Hi  Emma . I've had what I thought was a lump about a month now some times I couldn't find it so wasn't to worried silly I know . Any way on Tuesday I had my 3 yearly mammogram screening , when I got home and had bath I felt lump again couldn't sleep all night so went to GP Wednesday morning I was in a real state she took ages to find the lump yet I could feel straight away,  she said it's small and not craggy and is not saying it's cancer but will send me to breast clinic anyway . There are no lumps in armpits which I think is good but I'm still worried sick I haven't had appointment yet , or the results of mammogram x where was your lump she found? Mine is just outside nipple area x

Hi Nellie

its so scary isn't it, and a helpless feeling as you can't do anything to hurry anything along. You could try ringing the breast clinic to find out when they will see you, I did the morning after my 5pm Gp appointment and they told me the date id already been given. Don't they tell you there and then in the mammogram if they can see a lump or is that different to how it works at the breast clinic?

My lump is in the lower outer quadrant, quite tucked in as she poked in quite far to feel it.

I've seen so much that says lumps are far more likely to be benign, and if our doctors don't appear overly concerned I just hope that means we don't have to be either.

Am thinking of you and sharing your worries xx

It's a mobile screening mammogram and you get results sent to you if they are negative like mine always have been I think if there positive they ring and make appointment at assessment clinic , May I ask how old you are as you obviously not had screening yet I'm hoping it's because I was in a state that she sending me as she said twice it's not because I think you have cancer it doesn't stop the worrying though does it , they do say 80% of lumps are benign and I'm sure with you being young yours will be hopefully xx

Ah ok, so they send you to the breast clinic if there's anything further to look at from the routine mammogram then.

im 39 and petrified as keep seeing so many people around my age being diagnosed. My doctor also said she was referring me because I was so worried and that she wasn't concerned so I'm clinging to those things she said. She also felt as the lump moved that was a sign it was benign. You can read so much though that contradicts and you end up not knowing where you are xx

You usually start having 3 yearly screening from age of 50 , The worst thing you can do is go on Dr Google as my GP tells me The proper UK sites are ok but there are plenty of scare monger sites too I look at them all as well as feeling my lump about 100 times a day , im paranoid at the moment xx

Hi Emma,

It is unusual to have pain associated with breast cancer, and although many of us become so anxious that we are aware of all sorts of additional pains and aches whilst waiting to be or being investigated, most of these disappear once we get the all clear. It sounds as if your GP is not too concerned about your lump an,d it is a good sign that it doesn't feel fixed or uneven at the edges.

Nonetheless I am glad to hear that she has referred you, if only for your own peace of mind. You will normally be seen within two weeks from the date of referral. I totally agree with Nellie's good advice. We always advise people to steer clear of consulting 'Dr Google', as much of this information is poorly researched, out of date and aimed at the more spectacular cases.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Here's hoping for good news!

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Nellie,

A very warm welcome to our forum. I am sorry to hear about your discomfort after your mammogram. I just wanted to say that it is not unusual for the breast to be tender for a few days after a mammogram and, that it is unlikely that anything will have been missed. However you are doing the right thing in getting this checked out. From your description of the lump it sounds reassuring. Only 1 person in every 8 who attend the breast clinic will get a cancer diagnosis. 

You will usually get an appointment within 2 weeks of referral, so you should hear soon. Try to remind yourself that 'it isn't cancer until you're told that it is.'  Not all lumps are cancerous. Many are benign cysts or fibrous changes.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

I hope that you get good news.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

It's so hard isn't it, I've just resigned myself to spending the next 8 days being hyper vigilant about everything my body's doing and having waves of calm trying to focus on the positives (the doctor saying it's small, moveable, no discharge, was going to wait a month, thinking it may be a fibroid) mixed with waves of sheer terror n almost certainty that it's going to be bad.

Hi Jolamine

thanks for your reply, it means a lot and I know from reading most of the threads on here before plucking up the courage to post that you've given so much good advice to people in mine and Nellies (and your own) shoes.

in my trusty Google searches I've found a lot about fibrocystic breast changes and I have a lot of similarities to this (painful lumpy boobs before periods, lumpy boobs regardless, can be in one more than the other and can be at other times of the month), it seems to suggest this is a really common cause of lumps.

I worry though if this prevents them from seeing lumps that are there so terrified the GP might have missed a more sinister lump in her examination as how foolproof can that be really

These thoughts r going round in my mind all the time, there's no respite from it which is so hard

Hi Jolamine thanks for your reply, even though I had mammogram day before I went to gp I've felt this lump for a few weeks ago  sometimes it doesn't feel like a lump and I can't always find it straight away when I lay day , is having no lumps in arm pits good, if mammogram comes back normal that means  it missed the lump because there definitely something there , and why am I being sent to breast clinic when she says she not sending me there because she things it's cancer . So worried and confused xx