Hi Zazzle321. Welcome to the forum, although I'm sure you'd rather not be here at Xmas time (or at all). 

I accompanied my wife to a breast cancer one-stop shop in May.  Ironically, it was the same hospital where I was due to have bladder cancer surgery a couple of weeks later.  As you can imagine, she was nervous but being a trouper she tried to hide it.

At the meeting with the consultant, he took a medical history, examined her breasts and took an ultrasound scan.  He then referred her for mammogram, which would happen that same morning.  We actually waited less than 30 minutes. 

She was called in for the mammogram, returned to the waiting room and then was called back.  That was a scary moment as they took another image and we waited for the results.  We didn't know it at the time, but there was a fault with the previous image and it needed to be redone. 

After about 15 minutes the consultant came out and called us back to his office.  On the way, he whispered to her "It's all ok".  So huge relief all round.  We had a final chat, said our thank-yous and went to the hospital coffee shop for a welcome cup of coffee before returning home. 

If there had been any doubt then the next step would have been to take a biopsy of the suspicious area.  This needs to be sent to the path lab and I don't think results are available on the same day.  Please don't assume that a 5 cm lump is automatically cancer - it could well be a harmless cyst and they can be that size.  And don't assume that if they take a biopsy it's automatically cancer - that's not the case.  

(PS: my bladder cancer surgery went ok and the first follow up a couple of weeks ago was fine) 

Hi Zazzle,

A very warm Christmas welcome to our forum, although I'm sorry for the reason that has brought you here. I am glad to hear that you have already set things in motion to get this investigated. Telemando has given a pretty accurate resume of what to expect when you attend the clinic.

If your breasts are naturally lumpy, it can be difficult to detect the size of lumps in your breast. Just because it is 5cm does not mean that it is definitely sinister. Although you lost your friend to BC, this does not mean that you will follow suit. I have lost both parents, several relatives and close friends to cancer and, have had BC myself twice in the past 10 years.

Diagnosis, treatment and after-care have come along leaps and bounds in the past few years. There is just no comparison in how my mum's cancer was managed and how mine was. Where people died of BC just a few years ago, they are now living with it.

I sincerely hope that all goes well for you on 6th Jan. You might find it helpful to have your hubby with you at your appointments, particularly when you are expecting any test results back.

Don't forget to let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thank you both so much for taking time out to reply to me, especially over Christmas. I have been feeling really up and down and it's only been 2 days since my initial appointment with the nurse. What a long wait until 6th! I know I shouldn't but I can't help feeling the lump and comparing it to the other side, it doesn't feel that dissimilar which is either a good or a bad thing. I don't know, I'm driving myself nuts! ‍♀️

I keep picturing worse case scenarios and I'm annoyed at myself that I didn't notice it sooner. I'm remembering everything that happened to my friend now too.
 

We have a day out in London planned soon with the children so I'll tell my husband after then. I am going to ask my sister to take me to the appointment as my husband will need to be free for multiple school pickups and clubs on that Monday. I would rather him be with me but I have none else to help with it.  X

Hi i was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer on the 23rd december my wedding anniversary.

I will be having a lumpectomy on the 15th january. the dr and breast nurse were so lovely and caring. they talked me through what would happen and about afterwards.

Im still scared but i know that i will get through this awful time, ive just told my 21 year old daughter who cried but when i sat her down and said that they have caught it early she understood better.

I work in a gp practice and have seen patients with different types of breast cancer, and they have come on leaps and bounds with new treatments so please dont worry the help out their nowadays is amazing.

xx

Hi Zazzle,

It is perfectly normal to feel up one minute and down the next. The best thing you can do is to try and distract yourself by keeping busy. Try not to keep feeling your breasts, as you are likely to make them both sore.

Many of us imagine worst case scenarios at this stage, but fortunately this seldom turns out to be the case. I hope that you enjoy a family day in London and, I am sure that your husband will be supportive once he knows. I am glad to hear that you can call on your sister to accompany you to your appointment, instead of your hubby. The most important time to have someone with you is when you are expecting the results of tests.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Nicknack,

Welcome to our forum.

What a rotten anniversary present! I am glad to hear that the doctor and nurse explained everything to you, but can fully understand how scary it is. I have had 2 bouts of stage 1 breast cancer in the past 10 years. First time I had a lumpectomy and second time around a double mastectomy. My daughter was around the same age as yours when I was first diagnosed and she was devastated, but she has been my rock since and, I'm sure that yours will be too.

I am glad that you have the benefit of working in a GP practice and know for yourself  the advances that have been made with new treatments. It is however, a different matter when you are the person going through this and, I hope that you can still keep these advances in mind.

Please let us know how you get on and remember that we are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Zazzle and Nicknack!

I too was stage 1 when I was diagnosed, Nicknack. Much has improved in breast cancer treatment, and at stage 1 the prognosis is very good indeed. Even if it’s bigger, Zazzle, treatment is very advanced and much kinder nowadays

We are all individual and have unique cancer ‘journeys’, so I strongly advise people not to go comparing their situations to others’. Everyone has a story to tell about someone else who had cancer and what it was like for them, but it’s really not relevant to your situation. I found it best for me to focus on myself, take things one step at a time, do what needed to be done and get past it.

Surgery is much improved too. My lumpectomy has only left a dimple next to my nipple. A friend, who had the same tumour at the same time had her operation site filled so it hardly shows at all (I couldn’t be bothered - I don’t mind not having a matching pair!).

Wishing you both the best. Keep chatting if you want.

Hi Zazzle. Telemando’s description of the ‘one stop shop’ approach matched mine. First the surgeon felt my breast, then I had a mammo, then ultrasound. I wasn’t overly worried as I’d had this before and it had turned out to be a cyst. This time the ultrasound suggested a small tumour so they did biopsies. This involved a local anaesthetic then inserting an instrument that takes tiny samples of the lumpy area. It wasn’t fun, but didn’t hurt and was more weird than anything else. The biopsies had to be sent to the lab for analysis so a further appointment was made with the surgeon, to get the result. Turned out it was cancer this time, but surgery happened quickly and here I am, 5 years on!

I found it helped not to imagine possible scenarios and not to listen to tales of others who have had breast cancer, but just to focus on your direct situation and get the support you need from the people you want to support you. You can do it!

Thank all for your replies again! It is helpful reading all your stories. You are right Jolamine, I have been constantly feeling both sides to compare and they are now sore! I then started itching all over and got into a panic and googled, wrong move!
I always thought I was pretty tough emotionally but this situation has proved me wrong. It's not helping either that my work closes over Christmas, so what was supposed to be a lovely relaxing break being at home, has made me feel like I'm in a prison climbing the walls. We're going out later, so that will be a distraction.

I have been referred to a breast clinic which is about a 20-30 min drive, but they are very busy at the moment so it may even be moved to another which is 45 miles away! It was either that or wait for an apt  but they couldn't see me for 3 weeks! X

Hope you’re seen quickly and that it’s good news. If it’s not the news you want, you’ll at least be able to discuss a treatment plan which, in itself, will be something to focus on. You’ll be able to take some control, and each stage of treatment can be ticked off. It probably feels like it’s a big mess right now. Keep chatting if it helps.