Your First Appointment

Your First Appointment

Erick encourages women to bring a support person with them.  There can be a lot of information to process, and unfamiliar words when talking about a lump in your breasts, and it’s hard to take everything in on your own, especially if you’re worried and upset. Your support person is welcome to ask questions or take notes so that you can refer to them later.

When it comes to your appointment, Erick will need to examine you.  He provides a privacy screen so that you can remove your top and bra.  If for some reason you haven’t been able to bring a support person, feel free to ask for a chaperone, if that would make you feel more comfortable.

Erick will take a good look at your breasts, looking for differences between them or any irregularities such as dimpling or discolouration.  Then he’ll need to do a physical examination of your breasts.  He will evaluate the shape and size of the breast lump and to ensure that nothing else has been missed.  It is intrusive, but it’s a vital part of getting to a diagnosis.

Erick will likely refer you for more tests to gather more information on the lump in your breast, to rule cancer out, or to make a definitive diagnosis.

It is likely that test results will take several days to come back to Erick, so he will book your next appointment before you leave.

The intervening days can be a worrying time, so take care of yourself and try not to think too far ahead. If anxiety is getting the better of you, try talking it through with someone close to you, or go for a walk. It really helps

And bear in mind that the majority of breast lumps are nothing to worry about.  88% of women never get breast cancer.