NDR: Breast Lumps

[sailorgray]

I have one and am getting a mammogram and ultrasound on Friday to check it out. Doctor said not to lose sleep over it and that's it's good for me to have a baseline since my mom had it. Not gonna lie.  I am nervous. I keep looking at my boys and want to cry.  I'm 34.

Anyone else go through this?

[Susie]

Not yet, but my mom has many times. For her they're cysts that come and go. Hopefully it's something equally benign for you.

[emjacobs]

I have a long family history of breast cancer and started mammograms 2 years ago (I'm 26). I have large (J cup) fibrocystic breasts so self exams are frustrating to begin with.

Take a deep breathe, your doctor a) wouldn't have told you that it was probably nothing if it really was something, and b) would have gotten you in sooner if he was really concerned.

Have a few glasses of wine

[sailorgray]

You guys are awesome. It's been a rough day. My brother, who I am very close to, was hospitalized this morning and we found out on Facebook from his MIL who is a FB over sharer. My parents had no idea either. My SIL just hadn't had a chance to call us. Her parents knew bc they took my niece. I know she was worried, but come on. At least wait until his parents know. She has done this before and my brother has said something. Now she posting all of these detailed updates. I want to tell her to stop, but that would make things weird between them.

[Susie]

Ugh, I'm so sorry about your brother, and the whole MIL situation. Do you think your brother would want his business broadcast over FB like that? If not (I sure wouldn't!) I might take MIL aside, or give her a quick phone call, and let her know that you know she's worried, everyone is, but to please not share private/personal info publicly on FB like that. That stuff belongs in phone calls, emails, and text messages, not FB walls. It'd be a reasonable request on his behalf.  You could skip the whole "letting people find out this way sucks" angle if you felt it would be weird.

[auntie]

Ugh.

I'm sorry you're about you brother and your worries. I can't help you with the oversharing facebook addict, but breast lumps, mammograms, ultrasounds and biopsies? BTDT have the dueling scars to prove it.

If it's a cyst, the u/s will be able to confirm that pretty easily. Do you find it yourself? Is it sort of hard and rubbery feeling? It's likely a fibroadenoma given your age- these can look pretty dramatic on a u/s. Mine looked like someone dropped a cough drop on the film. I had 2 biopsies that turned out to be fibroadenomas and one that was just some atypical fatty tissue.

[sailorgray]

My Doc found it. I do self exams, but missed it. Even after knowing it was there, I had trouble finding it. It's small like a pea. Thanks again!

[kaylie]

My mom got her first one in her early 40s and has had another one since then. Both turned out to be nothing. I think scares are pretty common, so he's right to tell you not to worry (impossible as it may be).

I'm sorry about your brother. I have a family member that pulled that shit when my grandma was sick and it was so obnoxious. Some people have no common sense.

I hope everything works out okay.

[demandypants]

I agree scares are common and I hope your lump is nothing more than that. I also have a higher risk of breast cancer. And had a similar little lump. Mine was a milk cyst as I was still nursing my DD occasionally. It eventually dissipated. anyway, hugs to you during this stressful time. I hope everything is alright!

[rugbywife]

I have 'cystic' breasts...so it feels like I have lumps when I don't. Mine are so bad I can't even do a mammogram (will never have one)...they send me straight to ultrasound. I have already had my first one and it was freaky because she took a lot of 'pictures' so I was worried. Turns out I just have tons of cysts, and she only charted the bigger ones...

fingers crossed for you.

[magdala]

Yes. I have found a lump once. It turned out to be fibroids which is a benign growth of the breast. The first time I was so panicked they did a biopsy to prove to me that it really, really, really was benign. The only side effect of this so far has been that my breasts are very tender when I have my period. There are many reasons that a lump will be benign. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

[treedimensional]

Yep. I've had severely fibrocystic breasts ever since I've had breasts. I've been getting annual mammograms and ultrasounds for 6 years now. My mammograms are always normal and my ultrasounds look like Swiss cheese (not exaggerating).
I know you're apprehensive, but I hope what you've read here eases your mind. Benign breast cysts are VERY common. Most lumps are NOTHING.

[sailorgray]

Dec 31, 2013 18:45:13 GMT -5 treedimensional said:

I know you're apprehensive, but I hope what you've read here eases your mind.

You guys have been REALLY helping.  I appreciate it so much and want to thank you for sharing your experiences. It means so much.

[pitterwoo]

So sorry you have to be waiting on this. I would be nervous too, but the chances really are in your favor. At least you are being really proactive about getting things checked. That's always a better position to be in than the alternative.

[sjh722]

Thinking of you! I hope your doctor is just being cautious. xoxo

[ktzmoh]

I'm just reading this and want to chime in that I'll be thinking of you tomorrow!

[Marmee]

I had one while pregnant with my 3rd. I was 33. I had it checked out & it was a cyst. I hope you have the same outcome. Good luck!

[sailorgray]

Thanks ladies! I had to move the appt. to Tuesday bc of the snow :/

[bunnymendelbaum]

Jan 2, 2014 23:46:54 GMT -5 sailorgray said:

Thanks ladies! I had to move the appt. to Tuesday bc of the snow :/

That stinks.
Been thinking about you. Hope it is nothing!

[sailorgray]

Jan 3, 2014 9:11:36 GMT -5 bunnymendelbaum said:

Jan 2, 2014 23:46:54 GMT -5 sailorgray said:

Thanks ladies! I had to move the appt. to Tuesday bc of the snow :/

That stinks.
Been thinking about you. Hope it is nothing!

Thanks, Bunny

[floridakat]

I'm sorry you had to move your appointment. Waiting is the hardest part! I wish you the best of luck and nothing but good news on Tuesday.

[house]

Yeah yrs ago I found a small lump and went through bunch of health care professionals feeling my boob and tell me they feel nothing! I had mammo and finally an ultrasound that revealed it was a benign cyst.  Hopefully it's nothing so don't be nervous! Keeping my fingers crossed.

[prazenjc]

I went thru it when I was 28-29 years old. It ended up just being infected lymph nodes for me, I took an antibiotic and it went down/away. So, it can very much be a non-issue.

You don't help anything worrying about it before knowing you have something to worry about. I know that is easier said than done, but focus on the positive likelihoods whenever worry tries to take over.

[sailorgray]

Thanks so much guys. I am having insurance issues, so I'm not sure when I will get the mammogram. My gyn wants me to go to one place, but my insurance wants me to go elsewhere. I called to make an appt. where my insurance wants me to go and the lady rudely insisted I don't have the right info. I told her what the doc said, but she said I'm not giving the right info. I have no idea. The original place I was supposed to go had no issues. So, now I wait...

[demandypants]

Will your insurance still cover the place your doctor suggested? My mom was called by her insurance company during her breast cancer treatment letting her know that her scans would be cheaper someplace else. But she was under no obligation to stop going to the center her doctor was affiliated with. So she never switched. She was just annoyed that they were trying to make her change.

[sailorgray]

Jan 6, 2014 8:53:20 GMT -5 demandypants said:

Will your insurance still cover the place your doctor suggested? My mom was called by her insurance company during her breast cancer treatment letting her know that her scans would be cheaper someplace else. But she was under no obligation to stop going to the center her doctor was affiliated with. So she never switched. She was just annoyed that they were trying to make her change.

I have no idea. My gyn found the lump, but I needed the referral from my GP. My GP said that my insurance (Aetna) has an agreement with the hospital and they pay for this stuff ahead of time. No wonder the words headache and insurance are often found together.  Anyway, I now go Wednesdy, hopefully. This will be my 3rd try...sheesh.