Overthinking biopsy results

Hello

I am in the horrible position of waiting for some biopsy results. 

I asked the nurse if she could give me a hint & she said no. I then asked if anyone was ever given results over the phone, I meant if they were benign etc. 

She said “no as then they’re on their own”. I’ve taken this as my results are bad so I wouldn’t be able to get phone results. 

I told her I was terrified & she said the nurses will be there. All this has made me so paranoid. Why would a nurse be there for my results?

I don’t know why I’m asking on here. Im so sick of this overthinking and anxiety. 

  • Hi, I am in a similar position. I have had a 2nd more invasive biopsy ( core)  today and my results appt isn't until 25th. It is a worrying time, I agree.  

    I work in healthcare so I understand the timeliness but it doesn't stop the worry. I've put a post up asking for advice on how to deal with it xx

  • Hi Soulou. Thanks for replying. Waiting is absolutely awful. I’m overthinking everything and can’t plan anything until I know what’s going off. 

    hopefully we will both get some positive news. I’ll take a look at your post. Thank you xx

  • I’m not saying it never happens, but in the UK it is considered bad medical practice to give important news such as cancer-related results or reports over the phone. Also the people taking samples or performing scans are rarely qualified to interpret them. 

    Even if the news is good, we always have questions … even if it’s only “are you sure?”.

    Good luck with your results
    Dave

  • I suspect their original answer might mean it's policy never to give anybody results over the phone as some results are bad and also people may want another pair of ears for good or bad results so they wait until people have somebody with them rather than specifically meaning they think you need somebody with you due to the nature of your results.

    And honestly, I'd rather have somebody with me for good results too because it's easy to overthink things, doubt yourself, wonder if you misheard or forgot something. I know when I had an appointment after being operated on for thyroid cancer, the doctor said that it could cone back but I'd still have a good chance of a normal life expectancy. My immediate understanding was "even if it comes back, you won't die of it," but then afterwards I started thinking, " he just said a good CHANCE." Did he mean, I MIGHT still live?" So I was glad my mum had been with me and she too had interpreted as "it almost certainly won't kill you."

    I know the temptation is to try and read a message into everything but there's a good chance they just have the same rules for all news, good or bad, because if they fave out good news over the phone and then had ti tell somebody they couldn't give them their results over the phone and that person knew others had been given them that way, then they'd REALLY be thinking the worst!

  • Hi! I am in totally the same situation! You’re not on your own!

    I too can’t stand this waiting, it’s doing my head in!

    I was in this situation in 2021 and had a radial scar removed by VAE. I’ve had 2 years of clear mammograms for this one to be a micro calcification cluster (same boob). I’ve been told 2-3 weeks for results after biopsy. No appointment given at this stage. In 2021 I was contacted by telephone for outcomes and letters in the post of confirmation.

    We’ll get through this! Trying to keep busy.

  • Thank you   your reply has really helped me. I had got myself into an overthinking rabbit hole of anxiety! That makes sense. Thanks again  for taking the time to reassure me. 

  • Thank you   I know exactly what you mean about the thinking about things afterwards & changing them slightly. Thank you for the reassurance. It has really helped me. I really appreciate it thank you. 

  • Thank you. It is absolute torture isn’t it. Keeping busy is good. Mg house has never been so sparking! I wish I could stop obsessively googling!i

    I hope we both get good biopsy results soon. 

  • I am in the same boat as you waiting for biopsy results and even though it looks like all blood tests, tumour markers etc came back as normal until I am actually told by the consultant that there is nothing concerning with them I worry.  Then one day I think well how about I start to worry when they tell me there is something for me to worry about.  Then the next day I am re-reading my endoscopy report and googling every other word.  It's horrible, but I then think they are being thorough and there is so much earlier treatment now.  so fingers crossed if they do find something untoward it can be dealt with eary. 

    Keeping busy is good, I have a son with aspergers who keeps me busy, but of course he is also a worrier.  I walk my dog twice a day and that is my chance to switch off from my worry.  

    I am 70 now and I think well. what will be will be.  

    It is lovely to have the messages of support on these pages. 

    Best wishes to everyone for a good outcome XX