I went to the breast clinic yesterday after having a 4cm x 4cm lump appear at the top of my breast 6 weeks ago. Having had a mammogram back in March which was clear for another reason I was stunned to be told I now had a large lump in my left breast. had 3 biopsie taken and will be getting the result on 15th but consultant kept saying to me it didnt look good and that it was showing signs of being cancer but to wait until results come back. Does this mean she knows already that it is cancer and is just waiting for the affirmation. I am trying to stay positive but is difficult when she said it didnt look good about 4/5 times to me. Was to shocked and stunned to ask any really relevant questions at the time and am now wandering whether I should have asked more. Have tried to carry on as normal but am finiding and really up and down, tried to go into work today only to be reduced to tears as soon as someone asked if I was OK, felt so stupid. Is this normal and does anyone think I should have asked more?
Hi Nickie, welcome to the forum…hope you are only here for a flying visit
Confused, scared and worried is perfectly normal at this stage… waiting is the pits!
Did you have anyone else with you at your appointment? I know that I came out of appts with a very different idea of what had been said than my husband. She may think that it looks like cancer but she does not KNOW until she gets the biopsy results… hopefully its not but if it is you will be able to cope.
We all come out of appts without asking the questions we planned, I now write everything in a notebook before I go. You were NOT stupid! Your reaction was totally normal
Please have a look at the BCC website it’s full of useful sensible advice and remember there is the helpline.
If it helps at all…I was diagnosed almost a year ago and my cancer was 4.9 cm, I did have a mastectomy because my boobs weren’t very big to begin with but I had no radio or chemo only Tamoxifen. I am very well and have still had a good year despite 3 surgeries
Sending you love and hugs x
hi,
For a start you are not stupid at all. Just understandably in a total state of shock. They are very good at recognising different types of breast changes nowadays and trained in what information to give. She does not already know what it is, but it does seem that from what she can see it looks as if it very well could be. If she thought it was definitely cancer she would have said so.
Last week someones consultant said that they were so sure it was cancer that if the biopsy came back negative they would do it again. They just dont hold anything back nowadays.
So she thinks it looks as if it could be cancer but she needs the biopsy to know exactly what it is. If they could tell from just the scans they would not need to do biopsies and they do get it wrong. 50% of biopsies come back negative.
I cannot tell you not to worry because it is only natural to do so whilst you wait for the results. All i can say is that if they do find cancer it is not necessarily has horrific as you may be imagining. There are so many different type of cancer and so many different treatments nowadays. In march i found a 4cm lump. I have had it out with no real pain and quite a good cosmetic effect. It had not spread so i did not need chemotherapy and I have just completed a course of radiotherapy which was time consuming but fine. Now i am a bit tired and a bit hot, but no worse than a mild bout of flu.
your bursting into tears is completely normal. It is such a blow and everybody’s emotions are all over the place. Tears, anxiety, fear, anger denial-- people go through them all. Manic cleaning, sleepless nights, all sorts of reactions. There isnt really any way you can avoid it. Just be kind to yourself and try to get through the next week one day at a time.
you do not say anything about your family circumstances. I hope you are not alone tonight. friends and family can be such a good support at times like this. But no matter how caring they are, unless they have had a similar scare they cannot realy understand. So whenever you feel alone and at your wits end come back on here and chat or ask questions or just rant.
please stop googling this very minute. Its scary and out of date and not necessarily relevant to uk treatment.
Please keep coming back and letting us know how you are getting on. And do let us know how you get on next week. you never know she might have got it completely wrong, but if she hasnt we are here to hold your hand every step of the way
Hello Nikie,
To start at the end, it is absolutely normal to be shocked, stunned, tearful - or indeed any of a whole range of emotions - your world ahs just been rocked.
I can’t comment on your consultants observations but clearly she is concerned and may have strong suspicions of what she will find. The hopsital where I was treated did a ‘one stop shop’ and gave me a provisional diagnosis from my fne needle biopsy but the consultant told me he had to wait for the core biopsy results to give me a formal diagnosis.
You are now in what we have learned to call the ‘waiting room’ and it really is the pits. If they confirm cancer they will rapidly sort out an excellent treamtent plan and you will get loads of support.
