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

Hiya! :laugh:
Thursday went really well all things considered! No where near painful just a little uncomfortable and only for a minute. My daughter Farrah really enjoyed. R u on Facebook or Instagram? Chest x ray all done too was in and out in a jiff. 
 

Little nervous about tomorrow but was more worried about the isotope injection?? Weird?! 
The old noggin has had a shave and looks better than what I thought so I'm happy Id recommend having the chop to any woman. It's liberating and I feel like a new woman! 
 

Thank u for ur message. Means so much. I have loads of support and love around me am appreciating every minute. My husband has been brilliant but I can see it's taking its toll on him which is hard. 
How r u doing? What's next on the agenda for u now? I hope ur keeping ur self care in check and u know where I am if u need a chat. 
jen xx

Hi [@JenLam]‍ sorry not been on here for a bit. Glad last week went well. How was surgery on Monday and how are you feeling now? Hope you are taking it easy!

I know what you mean - my husband has been brilliant but I worried about the emotional load on him. Hardest thing post-op is remembering not to lift heavy things or reach over your head. I kept forgetting and then my body would remind me! I used it as a good excuse to have him and my daughter look after stuff for the first few days and then I realised I was a useless patient and just wanted to do stuff :laugh:

I am fine. Enjoying having a bit of a mental break from it all while I wait to start radiotherapy on 29 March. I jazzed things up with a root canal on Monday. Gawd that was horrendous. 90 minutes of lying rigid with my hands clasped in terror. Found all the breast cancer stuff easier to cope with!
 

 I've decided I will take a bit of time off work for the radiotherapy. Just means it is so busy at work now trying to get projects sorted and making sure my team will be ok when I am off. I'm too conscientious for my own good and just need to put my health first for a change. 

Well I hope you are doing well. Will you get full pathology report at a post op follow up next week do you know?

Keep me posted and thinking of you xx

Hi Kiwirunner!

Long time no speak.  The surgery went well but I had a bit of a reaction to anaesthetic so they kept me in overnight.  I then had an infection and was feeling rough but Dr came to the house to check me over and give antibiotics so I;m back on the mend now! Constipation has become real! All the drugs have taken their toll but I'm feeling so much better today thankfully!

I know what you mean about trying to be a good patient!! I'm trying to take control of the little things whcih in turn make things easier for those around me which I find a big help mentally too.  I think we both need to learn to let go of some of these things, just for now while we recover.

The root canal sounds so harsh and that will take a toll on yur body too so you have to remember to give yourself a break.  It's not forever! Same goes for work as well, I'm sure your team can cope and by trusting them to get things done you're giving them the opportunity to feel like they're helping. :) 

I should get my results either 26 March or 29 I think it would be good to have more information on how to move forward with things! Been thinking of you too, stay strong and take care of yourself hun. xx

Hi [@JenLam]‍ gosh you opted for a bit of a dramatic experience with our anaesthetic reaction and then an infection! You sound like your usual perky self though and seem to be dealing with it well (although we can give ourselves permission to not feel great on days too...). That will be another good step forward to get your full results from the surgery. I hope they got clear margins and things are looking good on that front - do keep me posted won't you.

You have been in my thoughts even if I have not been on here as much lately. Trying to get things tied off at work this week, and even more so as discoverd today that I am due to start radiotherapy on Friday 26th rather than Monday 29th!  I thought it was odd when I got home from my planning appt to see there were only four days of treatment scheduled on the form they gave me, when I was meant to be having five days. On Sunday, I was registering my Covid home testing kit that the hospital sent and that flagged up I was in the system to do a test on Tuesday, implying I was starting radiotherapy on Friday instead.

I emailed the person in charge of the radiotherapy appointments on Sunday afternoon so it was there this morning and by 8.15am she had already replied today (Monday) to say yes it is meant to start on Friday! My NHS trust continues to impress at how responsive they are.

I am going to take the treatment week off and the week after, so now trying to wedge five days of work into four days! I'm starting to tell more people at work as with a second bit of time off it is looking odd why I am not available for things. I'm a completely open book with friends and family but for some reason I haven't been quite my usual 'over sharing' self at work :laugh:. I work for a big organisation with 2000 staff so just cherry picking who needs to know. My manager and my team are amazing and that makes such a difference. To be honest I am rather looking forward to taking a bit of time out as it has been a mad few months with so much going on with the cancer stuff drawn out over such a period of time.

Anyway - enough of me banging on - would love to hear how you are doing and how you get on with results.

You take care too xxxx

Hi Kiwirunner!

I just wanted to let you know you're in my thoughts! I just had a good think about how well I want things to go for you and how everyone around you is doing all they can to help you through this. Don't stress about work. You need all your energy to heal and recover. You've got this in the bag, lady!! (Had to add a comma - I'm not calling u a baglady!:wink:)
Jen x

Hey [@JenLam]‍ always nice to hear from you and you make me laugh every time. Punctuation makes the world of difference and nice to think I am not a bag lady :laugh:

Had my first radiotherapy session this morning. All went fine - felt like I was in a Mission Impossible film with the green beams all over my body and on the ceiling. Love the chat between the radiographers as they throw numbers and and measurements at each other while prodding you into the exact right position. You just lie there pretending it is all totally normal with your boobs in their full glory with two people have a perfectly nice little natter and also including you in a bit of banter.The actual treatment time is only about a minute out of the whole 25 min appt.

