 weeks) for breast cancer if they are:

• aged 30 and over and have an unexplained breast lump with or without pain or
• aged 50 and over with any of the following symptoms in one nipple only:
  
  
  
  • discharge
  • retraction
  • other changes of concern. [new 2015]
  
  

1.4.2 Consider a suspected cancer pathwayreferral (for an appointment within 2 weeks) for breast cancer in people:

• with skin changes that suggest breast cancer or
• aged 30 and over with an unexplained lump in the axilla. [new 2015]

Anyway, that all kind of out of the ballpark stuff......as I don't think you should be worrying Limeslime. POp to the nurse, stand and show the area you are concerned about and get her to take a quick check.

[CatLady1]

I am 100% not offended!

It really is awful, how access to referrals etc can be dependent on which GP you see, how overwhelmed the surgery is, and/or their interpretation of the guidelines.