2WW appointment alone

Oh and at a previous referral, some years before, the ultrasound radiologist told me there and then that they were cysts, even showed me on the screen! Xx

I was told I’ll be there around 3 hours and that it was a one stop type appointment that I’d have answers by the end. 

I really thought that would be more like yes it’s a cyst or we need to biopsy to see what it is. I thought if it was suspicious I’d go back for results but it sounds like they can be fairly sure by the imaging. 

I’ve been thinking about the responses on here today a lot. I might go alone for the appointment.  I’m only 2 miles from the hospital so not far to drive. I already feel more ready for it because everyone here is so helpful. 

I want to write some notes and questions that I’ll want to ask if it is or isn’t cancer. I think this will help - I like lists. I think I’ll start a separate thread asking what people asked or wished they’d asked at their appointment (if I can’t find an existing thread).

Thankyou for your kind words and advice, it’s really helped already to clear my head xx 

Hi Mel_on,

I understand totally not telling anyone until you know what it is.

It's such a personal decision but when I had my appointment at the assessment centre, apart from me, I didn't see anyone else alone. 

In my area they do tell you if it's suspicious, so I think if it would worry you a lot to hear that news, it's best to have someone with you, especially if you have a long busy drive home and may not be concentrating.

Also it's good to have someone to listen to what the staff tell you as some people (me!) might struggle to take it in.

You can drive after a biopsy but whether you should depends on the location of the biopsy as maybe it wouldn't be good to have the seatbelt pressing on the site. Mine bled as maybe I didn't wear a supportive enough bra and I didn't take it as easy as I should have.

Hope it goes as well as possible, there's a lot of waiting at the assessment centre, my letter mentioned 2-4 hours so maybe take a book if you're alone, or some podcasts to listen to.

Wishing you all the best :) 

Thankyou. 
this thread today has helped me a lot. I’ve been thinking about the different comments and the possible outcomes I could face. 

I'm going to make some notes and a list so I’m prepared whatever the news. 

I hope you’re well xx

My appointment went roughly as follows. It was a mammogram recall rather than from symptoms. First of all a breast care nurse took me into a room and asked me what I knew. I didn’t know anything other than I had been recalled - copious poking of breasts hadn’t revealed anything. She told me where the lump was and that it had been graded as being suspicious, and that I would have a 3D mammogram, an ultrasound and a biopsy. 

As soon as I got in the ultrasound room, the doctor said he would take some samples and then show me the imaging. He kept reassuring me I had done the right thing to have a mammogram. The biopsies didn’t hurt - the area was numbed first. He then showed me the comparison between the routine mammogram that had led to the recall, and the one 3 years earlier. He then showed me the various shots on the 3D mammogram. He told me it was likely to be invasive Ductal cancer, and the biopsies would identify the grade and what (if any) receptors it had. He told me it looked as if my lymph nodes were clear.

I was then taken back into the room with the breast care nurse. She told me that mammogram and ultrasound images were graded up to 5 with 5 being the most suspicious. And that mine had been graded 5 on both. She then booked me in for a results appointment.

The results appointment was made much easier by having the expectation I would be told it was cancer. It gave me a chance to understand the different grades and receptors and the likely treatment paths for each before I attended. When I got there I was told I had grade 3 TNBC, which is probably the most difficult primary diagnosis. It knocked another brick out of the wall, but I wasn’t overly shocked and more importantly I could listen and ask questions. 

Sorry to jump on your post, I just wondered how long you waited for your results? 

I was seen at one-stop clinic due to finding a lump rather than from a mammogram recall, but my experience that followed was similar to yours. 

The initial exam was deemed a suspicious mass, then the radiologist performing the ultrasound and biopsies was pretty convinced what she was seeing. My imaging was also graded a 5. 

At the chat afterwards, I was gently told they believed the mass to be cancer. I am still waiting for my biopsy results / further info and plan 3 weeks later! :( 

Hi NVR,

I had my biopsies on 12 June and got the results 24 June but no treatment plan yet as I need an MRI first to check if it's the only one. So I waited 12 days.  Which felt like an age so I feel for you. Can you call the one stop clinic just to get an average wait time for your area? Hope it comes back this week. 

Thanks for your reply, the waiting is really taking its toll on me  . I also suspect it will be a case of more testing once I finally do have an appointment, so it all feels like such a long time to wait before actually starting anything. I called the clinic today to ask for an estimate of when I might have a results appointment and was told someone would call me back with an update but sadly I didn't get one.. I will call again tomorrow. Being left in limbo is unbearable. 

I hope your MRI is soon and the results of that are positive x

From memory it was less than 2 weeks. All the results were back. 

Hi folks, sorry to jump on your postings but this is exactly why I joined the forum earlier tonight, to talk about timelines as I feel I'm just doing test after test at the moment but still waiting for a treatment plan.I feel so much better knowing so many of us in similar situations. Here is my timeline so far,..

27 May - told the nurse in my GP surgery I could feel a lump - see agreed and referred me for an urgent appointment. No family history of breast cancer.

5 June - breast clinic where I was given multiple mammograms, ultrasound and biopsy of breast and one suspicious lymp node.

16 June appointment where consultant confirmed it was stage 2 - 22mm cancer, results on lymph nodes still unclear, referred for MRI.

23 June MRI 

26 June told I was to go back for additional ultrasound and biopsy 

2 July booked for ultrasound and potential biopsy 

14 July appointment with consultant for results.

The NHS team at my local breast clinic have been fantastically brilliant, so patient and supportive but it really is starting to feel like it's not stop tests with no treatment while it's growing and life is in limbo. Right now, it feels like finally having a treatment plan will enable me get back some element of control, be able to plan around it...just wish I could get to that point.