They asked me at the end if I was in a brass band (?!) as my lung capacity/ability to hold my breath was rather impressive. Who knew? I was crap at the recorder and the piano but never picked up a trumpet or a tuba. Haha.

Anyway - how about you? How are you doing post surgery?  You are due to get your results today or on Monday aren't you? Have been thinking of you too and have hoping you are doing OK. Do let me know how you get on with the results and next steps. Take care xx

Hi ‍♀️ 

Long time no speak! It's been a bit hectic in the last two weeks! I got brilliant results on the 29th - they got out all the cancer and the lymph nodes were clear!!!! So chuffed! However, when I got home we had a visit from the police. My ex husband decided to ask for a welfare check as he thought my daughter had no bed and wasn't eating!!! Since he found out I have cancer the harassment has got worse so I'm doing what I can at court and Womens Aid have been a massive help! Just need to get things in place so I can recover in peace! Anyway that's a whole other forum!!! 
 

How are feeling after radiotherapy now? I heard that sometimes a couple weeks after is when it can make you a bit squeasy? Glad your first experience was a good one and you make it sound a breeze!!! When they asked if you'd been in a brass band??!!!! Nice set of lungs on you!  Add it to your CV I say!
I hope you're not working too much and are giving yourself proper time to recover. Xx I've just realised that I'm probably going to be off work for 6 months at least and then when I need the other bap done it may be another 6 months. Eek! It's made a realise that I need some sort of routine going on cos I've been so tired lately my sleeping pattern is all over the place. I'm exhausted but can't sleep?!! What's that about init!! I've looked up lumpectomy recovery times and they range from weeks to 6-12 months (until everything's functioning to peak performance. Like doing full on cartwheels without the risk of your *** feeling like they'll explode). I've also looked up recovery for an uplift/mammoplasty which is pretty much 3 months tops (we're talking starjumps with minimum security of (bra)ge and no pain. Feels like a million miles away at the moment but I'm doing my exercises and trying to make friends with my new boobie. There was what can only be described as a 'nub' sitting just under where you'd expect a nipple to be on a ***. I freaked a bit! I thought 'I've just asked the surgeon to take off my nipple and she's tried to fashion some sort of grim (slightly smaller than a man's sized nipple) nub!' Luckily my hubby said it was just where the skin folds back together and it'll heal into the scar. He was right it's smooth now! Phew!

Im hoping to find out if I need chemo next week. What with the Easter bank hols it's delayed the result coming back for the Oncotype test. 
 

How have you been the past couple of weeks? Be good to hear back soon. Xx 

Hi [@JenLam]‍ wow you sure know how to pack in the action. First up, can I just say how sorry I am to hear of the meddling that your ex-husband is doing (meddling being far too polite a word...). That is seriously uncool and the last thing you need when you are handling all of this cancer gubbins too. I hope you and your husband can form a strong team and protect your daughter from all of that unseemly behaviour. That is just not on.

Sounds like you have a lot going on with the cancer stuff too and pleased to hear that 'Nub-gate' is resolved and that has healed over. Getting your head around a new nipple was another step so I'm glad that is healing overly nicely for you.

I can relate to the exhausted but struggling to sleep but even so I am not facing the time off that you are - that is quite a long stretch isn't it. A friend who  has been through cancer gave me some good advice today when I was feeling down that I am so unfit compared to normal (I went for a run/shuffle yesterday because I miss it so much - I managed a mile before I had to start walking again. Two years ago I was training for a 50km event!). She said stop trying to get back to your old normal and just accept that things have shifted and microsteps back to where you'd like to be is the way forward. If we set ourselves unrealistic expecations then the feelings of not hitting what you expect to will just be harder to take. And we have had enough going on to add to things to beat ourselves up about. It really made me take stock and appreciate what I do have and how well I am doing overall. I hope you can grab that feeling too - your attitude to date has been great but it is also OK to say "gawd this is hard".

I'm pleased to say I am doing well. I finished radiotherapy on Good Friday - so 10 days ago - and I am not feeling any particularly fatigue. I decided to go back to work today (still working from home so much easier and doing shorter days just to pace myself . Maybe the fatigue will come in the next few days but so far so good. I am however sporting a rather delightful radiotheraphy rash - almost like dermatitis where a big section of skin is all raised and bumpy and red and very itchy. It woke me up the other night and I was itching it like mad before remembering I am not meant to do that. I think that is meant to get worse over next few days before coming right. It's bearable though.

