Awaiting biopsy results and trying to get my head around it all

Hi - I’m sorry you are having a hard time. It can be all consuming and hard to think about anything else. I went through similar worries with biopsies I have had over the years - waiting is very hard with the constant “is it, isn’t it” back and forth. It helped me to remember that I had no control over this state and to try and sit with not knowing. Perhaps in my case that was easier because I was told it was 95% certain to be breast cancer so I worked on the assumption that it was. That seemed to help me cope better. 

I just had lumpectomy surgery on mine and it went very well. I am waiting for a follow up appointment to see what is next but it’s likely to be a short course of radiotherapy according to my consultant. I found the breast cancer care nurses to be so helpful and calming and I have talked to them a lot.

Feel free to talk to me and I’m sending you a hug x 

Claire

Sorry to hear you're going through this. I had a very similar experience in January and was told at the breast clinic appointment it was highly likely to be cancer. Its such a shock.

Waiting for the biopsy results and a plan is the worst time but you will find support and understanding from these forums. I can't put into words how helpful ive found chatting to people who are going through the same and truly understand. Nothing is definite until you've had the results from the biopsy but that doesn't stop you from worrying. 

Once I had my results appointment I felt more in control and everything moved quickly. I had a lumpectomy and a lymph node biopsy at the end of Feb. All went well and I recovered quickly. 

Everyone's experience is different. The pains you are getting seem typical, they're very real, I had pains in the unaffected  breast,  my back and my shoulder while I was waiting. They disappeared immediately as if by magic after treatment. 

You will only find kindness, understanding and positivity here so stick with us.

Love and hugs

Sue x

Thank you think they said it is 95% risk so thinking more that it is. Doctor said to make sure I have someone at the results appointment. Just waiting and my brain keeps whirring. It's surreal just trying to stay positive and take it 1 step at a time

Thank you Sue it's reassuring to know I am not alone. I just keep apologising to my husband and those I have told not said to my kids (all teenagers) as don't want to say anything until know for certain. Broke down a bit this morning and had a cry but trying to maintain normality which is not as easy as I thought (if that makes sense) x

I was told to stay off the Google searches and if I needed to chat to reach out to the breast care nurses or come here. It turned out to be good advice! 

When I was officially diagnosed somehow it wasn’t as bad for me as I thought it would be. I realised I’m the same person as I was before whatever the results are and I will be the same person after - and that whatever it was I would just try to live my life during this time and not frantically wish it all over - I don’t know if that makes any sense but it seemed to help me at the time! 

My surgery wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be either and I really felt in control of it all. It was very quick and my pain was about 3/10 in my boob and 4/10 in my sentinel node area. It was day surgery and I was back in my own bed the same day. 

I’m waiting now to find out what the next steps are but have been told to concentrate on healing for the time being. It’s funny, but it’s surprising to me how much stronger I was than I thought I was. Breast cancer was something I have been terrified about because I’ve had lots of lumps and cysts over the years. When I was told formally I was like “ok what’s the plan?” I haven’t been scared at all about it. My fear was the surgery but the surgery was so much better than I thought! 

Happy to chat more! Sending a big hug x

Claire 

Thank you Claire trying to avoid Google. Not met the breast nurse yet, getting to meet her at my results appointment. Just feel like I am in no mans land at the moment, staying positive but not looking too far ahead.

Will reach out if I have any questions. Hugs back to you as well

Shona x

If you have breast care nurses there they are definitely worth talking to. Mine are only there Monday to Friday but I call and leave messages. I was in touch with mine before the appointment and they are happy to chat even if you don’t have cancer. Over the years I’ve called them a lot. This time my nurse even told me the results before my appointment because I was struggling with waiting. She couldn’t tell me the type or grade but she did tell me it was cancerous so the appointment was more of a “what type it is” rather than “yes or no to cancer”. It helped me to find out for sure on the phone first and I felt more in control at the appointment.

So far waiting is the hardest part so I totally understand.