Just be gentle with yourself,seek the support you need here or elsewhere and who knows, you may come back and tell us it was not as bad as you feared.
For now I’m sending you a cyber-hug.
Hi Nikie1969
Welcome to the BCC forums, I hope you will find them a great source of support and information.
I’m sorry to read you’re having such a tough time at the moment. May I suggest as well as the support you receive on the forums it may help to talk things through with a trained member of staff on the helpline.
Here you can share your concerns and the staff will offer emotional support as well as practical information.
The number to call is 0808 800 6000 and the lines are open Monday to Friday 9 to 5pm and Saturday 9 to 2pm.
Best wishes Sam, BCC Facilitator
Thanks for all the comments and support they are really appreciated.
In regards to family I have two daughters who have taken this well and quite philisophical about it. My mum however is stressing out as we lost my dad to cancer 3 years ago and she keeps thinking back to that. She keeps crying when I see her which I have told her isnt helping me as want to try and remain positive. have asked my sisters to call her and offer her support as I cant do this right now but i am the only one local to her.
My husband is in just as much the same position as me as was with me when saw consultant and like me presumed it would be nothing, but he is trying to cheer me up all the time.
I am still experiencing alot of pain following the biopsies which I wasnt expecting, is this normal? I usually have a good pain threshold but am having to take paracetamol and ibubrufen continually during the day to manage this. Just moving my arm causes me pain.
Regarding biopsy pain - mine lasted on and off for about a week. It was never all that bad and was manageable with ibuprofen (I cna’t take paracetamol). My nurse advised taking painkiller regularly for about a week i.e. before the pain could get bad. If it is too painful then I’d ring your GP or BCN to ask for advice.
Hope you feel less sore soon.
Very gnetle hug
Hello Nikie,
Hang on in there. I cannot add to the wonderful advice you have already been given.
Big hugs.xx
Hi Niki
I know how your feeling right now. I too went this week following a clear scan to be told they had concerns. I had two biopsies, one which has already come back as suspicious and i have to wait until 14th for the other. My consultant keep saying he was concerned. Just like you i am fine one minute, then a complete and utter wreck the next. I am really trying to remain positive, although i am really scared. My initial thoughts were the worst, but now i have tried to be more rational and think about all those millions of people who survive cancer. I called the helpline who were great, i had a blub, then asked all the what if questions. I did not get all the answers i wanted because until next week, i don’t know what i am dealing with, but they know what they are talking about, so it might be worth a call. Take Care.
i am in the exact same position as you, found a lump about 7 weeks ago, my appointment at breast clinic was 6th sept, the radiographer (is that what they are called?) took my hand and said it didn’t look good, and the fine needle biopsy confimed this also, i go back on 13th. i really did not expect to be told anything at this stage, and i like you am thinking they must have the experience to be confident to say this, and they must know.
i’m not getting too much discomfort following the biopsy, but they did warn that i could do
my subject would be the same as yours confused, scared and worried 
hi nicki and gill, sorry you are having to post here.
wont repeat what eveyone has said on this thread. Just hang in there girls, it is the pits waiting for results but at least we are all here to hold your hand
Feeling much better today, spoke to my BCN on friday about the pain and she advised that is normal due to the amount of poking about they had to do. I also asked her why consultant said what she did and she advised she thought that when it was said it could of been taken in different ways but all that was meant was that the lump didnt look like a benign lump would look but did not mean it was cancer. So feeling much better about things at the moment. Going back in to work tomorrow and keep myself busy until Thursday.
good luck for thurs Nikie
i found going to work made me be able to put this all to back of my mind, even if it was only for a short time, but i think this week of waiting has possibly been the worst week of my life
at the moment i think i’m prepared for the worst news, but deep down i’m still hoping it won’t be, i just wish my appointment was earlier than 3.30.
i’ve now had my diagnosis and am now out of the waiting room, its official. i do have breast cancer. I’m not sure how i feel, i’m not weeping or wailing as i thought i would be or should be. the waiting has definately the worst part so far, i have been booked in for op on 29th sept but will be having MRI scan 1st. The staff at hospital were all lovely, but i feel a bit of a fraud, because i’m not ill? i’m never ill? i’m no longer scared or worried, but i’m still confused at how i’m feeling