The biggest thing to get my head around was starting the endocrine therapy though. I found out I am indeed menopausal (just turned 52 and had a hysterectomy when I was 39 so no periods to give me a clue as to what was happening) so I am now on Anastrozole. I was feeling completely freaked out about it, having read the side effects and needing a baseline bone density scan (waiting on that appt) as it causes bone thinning as well as all sorts of other fun things. I picked up the prescription from the hsopital pharmacy on Friday and then sat and stared at the box for a day thinking about how much I didn't want to put it in my body. Then I had to remind myself my cancer was 8/8 for oestrogen hungry and the little blighter was gobbling up oestrogen to feed itself, so it has to be done. So I took the first one on Sat night and then another last night and about to pop day number 3. So far, I haven't expoded and nothing has fallen off :laugh:so I guess we'll have to see what develops, but no immediate effects in the first 48 hours. Just 5 years minus 2 days to go...

Do let me know how you get on with the results re chemo or not. That is another big step if you have to go down that route but you've got this and you'll get through it. Here for a chat whenever.

Take care xxx

Hiya! I've been wanting to get in touch but am still waiting for my results! There was a delay with the bank holiday/Easter hols and now God knows what's going on. I know it's just a case of waiting but I'm if I'm honest I'm struggling. The past few weeks have been full of stress with my ex husband kicking off twice a week when he has contact with my daughter. I've just spent the last 2 weeks trying to fill out an application when I'm really not feeling up to it. Been feeling like ive lost motivation a bit?? Trying to focus my day on getting better but just feeling overwhelmed with the court stuff. Thankfully I've just finished it and drove it down to court myself!  I've just started driving again-short distance but it feels good to get out! 
Anyway enough about me! How are you? I hope you're doing well and not over doing it work wise! Take your time with jogging. If you feel like it get out there but don't compare yourself to months ago. Xx

My mammogram showed distortion, nothing showed on ultrasound, had a vacuum biopsy and diagnosed with idc. It's messing with my head because I cannot feel it. Bern given no proper sizings, consultant advised it was small on my mammogram image. I had an enhanced one as well. Can I ask abit more about yrs please and test you had xxx

My mammogram showed distortion, nothing showed on ultrasound, had a vacuum biopsy and diagnosed with idc. It's messing with my head because I cannot feel it. Bern given no proper sizings, consultant advised it was small on my mammogram image. I had an enhanced one as well. Can I ask abit more about yrs please and test you had xxx

Hi [@Shazlarr]‍ thanks for your message. I know it does tend to mess with your head but it is good news that they have found things early by the sound of it. I had loads of tests because mine was picked up on a mammogram recall assessment. The area of concern I was recalled on turned out to be fine but they spotted a new area on the more enhanced mammogram and then ultrasound. I was told on the day it looked like cancer but we needed the biopsy results to know what it was exactlyThey biopsied it on the day but the results were inconclusive so I had an MRI which then showed the original area of concern also needed to be looked at again! Then I went back for two biopsies on the same day - vacuum assisted while in the mammogram machine for one, and with the ultrasound for the other. Those results came back then showing no evidence of cancer in either but they weren't convinced as histology results from first biopsy indicated there was probably malignancy but inconclusive. They decided that area did need to come out with surgery but before that they biopsied the second area again to see if I need a mastectomy or just wide local excision for the first area of concern. That one came back benign (radial scar and sclerosing adneosis). I then had the surgery and it wasn't until the results from the surgery that I was finally diagnosed with cancer. It was absolutely tiny though - 3mm of  Grade 1 Tubular Carcinoma (very rare), with 5mm of Intermediate Grade DCIS next to it, all hidden behind another radial scar (different to the one that was considered benign). Like you, I couldn't feel anything, although I did have some tethering where my skin was pulling in over the dodgy area when I put my arms over my head.

What have they said is the next step for you now? xx

Thank you for sharing that.  Just been informed of my sizing I know its a rough sizing of 11mm, I do have another area of dcis whic is small but just over 5cm away from my invasive, I have decided on masectomy with reconstruction.  Was referred to plastics team,  last Wednesday and my bcn has chased them up this morning so I am hoping it won't be long. Think I have to be seen in clinic to be measured, then surgery booked. What your next step pls xxx

Hi [@Shazlarr]‍ that sounds like things are moving ahead for you and you've made a decision about your surgery and reconstruction. I think once you know what is actually going on it gives you more peace of mind as you know you have a plan to follow and some of the uncertainty has been taken away.

Nothing more needed for me at this stage. After my lumpectomy I had radiotherapy which went fine with very little on the side effects for me and now I am on Anastrozole for five years as my cancer was 8/8 for oestrogen positive (i.e.my cancer is very sensitive to oestrogen and the growth is fuelled by it - the drug stops my body making oestrogen to reduce the chances of cancer coming back).

Now I will be followed up with a yearly MRI for the next three years and a yearly mammogram for the next five years. Now trying to throw 'cancer' off my shoulder where it has been sitting whispering in my ear "what if I come back?!" and looking forward with a positive mindset.

Wishing you lots of good thoughts for the next challenge you have ahead of you. Take each bit as it comes and know that you are in good hands and you will get through it.

Take care xx