New to the Group and nervous.

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Hi everyone.

I received my diagnosis a couple of weeks ago, had my MRI recently. Due to meet my Oncologist soon. 

All I know about my cancer so far is that it isn’t fuelled by hormones (so my Mirena coil doesn’t need removing), it was 3.5cm on Ultrasound and there wasn’t any indication that the lymph nodes were affected. I realise that the MRI could have shown something different and am anxious about what the Oncologist will be telling me. I’ll be having chemo and then surgery.

I’ve been, kind of, positive up to now and have got into the mindset that the delay is purely the team getting the information they need to know how to most efficiently get rid of the cancer.

As my Oncology appointment gets nearer I’m finding that I’m getting increasingly anxious. Every ache makes me think it’s spread, my lump hurting and I am fixating on the fact that the Breast Consultant told me the cancer was “treatable”. Wondering why they used that term and not “curable!”

  • Hi  and a warm welcome to the forum, sorry you find yourself here but it’s a great place for support and shared experiences. 
    Lots of us felt just like you in the build up to starting treatment ie every ache or pain must be the cancer spreading everywhere. It’s a horrible limbo stage, waiting for all the results and for appointments. Just tortuous. But somehow the time will pass, and once you start treatment it will at least feel like something is being done to evict the cancer. 
    Re treatable or curable….. I’ve never been told that I am cured but just take comfort from the fact that there is ‘no evidence of disease’ or NED so far, at 4 years since my radiotherapy finished. I think they’ve stopped telling people that they are ‘cancer free’ because actually no one can ever know that for sure. They can only do whatever tests are deemed necessary and make plans from the results. 
    I hope you find this site as helpful as I have, I’m still rattling around it after nearly 5 years! 
    Wishibg you well and sending a big virtual hug your way, HFxxx

    HappyFeet1 xx
    Don’t be afraid to cry. It will free your mind of sorrowful thoughts. – Hopi
  • Don’t think they use the word ‘curable’ so don’t worry about that. As someone else told me while waiting it’s natural to feel every ache and pain is the cancer spreading but it’s most probably not. My arm hurt too -both of them- even though they found nothing in the other one sooo… try not to stress. They seem to do extra tests but the time will pass quick and you’ll get there. As my doc repeated to me ‘We need info and even though you’re probably going nuts breast cancer doesn’t really spread that fast’ I chose to believe him :) Hope that helps and best of luck.

    PS. As  said they probably try to keep from definitive answers. I was told ‘No metastasis as far as we know’ Obsessed over that ‘as far as we know’ a while. Your lymph nodes aren’t affected and that’s a good thing :).