Getting a lump evaluated

You could call your surgery and see who you were referred to, or call the department at the hospital and see which consultants list you are on. 

I would imagine it would be the local hospital, but a few phone calls may sort it out for you.

I have no advice and no idea how to help.  I know it has to be very frightening.  I just wanted to say good luck, and I hope it all goes well, and that the lump turns out to be nothing. 

If it's any consolation... I attended the Emory Breast Clinic (perhaps one of the best places in the USA for treatment of breast cancer) and still had to wait about 8 weeks total for referral from my Dr. to the Clinic to the Ultrasound screen day.

I was given an appointment, which I then could change if I needed to.

Because I was under 35 with no known history of breast cancer priority was given to other women. 

Once I got there I then had inconclusive results with the ultrasound and had a manmmogram.  Still nothing. 

I won't actually go into how horrible I felt or how badly I was treated or how much I still get angry and upset over the whole thing, but it just makes me appreciate the good GP group I have now.

Often dietary changes, caffine intake and the like can contribute to cysts forming.  Some women just have more lumps than others.  Still best to have it checked out, but try not to worry too much. 

The wait time is normal even in the USA, depending on where you live and your medical coverage.

Hugs!

Thanks!

I never experienced wait time like this in the States, because I worked in the medical field, and my immediate family (and some extended) is all in medicine.  So we always knew someone in every specialty who could see us.

Of course, not everyone has medical colleagues as friends like that, or a huge network available to tap into.

But for us, it's a major difference between US and UK.  When I travel to the States and get care whilst I'm there, it's wonderful (and cheap!)  So for me, I miss it. 

I'll ring the surgery today, hopefully move this forward a little bit faster.   Not so worried about the lump really, but the GP was really unhelpful so that's annoying!  First he said it was just my ribs, then it was muscle, then he felt the lump.  Perhaps it would be better for him to wait to say anything until he felt it!   

That's pretty much the attitude I got from the sonographer.... okay so where is this lump?  I can't find anything.. dense breast tissue (yo I am YOUNG and never had KIDS what do you expect.)  Hello did you read the report from my Doctor?  Idiot.

I'd not stay with a GP with that attitude.

Yeah I had an HMO in the USA... hate them... hate.. hate...

I did find a nice Dr though right before moving on my husbands insurance.

I found that in both countries money talks too... if you want something done quickly you have to pay for it. (Well or have friends!)

It is odd how with the exchance rate paying for Dr's in the USA seems oh so much cheaper than it really is.  Heck it makes everything cheaper!

Really?  Cheaper in the U.S.  I didn't have insurance and was just prescribed some antibiotics here.  They cost 5.10 (pounds) private, I looked it up online 120.00 in the U.S.

I also have a breast lump, under 30 when found and no family history (it IS alot of fun isn't it). Just for the u/s and mammogram in the U.S. it cost over 700.00 and that didn't include the cost of someone reading the exam. 

I got a referral to go private here and I am going to ask for a fna, because my doctors back in the U.S. just wanted me to keep coming in for more mammos and u/s.  I have had 2 m. and 3 u/s in six months and they wanted me in for another round in another six months.  The idea being, I suppose, that if there are no changes then they would just chalk it up to fibrocystic changes.  Grrrrrrrr. 

But I want a needle aspiration and I am totally going to get it. 

Well cheaper in comparison to some UK private care I suppose -sorry I left out "than it really is".. meaning the excahnge rate can make certain things cheaper.  (Case in point my contact lenses were over half the price from WalMart with a rebate thrown in on top.)

Good luck fighting for the aspiration.  I'd fight for one too.  I hope it's nothing.

Thanks, I was living in a really small town area and even though I asked the doctor about a fna or a core needle biopsy about 10 times he always pooh poohed me as if I was some stupid three year old. He was the only doctor who could do one and I was having serious trouble getting anyone else to look at the info since he refused to recommend it.  His office never even notified me that I needed to have another mammo done based on recommendations.  I was pretty pissed.

So, I figured when I came over I would just go private and get it done, since fna is part of the basic standard of care here.