hi all
well i found a lump in my left breast 2 weeks ago,
went to gps and he was suppose to send urgent fax to breast clinic,i had nothing through the post ,so i called drs wednesday morning to be told that the fax was only sent this tuesday,so theres me not sleeping to well and worried sick,
i called buy the drs to collect a letter for hospital about about my son (if nots one thing its another)
the drs receptionist called the clinic for me to see when a appointment had been made and she tells me firday 9am
was i shocked and scared because it seemed so soon,
anyway ive been to be told they still dont what it is, had xray  there is a lump there i asked what it is he says dont know errrrrrrrrr
at the point i felt like crying,tried to put needle in was just blood,so they say it isnt a cyist,or absess,i have to wait for an appointemnt for an ultrasound to be so have to wait for that now,then see breast dr a weeks ofter,
what am i gonna do,i havnt slept much for 2 weeks and now i have to wait a little longer
hopefully i will get a good result but my minds spining around all over the place
any advice people? i talk to my hubby,mum,sister etc say try not to worry but its dam hard
sorry for going on but i wish i could stop thinking about it but i cant
mandy :

Hi Mandy

I know exactly how you are feeling having gone though this quite a few times now.

Stop worrying - why you ask?
Worrying does not achieve anything positive
There is nothing you can do about your problem except think positively - "I will be okay"
If there is no problem then you have got yourself in a state for nothing
If there is a problem then you will have to use your energy to fight it rather than waste it worrying

The chances are that even when you have had your ultrasound they still won't be able to give yo a positive ID on your lump, especially if you are youngish as breast tissue is very dense and even mammograms don't always show exactly what is going on.

Good Luck and keep yourself busy - at least you don't have to wait long till your appointment - imagine having to wait weeks

Christine

I know exactly how you feel as breast cancer runs in my family.

There is no point in worrying about something you can do nothing about.

80% of the time in life all things work out well; 10% they are ok and 10% not.  Focus on the 80%.

Fingers crossed.

My friend has just had two biopsy after they detected some 'suspect' tissue during a routine mammogram(sp?),she has just had the tissue removed.NOT CANCER,but thickened tissue,she too was very upset and worried.But it goes to show that not all lumps are cancerous!!so please keep that thought in mind.
Looking on the worse side,at least it has been detected,it is being investigated and treatment is available and hugely successful nowadays.
I think this is one of every woman's nightmares and I'm sure we are all with you on this.
Good Luck and as previous post says try to keep busy and try to think positively.
Jacqueline.

Can't understand why they sent you for an X-ray, you should have been referred straight to a Mammography Unit for a breast scan.  If this hasn't been done go back to your doctor.   Also a  2 week wait is literally that, you should be seen within 2 weeks.  So don't sit and worry, most lumps are benign, but that doesn't help when it is you, go back to your doctor, and tell him/her your concerns.   Also point out the extra worry due to the delay is your referral being sent.  Where I work breast lumps are seen at the Mammography Unit, within two weeks, and after the mammogram, same day, they are seen by the Consultant, and either reassured, or further treament/tests arranged

Hi.
Try not to worry. My mum (45) a few weeks ago found a lump too. She has just had news that she is ok, and there is nothing to worry about. If something is wrong, think to your self "if other women get through this, so can i"

I do hope it all goes well for you, we are all thinking of you.

hi and thanks all
they wont give me a mammogram due to my age,im only just 30
anyway feeling better after reading your posts
i will kkep my chin up and look forward to christamas,thanks again
mandy:)

Colleague's daughter aged 20 had a lump removed on Wednesday - it was benign thankfully - so hopefully will be good news for you too :)

Daisy

I can't believe they won't give you a mammogram because of your age

I had one in my mid 20's. Thankfully it was just thickened tissue. I would go back to the doc and ask for one.

As others have already stated, it's probably nothing serious but can understand why you worry. I did. All over nothing, too. :D

Thinking of you, Mandy. Throw yourself into Christmas with all the little ones and give yourself a break. Not easy, I know. Trust your vigilance will pay off - checking yourself is stealing a march on the lump, and I think youre brilliant to have acted so promptly. Id be pretending it didnt exist while gnawing the carpets.

Lindy lou. It is strange that you were given a mammogram in your 30's They do not normally do mammograms till you are 50, due to the density of your breast tissue. As before you are 50, your breast tissue is so dense they cannot acuratly see anything inside you breast. Before then, they do ultrasound scans on lumps. I had one done earlier in the year, I am only 26. Was refered to the brest clinic. Had an ultrasound scan and I biopsy at the same time. They still donnot know what it is, but it is nothing to worry about.
Please dont worry Mandy. As someone said. The majority of lumps are nothing to worry about. BUT I worried like mad, right up till they rang me the afternoon after I had the biopsy in the morning.
Lea :)

I found a lump at the ripe old age of 25, had a biopsy done and a mammogram, luckily it was just a cyst which they wanted to remove, 2 weeks after the results I found out I was pregnant with my first child, so arranged to have the cyst removed after I had my baby........as luck had it, it disappeared on it's own after I gave birth!!

Mandy

Whatever anyone says you are going to be worried sick.

But having been there and worn the t-shirt,  I can tell you that a large percentage of lumps are benign.

