Hi, 

I know exactly how you are feeling I too was diagnosed with breast cancer last week and now have an appointment this week for a treatment plan. The gnawing anxiety of it all is horrible I’m still in shock like you will be. I hope others comment soon who have more experience in this to help you as we’re both very new to this news. Take care your not alone x 

Thank you for responding and it is reassuring to know that someone else feels the same.  Good luck with your treatment plans and hope all goes well.  It is astonishing how many are affected by cancer and I have nothing but praise for the nhs and how quickly they have dealt with appointments x

Limbo time is terrible and we get a lot of it. If you didn't have anxiety then you wouldn't be human. I think the more we progress through all the appointments the easier it becomes and we can hopefully see light at the end of the tunnel. I had my lumpectomy, clear margins, no lymph involvement and felt utter relief. Ten minutes later and I'm back to panic mode because chemo is mentioned. Oncotype dx test sent off for scoring. Fingers and everything else crossed for a low score and no chemo. All you can do is find something that helps you relax and maybe take your mind off it for a while. Before I was signed off, I listened to audio books while I worked. I had to really concentrate or I lost the story, that helped me so much. I had trouble sleeping so I'd put in my ear pods and listen until I dropped off. I might start decorating my house again, I was half way through when I got my re-call. Might even help me lose some weight after sitting around all day eating feeling sorry for myself ! Good luck on your journey x

Hi

I want to give you some reassurance, I am 81 and was diagnosed in Jan 24, with a grade 2 invasive carcinoma ER8 positive and a PR 8 positive, I had a mammograms and a scan and 2 biopsies of my lump, I was as good as told I had cancer on the same day,  two weeks later I had a scan and a full body MRI it took over an hour, I wasn’t to keen on that, my next visit to the breast clinic I was told the rest of my body was free of cancer, I then had a squamous cell carcinoma on my leg, so I needed to have that operation first with a skin graft, sadly the graft didn’t take so wound took longer to heal, I also developed Bells Pulsay, that was just like having a stroke, so steroids for 10days, that delayed my breast surgery, they won’t operate if you are on steroids, so the waiting was just awful, I was put on letrozole to shrink the lumps, I had two, I waited six months for my surgery, had the operation a lumpectomy and two lymph node biopsies, I went into day care centre at 7.30 operation took 3 hours, but was home in time for evening meal.

I have been very lucky, my breast it a bit sore and badly bruised but otherwise I am ok, I remove the dressing after two weeks, and should have the results around the same time, and then I will be told if I need radiotherapy.

I am so grateful to all the staff and the surgeon who I had complete faith in, I am hoping now I am free of breast cancer.

So it isn’t as bad as you may think, try not to worry as that won’t help you, and try to think positive, you will be well looked after.Ann

Thank you for you reply and interesting to read your experience.The wait does seem tortuous also the fear of the effect of chemotherapy, which I have told I will have.  Good luck with losing weight! X

Goodness me you have certainly been through it!  Thankfully my daughter is a nurse, taking me for my operation and will be asking all the questions.  My husband has been diagnosed with prostate cancer yesterday but he will be on hormone tablets.  I appreciate your reply and hope you are free of breast cancer.  All the best with your recovery Sue

Hi Headlampeyes (love the name by the way!)

I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer last September, within a week of having ultrasounds and a biopsy.  I went on to have an MRI to confirm lump and size prior to having my treatment plan and starting treatment.  It all happened pretty quickly, within a week or 2 of each appointment. The MRI itself took about 20-25 minutes.  Not the most comfortable experience, but it's ok.  I started chemo in October last year, alongside immunotherapy.  Chemo finished in March this year and I had a surgical assessment and lumpectomy with removal and biopsy of 2 sentinel nodes at the end of April.  Like Poppy81, I was in day care from 7am and was home the same evening. The surgery itself took about 3 hours and the surgeon and his team were amazing.  He took great care to preserve as much of the nipple he could and the cosmetic repair was great.  You'd need to look really close to see a tiny imperfection where the stitches were.  There was some bruising and swelling, but nothing major.  The wounds healed very quickly and I can't fault the after care I had.  I then restarted immunotherapy in early June and have 3 more sessions of those planned (every 6 weeks). 

Once you have met your oncology team, they will always be there for you, as well as the breast care nurses.  You will be given contact details for both and any concerns, they will always call you back to answer questions.  At my hospital they have a rapid response team there, so if you have any reactions, pains etc for the duration of your treatment plan, they will triage you on the phone and there is a special unit to attend if you need to be seen by a doctor/admitted.  There's no waiting around in A&E (unless you're taken in by ambulance, so if you can avoid that, I would do so! I only had to get an ambulance because I passed out at home, my own fault, didn't listen to advice to take it easy etc after treatment.  I learned my lesson!).  

I'm not going to lie, I found chemo brutal, but I know people who have breezed through it, so don't panic.  You will be well looked after at every step of your journey. If there is anything you really can't bear, there are always alternatives, as long as you keep your oncologist informed.  Treatment can be changed, doses adjusted (assuming you need chemo) so it's not all doom and gloom.  At my hospital I always found treatment day quite entertaining.  The nursing staff and majority of other patients were always upbeat and it was a very happy place. 

And there's always this amazing forum to turn to if you need to ask questions or just rant. 

Good luck with lumpectomy and hope you get a treatment plan sorted soon. 

Carol xx

Thank you Carol and it sounds like you have come out the other end.  Reassuring to know that once you are embraced into the oncology group there is help and support available.  I considered myself to be a strong individual and will admit this has knocked me for six.  It’s because I cannot control what is happening to me and have to let others take over.  I haven’t accepted that but yet!  Hopefully once the treatment plan is in place I can see more structure.  Thank you for sharing your experience Sue x