All About the Tits

God knows what is going to come up on a search with this title but I thought it was important to note down what happened last Wednesday when I took a trip to the breast screening centre.

I found a lump in my right breast in February

I had fully stopped breastfeeding in January. It was time. Rufus was 13 months’ old and I wanted my boobs back. Two weeks after giving up I was getting stabbing pains in my breast, it was very tender and I found a large lump and a number of smaller lumps near the nipple.

My first thought was that I had mastitis, even though I had weaned Rufus off gradually to avoid the Pamela Anderson/leakage situation and I was proved correct when I went to the GP.

I had to attend a follow up appointment with another GP once I had finished my course of antibiotics. I was examined and told to come back in one month’s time – which gave my body time to have a menstrual cycle to rule out hormonal changes being the cause of the lumps.

At that next appointment the GP said that due to my age and circumstances he would feel happier referring me to have a mammogram than just leave it because my breast was still lumpy and grainy.

I was anxious about being referred to the breast screening centre

The GP had told me that he would rather be safe than sorry but he was sure that there was nothing to worry about. When people say things like that to me I start trying to read between the lines, even if there are no lines to read between! Why are they saying this? Are they keeping something from me? What do they really think? Could I be the 2% of women my age who get breast cancer?

I am assuming that the paranoia is completely normal when faced with something like this but I had to then wait over a week for my appointment at the breast screening centre to come through. During this time my anxiety levels were not great!

My appointment at the breast screening centre

Jeez, I was nervous! I went to the appointment on my own [partly because SOMEONE had forgotten about it!] but I felt this was the best thing. The nurses and consultant were so lovely and calming. The first consultant examined both of my breasts, noticed the lumps and then drew on my breast ready for the next stage. I was to have an ultrasound – I was happy I did not have to have a mammogram! Didn’t quite fancy pancake boobs that day!

There was a bit of waiting around but I was soon called into a dark room and introduced to the consultant sonographer. I was told to take off my top half and lie on the bed. Cool jelly was smeared over my right breast and the consultant then used the equipment to see if there was anything there.

It felt like a lifetime before he started talking to me

I was lying on the bed with my hands behind my head, the consultant caressing my boob with that weird doppler thing and it was silent. The nurse on my left hand side was staring at the consultant, he was on my right hand side staring at the screen. I just had to wait and stare up at the light fitting. It was bloody terrifying!

Eventually he spoke to tell me that he can feel that there are lumps there but nothing untoward was showing on the screen. I was told that if things changed again or I start to get a blush tinge to the breast then I need to go straight back to the GP for another referral. The relief was instant!

Basically I have lumpy boobs

That’s my normal for the time being.

Funnily enough, when I have mentioned this to people or on social media, so many people have got in touch to tell me of their own experiences and that especially after breastfeeding for a while, breasts can become lumpy.

What was quite noticeable from speaking with other people is that the positive stories have all come from women who knew their breasts and did not ignore the warning signs.

So the moral of this story is to understand your normal. Everyone is different and that includes boobs too! Ensure that you are getting to know your breasts/pecs by looking and feeling. If you need some guidance then take a look at the CoppaFeel website here.

If you are unsure about anything you find or you are not happy about something then get yourself down to the doctors. Cancer doesn’t discriminate so make sure that you are educated in your boobs to give yourself the best chance.

Lumpy is my normal. Make sure you get familiar with what your normal is.

Know your breasts.