I am new to this. I found a lump a few weeks ago. My GP referred me to the hosp and said that I would be seen within 2 weeks and that at the appointment I would have a mamograme and scan and biosy and get the result within a few days.
I went last Thurday but the dr said that they could not do the tests that day and gave me forms to take to xay. As it was afte 5 the sister said that xray was closed and she would take the forms and to ring next day.
When I did ring I spoke to a lovely lady who said that she was unable to book a mamogramme as the lady who did them was off and that I had to ring back on Monday. After talking further it became apparant that I might not be able to have the scan and bisopy untill august as the dr who did them was on hoilday. I would then have to wait a week to get the results from my own dr.
It all seems such a wait, I am beside myself with worry. My husband suggested I tried to have the tests privatley. We do not have much money but could use our savings for this but I could not afford to have any treatment privatly. Does anyone know that if I was to go privatley for tests would I still be able to have treatment on the NHS?
So sorry you are having such problems. The wait must be terrible for you. I know that you want to get things sorted a.s.a.p. I was lucky because I saw my doc on Wed a.m. had call from hospital 3 hours later and talked to lovely nurse. Went for tests the following Tues and had results 2 weeks later. I always think it is cruel when they make people wait, they really cannot understand the worry and pain we go through while waiting.
Do you have another hospital within easy reach. If so go back to your docs and ask to be referred elsewhere. You have a right to chose which hospital you go to. Try this first before you eat into your savings, you should not have to do this.
Please try not to worry too much, take each day one at a time. Keep coming on to this forum because there are loads of lovely ladies who will help you through this.
I had my lump removed in Feb and are now half way through chemo. I then have to have radiotherapy, but should hopefully be clear of treatments by Christmas. I will then take Tamoxifen for 5 years. I am 62 (young 62) and have loads of living still to do, so this damned disease will not beat me. Think positive, get all the help and support you can, and GO AND SEE YOUR DOC. He/she might be able to get things moving.
Take care, we are all here with you and for you.
Love and hugs, Mommyw
I was DCIS and this was found on screening - had WLE and then waited a couple of weeks and in the meantime thought about what I wanted to do if the results were not good. I ended up with a mastectomy and sentinel node removal (nuclear pointing) and am now on Tamoxifen for next 5 years (52yrs old). This all happened over the last couple of months. I had screening in March and mastectomy first week of June. So you see things do move quickly enough for us albeit the waiting around for results or operations are somehow the time for imagining the worst and dreaming nightmares.
Please do look at other hospitals and go back to GP as mommyw says as he/she may have alternatives and also put your mind at rest. The mammogram may need to be done on a mobile unit near to where you live or you may need to travel so you see there are many different options. I live in london and was screened in a mobile unit and then referred to hospital that turned out to be fantastic.
Please dont go privately if no need - it all depends on your strength of mind. The results are the results no matter where you go.
I so agree with mommyw to go back to GP - he has all the relative info and has access to other options. Stress that you cannot wait until August - he will agree with this- and he will talk to you.
Please keep in touch with this site as it is informative, supportive and the people that give comments have all been through it and have a story to tell - individual - so all are different.
Good luck with this we are thinking of you - we have been there and please keep in touch - we are here.
I went to my gp as soon as I found a lump on Nov 17th and I didn’t have an appointment for a mammo until Dec16th despite numerous calls to the bc unit.Thier excuses were numerous from Oct being breast awareness month to the consultant being on holiday.When I eventually had a mammo I was told same day I had breast cancer.Then I had to wait another 4wks to have a lumpectomy because of the Christmas holidays etc!!! My cancer turned out to be extremely aggressive with lymph node involvement and so much vascular invasion it was off the Richter scale!..I won’t tell you my reaction when they told me how lucky I was to have been caught in the ‘nick’ of time!
Go back to your gp,tell him of the delays and your concerns.He should be able to get the ball rolling. You can go private just for a mammograme and have the rest of your treatment on the NHS, but hopefully you’ll be alright…xx
I would suggest you go back to GP and explain and ask him/her to help resolve this asap. If you don’t have a lot of money then for the sake of a few weeks don’t waste it as you will only have the same tests privately and if things don’t go as we all hope, then you will want your bit of cash. I understand that a few weeks will not make a difference to the long term prognosis(someone will put me right if wrong!)
Call you GP tomorrow.
All the best Alice
Hi
I agree with the others on here go back to your GP and request another hospital asap.
Part of the goverments program on breast cancer is that all patients should be given a specialist ampointment within 2 weeks of being refered by GP and be seen asap, think its under the NICE not to sure.
Also you can have whatever you want privatley and still be treated on the NHS it makes no difference(I work in the NHS so know this for a fact), but be aware these test when done privatley are very expensive and you’ve paid for them already with you taxes etc.
I know the waiting is horrible and along with everyone here hope you dont join our club but if you do remember that every day new developmeants are taking place and what used to be a bad outcome is no longer the case.
I delayed my op by 6 weeks to go on a medical trial for a new drug and it worked so well on my c that the op was much less invasive.
I agree with the others but if you do have a mammogram privately it will cost about £160 and you can ask to have results same day.If there is anything dodgy you can then be referred to an NHS clinic.I have all my mammos privately and my doc knows that any treatment will have to be on NHS.
