Hi MickeyM,

A very warm welcome to our forum. 

Stereotactic biopsy will give your team the chance to look at your breast in more detail. This doesn't always signify bad news, but is a good sign that your care team is being thorough. It is impossible to find out much until the results of your biopsy come back and you know exactly what you are dealing with. You should find some information about DCIS and calcifications on the Cancer Research Website. Try to avoid consulting Dr Google, as much of his information is out of date, poorly researched and aimed at the more spectacular cases. This will only serve to worry you further.

There is a lady called Karen1971 on the forum. She has been posting under the title ‘Waiting on breast biopsy results.’ If you do a search for her, you may be able to help one another through this.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thank you Jolamine, your reply was really helpful and appreciated. Thank you so much for taking the time xx 

Happy New Year Jolamine 

I didn't want to pass the page without saying a quick hello.

I hope things are good with you too

Virtual love and hugs back to you Lisa. How lovely of you to have come back on the site to check on me. 

Yes, I'm so grateful the surgery is finally behind me and on the whole it's gone really well. I have had a little bother with my tummy - Seroma and a part of wound that hasn’t healed and is weeping a bit of gunk, so was back at hosp last week and back again this morning. I doubt they’ll do anything re then gunk or wound and they said the Seroma will just have to go itself as no localised area to aspirate.  I’m a lot more tired than I thought I would be and it’s put me off doing my exercises as I’m worried I’ll open the wound more, but otherwise, I’m fine and getting on with things that I can and walking.  Once again just waiting for results and praying no lymph node involvement. Six weeks for these results now, telephone apt scheduled for 24th Jan. 

How are you doing Lisa? 

Love n hugs Mickey xx ️

It's so lovely to hear from you,

What you've had done sounds painful,  I really hope recovery is as speedy as possible - you sound like a trooper getting yourself walking that's really good to hear.

You're doing amazing.

I'll be praying that your lymph nodes are good  too and the wound heals soon, keep a close eye on it though.

With everything that has happened how is that shoulder behaving? Mine finally eased off just before Xmas and I'm doing okay now thanks, went for my first walk in months - honestly I felt like getting a taxi back

I'll keep you in my thoughts Mickey, be counting down the days for you, in the meantime sending you a huge, huge hug and tons of love xxxx

Hi Lisa, 

Thanks for your support and lovely message. 

Just quick update re the frozen shoulder as I can't remember where I was when we last spoke about it.  I had an ultrasound early December. I nearly didn't go because having religiously done my exercises so that they could move my arm during the long BC op, I had good movement back by then.  Anyway, I went and that showed calcifications  also, which I was told had been there long term.  I then had an x-ray last Wed and my consultant apt last Thur.  They were very thorough and he's suggested that to reduce the risk of reoccurrence when I get back to work/gym that I do upper back and shoulder exercises and he's given me some and told me what to do when I get back to the gym. I'm not allowed to do them until I'm fully recovered post op, but I felt more confident.  He also offered to refer me to physio, but the waiting list was longer than the one I'm already on post op and so I dismissed that for now. 

I'm glad yours has finally eased off and as for walking, it gets easier the more often I do it and so I do try to go every day. Always makes me feel better and one of the benefits of being in recovery at this time of year is that I can still get a walk in daylight. 

Take care of you and keep walking - love and hugs Mickey xx ️

Hi Lisa,

Thank you. A very Happy and Healthy New Year to you too.

How are you keeping now?

Kind regards,
Jolamine xx

Morning Jolamine, 

How are things with you and your family? Is hubby finding his exercises any easier yet? I truly hope they are starting to make a difference. 

Love n hugs Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

I was just catching up on your news last night and am so sorry to hear that your tummy is still giving you trouble. Does this mean that you are still having to dress it? What a pity that this is limiting your exercise regime too. It's good to see that you are still managing to get out for your walks. 

The physio was back to see hubby today. She has changed some of the exercises she gave him to make them a little more challenging and has referred him to the Active Fit class, run on behalf of the   NHS at our local gym. she is coming back to see him again in 2 weeks.

Love,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, 

I was counting on you reading it, rather than me re-posting and I'm very grateful that you did.  It's ok, in the scheme of things they are just little niggles that should sort themselves out within ten days or so. I consider myself very lucky with my recovery. 

