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Kinda glad I wasn't looking to you for advice when I had a lump at age 39. It was cancer.
OP, a painful lump is grounds for a mammogram at any age. I do agree that it is MOST likely not cancer, but it needs to be checked out. If you can't schedule a mammogram in the next few days, ask for an ultrasound. An ultrasound can rule out many suspicious lumps as not cancerous.
See my previous post. The link explains why ultrasound is preferred in younger women.
Sadly, there's no walk-in clinic nearby. Everything has to be done through an appointment, so I will need to call and book something for when I come back.
I will try to meet up with the GP before I leave, but more than likely, they will request additional testing which I will only be able to do once I get back due to time restrictions. I'm not able to even take half a day off before I leave for this business trip, so I will need to figure something out.
Well your GP could do a needle biopsy possibly. That's how mine was diagnosed.
Not many men weighing in on this but I'll give it a go. My wife is 53, I am 58.
It was Christmas Eve 3yrs ago when she told me and showed me a lump on her left breast we went in on the 26th. The Doctor felt the lump, next was a diagnostic mammo and then an ultrasound guided biopsy, then the biopsy result. I think these steps took about 10days. No family history of Cancer, statistically since being over 50 and feeling a lump she was at a 50% chance.
I'm a calm very laid back rational guy...I wouldn't want to wait 3 weeks for my wife to get checked out but I also respect having a career and a life and wanting to interrupt as little as possible.
Hopefully see you doctor tomorrow, let her (or him) decide if a 3 week trip is OK before any possible needed diagnostic imaging.
My wife's cancer was fast growing which actually made it very susceptible to chemo followed by lumpectomy and today thankfully she remains cancer free.
Fine...ask for an u/s first. But definitely do not think, "I'm under 30, it can't be cancer, la la la."
That is not what I said!
Did you read the link? Where it said ultrasound is better than mammography in evaluating young women, who tend to have dense breasts?
"Ultrasound’s role as the second chair in an orchestra of diagnostic breast imaging tools for younger symptomatic women could change. Results from a retrospective study found that it has a higher sensitivity for cancer detection than mammography when initially evaluating for breast cancer in women younger than 40."
It could go either way. It could very well be benign or not. I'm trying not to expect anything.
I'm actually 28 & never had any children. I've never been on birth control either.
I live in northern Europe, so climate wise, it is mostly cold/rainy/greyish.
Diet wise (not sure it is linked to possible fibro), I've been a vegetarian and dairy free for years now.
I don't have any family history when it comes to cancer, but I've heard the stories of plenty of women in the same spot who later found out they had cancer. Unfortunately, age & family history is not always evidence that there is nothing to worry about.
I honestly wouldn't have gotten worried if I was slightly younger or if I had experienced something like this before, but this is a novelty to me.
Age, birth control use, pregnancies, diet, family history do not explain or predict all BC.
This from someone diagnosed at 36, no use of any hormonal anything, no pregnancies, good diet, good exercise, fine healthy/weight, no family history.
Chances are this is not cancer but no one can in good conscience say don't worry about it.
Curious, see if any provider who could fit you in could even do a needle aspiration or take a hollow needle biopsy on short notice? Any possibility that your regular provider could arrange that you be seen by someone else at your trip destination?
Any doctor worth their salt will see you the same day. Why on earth would you assume you won't get in? If you can't see your GP, see your OBGYN, or a walk in, or any other dr you have a relationship with. DO NOT POSTPONE 3 weeks. It can save your life.
Come to think of it, I am allowed one mammogram per year. I think most everyone is. I don't even need a referral. If I were in a time crunch like you, and it had been 365 days since my last one, I would just call the Radiologist directly and go in for a mammogram.
When was the last time you had a mammogram?
OP lives in Europe, where you may or may not be able to see a doctor immediately, even with a suspicious lump.
Unfortunately, unless it is extremely urgent, you will need an appointment whether it is with an OBGYN or a GP.
I want to consult a trusted doctor, not some random person who might not be able to accurately assess these symptoms.
I'm booking an appointment for as soon as I get back. If I manage to consult someone during my business trip fine, if not, it will wait another three weeks. I'm hoping the lump will resorb by then, although it's now been two weeks and as I said, not linked to PMS it seems. I read somewhere itching of the breasts as another symptom and I remember for about 2/3 months before this lump appeared, my breast was severly itching at all times. Now, I might be linking these two symptoms who might be unrelated, but since I've also never had any skin issues ever before ... again, it is odd.
As far as being 28, well I have heard plenty of stories of women being diagnosed under 30. Age is not always an indicator.
When I found a lump my ob has me come in that day to check it out, referred me to a breast clinic for an mamma and diagnostic ultrasound the following (I’m in my 30s). A week after that they removed the lump and duct it was in under general anesthesia. It wasn’t cancer, just a clogged milk duct from when I had breast fed 7 years ago! But it moved very quickly and I wouldn’t want to take the chance of it being cancer and wait three more weeks. Not sure where you’re heading but maybe see if your doctor can order an ultrasound there. Most doctors will do this without an exam even in this situation. Then you can get the test and know what’s going on.
Kinda glad I wasn't looking to you for advice when I had a lump at age 39. It was cancer.
OP, a painful lump is grounds for a mammogram at any age. As a breast cancer survivor, I've met many other breast cancer survivors and several were under 30. It's not as extremely rare and unlikely as some would have us think.
I do agree that this is MOST likely not cancer, but it needs to be checked out. If you can't schedule a mammogram in the next few days, ask for an ultrasound. An ultrasound can rule out many suspicious lumps as not cancerous.
Yes, I would suggest alternatives on taking care of our breasts...mega information out there. Listen to pharma and get those mamms, there is even discussions on how they may cause more cancer cells to take off. I took some pharma estrogen yrs ago and ended up with rock hard breasts and pain and got off that drug, then began my research and what I do for my breast health.
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