Breast Cancer in Men: My Personal Encounter

Seller Sellers’ Perspective

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This isn’t the sexiest of blogs considering the site, but I wanted to highlight the importance of men’s health and checking yourself.

I have tried to make this as light-hearted as I can, but this is my experience which thought it turned out all fine I wanted to share and to encourage men to check themselves and to not be ashamed.

It was February 18th after a night out I was incredibly hungover and in bed watching Law and Order SVU, don’t judge me.

I have a habit if playing with my nipple piercings, not sure why maybe it’s like my own version of a comfort blanket. Well whilst having a play I felt a lump on my chest, it was quite pronounced, hard and about the size of a pea, sitting between my right nipple and my underarm.

Of course, now I know it is there I feel the need to rub, poke and squeeze said lump while frantically Googling anything I could about breast cancer. I know it’s a rarity in men, but it does happen. Having had a thorough read up I felt happy that it was probably nothing, but still best to get it checked out. After all I could move the lump which tends to be a sign that it is nothing, but then how much movement is the correct amount? Surely any lump attached to the body will move to some extent. Add to this the fact that there is a direct family history of Cancer in my family so it really makes you start to think, and as much as you are sure it is nothing everything just starts to niggle away at you, thinking about that one article said one thing but another which was worded slightly differently could have meant something completely different.

I managed to get a doctor’s appointment for a few days later, but apart from a workmate who I confided in and actually a couple of my regular buyer on here nobody knew. I couldn’t tell my mother who has had Cancer before, because even if it turns out to be nothing, I know she will blame herself. Incidentally when she had Cancer I was living in China and she chose not to tell me and I found out by accident after the fact, but that is a whole other story.

Wednesday 21st Feb 7.30am, which is quite frankly a hideous time of day to be sitting in the waiting room. The surgery had only been open half an hour and they were already running 20 minutes late, how does that even happen? Of course, my stress levels at this point are through the roof.

But it was little things that I noticed in the waiting room that got me thinking. There was an entire notice board on one wall related to Cancer, but specifically Breast Cancer, now I know it is the most widespread Cancer in the UK and after a quick Google the world, but the next three are Lung, Bowel and Prostate all of which can be attributed to both genders. Not that this should become a gender war, but it was noticeable that there was so much information on Breast Cancer and nothing that I could see on any other types. This is part of the reason for writing this.

So I finally get into my appointment and go through everything with the Doctor “Does it hurt?”, “It didn’t until I found the lump three days ago and I haven’t been able to stop poking it since so now it’s a bit tender”.

There is something a bit embarrassing standing topless in your doctor’s surgery while you get examined, I have done unspeakable acts on camera and in the flesh but for some reason this feels a bit shameful.

Maybe it is because as a 41-year-old man it feels strange being examined for Breast Cancer, should I be ashamed, no, because Cancer doesn’t discriminate, it is just less likely in men as I have mentioned previously.

Anyway, after going through a basic exam the Doctor is confident that I have nothing to worry about. But as there is a direct family history it is decided that I should have an ultrasound to be on the safe side.

This is where is gets a bit convoluted, as I’m given a booking reference and have to call a number to register that I am wanting an appointment for an ultrasound, but I can’t call the number until at least 24 hours after my appointment, maybe if I do it earlier the code will self-destruct, who knows? So that number takes you to a call centre who then takes your details to confirm that you want to make a booking but will then be in touch within around two weeks with an appointment, thankfully they called back a week later and everything is booked in. It’s 11th March now as I am writing this first and my appointment is tomorrow, incidentally it is also my brother’s birthday but telling him can’t be his present, can it? Maybe not.

I’m not worried as everything from my own research to the initial checkup has pointed to this being nothing, but of course there is still that niggle. The lump is still tender because I cannot for the life of me stop poking it and maybe it is my new comfort blanket?

So it’s now 13th March, and have definitely got the all clear now, during what was quite possibly the quickest appointment that I have had.

I have a Lipoma which is a fatty deposit which is common in middle age, so after the initial joy, that was a slap in the face. But all is good so I cannot complain.

Really my point of writing this is to encourage everyone to check themselves, there is no need to feel embarrassed, this is something which happens to lots of people and the sooner you catch it the better. And even if it turns out to be nothing then it is better to be safe than sorry.

And if like me circa 2004 and you are going down on someone and find a lump then I would advise telling them, not matter how unsexy it is.

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