Waiting to see a surgeon :(

okoko

Hi all,

I am 28 and felt my lump for the first time while nursing by 5th child about 1 year ago this month. It was tiny, firm, like a weird bean. Baby started rejecting the breast shortly after (just the side w/the lump) when it had been my main producing breast for all my kids.... So it turned into mastitis because he was refusing it and I called MD. They sent a script. Mastitis cleared up. Lump did not. They didn't want to see me - 'it was probably just a clog.' So I pumped because he wouldn't nurse until he weaned at 1yo in May of this year. Followed up w/OBGYN in July. Saw a nurse-midwife in the office who didn't feel the lump until I pointed out where it was & she said it was probably a cyst from weaning. Told me to come back after I'd been weaned for 4 months. Followed up 11/6 - saw a different NP in the office. At this point the lump is twice the size it was when I noticed it a year ago. There are also 2 other spots, one the NP said felt like a swollen lymph node. And the left upper part leading to my armpit is firm. Right breast is totally normal. When she started feeling I told her I could show here where it is because the midwife had trouble finding it, but she said, while calmly but with that face that medical providers give when they know something's wrong and they're overly smiling and trying to not worry you - "It's right there. And with the firmness you have up here - I mean I'm sure it's fine. But I want you to have a mammogram. It's probably just some cysts. Don't stress too much."

They scheduled me in with our local radiology office who got me in for their soonest appointment that Friday. They didn't want to do a mammogram because of my age. They set me up for an ultrasound. The tech who did the ultrasound was super chatty. She felt the lump and firmness. And was chatty and friendly... and then went over a spot. And I saw it on the screen and it was weird and grey in contrast with the other images and she stopped talking immediately. And I made a joke that I felt like I was being overly paranoid and it's probably nothing. And she said, "Hang on, let me get the radiologist." She was gone for an eternity & then the radiologist came in. He was very short with me. Told me right away that it's rare for women my age to have problems like this. He literally looked with the wand for 20-30 seconds at most and said, "I don't see anything." The tech shrugged and said, "I guess it was my mistake, I must not have seen anything."

The radiologist then felt where the lumps were and rather than brush me off, said, 'Actually, I really don't want to do a mammogram because of your age, because a young woman can be sensitive to radiation of the breasts. But even though I didn't see anything on the ultrasound, if your doctor feels like it's necessary, you might see a breast surgeon to open you up and poke around in there. Just to be safe. It's probably nothing, don't worry.'

The NP at my office who ordered the test called me 3 hours after she got off work Friday night when she got the ultrasound results. The radiologist told her he recommended an 'exploratory biopsy' & she agreed & was going to discuss it with the MDs at the office.

I'm really really nervous. Can an ultrasound be 'negative' but still find cancer during a biopsy? Cysts would have shown up, right? What is an 'exploratory biopsy'? I thought most biopsies were FNA/Core. The surgeon can't get me in until 12/4 for a consult so I'm high strung and terrified right now. Should I ask for an MRI before they do a biopsy or is that pointless, would they have to biopsy any results they found on MRI anyway? I feel like waiting and not knowing is the worst & my partner tells me I am being a hypochondriac so I don't have anyone I can talk to about how scared I am.

CaliKelly

I think it's reasonable to be nervous with all the conflicting information you've gotten. But really it is rare for someone as young as you to have bc.If you have a lot of breast cancer in your family then it's a good idea to be extra vigilant. Makes more sense that it's a cyst or reaction from nursing. I don't know anything about exploratory biopsy, maybe someone here can chime in on that. You can't really go by the demeanor of your technician, and the radiologist is the expert . Try not to stress, difficult I know! Just hang on to the thought of how rare it is ,someone so young having bc💖