Discussion
My 6 year old son has developed a little lump between the bottom of his rib cage and tummy. It's about a centimetre round and after multiple visits to the doctor they finally took a moment to explain that they believe it's a lipoma (harmless fatty lump).
After speaking to my mum about it she mentioned she has one and that the only way they could tell if the lump was dangerous or not was by doing a biopsy. I don't want to put him through anything unnecessary, but I also don't want it to develop quietly while everyone is saying it's not a problem.
Has anyone had experience of these?
After speaking to my mum about it she mentioned she has one and that the only way they could tell if the lump was dangerous or not was by doing a biopsy. I don't want to put him through anything unnecessary, but I also don't want it to develop quietly while everyone is saying it's not a problem.
Has anyone had experience of these?
GokTweed said:
A malignant tumour isn't well defined and seeing as though your little lads' is rounded and capsular and the fact that it's a lipoma means is most likely to be benign. If you can move it about with your finger and thumb under the skin it's also evidence of a lipoma vs a cyst.
Thanks for the information 
I guess the best course of action is to keep an eye on it and look out for any changes?
N Dentressangle said:
What does the GP think?
The first time the doctor looked for about 10 seconds, failed to find it and said "It's probably just a fatty lump". The whole appointment took about 30-60 seconds... We went back a couple of weeks later to a different doctor who took a bit more time to explain what it probably was, and that was the first time I'd heard the term 'lipoma'.
My main concern is that it turns out my mum had one but they actually took a sample and checked it (it was benign like the majority of them) just to be sure.
768 said:
Sorry for the thread bump.
I think I've perhaps got a lipoma. A small, maybe 1-2cm lump an inch or two lower than my ribs on the left side. Quite hard, doesn't seem to move when pushed a bit. No pain, no other symptoms.
I really hate going to the GP and I swear I'm down as a hypochondriac somewhere in my notes with the amount of NHS time I've had. I was only in last week over waking up in the night with chest pain and that seemed to turn out just to be a virus. Someone with an actual problem could've had that appointment, at least I stopped my wife phoning 999.
If a doctor could look at a 6 year old and say "it's probably just a fatty lump" and leave it at that there's presumably zero point in me going in? I can tell myself to go in if it changes in any way.
I would always say get it checked - you never know...it might be something you don't want to hear, but then if they remove it and it gives you 40+ years of life you'd otherwise not get then it's got to be worth it. But then I hate the Dr. too I think I've perhaps got a lipoma. A small, maybe 1-2cm lump an inch or two lower than my ribs on the left side. Quite hard, doesn't seem to move when pushed a bit. No pain, no other symptoms.
I really hate going to the GP and I swear I'm down as a hypochondriac somewhere in my notes with the amount of NHS time I've had. I was only in last week over waking up in the night with chest pain and that seemed to turn out just to be a virus. Someone with an actual problem could've had that appointment, at least I stopped my wife phoning 999.
If a doctor could look at a 6 year old and say "it's probably just a fatty lump" and leave it at that there's presumably zero point in me going in? I can tell myself to go in if it changes in any way.
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