A Story About Painful Breasts and a Doctor Who Couldn't Be Bothered

Four years of living with something painful, something disruptive, something that affects my daily life every single day — and two GP appointments that did almost nothing to help.

I wear a bra twenty four hours a day. I cannot take it off to sleep. Nipples constantly erect, itchy, painful in the shower, impossible to be touched. I have adapted my entire daily routine around managing something that nobody has yet properly explained or adequately treated.

Four years of this. And counting.

The first appointment

About two years ago I went to the GP.

She examined me. Listened. And said — with the confidence of someone who had made a decision — that it was probably Raynaud's. It was cold at the time. I took her word for it.

She offered no explanation. No investigation. No follow-up.

Try warming oils. Clove is good.

Clove oil. That was it.

What Raynaud's actually is

Raynaud's affects blood flow to the extremities — fingers, toes — in response to cold. It can occasionally affect the nipples, but symptoms typically resolve with warmth.

Here's the thing. It was 32 degrees outside when I went back the second time. Nothing had resolved. The second GP confirmed it herself — persistent symptoms in warm conditions are not consistent with Raynaud's.

Two years of clove oil. The diagnosis was probably wrong from the start.

The second appointment

I arrived. E-consult submitted. She looked up.

"How can I help you?"

I asked if she'd read my consultation.

"Yes."

She had no interest — that was clear immediately. The examination was cursory. She did not wash her hands before touching me, nor after.

She pressed. I jumped — involuntarily, in pain.

"Everything seems fine."

"Well it isn't," I said. "I just jumped when you touched me."

A pause.

"What do you expect me to do?"

Four years. Daily pain. A bra I cannot take off to sleep. And: what do you expect me to do?

I told her it had been four years. That it couldn't be Raynaud's in this heat. She acknowledged I had a point and said she would refer me to the breast clinic.

I am still waiting.

In TCM

The breast area is traversed by the Liver and Stomach meridians. Persistent breast symptoms often map to Liver Qi Stagnation and Stomach Heat — patterns strongly associated with chronic stress, suppressed emotion and hormonal imbalance.

This doesn't replace medical investigation. But it asks a different question — not just what is this but why has this appeared, and what is the body trying to say?

I don't yet have a conventional diagnosis. But I know my body. And I know that addressing these TCM patterns — through acupuncture, yin yoga and stress reduction — will be part of whatever my recovery looks like, alongside whatever the breast clinic eventually tells me.

If this has happened to you

You have the right to be examined properly. To ask questions. To a second opinion. To chase a referral — especially if things are getting worse.

Document everything. Dates, symptoms, what was said. And if you feel dismissed — trust that feeling. It is information.

Has this happened to you? Have you been told something that didn't feel right, given advice that didn't help, made to feel like your symptoms didn't matter?

Leave a comment below or reach out at info@whitebranches.co.uk — I'd genuinely love to hear from you. You are not alone in this.

Note: I am not a medical professional and this post does not constitute medical advice. If you are experiencing breast symptoms please seek medical advice and push for a referral if you feel dismissed.

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Suzanne J Lawson is a holistic wellness practitioner, TCM-informed yoga therapist, reflexologist, reiki master and published author. Find free yoga and wellness practices on YouTube at youtube.com/@wellnesstowomb 🌿