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Diagnosed before results

MandaBee
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I attended the breast clinic yesterday, for what I thought was a scan on a lump I found 2 weeks ago. I had an examination by the consultant who initially said it's probably a cyst, then was sent for a mammogram, then sent for an ultrasound and then biopsy in which 2 samples were taken. I'm good at reading people so I called out the ultrasound / biopsy doctor out on the awkwardness I was sensing and the fact he'd insisted I bring someone with me for biopsy results, and so I asked to be told straight what they suspected it was. I was told they think it's a cancerous lump. I broke down and ended up in a quiet room with a nurse being told about operation timescales and radiotherapy. My head was spinning. I went from thinking I had a cyst to being told about cancer treatments within 2 hours. I get the official biopsy results this Thursday 11th February. I can't think of anything else other than cancer. I can't concentrate on watching TV or having a conversation. I feel like I've been knocked over by a truck. Any advice? 

  • Offline in reply to MandaBee

    Honestly your story sounds exactly like mine. I randomly looked in the mirror one morning before jumping in the shower and saw a dent followed by a lump. Rang the doctors straightaway and was booked into the breast clinic. I have to say that even though they told me there and then that it was cancer, the wait for biopsy results is horrendous. My brain was constantly flitting about and it was exhausting. I'm finding it easier when I'm honest with my partner/friends and discuss everything with him/them. I was actually relieved when I went back for the results because at least I had a firm answer. Xxx

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    you ok mandibee its ruth from the boards

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    I'm in a very similar situation although mine was a call back from a routine mammogram.  Told they'd found a 2cm mass on the right & have calcification in the left.  Biopsies taken from both but both the doctor & breast care nurse were talking in terms of types of treatment rather than if.  At no point was I told it might be nothing.  My results appointment is a week on Tuesday & we're bracing ourselves for what might come.  I'm numb & my hubby is silent.  We are both absolutely devastated.  This is going to be such a long, painful week.  Please do come back on when you can & let us know how you go.  Happy to chat if you need to. xx

  • Offline in reply to Virgo149

    Thank you for sharing and sorry to hear you are in a similar position.  I went from a consultant at 9:30am saying it's probably a cyst to the biopsy and scan doctor saying it looks like cancer, then being sat in a room listening about radiotherapy! All within 2 hours. I was sucker punched! It's horrible. The wait is pure torture isn't it, although I already know it's just the details/ stage and treatment plan I have to find out about. I'll definitely be updating on here. I'm gonna need all the support I can get, I'm over anxious as it is x

  • Offline in reply to MandaBee

    I'm so sorry to hear your story too.  I remember saying how strange it was to go from arriving for what I thought was just going to be a mammogram that needed to be redone to discussing lumpectomy, radiotherapy & tamoxifen.  I've been told to bring my hubby along next week too so that pretty much sealed it for me, especially in current times. I consider myself to be pragmatically optimistic for most of things but it's the wait for sure that's the real issue at the moment.  Bizarrely my cats won't leave me alone at the moment, they are very clever creatures.  Look after yourself this week xx

  • Offline in reply to Virgo149

    They say animals can smell it, my dog is the same! They said same to me; bring your husband...no can do, I kicked him out 7 months ago! Bring someone else then. I said I'll come on my own, doctor said you must not attend alone, so I knew and called him out on it. Said look tell me straight will you I'm not stupid. He said yes, it has all the features of cancer, don't worry though we'll deal with it. Then was in the room talking about treatment. Awful experience!!x

  • Offline in reply to MandaBee

    Sounds like I might have been luckier with the team I was with.  I knew something was up straight away but everyone couldn't have been lovelier.  The doctor explained everything (I told him straight away to be up front with me - I'm a retired police officer so can't bear faffing around).  He said he could see I was straight down the line.  He even showed me what he was looking at on the ultrasound although I couldn't make anything out!  I had 3 Radiographers, the doctor & breast care nurse at one point & they couldn't have been better.  


    We'll both be fine once we know what we're up against I'm sure of it.  xx

  • Offline in reply to MandaBee

    Hi [@MandaBee]‍ it is really hard when they tell you that, but you really don't know for sure until you get your actual results.

    I am still trying to get to the bottom of mine weeks after being told it looked like cancer and being told to prepare for that. I had a recall from a mammogram (letter received on Christmas Eve). I did the asssessment clinic on 5 Jan where the bit I was recalled on looked OK apparently after the diagnostic mammogram at the clinic but they were concerned about a new area they spotted. I then had an ultrasound and the consultant radiologist told me then it looked suspicious, took biopsies and told me to prepare for it being cancer. The nurse took me for a cup of tea and talked to me about what to expect next. 

    Fast forward to results appt on 15 Jan and the breast surgeon who met me apologised and said "its complicated" as the biopsy came back inconclusive but we still think it is cancer. I then had an MRI and went back for a second round of biopsies. I was only expecting to have the same area redone but they said the MRI showed that the area I was originally recalled on, DID look suspicious afterall and they wanted to biopsy that as well as re-biopsy the other area (one was lower inner part of the breast and the other was upper inner part of the breast).

    Then I went back for results on 3 Feb expecting the worst and they said both biopsies didn't show any any cancer! Just such a shock when they had been preparing me for that all along.

    What did show up is a Complex Sclerosing Lesion in the top area and  Sclerosing Adenosis which are both benign growths but they can potentially 'hide' malignancy, so I am back for a third *** biopsy on the top bit again on Thursday. They are still concerned about the the bottom area might be cancer that it is coming out during surgery on 16 Feb. The biopsy this Thursday (which they are going to rush the pathology on) is to work out of that second area also needs to come out.

    So this is my long winded way of saying that even though they tell you it is cancer, as in my case it has not been proven and may still end up as NOT being cancer afterall. Which woud be great of course but I have been going through all these tests and worry for weeks now and I think it would have been better if they had not said it looks like cancer when the pathology is not agreeing with it. I think it is going this way for me is that the radiology and clinical examination is saying it looks like cancer (I have a reasonably large area of puckering on the lower part of my breast whenI raise my arms which I never noticed until I had the recall letter and then checked myself out).

    I do feel for you as I know how much the waiting is hard. Good luck for the results and you never know - you might end up with a positive outcome after all xx

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