Is it ever advisable to watch and wait?

[Limeslime]

So I found a shallow indentation under my boob. I need to use a mirror to see it, and raise my arm and lean forward. It’s about 2cm, but it is right next to an old scar, and my logic is telling me that it’s just abit of distorted tissue from the scar.
But my HA is telling me not to self diagnose.

I have a long running booby fear, and I had a mammo and ultrasound on April last year which was clear, followed by 3 monthly manual check ups for 12 months. I feel a bit silly going back for more reassurance when I was only discharged from the breast clinic 6 months ago.
I’m terrified of going to gp/hospitals But I also want to make the sensible choice and not be ruled by my HA.

Is it ever a good idea to watch and wait with breast changes?

[.Poppy.]

I think with a lot of things, watch and wait is a good approach but with breast changes it might be worth a chat.

Since you are an established patient at the breast clinic, could you call them and ask what they recommend? I wonder if it's something that maybe was already there and they documented it and are aware of it, but you may have just noticed now. Maybe not the case, but that would be what I would do.

[Limeslime]

I think with a lot of things, watch and wait is a good approach but with breast changes it might be worth a chat.

Since you are an established patient at the breast clinic, could you call them and ask what they recommend? I wonder if it's something that maybe was already there and they documented it and are aware of it, but you may have just noticed now. Maybe not the case, but that would be what I would do.

I was discharged from the breast clinic in April so I don’t have direct access to them anymore. I’d have to go via my GP to be referred back to them. That’s a lot of people’s time to waste if I’m just being silly again.

[.Poppy.]

Ah, that does make sense. I do think the chances of something popping up in the six months since you've been discharged are extremely low (like go-play-the-lottery low) and I will say I also have an indent of a similar size on my breast that is also next to a scar and that I ask about annually and am told it's totally normal. But I understand your fear; I find myself analyzing every stretch mark to see if it's a concerning indent or just a normal body mark.

I will say based on what I've been told from my own doctors, that concerning indents are usually really obvious (often sizable) and you know they're out of place. I would believe that it is just scar tissue as well. But I also know how hard it is to tow the line between health anxiety and being proactive.

[Limeslime]

Ah, that does make sense. I do think the chances of something popping up in the six months since you've been discharged are extremely low (like go-play-the-lottery low) and I will say I also have an indent of a similar size on my breast that is also next to a scar and that I ask about annually and am told it's totally normal. But I understand your fear; I find myself analyzing every stretch mark to see if it's a concerning indent or just a normal body mark.

I will say based on what I've been told from my own doctors, that concerning indents are usually really obvious (often sizable) and you know they're out of place. I would believe that it is just scar tissue as well. But I also know how hard it is to tow the line between health anxiety and being proactive.

Thanks poppy. I’m totally obsessed with breast indents as I seem to have so many! Feel like i find a new one every few months and I’m sick to death of worrying about them and going through the process of stressing myself out to get them checked.
I think I just need to accept that I have dimpley boobs and that’s ok. But in reality, I know I’ll obsess over it and keep checking it til I get a professional opinion. HA sucks.

Thanks for passing on the advice from your doctor. That’s really good to know. I wish more advice was available about how to differentiate the characteristics of a normal dimple caused by weight loss, aging etc, versus a bad one.