I went through something similar last year. I found a painful lump in my breast. When I saw my Dr. she tried to draw fluid because she assumed it was a cyst. No fluid came out. She was worried so I got an ultrasound and mammogram. It took two weeks to get the results back. They said it looked OK. I insisted they do an MRI and that came out clear as well. Basically my Dr told me that rarely do lumps turn out to be cancer. Worrying isn't going to make the diagnosis come any faster. Reading online can only make you even crazier because you can find anything that will confirm your worse fears.

What actually made me feel better is to talk about what would happen if it was cancer and how we would handle my being sick. My husband didn't want to talk about it much but for me I liked the idea of knowing what I would do if the worst was to happen. Would we need to get a nurse? Could my mom come out and help and where would we put her in our tiny house? Would he need to take time off to take care of me? Get my house in order so to speak. It was my way of exerting some kind of control over the unknown. Trying to "get my mind off it" sounded like a nice idea but that just doesn't work so I thought about it in terms that I could handle, as a problem that needed to be solved.

Some people feel better cleaning, others eating ice cream. Find what makes you feel better in other situations where you were worried and do the same things now.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

The internets is the last place to go for medical information according to my doctor friend. I know it may be frustrating but try to keep calm, meditate and pray (if you do). Think happy thoughts.

My mom had a few 'suspicious looking cells' from her pap that sent the entire family into a tailspin which turned out to be nothing. There's a lot of false positives in this world - let's hope you're one of them.

Best of luck and do keep us posted.

I've been there. Good for you to get into a surgeon ASAP. Two mammograms ago they saw "something" bt couldn't confirm what it was and wanted to wait 6 months. I didn't want to wiat 6 months and spoke to my primary care doctor. She agreed to be more proactive considering my famly history (mom & maternal gramdmothe with B?C.) I got into a surgeon right away and he gave me a clean bill. Do what ever it takes to put your mind at ease. It's hard not to play worst case scenario, I know... I'll be thinking of you. Please keep us posted.

I had suspicious lump in the spring and it seriously freaked me out.

I don't have much advice for you except to get to the next step ASAP so you can put your mind at ease.

Mine turned out to be nothing. Hopefully yours has the same result.

Most breast masses found on mammo/ultrasound/exam that are biopsied are benign. However, without a biopsy you won't know for sure what that mass is. A solid breast mass can be a fibroadenoma, fibrocystic breast changes, fat necrosis, scar tissue...All those things are benign and not "pre-cancerous".
You're doing the right thing by seeing a surgeon ASAP. The truly worst part is not knowing.
I found a breast lump 5 years ago (I was 35 years old). Being a breast surgeon, I knew it felt like a cyst and was likely a cyst. However, in the 12 hours before I could get myself to ultrasound and have a needle put in it, I had already planned my double mastectomy for cancer, picked out my oncologist, and written my eulogy. I should've known better, but it's so easy to think the very worst. It ended up being a cyst and I planned for a catastrophe for nothing.
My point is: Odds are for you that this thing is benign, but until there's a tissue diagnosis (as in biopsy) you won't know for sure.
Good luck! I'll be sending positive thoughts your way!

Not a doctor, so no answers. Similar situation The Komen site has tons of information that you can at least read until you get more results back.

http://cms.komen.org

hi, i went to a doctor last year that had me convinced i had cancer on my face and in my breasts.

also in 1996 i went to the hospital for "arm pain" only to find a tumor-like thing in my forearm (bone). the ER guy had me convinced i would lose my hair and have to go on chemo. he was "positive" it was cancer. well, it wasn't. and i don't have skin cancer on my face, nor in my breasts.

if i had a dime for all of the times a doctor(s) has scared me to pieces, i would have a nice chunk of money by now.

for your situation, if this were me i would go for a thermography and would not permit any cutting on my breasts without knowing what the situation is. it is my personal belief that women are cut on unnecessarily (breast removal, hysterctomy, etc). besides statistics show that the majority of these cases turn out to be fibrocystic breast tissue.

do not let them make you feel panic. i have been paniced before, from doctors and their aids, and all it caused me was unhealthy stress. i encourage you to take the situation in your own hands, and not let them "put you in the system" where you will have endless testing. a thermogram could be the answer without surgery or even biopsy.

However, in the 12 hours before I could get myself to ultrasound and have a needle put in it, I had already planned my double mastectomy for cancer, picked out my oncologist, and written my eulogy.

