Hi Janeylou. I know how you feel. I'm 51 and received a recall letter on Christmas Eve (great timing) saying an abnormality was found on my first screening mammogram. My clinic appt is 5 Jan and I can think of nothing else at the moment. I'm trying to keep distracted. My teenage daughter and husband saw me open the letter but I haven't told my teenage son or anyone else apart from my best friend. Kind of want to know what is actually the outcome before I worry other people. Will tell my boss (she is lovely) though as need time off work for the appt. My Mum and her mother (so my maternal grandmother) both had breast cancer. My grandmother died years ago from another cancer in the end and my Mum is doing fine, four years on. I had three (one per year) mammograms up to the age of 50 on the familial screening programme (which were all clear)but the last one was nearly two years ago (I'm 52 in February). When I  had the recall letter last week I then took a close look at my breasts as I hadn't noticed any lumps (I am a bit rubbish at checking though) and was horrified to see a considerable area of dimpling/puckering under my left inner breast - quite obvious lines and indents when I raise my arms. I have no idea how long they have been there as I don't go around with my arms in the air staring at my boobs Kind of wish I had now though. I can really understand what you are feeling and the waiting is awful as every scenario goes through your head. All I can say to you (and me!) is that most cases referred aren't cancer so let's hold onto that thought!! Good luck for tomorrow. X

Hi Kiwirunner, just wanted to let you know....my circumstances very similar to you, age 53 years, referral letter arrived the day before Christmas Eve.....not sure how I've got through Xmas as no extended family around to keep me busy as usual, due to their health issues (my sister has secondary breast cancer) Just myself, hubby and teen daughter, who, as you, saw me open referral letter, which I managed to play down.

Attended my appointment first thing today (my birthday) I was told that there was a change in one of my breasts so I had a more detailed mammogram and an ultrasound. After the ultrasound the consultant told me that I am absolutely fine and can go back to three yearly mammograms. 
 

Just wanted to give you some hope and let you know that things can still be okay even though you might think the worst....I found it so difficult to.stay positive. I was sooo scared, i am a bit of a glass half full person. It's awful having waited over Christmas, I can't tell you how stressed I've been. Good luck with your appointment and fingers crossed for you xx

Thanks so much for the support [@Janeylou]‍ and [@Mumofteen]‍ I really appreciate it xx

Good luck for tomorow thinking of you i hope you get some good news and things go well xxx

Thanks [@Janeylou]‍ ! Had some good news today that the third biopsy that was a repeat biopsy on the second area of concern came back as benign - wahoo! It is definitely a radial scar. They look just like breast cancer on radiology and other imaging so they wanted to be sure. Now just to focus on the bit coming out on the lumpectomy tomorrow. Surgeon phoned me today to tell me about the other good news and said she definitely wants this bit out to look at further in the post-op pathology. Feel so relieved that one area is all clear :-) Just the final hurdle to get over xx

Aww that is amazing you really deserved the  good news i am so pleased for you. Good luck tomorrow im sure it will go well. Thinking of you xxx 

Hiya!

Thank you so much for this post. I've had a similar experience! I'm 41 found lump in breast,saw dr same day and had mammogram and biopsy last week. Results next Monday. When they took the biopsies (4) he mentioned that the skin under my boob was puckering. Like u I didn't think to check under the breastacles and although I would feel the skin it felt smooth so I thought it was fine. It wasn't until he said lift ur arms that I could see how my boob was mis shaped towards the bottom,due to the puckering skin. Like the shape of a circular boob resting on a hardback book to create a definite angle. Not sure if this is making sense ‍♀️ 
It's great to see how positive u r. Good luck and take care x

Hi [@JenLam]‍ good to see your post. Your description of the puckering made me laugh even though I know it's not funny if you not what I mean! Mine looks like two long lines stacked above each other. No hardback books involved :laugh: Anyway, the dodgy area was removed from my breast in surgery on Tuesday and I will find out full results on Friday 26th.

Good luck with your results on a Monday. Do let me know how you get on. Good luck. Waiting is hideous isn't it!
 

