Hi there. When I read your post I thought I was reading about me! I have also been diagnosed after a routine screening and thought there must be some mistake. I am in total shock. I have had biopsies and tomorrow I am having a contract enhanced spectral mammogram. I also do not want to worry family and really don’t know what to think myself. Everyone says waiting is the hardest part. Good luck. You are certainly not alone.

Hi Wiganfc,

Thank you for replying. 

 I had something similar, I had an MRI with contrast it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Yesterday I went for a ultra sound and they took a biopsy of something found on that,  My journey seems to get longer and longer as hoping for a surgery date originally for a lumpectomy now being told that could change because they have found further cancerous cells.

I understand that the doctors are unable to confirm anything until all the information is together but the waiting is so worrying.

I hope tomorrow goes well for you

Let us know

Hi there. I am still waiting for my results. So sorry to hear your news. I had a vacuum biopsy and this is what I am waiting to hear about. Will you go for the vacuum biopsy before making a decision?. After my vacuum I had an X-ray with dye. The vacuum wasn’t too bad so nothing to worry about. I hope get my results on the 27th. Waiting is so hard. Knowing you have cancer and wondering what the future holds. Take care. 

HI like you I'm on the beginning of my journey to from routine mammogram. I have lobular HER2 and Hr + iv told my family it was hard especially as my two sons live in Scotland and my mum is 83 and not well herself. I can explain to my family as things progress appointments etc.

Good luck to you all x

Hi

Good luck on your journey keep us posted. 

I have told my family now, I think I just needed time to process myself. Yes it is hard as you feel it is your job to protect them but my family have been brilliant.

Keep us posted

Hi Cherry,

I am sorry to hear that you have DCIS in your left breast. Again, looking for the positives, you have caught this early too. Having previously had a lumpectomy and discovered another cancer in the same breast within less than a year and also having lost my mum to secondary breast cancer, then six months after my lumpectomy, discovering another lump in my other breast, I felt that I had little choice. My cancer was pure mucinous breast cancer, stage 1. When I was first diagnosed, my consultant advised me that if I had to have cancer, this was the best type to have, as it was slow growing and unlikely to return. Having had 2 bouts of cancer and 1 of pre-cancer in less than a year, I was no longer convinced by what he said. I naturally didn't want a double mastectomy, but I did most definitely want to live, so I agreed.

I was surprised that I found the mastectomies easier to cope with than the lumpectomy post-op. I must confess that I felt that I had done all that I could possibly do to get rid of the cancers, which to be honest, I never felt after my lumpectomy. I had taken Tamoxifen for the first year after my lumpectomy, but changed to Letrozole for 6½ years after that. It is now 16 years since I was first diagnosed and I still lead a busy and fulfilling life, so I have no cause to regret my decision. It was definitely the right decision for me, but we are all different and this has to be your decision. No two cancers are the same and no two people who have it feel the same about it. I had an in-depth conversation with my consultant and discussed the possible outcomes. I had drawn up a list of questions before I saw him to discuss this and asked him what his advice would be if he was talking to his wife.  I was happy that I was making the right decision once we'd had this conversation.

Unfortunately, I was not a suitable candidate for reconstruction as a result of previous non-cancer related surgery. I have remained flat ever since. I wear an assortment of prostheses for different activities and manage fairly well on the whole. I do miss my cleavage and have to close most 'v' neck dresses and tops up a bit further to hide some of the scarring from my lumpectomy. I find the silicone prostheses too heavy for everyday wear, although I do still wear them when I am dressed up. I have found some foam breast forms which come in 4 different sizes in M & S and although these don't give such a good shape, they are considerably lighter and more comfortable to wear. I wear these inside a pocketed post-mastectomy bra, which keeps them in place. They tend to pop up or even out from an ordinary bra. In the past 2 years, I have found myself going completely flat a lot of the time, which is even more comfortable.

The big question I asked myself was how I would feel if I didn't have a mastectomy, then found another lump and had to undergo surgery for a third time - I thought that I would have found this hard as I would have regretted not going 'the whole way' at the time. I decided that if I had the mastectomies and had re-growth, I could cope with that, because I would have known that I did all that I could to prevent this.

Sorry for the long and disjointed diatribe, but hope this helps. The best of luck in your decision and I hope that it turns out to be the right one for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine. Such an inspirational post. I am awaiting my further biopsy results and  treatment plan but have been thinking about breast reconstruction. Your post was so helpful to me. 

Have been ok but tonight I am having difficulty keeping it all in!! Awaiting results next week and hoping that the vacuum biopsy has dealt with the calcifications but starting to worry. I know the waiting is the hardest part. I am hoping for a lumpectomy for the rest of the cancer but I am feeling quite emotional which isn’t like me at all!  Oh well. Just wait I suppose like many of us.

Felling emotional tonight. Hoping the vacuum biopsy sorts out the calcification but dreading the results of the other diagnosed cancer in the same breast. Hanging on in there! Results next week but I am told there could be a delay if I need chemo.

Wiganfc i think this joutrney is like a rollercoaster ride.im waiting for another scan with Dye next week . The waiting between appoimtments is the hardest part atm once you get a date i feel it will be better for you.your allowed to be emotional even the clouds let it out when too full .crying helps reset the endorphins in the brain . Just look how the world feels after a showerr. Be kind to yourself .xxx

Hi Wiganfc, I totally understand where you are coming from the waiting, and not knowing is horrendous. It plays on so many emotions. I found that keeping busy and focusing on work helped me.

I have everything crossed for you x

Letter today to say my results appointment postponed 10 days. Was getting ready for the appointment and now I have to wait. What a nightmare!

Letter today to say my results appointment postponed 10 days. Was getting ready for the appointment and now I have to wait. What a nightmare!

Oh no that's terrible, did they say why? When is your next appointment? I'm back on Monday with my decision.

Stay positive x

Oh no im sorry to hear that . The waiting between appointments is bad enough without a poatpnnment

Good luck for Monday. I have a scan on my enlarged thyroid on Tuesday so I think they are waiting for those results. That’s all I can think of. Let me know how you get on. 

How do they discover that as thought they were scanning breast. I have a benign cyst on my thyroid, hopefully not related to my cancer. I really hope that your results are positive. Let me know how Tuesday goes x

Hi. Just wondering how today went for you

I have made the decision to go for a double mastectomy and have a flap restructure. I feel so much better for making the decision, I think going forward I would have worried about the cancer developing in my left breast.

Is it tomorrow you have the scan on your thyroid? 

Yes. Scan tomorrow.

Good luck let me know how you get on

Hi Cherry,

I am glad to hear that you have reached a decision and are going for the double mastectomy. Are you going for the restructure at the same time and do you know when you will have surgery?

Don't forget that we are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine. 

Yes I'm going for the restructure at the same time as that is how my surgeon does it. However, there will be a delay as he has to liaise with another hospital for plastic surgery, so could be 2 or 3 months. I'm pleased to have made decision.

Thank you