Hi Skylilliexxx,

A very warm welcome to the forum.

I am so sorry to hear that you find yourself in this worrying situation. I fully appreciate what you are going through, as I had 2 bouts of breast cancer and 1 of pre-cancer all diagnosed with a year. I had a lumpectomy the first time and a double mastectomy for the second bout. That was 16 years ago and I still lead a busy and fulfilling life. It is impossible to know what this is, until you undergo some tests at the breast clinic, so you have done the right thing by getting this investigated. I am glad to see that your appointment is for Monday, so you don't have much longer to wait.

When I first investigated my breasts, following surgery, I was told that this was fatty/scar tissue, but when I returned a few months later it was cancer. I am not surprised that you are having meltdowns and sleep problems - you are under a tremendous amount of pressure! You do not say what age you are and what type of breast cancer you had. Some cancers are more aggressive than others and so, more likely to recur. It must be so difficult trying to keep all of this to yourself just now. Do you have one family member or friend who you could confide in? It really would help you to be able to talk to someone.

I sincerely hope that all goes well for you on Monday and that nothing untoward is found. Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

hi..so today ended up having  biopsies in breast also on what they said was suspicious lymph node appearance, so 5 in breast and 3 in armpit....nothing notable on mammogram but ultrasounds found what they said " dosent look good"..I asked them to be honest with me and they said " well we are pretty sure its cancer "

went to see consultant who had all the notes from scans etc... booked in for CT scan and my partner asked if its back then she can have a lumpectomy again...but the said no..as Ive already had radiotherapy then the next option would be mastectomy  and they said they would get a cancer nurse in to talk to me...

I freaked and left in tears.. so no idea if its secondary or localised , have to wait for results now... CT scan will hopefully be soon...

i feel totally, and physically sick.

i have no words...but also have a thousand words... questions....... 

Was it there when I had a mammogram last year...and should I have had an ultrasound...?

absolutely devasted... 

XXX

hi..so today ended up having  biopsies in breast also on what they said was suspicious lymph node appearance, so 5 in breast and 3 in armpit....nothing notable on mammogram but ultrasounds found what they said " dosent look good"..I asked them to be honest with me and they said " well we are pretty sure its cancer "

went to see consultant who had all the notes from scans etc... booked in for CT scan and my partner asked if its back then she can have a lumpectomy again...but the said no..as Ive already had radiotherapy then the next option would be mastectomy  and they said they would get a cancer nurse in to talk to me...

I freaked and left in tears.. so no idea if its secondary or localised , have to wait for results now... CT scan will hopefully be soon...

i feel totally, and physically sick.

i have no words...but also have a thousand words... questions....... 

Was it there when I had a mammogram last year...and should I have had an ultrasound...?

absolutely devasted... 

XXX

Hi Skylillie,

Your head must be buzzing with questions. There really is no telling whether this was there before or not, so try not to upset yourself with questions that you'll never find the answers to. I am so sorry to hear that your consultant considers this to be cancer again. They won't really be able to tell you any more until the results of your biopsies come back. Did they say when they should be done?

I hope that you get your CT scan soon. It is a good idea to write down any questions you may have and to take this to your next appointment. It is all too easy to forget important questions during a consultation. Get your partner involved in these too, as he'll probably have different questions from you.

A mastectomy is not as bad as it sounds. I had to have a double mastectomy second time around and was unable to have reconstruction due to scarring from  previous, non-cancer- related surgery. I manage fairly well with an assortment of  prostheses for different activities. Make sure to discuss reconstruction with your consultant prior to surgery.

You can only have radiotherapy once, which is why the mastectomy is needed this time. Please keep in touch as you negotiate your journey and remember that we are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hello, and thank you for coming back to us with an update on your situation.

I am so sorry that this is happening, I cannot imagine how you are feeling.

At this point I am not surprised you have a million questions, your mind must be racing. At the moment what is known will be limited until they get all the information from the biopsies.

Looking back is a normal reaction, questioning what was seen and done, but for the moment it is about the wait for pathology results and giving yourself time to process this.

Take care and I hope you have support around you at this time. You know you have a community here ready to be there for you if needed.

If you want to talk anything through with a nurse on the helpline the number to call is 0808 800 4040. Lines open mon-fri, 9-5.

Sarah.