I had a lump in my breast removed 11 days ago. The consultant whose care I am under was away last week and he said that results would take approx 10 days to come through anyway. I will call his secretary tomorrow morning to see if they are in yet.
I am so worn down by the waiting game. I have posted on here before about the stupidly long wait I have had with this private hospital I am using - waiting 3 weeks for mammogram results, would have waited a further 2 weeks for an ultrasound appt had I not kicked up a massive fuss. Everything took so long up to that point that I refused the biopsy route and insisted on removal of the lump. It is six weeks since I saw the consultant for the first time and I still don’t know what this b****y lump is.
On the one hand, I know I should feel comforted by the fact that the consultant is so sure it is fibroadenoma. However, mistakes are made and by his own admission he could not be 100% certain without proper path testing on a sample/entire lump. I just feel emotionally exhausted. Like my entire life has been on hold and I cannot move on.
Sorry. THere are no answers to this one. I just have to sit and wait it out. I just needed to share with someone who might understand.
It is a real pain waiting for results but hopefully you will get some good news soon. I always though that paying for treatment meant better and faster. Perhaps the hospital you attend need a good boot up the proverbial. Good luck anyway.
Marion.
thanks for replying Marion. I agree - I thought paying for my treatment would serve me better but I don’t think so, if this hospital is anything to go by.
I called today - they have my results but the consultant hasn’t seen them yet as he has been on hols. I have an appointment tomorrow so I will have my answer then. I just hope the worst is over now.
I agree that waiting is absolutely awful - mentally, I mean. I did have to wait two weeks and a day for the results after my surgery (NHS), but I believe that some of the tests do take a while for the lab to process, as some specimens have to be dried out first.
My Mum had private treatment about 10 years ago, and the main differences I can see are that, she had a private room with en-suite, and I was in a ward of 4 beds (with an en-suite!), and the length of the waiting times in the actual hospital waiting room. I had to wait nearly two hours on Thursday.
But as far as the actual treatment goes, I am really pleased with my hospital. The appointments came through pretty quickly and I know that my surgeon does private work as well, so the quality is there! I don’t really have any complaints - well, other than the cost of the parking!
You are right, the waiting is unbearable. I get my results on Friday, 9 days post opp. I think I am more nervous about the results, than I was about the results of the biopsy. I can feel myself getting more and more worked up as each day passes. I am trying to prepare myself, but at the same time stay positive.
The only consolation is that as soon as they know the results they can start treating it, and thats a positive thing.
Rose - We know what you are going through. I went through it last week - good results, thankfully.
Is it worth ringing your BCN to see if she can give them to you before the actual appointment, if you can’t wait? I did, and although they weren’t in, she rang me when they did arrive, the day before the appointment. Well, she gave me most of them but she wasn’t sure about the margins - but they were clear. It made it easier sitting in the waiting room the next day.
I am so feb up and disapointed.
My BC nurse has just phoned me to say that although I was due to get my results tomorrow, they are not back so now I have to wait untill next Friday, a whole week! I challenged her, and asked if any were back but she insisted that none were available untill the full report next Friday.
I am so worried, why would they take so long? And surely there must be something she could tell me. Do other hospitals wait untill the full report is available even if it delays results for a full week?
Rose - I was given a leaflet when I had the biopsy, explaining what they have to do (drying it out, etc) and saying that the results may not be back by the time of the appointment. I don’t think it is anything sinister - just their workload, probably. They then have a team meeting to discuss the results and they all have to be there. One time, my results were delayed because someone was on holiday.
My BCN offered to ring me when they were in, before the appointment, which she did. You could ring early next week and ask her to do this. I imagine all the results come back from the lab at the same time, so they either have them or they don’t. Don’t read too much into it.
Thanks for your good wishes, by the way. Good luck.
Sorry not got back to the forum before but trying to keep myself bussy to stop me from worrying.
Well, got the results yesterday:
4 nodes remover, all clear
1.7mm tumor
Grade 3
Oestrogen receptor +
HER 2 +
Margins not clear
So, surgery booked for 3rd Nov.
I have been told that I will have to have chemo and rads later.
I was feeling so high at the news that the nodes were clear, but apparently this doesn’t necessary mean that the cancer hasn’t spread!
I have mixed feelings at the moment about the results, I thought that clear nodes would mean that chemo would not be necessary, perhaps it’s because it’s a grade 3. Has anyone got any views on this? Grade 3 seems so frightening.
I’m realy worried about chemo, I’ve heard that it can make you sick which I am terified about, I realy hate being sick! And my daughter is getting married next summer and the thought of loosing my hair and having to wear a wig is making me so sad. I know I should be greatfull that there are drugs to help me fight this, but it’s just that I’m frightened of loosing control of what happens to me.
