Help !!

My wife has just discovered a lump on her breast, and went to the doctors today as an emergency appointment unfortunatly there was no one to talk to on hand to give a proper examination and nor advice on what happens next she now can not get another appointment till next monday.

We are both at our wits ends and really dont know how to handle this last few nights she has been a little emotional as you can imagine of cause i love her to pieces but all too evident is that i too am frightened and altho not trying to show this as make the matter worse what support is there available for the victim of cancer and the family of people around her.

I want to do what i can to help but dont know where to start all i can seem to do is be really woried and frightened for her and dont know what to do.

maybe try call nhs direct they might be able to find you an appointment somewhere else sooner 0845 4647

I'd insist that she's seen again, tell them it's an emergency.

Most lumps turn out to be benign. Please also bear in mind that the threatments are improving day by day, should the worst come to worst.

Good luck, I hope your wife gets seen soon and that you get peace of mind quickly.

Yes, I agree, I would call nhs direct or visit the medical walk-in centre that is near Meadowhall - sorry, not sure of the exact location. I think that the Dr would obviously examine your wife, but would still refer you so I would do any of the above.

I agree with the others. Phone NHS Direct and get some advice from them. Try not to panic at this stage, a lump doesn't automatically mean cancer.

I'd go back to the GP. You can't so anything with a referral. Demand it. Your wife should then be seen within 2 weeks.

Good luck.

I agree with the others. Phone NHS Direct and get some advice from them. Try not to panic at this stage, a lump doesn't automatically mean cancer.

Agreed, try not to worry until there is something to worry about:)
Good luck with it:)

Thanks for the kind words all,

will try and keep calm about all this until the need to panic is present but all in all been a crap year for us and now this to top it all off not sure if im gonna be able to keep a calm head about myself despite having to as said to prevent the stress getting worse for either of us

First don't panic. It happened to me recently. I had a nervewracking time of exam and then call back biopsy and then call back to be told it was just tissue damage from a fall I'd had. So most lumps are not serious. However the ones that are the quicker they are seen to the better as early treatment is very successful. Get an immediate referral.

GP Collaborative are their out of hours to help you. Call NHS Direct and they will be able to book an appointment at whatever hour of the night. They deal more with emergencies ("omg my arm's dropped off") than say illnesses. If the missus is in pain or extremely anxious then give them a call by all means; they were very helpful when I used their services a month ago.

My other word of advice would be, DO NOT GO ONLINE.

There's lots of scary stuff on the Internet and you can frighten yourself to death. A friend of mine was recently in this situation and I went online for her and weeded out what she needed to know and withheld the scary stuff.

Most medical professionals also discourage you looking things up on the internet, at least until the point of diagnosis.

My thoughts are with you.

Have you tried ringing the breast clinic at Hallamshire? They may be able to see her if she cannot get an appointment in a decent time. If the GP refers a patient on then they tend to be seen within a week or two anyway, as speed helps set patients' minds at rest. If they cannot see her without a referral they may offer advice about how she can get one quicker than next week!!!

Good luck with this. I was referred to the breast clinic a few years ago and I want to reassure you that they were great with me. I was seen very quickly and dealt with with care and sensitivity. As it was, I was fine, but if your GP does think your wife needs to go there, hopefully you'll have as caring treatment as I got.

I'm not really sure who you saw at your GP surgery? If it was a doctor, then I'd hope that they were able to do an examination in this day and age.

As for the breast clinic at the Hallamshire, I'd imagine they'd tell you to be referred through your GP.

You dont mention how old your wife is, how often she checks her breasts, whether she's had anything like this before but I'd agree with others on here and say hang in there and try to see it out, if you cant get a sooner appointment at your GP.

Keep your eyes on it, and if things get worse then make sure you get seen sooner!

I had a lump in my breast, went to the doctors who had a feel and stuck a large needle into it and took some fluid out of it, that was then sent off to the labs, mine turned out to be benign. At the end of May this year my mum went to the doctors after finding a lump, she was sent to the hospital within a week where they did a mammogram and did a biopsy, hers turned out to be breast cancer, 2 weeks ago she finally had her breast removed, she goes back tomorrow to see about when she starts her chemo and radiotherapy. I understand how upset you both are, my mum lives in skegness and talking on the phone was so emotional, i fell to pieces but tried to keep it together for my parents. I hope your wifes lump turns out to be benign, good luck to you both at this worrying time