Breast cancer, can anyone help?
I recently found a lump in my left breast, I went to the doctors the next day and she found a hard marble sized lump, my grandmother and mother have both had breast cancer so the doc has put forward an urgent referral, I have no idea how long the lump has been there but over the last couple of weeks (before I found it) I had noticed some pain, not much, a dull ache (not constant) and sometimes a quick stabbing, I have also had some itching and and a pulling/tightening sensation where the lump is although I never really thought anything about the above until I found the lump, I'm scared, I've spoken to other breast cancer sufferers that I know but they clam up when I tell them my symptoms, can anybody tell me of their own personal symptoms?, I know I should just sit it out and wait but its hard, thanks in advance.
Waiting for appointments and results is such a difficult time, I hope you don't have long to wait.
You have done the right thing in going straight to your doctor; I didn't, and the excuse I gave myself was that my lump was painful and I'd always read that breast lumps that were cancerous were painless. Had I gone to the doctor as soon as I found a lump my cancer wold have been diagnosed several months earlier.
My own symptom was an egg shaped lump (which my GP and another doctor thought felt too smooth to be cancerous), which was painful. The area later began to itch, and I finally went to the doctor when the shape of my nipple changed.
Salli is right, there are some really helpful websites, with forums where you can ask questions and read posts from other people in your position: .
http://www.breastcancer.org is full of information, and if you are in the UK http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk has a nurse you can phone and talk to.
Bear in mind that most breast lumps are benign. I so hope yours is. Mine wasn't, but it's now four years since my diagnosis and following treatment I am currently fit and well with no sign of cancer.
Please be very wary of anyone promoting things like mangosteen as a cancer prevention, treatment or cure; those that do this have invariably not had cancer themselves, or studied cancer.Usually they mean well, but some are trying to make money out of people's worry and vulnerability.
My very best wishes to you. Please email me if I can be of any further help.