If by any chance you are one of the unlucky ones as I was, then feel free to e-mail me jaynealpe@pipruda.fsnet.co.uk

I was diagnosed 3 years ago now and went through the whole scenario.  But I am still here alive and kicking, although at the time I thought OMG life is over.  You sound as if you have found this lump early and if it is a nasty then your chances of a good outcome are increased by loads.

I will be thinking of you, when do you go for your ultrasound?  Can I suggest you either take your husband or a very very good friend with you, it helped me to do that. 

Fingercrossed that everything turns out fine

xx

Jayne

I can't believe they won't give you one I thought it never mattered how old you are....Like really how old do you have to be to have things pop up and have your mind put at ease...Me personally I would demand one.

Not sure if breast cancer runs in our family but I do know that cervical cancer does :(

I wish you the best and I'm sure everything will be just fine :) Just think positive :) I no easier said then done :(

thanks guys for your support :)
im feeling more positive today but its still in the back of my mind (well sort of)
the dr did say it could also be a hormone thing but ive steralized four years now and would have thought i would have had problems before now but you never know,
breast cancer isnt in my family at all but lung and bowel is,
i havnt got a appointment for my ultrasound yet,i got a feeling it isnt goning to be this side of christmas and go to africa in feb so hopefully what ever it turns out to be im STILL GOING,
thanks jayne so much i will mail you when i find out good or bad
many thanks again all
mandy (will everything crossed)

Please do Mandy.

Since my operation I have become an unofficial helper for my plastic surgeon, who phones to ask me if I will talk to any women about to undertake reconstruction, and I have found that although part of the time that is what is talked about, a large percentage of the time is just plain talking about the diagnosis.

It always helps to talk.

xxxxxx

Jayne

aw thumper its a worry but it can be lots of things alot of women have hormonal changes and a build up and form a lump or two and appear in any part of the body that has glands... brests neck ..groin..armpit so please dont worry yet . im really glad you went to the docs and hopefuly soon you will get a result . hope all goes well,let us know how you get on  xxxxlady

Lea, I can't remeber how old I was but both my mum and myself went within weeks of one another. Nothing was found in either of us. I wonder if this was why I was sent, too?

Anyway, I've had another one since as I was still producing milk 2 years after I had stopped breast feeding and the docs wanted a second opinion. Again nothing was found. I hope these new tests do work, as they are supposed to be more accurate than a mammogram. They have to be more comfortable.

Well, aparently. The ultrascan was ok. Considering what mums description of the mammogram she had the other week!!!!!!! Althought, the biopsy was unconmfortable. But the bruise was magnificent!!!!!! Never seen so many colours in one bruise!!!!!!!
I suppose different health authorities have different ideas.  I have heard of some that are doing studies into using mammograms earlier.
Hope all is well now Lindylou
Lea :)

Yes all is well. Until the next scare Still, I think next time I won't be as worried. Having been there twice and found nothing.

Hi thumper 73,
I had three breastlumps removed when I was in my early thirties.  All benign.  They were caused by an overactive hormonal system.  Just because you're sterilised doesn't mean you can't have the same problem.  When they sterilise you they only tie or cut the fallopian tubes, which connect your ovaries with the womb and this stops the egg travelling into the womb.  So it does not interfere with your hormone levels, unless they removed the ovaries, in which case you would need to be on HRT to avoid early onset menopause.  Isn't it horrid being at the beck and call of your hormones all the time?  PMT, period pains, pain when ovulating and then back to PMT.  Great. 
Try to enjoy Christmas and remember that Breastcancer is very rare in women as young as you.  Keep us updated.  Good Luck.

GL

ps. I have found that in this country (UK) it works best if you tell the Doctor what you want and don't just wait for him to make a suggestion.  If you think you should have a scan or a mammogram, just ask for it.  I know it's not easy, but it works.  If you need to talk, email and I'll ring you.

hi all
thanks for your support and advice,i still havnt had an appointment through for my ultrasound ,they tell me it wont be this side of christmas,
so im going to enjoy it and just wait until i go as i thought there is know point worrying until i have to
many thanks again
mandy
btw hope you all have a great and enjoyable christmas :)

Hi Mandy,

I have an idea how you are feeling, two years ago I found a lump on my neck and I was scared Sh!tless !

Anyway, it turned out ait was a cyst and nothing to worry about but for a few days I was convinced it was cancer & I was going to die !

As others have said worrying achieves nothing so try & put it to the back of your mind if you can.

Some statistics that might help you a bit:

Benign Breast Lumps and Other Benign Breast Changes From the National Cancer Institute: Information on Cancer: Breast changes are common. Women experience various kinds of breast lumps and other breast changes. These changes include those that normally occur during the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy, and with aging, as well as several types of breast lumps and other changes. Most breast lumps and other changes are not cancer. Among breast conditions for which biopsies are often done, the results show that some 80 percent are not cancer.
Source: http://breastcancer.about.com

and of the very small percentage of those diagnosed with a malignancy the survival rate in the UK (especially for early detection) is very good. :)

See:

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/aboutcancer/statistics/survival

So really the odds are very much stacked in your favour so please take comfort from this & don't worry too much, as you say there is no point in it. :)