Who found their own 'lump'

I have lumpy breasts, and have been screening alternately & annually with ultrasound and mammogram. My Breast Care Specialist suggested I have an MRI for "peace of mind" as I had just been through a very stressfull family trauma. I wasn't expecting them to find cancer, but they did. it was LCIS, so very early, my public Dr said that no futher treatment was neccessary as he was certain that it had all been removed in the biopsy, i had a second opinion by a private breast surgeon, and she suggested that i get a wide margin biopsy of the "dodgy area". they found another cancer Tubular Carcinoma this time, this one was not visible on any of my previous screening! last week I had a bilateral mastectomy, and removal of five lymph nodes, they were clear but they did find more cancer, DCIS and LCIS, again these were undetected by examination or screening. My recovery from surgery has been great, I am incredibly lucky to have found the diesease so early, if I had not done that MRI I would have had cancer growing for at least two years before it would have been detected. It's been a frightening path, and I now am clear of the disease, with no futher treatment other than a reconstruction down the track. The MRI cost me $600 and was the best investment i have made, ever.

Kate

I have lumpy breasts, and have been screening alternately & annually with ultrasound and mammogram. My Breast Care Specialist suggested I have an MRI for "peace of mind" as I had just been through a very stressfull family trauma. I wasn't expecting them to find cancer, but they did. it was LCIS, so very early, my public Dr said that no futher treatment was neccessary as he was certain that it had all been removed in the biopsy, i had a second opinion by a private breast surgeon, and she suggested that i get a wide margin biopsy of the "dodgy area". they found another cancer Tubular Carcinoma this time, this one was not visible on any of my previous screening! last week I had a bilateral mastectomy, and removal of five lymph nodes, they were clear but they did find more cancer, DCIS and LCIS, again these were undetected by examination or screening. My recovery from surgery has been great, I am incredibly lucky to have found the diesease so early, if I had not done that MRI I would have had cancer growing for at least two years before it would have been detected. It's been a frightening path, and I now am clear of the disease, with no futher treatment other than a reconstruction down the track. The MRI cost me $600 and was the best investment i have made, ever.

Kate

It may be that 'your journey is new and you have a long way to go' but you have taken the first steps towards healing and I do hope that it is a smooth journey for you. I do know however that whatever problems I've had along the way there has been others with the same problem on the forum and everyone has been so encouraging & helpful. 

Please try to think positively, keep your friends close and enjoy every day. Sending healing thoughts to all on the forum.

It may be that 'your journey is new and you have a long way to go' but you have taken the first steps towards healing and I do hope that it is a smooth journey for you. I do know however that whatever problems I've had along the way there has been others with the same problem on the forum and everyone has been so encouraging & helpful. 

Please try to think positively, keep your friends close and enjoy every day. Sending healing thoughts to all on the forum.

Hi girls

I too found a lump myself, felt like a hard pea or gravel stone in my right breast. Went to my GP, had a mammogram that came back clear, then an Ultrasound, the sonographer found 2 more lumps in the same breast.  Biopsy the next day on all three lumps, 6 days of awful waiting for my biopsy results, then all our fears came true, all 3 lumps were cancerous.  Now Ive just been home for 3 days from 2 weeks in Perth following a Bilateral Mastectomy with tissue expanders, so my journey is only new and i know i have a long way to go

Much love

xxx

Thank you very much for your kind thoughts. 1 day, 1 hour at a time, every night I go to sleep and wake up thinking great.. got through another day. Good luck for you all as well.

Shirl

Hey Shirley

How many times do you hear the story where the doc says nothing to worry about and further down the track you find the lump has grown or whatever it is has got bigger or spread etc. These docs need to wise up and take everything we as females say as a probable problem and send us off for tests instead of just brushing us aside.

I am sorry you have had to go through this and I am sure it has made you just a lil mad and to be expected.

I am glad you have a loving family and you also have all of us girls for support. I hope your chemo is being kind to you and you are coping. We are here for you.

Lots of love, Mich xoxo

Shirley,

Ditto from me; you have so much to live for so keep positive . ..   I'm just so glad you had the 2nd check-up and are now on your way to recovery. I'm just so annoyed that, despite tv ads reminding ladies over 50 to get their mammogram, so many are finding their own lump and that so many under 50 yrs are being diagnosed [and being told 'it can't be cancer - you're too young'. Maybe GP's should be given a refresher in that cancer doesn't discriminate with age and doesn't always start exactly in the breast where it will show up on a mammogram. Mine showed up in the ultrasound scan - thank you to the Dr who ordered both.

Keep well Shirley; sending healing thoughts your way

 

 

Oh Shirley, I'm lost for words. Gosh I just don't know what to say. I do hope now you are getting the best treatment. X

I went to the doctors few years ago and said I had a pea size lump in my breast. After an exam the female doctor said it was nothing to worry about and asked if I breast fed my children. I did, so told her that I did. She said its probably a bit of a blockage and she could send me for a mammogram but I would have to pay for it. I would be wasting my money she said as it is NOTHING! She said if I want to throw my money a way she would send me. I felt a little silly and said no if she doesn't think it's anything as I dont have money to throw away. Just over 12 months ago I went to a different female Doctor and told her my breast was really hurting when I got my periods and of course I know that is a normal thing but it was really sore and getting sorer. I just turned 50. She said I am probably starting menopause. She sent me for an internal ultrasound. The lady doing the ultrasound says no your not starting menopause. The female doctor did not seem concerned. 12 months later It's still getting worse so I ring up to make an appointment and no female doctors available so I said Ill take anyone. I got this lovely male doctor and explained the soreness in my breast. He asked politely if he could feel the breast. I showed him the hardness and he was immediaetly aware that something was not right. He sent me for an mammogram the next day, a biopsy the day after that and made an appointment for the day after that for me to see a specialist surgeon. That was October 2012. My left breast was completely removed in November and I am now going through chemo.

The lump was 17mm and I had 27 lymp nodes removed of which 3 had cancer in them. When I did eventually return to the recent female Doctor I advised her that when lady says her breasts are hurting it would be a good idea to examine the breast before sending off for ultrasounds etc. If she had felt the breast maybe this could have been found at least 12 months earlier. Not happy about it but even more angry at the first Doctor years ago. I just want to survive now and will do what I can as I have 2 young children 14 and ll years. A loving husband who is helping me through all this and some very helpful friends that are really kind and supportive. Thanks for listening ladies!