I chased my FSH results today to clarify whether I am actually post menopausal or not as I had no idea. The BCN has phoned me back to confirm the score confirms that I am. That makes more sense of the muscinous cancer type to me and also excludes tamoxifen. She says they will discuss which hormone therapy at my results apt, so I don't know which they will recommend. I feel better knowing where I am though, I don't do well with assumptions based on age or whether you've had a period in 12 months. 

I am so pleased that the Physio has come back and progressed hubby including the Active Fit Class. That shows he is progressing and confidence in his progress to me - great news! 

Love n hugs Mickey xx ️

HI Mickey,

I am back at work and trying to juggle so many balls in the air at the moment, that I have not been on this site so much. I am glad to hear that you got the results of your FSH test and now know that you are post-menopausal. I was too. I was given Tamoxifen for the first year. When I was diagnosed with the second cancer a year later, I was told that the Tamoxifen hadn't worked and I was given Letrozole.

It sounds as if you are gradually getting to know a little more. I found it a great help when this happened, as like you, I need to know the ins and outs of everything to deal with it properly.

Hugs, Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, 

The joys of juggling ‍♀️. Hope it settles down a bit for you. 

I'm curious as to why they put you on tamoxifen to start when post menopausal - did they say? How did you get on with Letrozole ? 

Thank you, I take that as a great compliment coming from you. I try to just stay one step ahead - so I can be as prepared as possible for what's possibly coming next. 

I hope the rest of today has been kinder to you. 

Love Mickey xx ️

Hi Jolamine, 

The joys of juggling ‍♀️. Hope it settles down a bit for you. 

I'm curious as to why they put you on tamoxifen to start when post menopausal - did they say? How did you get on with Letrozole ? 

Thank you, I take that as a great compliment coming from you. I try to just stay one step ahead - so I can be as prepared as possible for what's possibly coming next. 

I hope the rest of today has been kinder to you. 

Love Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

No reason was given for the Tamoxifen. Unfortunately, I had quite a few issues with both medications. Both caused horrendous hot flushes, night sweats, visual disturbances, liver enzyme changes, insomnia, extreme fatigue, nausea, constipation, weight gain, depression, dry skin, oedema, memory and concentration impairment, hypertension, pruritis, urinary frequency, mucosal dryness.

Tamoxifen caused more emptional disturbances and Letrozole caused me more trouble with my joints (arthralgia and musculo-skeletal pain), but this seems par for the course. I have had both my knees replaced as a result of this, have a lot of pain in my back and hands and now use a rollater to walk with, along with relying on a mobility scooter to get me around the shops, etc. I have also had 7 operations to my eyes and am pleased to say that I am now back to 20/20 vision.

However, that was just my luck. Many people don't have any bother with these drugs.Personally, I would still do it all again, as this has bought me 12 years so far and, I hope that it will continue to buy me more time.

Love,

Jolamine xx

Morning Jolamine, 

I was saddened to read about all the side effects and health implications that you've battled with and are suffering. Thank you for your honesty though, you know me, I know we're all different but I'd rather have an idea of what to expect.  How long did you have to take it for 10 years? Did they offer you anything to deal with the side effects? 

Good to hear your vision is ok now, but my 7 operations is an overwhelming thought.  I hope you got appropriate support in respect of your mobility and needs too. 

I think you're right, it scares me to think that all that cancer appeared in my breast so soon after a clear mammogram and so I know I will have to take it. Got to do what I can to reduce the risk of recurrence. 

I hope you don't have to juggle so many balls today. 

Love and hugs Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

I didn't mean to put you off, but I know that you're a realistic person and want to be prepared. Fortunately, not everyone has as many side-effects. I tried Clonidine for the hot flushes and night sweats to no avail. I also tried a Chillo-Pillow, but this had little effect. I then tried Venlafaxine, an anti-depressant, which helped a little. I also tried different makes of Letrozole and found Femara the best brand for me. My nurse advised me to take the tablets in the evening instead of the morning, but this didn't help. 

I was also prescribed Amitrypteline and then Gabapentin for the joint pain, but this was what caused memory and concentration loss.  I now use BU-Trans patches, which I apply once a week.There are other meds available, but I was never offered any of these. I took Tamoxifen for 1 year and was told that I would take Letrozole for 5 years. I ended up taking this for 6½ yers.

My cancer was missed at my routine mammogram too, but not all mucinour cancer shows up on mammogram. I found both of mine myself.

Love and hugs, Jolamine xx

Morning Jolamine, 

No need to worry, you didn't put me off at all. I really appreciate the information and I know, like most things, the side effects will be different for us all. 