Also, I am feeling a bit down because I have an infection in the wound under my arm, and had to have some fluid drawn off the lump that has developed there. Tipical, the scar on my boob has healed perfectly and they will be reopening that soon!
Sorry to have gone on so much. Take care every one.
If you are HER2+, they can give you Herceptin and I understand it works best with chemo. Oestrogen + is good, as this gives another way to treat this, too.
Regarding the clear nodes, did you ask about lympho-vascular invasion? If that was ok too, it is unlikely to have spread, from what I understand. Your lump was relatively small, too. You have lots to be positive about. Stay strong. You will get through this. Have a look at the chemo threads. You may get some advice from there.
Good luck with the surgery. Will be thinking of you. Love Ann x
Thanks for the reply.
I know I must be positive, and I am greatful that they are doing all that can be done to help me, so it seems silly to be worrying about the side effects.
Sorry I got the size wrong it is 17mm not 1.7mm, which would be very small. Any way, regarding the lympho-vascular invasion, they didn’t say anything but I asked for a copy of the report and there is an entry which says:
‘Vessel invasion: Not identified.’
Do you think this is the same thing?
I guess that means you have no LVI, which is great. I also had a clear sentinel node and no LVI, so I think it unlikely that it has spread. Positive thinking! My lump was a similar size to yours, but grade 2. I am still waiting for my pathology report. Did it take long to get yours? I have already chased it once.
It is only natural to worry about the side-effects, but everyone is different. We worry about any new part of this, don’t we? It is just a case of dealing with whatever happens, one step at a time.
I just asked the surgon for a copy of the report when I saw him to get my results, and they photocopied it there and then! Think he thought I was trouble as I asked to see my mamagrams and have them explained too! I just felt that I needed to be able to see what all the fuss was about, as I had not felt any lump or had any pain etc prior to this being found on a routine mamagram. It has helped me come to terms with it, now that I’ve seen it.
Good luck tracking yours down, I can’t see what the delay is.
I’m glad you had no trouble getting your report. When I chased mine up, the surgeon’s secretary told me it had to be typed somewhere else and then come back for signing. I don’t know if it was going to be typed up anyway, or if it was being done just for me. I assumed they would just print off a copy. The file seemed to consist of forms and letters, from what I could see. The surgeon wasn’t looking at an actual report.
Hi Ann,
My report is two pages long, and I think it is the condenced version of all the separate results which were put together prior to my appointment with the surgon. If you remember, my results were delayed for a week because they weren’t back. I think they waited for all the results and wrote the report just entering the ‘important’ information. I expect there are separate reports in my file from each test but I haven’t seen them.
No, I haven’t learnt anything new from the report as most of it was explained to me at the time. But it is still good to have the copy for my own records, and seeing the report confirmed to me that I knew as much as there is to know, if you know what I mean. Some times if you don’t ask the right questions you don’t get the answers you want! Having said that, they didn’t say anything about lympho-vascular invasion, but with your help we were able to work that one out.
Good luck chaceing yours, but with the postal strike…
And Good Luck with your treatment. I will be looking out for your posts.
im new to this site, so sorry if i have done this wrong way , to give you a little history was sent to breast clinic by GP for tenderness in right breast , couldnt feel no lumps , had mamogram right breast fine but said i had calcifications in left breast and needed core biopsy had that last tuesday but they didnt tell me anything , no follow up appointment made , havent heard anything about biopsy results and really want to know how long they normally take , i would never tell my family but im so scared and just want results one way or anouther , i dont want to make a fuss but i just would like an estimated time thankyou tc
Welcome to the forums, I’m sure other users will be along to support you soon.
In the meantime you may find it useful to contact our free helpline on 0808 800 6000, opening hours are Monday to Friday 9.00 – 5.00 and Saturday 9.00 – 2.00
Hi, i was just wondering could you contact your gp to see if they kno anything? seems odd to not be told when your results will be back, the waiting must be awful for you. So sorry to hear you are going through this, i hope it works out well for you. Dont be afraid to nag them.
take care
anna
I am so sorry to hear about the delays you have all experienced and hope that you do finally get your results- it’s now two years since I was diagnosed with DCIS (high grade, extremely active cells) and had a WLE with 25 sessions of radiotherapy.
I spent almost a year waiting for the results of the biopsy so that I could make an “informed” decision about taking Tanmoxifen - then they said there were no results as they didn’t routinely test!!!
I’m still choosing to take the Tamoxifen - even though they can’t say for sure whether I need it or not - better safe than sorry
Hi Top cat
My biopsy results took a week. Why don’t you phone your breast clinic and ask when to expect the results. I have always found the nurses at the clicic very helpful and they will phone you back if they don’t have the answers.
Keep strong- good luck
XM
