Too scared to check my breasts, doctor said she'll do it for me

[BrokenGirl]

I lost my job at the beginning of this year and since then my HA has gradually gotten worse. I'm at a stage now where it is constant, always worrying about something, no matter how big or small it is.
I can't get through a day now where I don't have a health worry. My doctor has been going through different medications with me, still trying to find something that suits. Counselling has been a disaster. I can't afford to go private. The public option is over the phone only and while I don't really like that option I gave it a try. But after 2 sessions the counsellor just cut me off, didn't bother ringing me anymore. My GP is not happy with it and is now trying a different route for me.

But in the meantime, over the past several months, checking my breasts was becoming agonizing for me. I was dreading it every month. And always finding something. It was starting to take over my life and my doctor told me a few months ago to stop checking them. She said she'll do it for me. She said that me checking them every month was doing me so much mental damage. But she also told me that there is no need to check them every month, especially when I had a clear mammogram in May of this year. She has checked them twice over the past few months and told me I can leave it a few more months before she checks them again.

I'm always hearing and reading that we should check them every month. Is it ok for my doctor to do it every few months? She's a lovely doctor and I trust her, but I'd just like to get a few opinions on getting them checked every few months instead of every month.
But it has to be the doctor that checks them, for now anyway. The thought of checking them makes me sick, I've had too many scares when doing it. And my breasts are lumpy, and they do seem to change all the time. I don't know how I'll ever check them myself again, but I won't worry about that for now.

[Midnight-mouse]

Honestly I have never checked mine in any regular pattern or stuck to a schedule. I might check a couple times in a year. I believe my mum is the same way and she’s now in her mid 60s. I think your doctor checking would be far more effective than you poking around and getting stressed out for no reason as she knows what she’s feeling with it all.


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[NoraB]

I usually give mine a fondle once a month when I'm in the shower. (I don't just shower once a month)

I'm not exactly Dolly Parton, so any lumps would be fairly obvious...

[Leslie735]

Hi friend! Gosh I can relate to this! I actually asked my Dr a couple years ago, if she would do my exams for me. She refused. She told me that would only worsen my anxiety that I need to challenge it by doing my own exams. I disagree. You have a lovely Dr!

I think an exam every few months, by a Dr, is enough. You can't get much better than a professional doing it for you.

I'm sorry you're struggling so much. I totally get it. Feel free to PM me if you want to chat.

[Coppernob]

I totally understand what you're dealing with! A long time ago now, back in the 80s when I was in my 40s I got into a complete merry-go-round of constant checking and fear of checking, and constantly thinking I'd found something. In the end my doctor suggested checking for me (in those days it was easy to get an appointment! He did it a few times, and then I was able to get into group therapy (NHS) which really helped, especially meeting other folks with cancer phobia. Also I think anti-depressants helped, and I just learnt to deal with it - and importantly to love my breasts and not be afraid of them. I've just been through a scary time with breast pain, but I've seen a specialist and had a mammogram which was clear, so I know there's nothing wrong.

Needless to say it hasn't stopped me panicking, wondering what is causing the pain if there's nothing wrong with my breasts!