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Avatar universal

Abdominal mass?

I felt something in my right abdomen about 3 weeks ago.  It is a firm mass about 1" x 1.5" in size, 1-2" from the belly button (same level).  It is not painful and I have no other symptoms.  I can only feel it when I am sitting or standing but not when I am laying down.  My family doctor thinks it's part of my bowel and there is nothing to worry about. She scheduled me to have an abdominal ultrasound in mid August.  I have a history of breast cancer and any mass or lump makes me worry.  I wonder if anyone has experience of this, and why suddenly, I can feel part of my bowel but not before.  Is it possible that it's a tumor?
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Avatar universal
Hello, it is not my doctor.  I saw her last week but here, if you need to do an x-ray or ultrasound, the doctors will send you to the hospital and there is a long queue.  My family doctor told me that I need to wait at least 3-4 weeks for that appointment and it turns out to be 6 weeks.

I don't feel pain or anything unusual so I guess I just have to wait.  If there is a drastic change, I will have to go to the emergency to get a diagnosis there (and I don't want to do this unless it is really necessary).
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Avatar universal
Is there any way you can call the doctor to explain your concerns and perhaps he can fit you in.  I had a similar experience recently trying to get in to see my doctor (gastritis problem).  The first availability was mid July - I called end of May!  I called again a week later and told the office I was concerned because I was losing weight.  They fit me in, I had a ct scan done of my ab and it was negative - have a scope scheduled at the end of this month.

My point is that if I were you, I would just keep calling asking if there have been any cancellations, adding that you're very concerned, etc.  If that gets you no where - ask them for a referral to another doctor!  I would try anything.

For what it's worth - my friend had a similar problem as you - felt a soft mass on the side of her ab.  It turned out to be a fatty tumor, non malignant.

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Avatar universal
Thanks for your comment.  I am not really that scared but I am concerned.  My family doctor thinks that it's unlikely to be a tumor as it disappears when I lay down.  However, I had several incidences last year and it seems like when the doctor said it was nothing, then it turned out to be something serious (cancer) and when they took something seriously, it turned out to be nothing.  So I can't really trust what they said, I think they are guessing as much as I do.

I did not change diet recently and it is just strange that I could feel it now but not earlier.  It's also weird that I can only feel that part of the bowel not the other areas.

It's hard to wait two more months to get a confirmation.
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Avatar universal
Poor Baby....you must be really scared!  What a terrible place to be.  

First of all, I would say to you, don't make problems that are not there yet.  (yikes!   I sound just like my Dad!) Yes, it is the "Live One Day at a Time" thing.  

Until you have confimation, you are just not going to know much about anything.  Sometimes doctors assume that you know more than you do; then when you get home, you have a thousand questions that you should have asked.  

Right now, you are probably frightened and in shock.  Just try to stay calm and keep busy.  

Have you changed anything lately?  Diet maybe?  

...last month I had hurting under my left rib cage.  I told my doctor and he said..."Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm."  It was serious to me, but he was focusing on another area.  Anyway, I finally realized that I just started wearing size my smaller size jeans again.  (they are way tooooo tight, but ...)  When I put my regular sized jeans back on, it stopped.    Right now, you just don't know.  Wait and see.....that is worst part.  Knowing is better than not knowing.  Not knowing make us crazy!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Hang tight...my prayers are with you.

.....and Let us know how everything turns out.  Shebee
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