Oh my, we think so much alike...

I agree with what these wise ladies are saying... but it is almost impossible not to think/worry about it and assume the worst. My sister in law had a similar experience, and it turned out to be ectopic breast tissue (I believe that is what they called it)- I am not sure what it looked like on the mammogram (jagged edges or whatever), but she had it removed and all has been well since. I also had a hard (painless) lump checked on a mammogram (and I was only 35), and it turned out to be nothing... you just never really know until the docs/surgeons confirm. The good news is, you're aware of it and in the process of getting to the bottom of it.

Keep us all posted.

In the meantime, be well :)

LOL, ain't that the truth! ;-) Thanks for the laugh - I of course have been doing the same thing, first wondering if I can get my race fees refunded, to thinking "shit, I have to straighten this place up so no one has to go through all my crap after I'm gone." Glad I'm not the only one.

And thanks much to EVERYONE for all the wisdom, reassurances, well wishes, suggestions, and so on. I don't have a great feeling about this, given how they were all acting yesterday as if I already have one foot in the grave, but it's true that there's really no point to worrying too much at this point - and too much interneting can be a bad thing. So I'll just keep myself occupied.....cleaning house or something. ;-)

I'll keep you all posted. Thanks again - you all rock!

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Update (7/10): Well, thanks for all the good thoughts, but I seem to be one of the unlucky ones. Had the biopsy today, and though they won't have the lab results back until monday or tuesday, the doctor basically said it's cancer and started talking chemo, surgery, etc. So, not good news.

On the bright side - I'm not allowed to swim for 7-10 days - so at least I don't have to feel guilty about my lack of swim training. Ha. (yes, my strange sense of humor seems to persist in even the most dire of situations.....)

Thanks again everyone.

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I am so sorry to hear this news..... We will all be pulling for you.

I'm so sorry to hear this news! Please keep up informed on what the lab results come back as, we would like to be a support to you during this tough time.

I am so sorry to hear of your news. Let us know how we can help. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers, Gazelle.

Poo :-( Not the news I was hoping for ...I am so sorry to hear that.

Please please please keep us updated, as we will be here rooting for you!!!

Also, I have access to a number of fantastic resources, including a pathologist who became very focused on the study of breast cancer following her diagnosis and subsequent recovery (my undergraduate mentor). Please PM me if you would like me to point you in the direction of some non-webMD (will only make you nuts) sources!!!

-wishing you all the best-

:(:(:(:(....sorry to hear about your news.....best of luck in your treatment. hang in there!! i'm pulling for you.

Oh man that sucks. Good for you to check into as soon as you did - we chicks often have a tendency to let things slide too long (me included). Best wishes and keep us up to date ok? Keep strong.

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

Damn. We are all here for you. I'm happy to send you fresh cookies or whatever else you need to make this easier.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

So sorry to hear that, but glad you have your sense of humour intact.

It sounds like you've caught it early and you have a good medical team looking after you, which are both huge positives.

We're all pulling for you.

Wow - that's not what I was hoping to hear from you. I'm so sorry. You MUST keep a positive attitude - and that sense of humor is a great start! If there's anything at all we can do, whether it's regular check-ins and shout-outs, or sending stuff (cards, goodies, jokes etc.), whatever...just let us know. We're all thinking of you and know you'll get thru this. Keep us posted. JoJo

CRRRAAAPPPPP!!!
I've been watching your thread every day since you last posted, waiting for the update. My heart goes out to you. My cousin was diagnosed with BC late last year and due to the fact they caught it so early they did a mastecotomy and she didn't need chemo. Please PLEASE keep us updated on your progress. Cancer is ugly and scary but you are a STRONG woman and can kick its A$$. Wishing you much comfort, and good mojo.
In my prayers,
Leslie

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Life is Short...Run Long

I'm so so sorry - I've been praying for you and will double my efforts now. Not sure where you're located and I'm sure you have a strong network of local friends and family but if you ever wanted someone else to go out for an easy run/walk with or go for a ride (or a swim when you're allowed back in the water) and either talk or not talk I'm sure any of us here would be more than happy to go out with you.

Keep us updated and please don't hesitate to let us know if there's anything at all any of us can do for you.

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Oh my gosh how tough! Be strong, and we'll be here to support you!

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Miles of Life --- Powered by MarkyV

I'm sorry to hear your news. You'll get through this and we'll help any way we can so please let us how we can help you in the upcoming weeks and months.