And [@Janeylou]‍ thanks for the good wishes. [@KimMarie]‍ How are you getting on? Did you find out what was going on on the RH side?? XX

xx

Hi Kiwirunner, i messaged you but have now found the thread and see that your surgery took place. I hope you are okay xx

Hi kiwi runner!

thanks for getting in touch. It means a lot. I find that I want to talk about things but don't want to upset my husband and friends. It's horrible sitting with the worry so I'm trying to keep busy. 
 

thats great news that it's removed already. Was it a lumpectomy yes? Do u mind me asking what the process was like? I've googled too much and am now thinking of the lines of...if they suggest a lumpectomy am I better off asking them to whip off the breastacles all together so less chance of recurrence? ‍♀️
I have very sensitive nipples (too much info I know) so a nippless life sounds like a positive thing but of course I don't want to write off my boobs if it's not that serious!  

results tomorrow and hopefully they will send me for an MRI as I've smoked for years and am worried the 2.5 cm lump in my right breast has been growing for ages and has come from something already in the lungs. Joy! Then it'll b a case of waiting for those results which is really frightening me. 
 

any who! I hope ur feeling good and positive and ready for the next step in ur journey. 
 

jen x

Hi [@JenLam]‍  thanks for getting in touch.  Oh I do hope results day today goes ok  for you. And your MRI. MRIs  can throw up lots of false positives as they are so sensitive. Freaked me out when they found a new area of concern on mine but it turned out to be benign.

Yep I had my surgery on Tuesday. It was a Wire Guided Wide Excision Biopsy. Wire guided because my 15mm mass is non-palpable. Had to go in morning of surgery to have a wire inserted in my boob so surgeon knew where to go. End of that sticking out (taped down) was a tad surreal!! 

I was in surgery for about an hour. Hilarious banter with my anaethatist  as I'm a Kiwi and he was South African and neither of us like being mistaken for Australian, lots of chat about rugby etc as I'm lying on the operating table waiting for the general anaesthetic to be given. Staff were all fab

If it is confirmed as cancer at my results appt on Friday then it is likely I'll be back for more surgery.

The scar where my surgeon went in is pretty tidy. She went in under the areola around my nipple so the scar will blend back with the natural line of that. And there is now a small indentation where she has removed the dodgy bit that was a B4 on mammogram, a U5 on ultrasound, a B4 on first biopsy, no sign of cancer on second biopsy (to their confusion) and where I have had significant puckering/tethering which concerned them.

My surgeon said I might feel a bit low this week and she was spot on. I've been coping really well bit hit the wall in last couple of days. I worked out that since my recall letter on 24 Dec I have had 10 mammograms, 4 ultrasounds, 1 MRI, 4 biopsies, 2 results meetings where they couldn't give conclusive results and now the surgery. All the while being told right back on 5 January at original assessment clinic that they were sure it was cancer and to prepare for that.

It has taken more of a toll than I realised and I decided I would take the full two weeks off work they recommended so I can just be kind to myself and not have the pressure of a demanding job and team to manage while I wait for my results. 

Now back to you and your breasticles (loving that name) it is a super personal decision and you don't have all the info you need yet to make an informed choice I guess, which ever option you go with. I'm personally rather fond of 'the girls' my end so don't  really want to lop one off if or comes to that but would do what ever is best. My dodgy area is left lower inner quadrant which is much less common (about 6% of cases) and my next worry is if I need radiation therapy as that area is right over my heart. I dont like the sound of that...

Anyway,back to you Jen - fingers crossed for your results meeting today. Will be thinking of you. Let me know how you get on. xxx

[@KimMarie]‍ you have been in my thoughts lately. I notice you haven't been on here since your meeting to see if you more challenges to deal with. I really hope you are doing ok and am here if you want to chat xx

[@KimMarie]‍ you have been in my thoughts lately. I notice you haven't been on here since your meeting to see if you more challenges to deal with. I really hope you are doing ok and am here if you want to chat xx