As you know, I was told since surgery that the plastic surgeon didn't want to see me again til the end of March and I have had that apt for a while. Thursday late afternoon I got a text from the hospital to see him next Friday 21st at 9.30am. It wasn’t rational, but I know that the Friday 9.30 slot is before his clinic and so only used for emergencies. Being a Thursday afternoon I couldn’t help thinking my results had suddenly come in and been heard at that weeks MDT and this apt is as a result of that. I can’t for the life of me think though how the plastic surgeon would be involved in any further treatment, surely that would be the breast surgery team? Anyway, it made me realise This whole cancer business can still throw you into a blind panic and I had a migraine yesterday that I couldn't shift. 

I'm ok today though. Happy Saturday Jolamine. 
 

Love and hugs Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

You often find that plastics are involved where you have had reconstruction, so don't let this worry you. It is good to hear that your appointment has been brought forward to next Friday  and, I sincerely hope that your results will be available by then.

This whole cancer milarky is a real rollercoaster, as you're discovering. I'm glad to hear that today is better than yesterday for you.

Have a good weekend.

Love and hugs, Jolamine xx

Thank you Jolamine, I think it must be about my results, perhaps he just agreed to see me at MDT rather than a phone consultation the following Monday with the breast care team. Here's hoping . 

Certainly is a rollercoaster, thank you for you re-assurances.  Hope you have a good weekend too. 

Love n hugs Mickey xx ️

Morning Jolamine, 

Sorry for the delay on updating you. I've had snippets of information re my surgery results since last Friday and I've been trying to process it.  It didnt help that the surgeon and BCN I saw on Wed for my delayed results apt were pretty hostile to be honest and it was like pulling teeth to get to the crutch of my situation. I was refused my pathology report and not even sat in the consulting room where I could have seen some information on screen.  Basically I was told that I should just accept what I'm told and not ask for more information that could increase my stress.... Anyway, I don't want to dwell on the negative - I've formally since requested my pathology report and will see what response I get to that. 
 

In short, there was another muscinous tumour found underneath - both were in a bed of 5cm DCIS. They found scattered areas of dcis throughout the breast as well as the other known area. They didn't get clear margins on the masectomy and cannot re-operate due to the reconstruction, but told me they probably couldn't get anymore anyway. So next steps radiotherapy added to my treatment plan and I have just received an oncologist apt for 14/02. 

I'm still processing it, but know it has to be done. 

How are you and how is hubby's mobility is it improving at all yet? I hope so. 

Love n hugs Mickey xx ️
 

Hi Mickey,

I am so sorry to hear all of this. It is so difficult when you don't get the rapport that you need with your consultant and nurse. I came up against similar hostility when I was first diagnosed and, eventually changed surgeon after 11 months - what a difference it was to find a surgeon that I could trust and, who was willing to pick up the pieces. It is disappointing to hear that he didn't get a clear margin - do you know how much was left? It is good to hear that the second lump was still mucinous. The DCIS is fairly normal and, I expect that this is still low grade.

 I also had to request my pathology results. Accepting  what I was told and not asking for any more information just isn't me and, I really thought that I was going mad at one stage. You have a lot to process, but remind yourself that this type of cancer is not very aggressive. I am ok thanks, but hubby is not making much progress with his exercises yet. I sincerely hope that you have more success with your oncologist than you've met with so far.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, 

I'm not even sure if I am allocated a specific breast surgeon, or who did my masectomy ‍♀️. Every time I go, it's someone different. I expect that they will just close me now and it will just be my Oncologist and Plastic Surgeon involved. Yes, I was pleased it was another muscinous tumour, made it simpler all round. The widest area of DCIS was always mixed grade, but I'm assuming the other area and scattered areas are low, but no-one has confirmed the grades post surgery. Re the positive margin they really didn't want to tell me, but I kept asking and the surgeon said it was .5, but they doubted they would have been able to get anymore even if they could re-operate and so radiotherapy it is. 

Thank you for your reassurances Jolamine. 

I hope hubby starts to see some progress shortly, I can only imagine how hard that must be. 

Fingers crossed the Oncologist is supportive and gets me sorted on the radiotherapy and hormone therapy without too  much further delay. 

Love n hugs Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

It seems terrible that you don't know who your surgeon was. Did he not come round to introduce himself to you before your surgery, or come back to see you before you were discharged? I sincerely hope that you find your oncologist more supportive and that you can move on to treatment quickly.

Please let me know how you get on.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx