Ive been reading these forums for weeks now - I was a fit for the ‘have I got breast cancer’ - now I am in limbo. My symptoms are a flattend nipple with discharge - and some microcalcifications behind the nipple. I was told that the swab they had taken showed abnormal cells which meant they needed to do a core biopsy - that came back on Tuesday as inconclusive. The core biopsy had to be done by mammogram since they said the area was so small. However, on Tuesday, I was told that the calcifications were 2 small clusters - around 18 mm. Why was that called ‘small’ and not picked up by the ultrasound that they also tried me with? She told me the what she thought it is (invasive ductal carcinoma) and the treatment of a masectomy and chemo. However, due to the extreme treatment needs to be absolutely certain - she took a sample of the external nipple under a local. I was in pieces - still am, because although I had done all the research, I still hoped for a benign condition. I was told that they would call me asap - possibly yesterday - I havent had a call. Has anyone had this experience?
I am in Middlesbrough - James Cook - and I have complete faith in Miss Durning.
My symptoms were different from yours and there are so many ways that breast changes - both cancerous and benign -manifest themselves… all i had to begin with was a nipple that from one day to the next changed appearance. 18mm IS small.
Not everything shows on mammogram/ultrasound - I had a tumour which showed on neither. It was confirmed by core biosy but its extent was only established by an MRI scan. I had invasive lobular cancer and have done the mastectomy, am half way thru chemo, will do rads and hormone tabs.
Waiting for results is foul. This may be benign and i do hope that is so. if it is not then it is ‘small’ and yes, treatment is not fun but it is doable.
take care, try to do things you enjoy this weekend and ring them on Monday - hey pathology can take ages - it does not mean guarenteed bad news, just that they are doing lots of tests.
Jennifer
Problem is - Im high maintenance when I am being told - I just broke down. Maybe they feel as if they need to get a team in to tell me!
The thing is I know Miss Durning has a fantastic reputation. She removed a benign lump in 1990 when I was young, and drained a syst 4 years ago. On both occassions, she said, ‘Dont worry, its not cancer, but we will send it away for analysis anyway’. On both occassions she was right. This time, she sat next to me (she was lovely) and held my hand, and spoke to me. Her experience - vast experience - is telling her it is bad news.
I am having stronger moments now and again, but at this time of night, I fall apart. Im more frightened of the surgery than the chemo.
Did you have reconstruction straight away?
My head is all over the place - could the calcifications be cells broken off from a tumour they cant see? This may not be the worst yet?
It’s pant - isnt it!??
Thank you - that is so lovely of you. My partner is now dragging me away to try and force me to eat!
If you ever need to talk,
- Lisa
Hi 1966ruby
I understand that this is a really difficult timefor you and you might find it a great help if you give our helpline a call.
If you feel you can call them, you will find that you can in confidence about your fears and concerns and the team on the helpline are happy to talk to you or just be a listening ear if you feel you want to offload.
Breast Cancer Care are here to support you so please use us if it will help.
The helpline is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturdays 9am to 2pm. The number is free phone 0808 800 6000.
I am sure you will receive plenty of supportive, helpful posts from other users too.
Kind regards.
Louise
Facilitator
HI Jennifer - I notice on your last message it says ‘Whisper back’ - what is that?
hey - all the hanging around is totally rubbish!!!
So you broke down when you were told - i froze… totally blank. Doesn’t mean i wasn’t screaming inside. Ms D’s experience is telling her to tell you - but she was also saying we need to be sure. If it is, sounds like you are in excellent hands. if she thinks you need an MRI she will send you for one.
My experience of surgery was good - hmmm if it can be called ‘good’!!! Depending on what they do, you can be v numb afterwards - and i still am in parts. I had full arm movement that day and have retained that. I was only in hospital for 2 nights (take earplugs!!! - people snore!!!). I know we are all different in reaction but since the op at the end of December 07 i have felt pretty good in myself. I went back to work for a few mornings a week in March. I’m now doing about 25 hours a week - but yes i can work at home.
I opted not to have recon because i wanted to get on with it asap and i knew i would have to have radiotherapy. I am a 36E and back in November 07 weighed a lot less than now (can’t stop eating at the mo!!!) and the likelihood then was that it would need to be implants to get the ‘volume’ - which isn’t always a good thing with rads.
Lots of people on here have had recon at the same time as mastectomy - they seem to have done v well. When i decide to go for it … hmmm it’ll be my first ever real tattoo when they do the nipple!!!
Jennifer
whisper back means private message - no one else can read it
Lisa - the man is right - u do need to eat!!!
Ive eaten - a curry, my favourite actually. Im a 34DD - so not sure if a recon is viable without implants either - although I must say,a flat tummy would be nice! I keep checking my tummy and trying to distort into a boob … the other alternative is my bottom - now that is my largest feature - bit like JLo. but not as cute! I fell down the stairs a few years ago, and had a large lump and a bruise - the bruise went, but the lumps is still there - I am convinced that it is cellulite stuck together!!
Luckily I have great support from work… its incredible. 11 years ago when I started as an engineer, I was the only female there. Now, all the senior management are female! (well apart from the BoD). I can work from home, or go in (my partner works there also, so he can drive me in). I think I need work as the one thing that is normal in all of this. I am planning to work throughout with some timeout for surgery - but, you never know how you are going to be though.
Ive never had a tattoo either - I fainted when I had by belly button pierced! The revamped nipple intrigues me actually… they use flesh from your upper leg (apparently) and then tattoo it.
its amazing!
I feel so much better talking about all of this to you - thank you so much for replying! Off to watch Corrie now - hope we can catch up later.
How are you doing on chemo?
Hi Lisa (sorry called you Ruby on the other thread)
I replied to you on littlejos thread in case you miss it.
Yvonne xx
Hi Lisa
Just to say sorry about all the hassle you are going through. One thing that you have got definitely in your favour is faith in your Dr. That is worth its weight in gold. That means when she explains something your head is not racing all over the place thinking she has it wrong. I don’t mean by that to blindly accept everything she says without question, but believe me, when you find a doctor you can trust, it takes a lot of the anxiety away. She sounds brilliant.
Hi Cathy and Evie
You are right. It does make a difference. I replied to Evie on another thread - iit sounds like you had or have similar symptoms to me. It may be altered by the moderator cos its a bit cheeky - but its not meant to be. At this moment in time I dont know which category I’m in!
God - you are all going to think I am crazy when I tell you this - and I hope you dont think that I am some sort of pervert or anything when I tell you - believe me I am probably the biggest prude that my partner knows and this is why it was so funny at the time. Infact, I dont think my partner has seen my boobs as many times in the last few weeks as he has seen them in the previous ten years! My partner and I work for the same engineering company, and we do travel a lot - and at times we miss each others birthday. Anyway last April I was away, and I wanted to send him a card electronically. I chose a cheeky card - it was a pair of boobs saying ‘happy Birthday, and lots of love from the heart’ - or something like that. However, when he opened it, his first reaction was that it was actually my boobs - and he replied to me as if they were! So cheekly, I took a photo on my blackberry and said 'No - these are mine. I have never, ever, ever done anything like that before - and after I sent it I was embarressed by it - but John just laughed and we havent mentioned it again - well except that I had sent it to the wrong email address to bgin with - I had put .co.uk on the end of the address instead of .com… so some poor guy of the same name was also in a state of shock!
However, I have just asked him if he still has the photo -he has. However, now I can see that my poor nipple was the same a year ago - but wasnt showing any discharge. Well, it looks a bit dry.
What does that mean? Do I confess to my consultant? WOuld it make a difference??
Please dont think I am crazy!
Evie - are you saying that the microcalcifications just disappeared, but you still have discharge? What are they diagnosing for you? Or are you still in limbo with it all?
No I had a lump and the calcifications taken out last year, at the time I wasnt getting discharge I went because I found a couple of lumps in the right breast which turned out to be fatty deposits and they found a fibrodoadenoma and microcalcifications which turned out to be contained within the lump so all was removed together. hmmmmm a bit complicated.
They havent diagnosed anything yet, I had the smear and they found traces of blood so I have to go back to see if there are any developments.
Your story is funny but you still need to get checked out because you had a change in symptoms (ie discharge) My story is similar, my OH works nights and after the op he was at work and I was texting him as I couldnt sleep. I said that I had a lot of bruising coming out and sent him a pic of my poor boob, not knowing that a couple of his workmates were standing there, he nearly had a heart attack which he opened the pic, he didnt know I had sent it.
Yvonne xx I copy and pasted this here, from now on I will reply to you here, this is getting confusing lol!!!
Hi all I had a mastectomy last October with an expander fitted right away as i was too skinny too use any of ny tissueI had the expander out in Jan this year had my implant in no nipple yet to be done later but he altered my good breast to match .I stiil have a lot of pain in the recon breast have been back and now waiting for an MRI . because of this. I was assuredin oct they had got it all but I wonder now maybe not anyway will no soon enough and I aint letting the bugger get me again .!!!
thats for sure !!!
Hi Lisa and co
The phone pic stories have made me chuckle !! I hope everyone’s been having a good weekend - mine has bene pretty much limited to stuff round the house - i had planned to visit my mum who lives a few hours away but she has a cold and I am the point folowing chemo where i am most like to pick up an infection…so we cancelled.
Lisa - i have been fortunate in that chemo hasn’t given me any really yuckky side effects so far - yes I lost my hair but i ahd rubbish hair and the wig looks better!!! I go commando at home at the chap rather likes it!!
Hope you get the call tomorrow - fingers crossed that Ms d’s instinct is wrong. Take care J
Hi Jen
I can relate to the wig thing - sometimes my hair is so mad, it looks like a wig anyway. Im not convinced anyone would notice the difference in my case!
However, as everyone keeps saying, the waiting is the worst. Surgery is my big phobia though… I turn into a child!
If Ms D’s instinct is wong, I will kiss her, and run round the hospital topless!
sorry - Lisa - u do that the pics HAVE to be posted on UTUBE!!!
am cackling big time.
Hospitals are not scary - they are full of nice people - the only problem is you are not at home but u go in - u get home … fast and if you have surgery… i promise you honey - they like us to be asleep. Otherwise we would be saying - excuse em - can u change that monitor to holby city… umm - do u have to use that sharp thing… can you not to a lil bit here…
You will be fine - whatever happens.
Jx
Jen
Absolutely - I would !
When I am in hospital, they are more likely me to want to be asleep - I am high maintenance. DO you know I had 5 people in with me when I fainted after my mammogram!