Obsessed with checking for lumps

Anonymous

Obsessed with checking for lumps

Tania8979

Hi all

So I'm 39, fairly healthy, regular exercise, don't smoke but a regular drinker, no family history.

I used to check my breasts the normal way, flat of my fingers and was always satisfied, one day my GP offered to show me the correct way to do a breast exam and she found a couple of lumps she wanted checked, all was fine luckily, however as I'd never noticed them it freaked me out and I have become obsessed that I'm going to miss something, I've probably been to the breast clinic about 6 times in the last five years. My boobs are big and the left one is particularly lumpy and I feel every month I'm discovering a new lump , usually from prodding around with my index finger, the lumps all feel similar, some a little different in size but all the same shape and they all have some movement. I recently, 2 months ago , after an obsession flare up, had a mammogram and an ultrasound on both breasts but this month I've found another new lump that I'm not certain was there before, I keep telling myself it feels similar to the others and surely it would have shown up on one of the tests, I can't go back to my GP, he was very short with me the last time as I'd only been for an exam a couple of months before that and the only 2 gps I'd feel comfortable talking to are on maternity leave, I know I'm being paranoid and if anyone can give me some reassurance that would be great, I am gonna go see the nice go when she's back in march

MelissaDallas

Tania, "obsession" is another term for anxiety, and you say you know you are being paranoid. Have you talked with your GP about anxiety? It is miserable and very treatable. There is no reason to suffer from it. The problem with us reassuring you is that with anxiety no amount of reassurance from us will be enough, or "fix" it