(no subject)

[slemslempike]

Tomorrow I have to go and get my arm carved up. I need to change my contraceptive implant, and my GP doesn't do it. And the hours are completely useless for me - their doctor's only in from 12-4pm, and you can't make an appointment, so I have to go and queue at 12. Will probably work from home tomorrow and start analysing my transcripts. Not feeling too good anyway, so will be good to be able to work from bed instead of dragging myself in and feeling shitty.

Also not filled with confidence because the person I spoke to when I rang had no idea what an implant was, and asked if I meant the coil. Little concerned because I seem to remember that having it put in was a tad more painful than I had reckoned for, and the information all says that it may be difficult to remove the implant. It moves around pretty easily under my skin though, so I don't think it's become stuck into the flesh or anything.

I think the implant's pretty good for me - I mostly use it for reducing the strength of my period cramps, as I don't really need contraception at the moment. While I'm there I'm also going to ask about my breasts - a few years ago I went to the doctor because I'd found lumps in my breast that were really worrying me. He said not to worry, that I just had "very lumpy breasts". Git. Anyway, they went away again, but now, a few years later, they're back, and they're not fluctuating with my menstrual cycle anymore, it seems. There's one in particular that's quite hard under my fingers. I don't want to bother doctors when I've already been told that they're all right, but maybe the Brook doctor can put my mind at ease.

Comments

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

Also maybe the Brook doctor can talk to you like a grownup and explain what unworrying causes of breast lumps there are and why that's probably your thing. Not impressed with your last doctor AT ALL.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I'm not very worried because I don't fall into the highest risk groups, but I would like to know what's normal, and what I need to keep an eye on.

Last doctor was rather rubbish really. Took him months to sort out the implant for me in the first place.

[alltheleaves.livejournal.com]

From one lumpy-breasted person to another, I would advise you to back to your GP, although possibly making the GP a different one if you can. Is there more than one doctor in your practice? Anyway if you're concerned about a specific lump you will need a referral from your GP. Although the Brook doctor can give you advice you can't be referred by them as far as I know.

Anyway my lumpy breast experience resulted in at the tender age of 18 having a proper solid lump. It feels very solid, it moves when you prod it, and it only hurt if you start prodding it lots - which is what one does when one's found and panicked over a breast lump. It's called a fibroadenoma, which is the most common type of lump in a woman between the ages of 18-40, and is completely benign. This means that whereas it may increase in size it is not going to invade other tissues, and will stay within the breast tissue. It's caused by a thickening of the breast tissue and is simple to remove, something that was only done after 3 years when it began to grow a little too big. It's also called a mouse because it moves about which I always thought was very cute.

When a lump is solid and doesn't move about it may be more serious - the thing about breast tissue that you can feel naturally is that it does move, hence the hurting with the jogging up and down when we run and aren't properly strapped in. When a lump is part of the tissue it's likely to move. Tumours aren't part of breast tissue and I think they're more solid and far less likely to move - when I had my moving lump that was one of the key reasons they thought there was nothing to worry about.

If a lump is squidgy and doesn't feel so solid it's more likely to be a cyst. Cysts are fluid-filled hence the squidgy texture, I don't know if they move about or not.

If you do get referred for tests they may not immediately do a biopsy, especially if you're a lumpy-breasted person. They will do an ultrasound where they can measure the size of the lump and immediately recognise if it's fluid filled or not, and they can do a needle test which means just poking the lump with a needle several times (my Mum very nicely counted and told me it had gone in 52 times after, thanks Mum!). From this they can get cells of the lump and very easily determine if they're cancerous cells.

Good luck, let me know how it goes. If you have any other questions I might be able to help further so don't hesitate to ask.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this - I think I will make an appointment, I've got a new GP in Manchester, and he seemed very nice and helpful. I was just in the process of feeling my boob up when I remembered that I'm at work and the gesture might be misinterpreted by the students behind me.... Will have a good poke when I'm back at home and see what they feel like.

My friend had a small lump removed last year, that was benign, but not particularly pleasant. But I almost like the idea of a mouse in my breast!

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

I hope tomorrow's appointment goes well.

As for that doctor who clearly thought that you weren't up to having a proper conversation about your own body, bah to him. I hope the Brook doctor is helpful. But if they can't help, don't hold back from going back to your GP or someone else at the practice. They're *there* to be bothered by people with symptoms that are causing concern, and I don't think the offhand response you got before counts as a proper answer.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I think I definitely will make an appointment to see my own GP anyway, even if I don't manage to ask the person tomorrow about it.

[pathology-doc.livejournal.com]

My advice would be to get a fine needle aspiration biopsy done; this involves a thin needle inserted into the lump and moved around inside it to collect some of the component cells for study; these are then smeared on a glass slide, stained and examined.

Some people prefer local anaesthetic, but that has been known to sting like hell in its own right (I've had local, and it does!).

FNA is a reliable method for picking up suspicious cells and, conversely, providing a measure of reassurance about the harmless lumps. Depending on the size and position of your lump, you might be referred to a radiology practice to have it done under ultrasound control.

Whatever the case, don't let your doctor fob you off - and if they do, keep on looking until you find one that doesn't.

Best of luck, in any case.