You can certainly have just the mammos privately. I had my 1st year check up privately two weeks ago, the mammos were done then 10 minutes later they were on the screen of the surgeon who said they were clear. While she examined me physically, she sent the mammos to the screen of the chief radiographer who phoned 20 minutes later to confirm that they were clear. The relief of knowing instantly far outweighs the cost - if you can afford to have it done.
In the end I have had my appointemetns for the mamogram and scan and biospy brought forward ( I found out later that the BC nurse arranged this)
After being told nothing by the consultant, the doctor who did the biospy yesterday said that as my consultant had told me they were very concerned about it. Bit of a bombshell in the middle of a bisopy. The nurse helping was lovely and said she would get the breast care nurse to contact me which she did.
It was great support to talk to her. I now have to wait for my appointment next week to get the results. If it is cancer I am looking a chemo first as the nurse thinks that it is quite large.
I was told last week my results were in-conclusive by the consultant but the dr who gave me my scan said in his opinion it was cancer. Now waiting till this Thursday for more results after they discuss my case.
Feels like I am a number…so scared, I am only 47, but hey I suppose cancer does not care how old you are.
sorry to hear your about your scare and hope all goes well for Thursday.As you say what does age matter and no matter whether you never drink or smoke or live a rebellious life we still get it!And the “why me” but life is cruel and we have to face it head on and do our best.Good luck anyway for Thursday thinking about you and you know there is always someone here to talk to and let off steam.Take care.Joyce
Hey Redpark and “Tough As”. Thinking about you and wishing you the best for your results. There is nothing ‘fair’ about this rotten disease, but it is a lot easier once you know what you are up against.
alex
xx
Hi there, I found a lump and went to my GP a month or so ago. So I’m waiting, waiting, waiting for my first appointment. I got a letter last week saying the hospital were ready to offer me an appointment so to call immediately and I’d be seen in 2 - 4 weeks. Which I thought was pretty quick actually. It also made my even more scared! So after 34 tries at getting through to the appointent centre at the hospital and 23 mins in a queue (I have no problem with this, other than it added to my frustration!) I get through only to be told the letter was wrong (actually, they implied I was lying about what it said!) and the GP referral is still with the consultant who hasn’t yet made a decision as to when I’d get seen. So having read all the brilliant suggestions and supportive comments on this thread, I’m going to go back to my GP and try and get him on the case. Hope everyone is doing alright xx
hi im 42 i have 5 children, youngest 15, having had 2 fibroidanoemas removed aged 16 an 23 my GP decided not to fast track my appointment i had a needle biopsy on the 18th aug and the consultant fast tracked me for a mammogram that day, i was told i would recieve the results a week later by phone, i rang the consultants secretary the wednesday after, she told me i was misimformed results take 10 days and they write to you, i explained i was going on holiday on the friday whilst on the phone she discovered my results were back (so frustrating she could see them and not tell me, she told me to ring 12pm on the frid even though i told her i would be in spain,) the following day i recieved an appointment which was sent the day prior to my call calling me in for an ultrasound i rang an explained i was abroad i thought i would have to wait but they ve got me in on monday first day i was available i did not ring for my results and tried to put it out my mind for the week impossible now im worrying why they want to do the scan so quickly ? my symptons are a lump, pain under my arm into my collarbone discharge (green) and when i first look my nipple seems to lean to one side but im starting to think its my imagination , oneday i feel posotive because of the benign lumps 20 odd years ago other days i feel i know its bad news are these normal reactions
cath x
Hi! I think you are completely normal! Worrying is normal and then being fine another day - normal as well.
When I went for my routine mammogram they found a spot. I had been told I would get a letter within 2 weeks (normal length of time here). In that letter I was told I needed further investigations so invited to the breast clinic - just a few days later. Caused quite an upheaval as I had to change already arranged appointments around etc. When I got there I was told of the spot they found. They tried to do the triple assessment, but couldn’t due to the awkward position of the very small spot. Until then it all happened so fast! But at that point I was told that at the start it takes ages - years - for breast tumours to develop (not sure I believe it is always the case!).I was worried because I was just about to go away for 6 weeks to look after my elderly mum, so not easy to change if needed. Anyway, in the end, when they couldn’t complete the triple assessment they told me they would ask me to come back in 6 months! The point of this? Sometimes things seem to happen so fast, but at least in my case, it didn’t reflect urgency as such as I am now waiting my 6 months. So if you can, try not to worry, or at least not too much. It might just be the system they run - and to meet performance targets! And good thing they are fast as it does cut out worrying time!
and thankyou for reply, sometimes i feel more worried because im worrying im normally laid back and do not think the worst ive only got two days to wait so yes i should be thankful for that at least and hopefully i will recieve my results monday from needle and biopsy x
Oh, I’m back now - all that was in July/August time. Now have ‘just’ another 4 months to wait…I tend to poke my suspect boob until I suppose I will end up with bruises! Nothing untoward felt so far. (But then the spot was very small - but now wondering if it might grow)
had my ultrasound they found multiple cysts and some density in the one breast, and dr is happy all is benign i am so relieved and will get my report fridsy not sure what they will do next but the worry over now thinking of you all and thankyou for being there for me xx
im normally laid back and do not think the worst ive only got two days to wait so yes i should be thankful for that at least and hopefully i will recieve my results monday from needle and biopsy x