Just need some advice please.

Hi The Boop

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear that you are facing a cancer diagnosis. It seems like they are pretty certain that you have cancer but obviously they can’t be 100 percent certain until they get the results of your biopsy back. It’s probably their way of preparing you for bad news.

It’s perfectly understandable that you have lots of questions. Why not write down all the questions you have on a piece of paper and take it with you to your appointment. They usually ask you if you have any questions about your results so it’s a useful thing to have. Also why not ring the clinic before your appointment and ask if you can bring someone with you as it’s always useful to have a second pair of ears to pick up anything you might miss.

In the meantime try and keep yourself busy as it can help to take your mind off things even if only for a little while.

Wishing you the best of luck with your appointment on Thursday.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Hi Daisy, 

Thank you so much for your candour and advice. 

My partner is coming with me on Thursday. I'm trying to keep busy but it feels like its getting harder as Thursday gets closer. They asked me last Thursday if I had any questions but in the moment I couldn't think of any, I've spent most of the last few days wishing I'd asked this, that or the other dozens of questions I've thought of since. 

What sort of questions are useful to ask at the next appointment? 

Hi again The Boop

Here’s a list of questions you can ask your consult if it does turn out to be breast cancer:

Is this a specialist breast unit?

What type of breast cancer do I have? Where exactly is it?

What type of treatment do I need? Why is this one better for me?

Are there other treatment options?

What side effects or after-effects will I get?

How long will my treatment take?

Do I have to stay in hospital for my treatment?

Is there anything I can do to help myself during treatments?

Should I eat special foods?

Will treatment affect my fertility

What tests will I have?

What supports are available to me?

What’s my prognosis?

What grade is my breast cancer?

That’s all the questions I can think of, if I think of any more before Thursday I will let you know.

Daisy53

Thank you so much 

Just to make you feel better, I didn't ask any of those questions, I just sat listening then responded in a lets get on with it manner!!  They commented I took it very matter of fact.  I got in the car and broke down and had a few sleepless nights of what if until I had letter for pre op and suddenly I felt control returning.   The BC nurse did come out to see me 2 days later by which time I had a few questions as they had asked me if I wanted a breast reduction on good breast to have a matching pair.   All academic me worrying about having surgery for cosmetic reasons as a week later after their weekly MDT meeting they decided it wasn't necessary.

If you get good news and it's nothing sinister ask them if they are going to monitor it for changes.  I would want this monitoring.  I am 7 years down the line and I have breast calcifications so they checked them annually for 6 years and said they will look closely at them and compare them to previous scans so I shouldn't be alarmed at recalls for enhanced imaging.

Thank you Carol. Really appreciate you responding.