Not DXed Yet, first available Mammogram and US on Nov 15

Annele1

41(F), never had a mammogram, and kind of beating myself up about it. Last Tuesday I had my annual physical and the doctor examined my breasts and she thinks she found a lump in my left breast. I don’t doubt it because I really trust her, but my breasts are admittedly very lumpy and kind of thin (I weight lift and they have shrunk quite a bit).

Every month both my breast hurt for two weeks before my period and this month is no exception, but I’m noticing more pain in the left breast (the left breast is also bigger, so now I can’t remember if it was always like this or not). I have had a sharp shooting (very short and intermittent) nerve pain in my left armpit for years and it started when I took antidepressants and goes away when I don’t take them. I don’t know if any of this is relevant.

Anyway, at NYU Langone the first available radiology appointment is on November 15th, so it will have been three weeks since she found the lump. Are these three weeks detrimental? Should I try and find an outside radiology office and try to get an appointment sooner?

Thanks in advance

Kipani

Try for an ultrasound as IBC doesn't really show up on a mammogram.

Annele1

Thank you! Yes, I forgot to write, that I have Mammogram and Ultrasound scheduled on the same day, November 15th. I’m mostly curious if I should find a place (outside of network) that can do it sooner. And if that is going to make a difference. Presumably if this is a lump or a cancer, it probably took some time to form, and these two weeks are not a big deal to wait. Or are they? What is generally the timeline of treatment?

MountainMia

Anneie, there is NO reason to think IBC!! But no, 3 weeks is not an issue where breast lumps like you're describing are concerned. You should keep the appointment as is, but it is not an emergency for which you need to get in sooner.

MOST breast lumps are benign. I'm glad your doc is sending you for imaging, but the statistical likelihood of it being cancer is pretty low.

If the mammogram and/or US indicate, you would be scheduled for a biopsy, which could be another 2 or 3 weeks before you get that done. MOST biopsies return a benign diagnosis. If it is cancer, then you'll talk with doctors about a treatment plan, which can take several more weeks to set up. So again, the 3 weeks should not be a problem.

Do let us know what you find out. All my best to you.

Annele1

Thank you for your answer, this really put my mind at ease. It does seem like these things take a while and the treatments seem dragged out from what I’ve watched on YouTube.

I’m not going to worry much more about this. For all I know this could be a strained muscle, as I’m lifting heavier and heavier weights, and maybe I should slow down a bit.

My gyno was examining my pelvic are last Friday (getting all my checkups lately), and he touched my lower abdomen and was concerned, but it turned out to be my hard muscle. I still have some belly fat, so the six pack is not visible, but it’s def there. Hoping the breast is lumpiness more than usual isfrom lifting and fat loss.

MountainMia

I should also say, it *could* be 2 or 3 weeks until you get scheduled for a biopsy, if needed. It *could* be same day, or within a few days. The speed does not necessarily have anything to do with the level of concern, so don't let that throw you off, either.

Yes, hold tight on the weight levels for now. It's super fun to be lifting more, I know. Right now just stay at same level and don't strain anything.

Salamandra

I was 39 and my doc found a lump. I knew I was high risk because of my mother and sort of kind of had it on my radar to get a baseline around 35, and never did. Who knows what if any difference it might make - the truth is that a doc finding it on a manual exam also counts as found by screening and tends to be early stage.

IF it's even cancer, which odds are it's not, but your doctor is being good and careful.

My mammogram was also about 3 weeks from my manual exam.

Breast cancer is almost never a physical emergency. I wouldn't worry about the timeline. Really probably it's not cancer and now you'll have a baseline. But if it is, heck, my work doesn't even start giving paid time off for mammograms until age 50. You are not behind and this is not your fault!

Annele1

Thank you for your kind response! I reached out to my doctor and she said to keep my appointment, but also check if there are cancellations. My hormonal breast pain isn’t so bad this month and I’m not feeling any more of it in my left breast, and when I’m examining it, I just feel the usual lumps (I have lumpy and thin/ small breasts, not a lot of fat in them at all), so I think that is just how they feel and are. I’m not as stressed out as I was a week ago about this. I also took out additional long term disability insurance in case I will need treatment and also took out morelife insurance. In case I die my sister will get 350k and my best friend 90k 🤓