Just dropping a line to say ‘hello’, i am new to the forum and slow at working my way around. i am 55. 4 wks ago i went to gp and this monday had breast clinic, mammogram and biopsies so now playing the waiting game (about 2 wks) for results. trying to maintain usual routine, though need to quit the fags and alcohol. i have been a moderate smoker but a heavy drinker for a long time so need to change habits!
thanks heaps for having me on board x
Hi @mer, welcome to the forum. I hope you find these boards useful.
Let us know if you need any help navigating!
Bernard
Welcome to the forum @mer . The anxious waiting is awful . Hoping for a positive outcome for you but if not there’s lots of support here .Best wishes Jill
Hi there,
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Waiting for biopsy results is absolute torture. All you can do is take it a day at a time and try to distract yourself as much as you can. Have they told you in the breast clinic that they strongly suspect BC?
I think it’s important to remember that when we hear the word “biopsy” we automatically think we’ve got cancer, when in actual fact biopsies are done to rule out cancer too. Just because you’ve had a biopsy doesn’t mean you’ve got cancer. Many people have biopsies and they come back clear.
IF something is found you will be very well looked after by a multidisciplinary team. Don’t beat yourself up about drinking and smoking. We all live our lives imperfectly. The main risk for getting BC is being a woman so nothing would be your fault if that happened.
Try to stay positive, it’s hard. Do take someone with you to the results appointment as it’s difficult to remember everything they say, and you’ll probably feel stressed.
Wishing you all the best for a good outcome. Good luck.
Frances x
Now is not the time to quit but when you do you will be rich well a bit better off as fags and booze have huge taxes on them.
Us Seagulls get a lot of fresh air and water round them Adam’s Ale. We also poo on everyone and steal their food. What a brilliant life! Bit like cancer really - a complete and utter poo
Seagulls
at breast clinic i said, ‘it’s definately not just a cyst then?’ and the reply was, ‘no there is definately something’. i wasn’t in the right head to ask better questions at the time but did write down everything they said about aftercare and to stop taking HRT immediately, husband drove me to that appt and is really supportive, he’ll be in with me at next appt for sure. thanks for your reply xx
Hello @mer
I just wanted to say that we all play the blame game when something like this happens and it is a good opportunity to take stock and make positive changes but be kind to yourself and don’t expect miracles as the waiting game as you already know is pretty stressful . You are over 50 and a woman - those are your biggest risk factors and unfortunately breast cancer is a very common disease but it’s also a very treatable.
I met with my support group on Saturday - we are every shape and size with different habits and lifestyles - a couple of younger women and two men as well. Impossible to say for sure why one person gets it and another doesn’t and it affects people with the very healthiest lifestyles as well as the rest of us .
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you and let us know how it all goes . Xx
Good luck mer, I have had breast cancer twice one at 48 and then at 67 both in left breast so have had quite a few breast operations and a diep reconstruction, no I didn’t have a clue what it was either but you can google it. I am now an immature 69 3/4 year old bird and I still have a zest for life and knowledge. I would also like a pin ball machine like the one I am looking at now on the Repair Shop.
This takes me back to my student days when we used to give them the odd shove once the flippers whacked the ball into play…Seagulls
thanks, hoping will get results before long and see how it goes from there. so many strong women on here inspiring to hear x
got 2nd appt a week monday, no more info than that but at least got a date for more info. thanks all for your support, keeping positive and all here. lots of love xx
Dear mer,
Welcome to the forum, will be thinking of you next Monday, wishing you well fingers crossed for you.
Please come back and let us know how you’re getting on.
Biggest hugs Tili 
Hi all!
New here I was diagnosed with TNBC on 27 January 2025, treatment started on 5 March 2025 as 12xweekly Paclitaxol and Carboplatin with immunotherapy every 3 weeks. This will then change to 3x weekly EC and immunotherapy for 4 cycles.
They’ve then said I will have surgery which is likely to be a double mastectomy due to me having the BRCA1 gene.
bad luck trickeryCleric92