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Just recently diagnosed

Cl4ir3
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Hi, I wondered if anyone had any info to help? I'm panicking and googling everything. I had a breast biopsy on wed and get results on Thursday next week. At the time their didn't seem anything a miss under my armpits, I had ultrasound which just showed a mass in my left breast. Is this positive? Or is this just being said to stop me worrying more? Also I feel a sort of flutter in my chest, is this a sign that things have spread? Thanks for any info or replies x

  • Offline in reply to cazrosie

    Thank you, I'm still on maternity leave so I have my beautiful girl as a distraction but when she naps it takes over. Need to get on with things better tomorrow. So hopefully things aren't going too crazy big inside! X

  • Offline in reply to Cl4ir3

    Hi Cl4ir3 and cazrosie

    Have just read your posts as I'm recently diagnosed. I'm lucky to have friends who are in nursing and with experience (pesonal, professional) in cancer. Here's whats helping me:

    - No Google. (That was hard fo rme, I usually cope by looking things up)  One friend said 'Google will tell you lots of things that may never happen - it's better to adjust to your own situation today, than to prepare for things that might not happen'.

    - Another friend said 'I let my doctor and nurses give me the information, rather than getting it from anyone else.' I look up things in the Information Pack that the nurses gave me. But I have to say that I've only looked up the things that are going to happen next. So I read about getting lumpectomy and lymph nodes before the surgery, but didn't go any further than that. It would have been too much for me.

    Before lumpectomy, the nurses said they had to tell me what could happen during after the surgery (lyphm clearance, chance of lymphodoema etc etc) so that there would be no surprises. I see why they did it but...it was hard to take it all in and I felt really anxious after the appointment and nervous that I wouldn't heal properly. Mot to mention finding out that it might have spread.

    My primary cancer was small (6mm) and there was no cancer in the sentinel lymph nodes. I feel better knowing that. But now there is the next wait to find out what stage it is, whether they got it all, and follow up treatment. Ten more days to wait to get that news.

    DIstraction really helps. I asked friends and family to call me at those quiet times when I might get to thinking too much. Then I can look forward to getting a daily call from someone. They take turns calling. So I have a conversation with someone every day, but not with ten people a day if that makes sense. I'm planning holidays which is a great distraction. Reiki is a great idea, I will try that! 

    Hope you manage to find ways to pass the time that are of help to you!

     

  • Offline in reply to jarri

    Hi there.

    thank you for your message. It's good to hear from you Altho sorry you are in this position. That's good advice from your friends, google really does have information overload and that's not always good. 

    I am having my lumpectomy in just over 2 weeks and a sentinel node biopsy at same time. I've read over whats what with that so I guess that's as far as I need to go. 

    well done on finding your lump, 6mm is small. good that you have had your op, and no node involvement, did they tell you that on the day? Waiting is what I'm finding hard, but it's getting easier as the days go by. Are you feeling ok after the op?

    reiki really helped clear my mind last week and also I've been doing the calm app each day which is helping me meditate and clear my mind too. I've enjoyed that.

    thanks again

    claire 

  • Offline in reply to Cl4ir3

    Hi Claire

    Yes, they told me after I woke up from the general anaesthetic that they didn't have to do a lymph node clearance. They removed two sentinel nodes while I was under and analysed them while removing the lump. An hour after waking up, they gave me the good news. I was sent home with instructions for how to care for myself and painkillers. Of course I needed to be careful how much I was moving the arm, but the incisions heal very quickly. The exercises they gave me made it feel good, and relieves tension in the shoulders. In week 2, there is some soreness mainly from the lymph incision but I see in other posts that this happens to others as well. There is fatigue, it is important to pace myself and sit down when I feel tired. I can cook and do other daily living activities but no vacuuming or lifting shopping etc. I've found that listening to the radio helps to get to sleep. There is also a website/app called Insight Timer which has many meditations that you can download and their music is very calming and good for sleep. I also have books.... but found that the first few days I was mostly sleeping!

    Hope that helps :)

    Janet

  • Offline in reply to jarri

    That's great Janet, glad you are getting on so well after the op. Definitely take it easy when you need to. I'm not sure that my hospital will be able to give results of lymph biopsy straight away. I hope they do but I won't count on it. I'll have a look at insight timer. Thank you. 

  • Offline

    Hi

     

    As I have just been diagnosed with similar to you, I wondered how you are now, more than 1 year on ?

     

     

  • Offline in reply to venicelagoon

    Hello, sorry to hear your recently diagnosed. It is a journey that you don't really want to be on. But you will get there. I was in a panic and pretty anxious, but the nhs were fantastic. Looking back if I could tell myself then what I know now I'd say it's ok, you will get through it. Just take it step by step. I am really well now thank you. All treatment behind me and first follow up showed all clear. life is good x

  • Offline in reply to Cl4ir3

    I'm so glad you're better. That's really good positive advice. Just what I needed to hear.

    Thanks very much.xx

  • Offline in reply to venicelagoon

    You are welcome message anytime. It's good to talk when you feel like it. Be kind to yourself and whatever you feel is ok. You will be ok x

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