Waiting for Results

Hi yes I know exactly how you feel and I was in complete denial, especially as I felt well and no different to how I felt before diagnosis.

I was diagnosed after my 2nd routine mammogram. It was so small and deep I’d never have known it was there if I’d not attended screening. Even now, even after lumpectomy I still sometimes stop and think was I dreaming this. I am currently away on holiday but when I return home reality will kick in as starting my 9 sessions of radiotherapy on Monday 18th. I am scared but just another step to make sure everything is gone. Also will be on anastrozole for at least 5 years. Worried about possible side affects from the medication and just seems like getting rid of the squatter was the easy bit!

Remember to be easy on yourself, it’s an awful lot to take in, but trust your team, they know what they are dealing with and are definitely in your corner x

Hi

Yes that’s pretty much what happened to me. Was called back after a routine scan - had further mammogram, ultrasound and a couple of different biopsies. The wonderful radiographer said she strongly suspected it was cancer and was fast tracking me to see a surgeon! So I went from not thinking there was anything wrong to being fairly sure I had cancer in the space of about an hour. 

It is shocking. But they will come up with a way of treating you. And they really care about doing what is best for you and will maximise your chances of returning to full long term good health.

I was grade 3, stage 1, HER2+ IDC. I’ve had lumpectomy, chemo, radio and just having the Herceptin jabs for the rest of this year. I can honestly say I feel great. It’s a lot to get through but there are so many people willing to help you

Best wishes

Hi Rarah58b9b8 

I found a lump too middle of May and saw GP - appointment 2 weeks later - mamograms, ultrasound and biopsies and they also told me very likely cancer there and then.  I was shocked too they were telling me before results but I suppose they know from experience.  They booked a breast MRI scan to have done within a week and then biopsy results and scan results came back the following week and it was confirmed. 

I have had 2 lumpectomies and they took out 3 lymph nodes but only found cancer cells in one.  I am just waiting results on second surgery and to heal now before starting chemo - 6 sessions and then immunotherapy and radiotherapy plus hormone blockers and several other tablets for several years. 

It's still scary and I still feel like I am in a dream.  I am trying to just get on with things and some days are easier than others.  This is a supportive site - ask questions and people will be supportive and honest. 

There are so many things they can do now to cure and try to prevent reoccurance - it's a good job you found the lump! 

Keep us updated. 

Hi Rarah58b9b8 , lots of lovely responses already, this is definitely a great place for support and shared experiences. My experience at the breast clinic was pretty much the same as yours, told by the doctor after mammogram, ultrasounds and biopsies, that she was sure it was cancer. Definitely a shock! But in a funny way I’d rather have known there and then, than carry on during the wait for results, hoping it would turn out to be benign. 
Now it’s keep busy time, have they said how long it might be to get the biopsy results? Love and hugs, HFxx

Oh yes just seen that you’ll know on Wednesday. Good that you have a date. Xx

Thank you all for your comments.

I feel like I want to tell friends and family ( problem shared is a problem halved and all that) but I dont want to be the cause of distress for them if it turns out to be nothing which obviously a part of me thinks it will be OK.   Only 1 more sleep until I find out for sure now anyway.

For those of you who have been through similar, what happens once it's confirmed?    Does treatment start straight away or are there more tests?

Hi Rarah58b9b8 , there’s not one answer to your question re what next as it really depends on the results. Meaning that it depends what type of breast cancer it is (I was vaguely aware that there were different types but no idea how many!) - each case is unique although obviously with similarities. So can only say what happened to me: no further tests, was advised that the first stage would be surgery, likely to be followed by hormone treatment and radiotherapy. And that is how it panned out for me. But others here have had chemo first, or surgery followed by chemo, lost of variations. 
A solid piece of advice that I was given early on in my cancer experience was to try to focus on one stage at a time. Rather than try to predict what might be my treatment plan. So once I knew I was having surgery, I tried to prepare for that. Then after that, getting the results after the op. And so on. It worked for me I think. 
Will be thinking of you tomorrow. We will all be with you in spirit. If you can take someone with you it’s good to have a second set of ears. It’s difficult to take it all in. Otherwise a notebook and pen so that you can write stuff down. 
Love and hugs, HFxx

Hi Rarah58b9b8,

Sorry you are also going through this. I noticed a change in my breast so was referred urgently to the breast clinic. The mammogram was clear,  but the ultrasound showed something so they took biopsies and said it may or may not be cancer.

At my next appointment the breast care nurse confirmed it was cancer. I was totally shocked and as a result could not take in anything else she was saying (and she gave a lot of information!). It's a good idea to take someone along with you to listen. Its been a steep learning curve.

Good luck on Wednesday. I think most people have the similar feelings about a diagnosis of cancer and its lovely to share these with people on this websìte who understand what you're going through. The medical team and breast care nurses will also support you.

All the best

I wish you all the best for today.  I hope they are wrong and it's not cancer but prepare yourself. 

If it is then they will like HappyFeet1 says tell you the type, the grade and size and then they may plan surgery or chemo.  I got my biopsy results 4th June and surgery was 26th June. It would have been sooner but we had to wait for one result that took longer to see ifnit was her2 positive as that determined if chemo or surgery first. 

It's best to break it down and focus on one thing at a time but also good to know the likely extent of the treatment and how long its going to take. They should tell you all of that. 

Hi

My follow up with the surgeon was delayed until they had all the results back - and for me they then had all the info they needed to determine my course of treatment. 

The thing I would have found useful before this appointment was to understand all the different types of cancer  - I had literally no idea - so a lot of the terms used in the meeting were completely foreign to me. 

It seems to boil down to how big it is, whether it has spread beyond the breast, and what the cancer cells responds to (ER +/-, PR +/- HER2 +/-). Also ‘grade’ and ‘stage’ are not the same. 

I spent a lot of time on the MacMillan website after my diagnosis making sure I understood what I had been told. 

Once I had my diagnosis I couldn’t wait to get going. I think my surgery was about 3 weeks later. Then there was a 6 week wait to make sure I was healed before we started chemo. Chemo lasted 12 weeks - then 2 weeks break before a week’s worth of radiotherapy.

Hope there’s not too much detail for you here! Probably worth saying that everyone’s situation is different and your team will devise a specific plan for you.

You might not even need this info! Fingers crossed for you tomorrow