I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma on the 1st October.
It has all been a huge shock as i only went to see my doctor about spots that had appeared on my face,and mentioned that i had had a sore nipple for 2 days.
On tuesday i will be having a sentinel node biopsy and its looking like my mastectomy will be on the 3oth.
I am extremely impatient and find "the wait"for everything really difficult.
I’m not sure what to feel and mainly feel like its happening to someone else.
Oh Jenner I am so sorry you have been diagnosed . It was a massive shock to most of us on here when we were diagnosed. It gets better, the shock fades. Ivwas impatient for the op too but the wait seems pretty standard. Be kind to yourself
Vickie
Really sorry about your diagnosis, I think the ‘feeling like this is happening to someone else’, is your minds way of coping, as I feel exactly the same. Try to stay positive, easier said than done I know.
Thinking of you x
Hi Jenner71
Welcome to the Breast Cancer Care discussion forums. You’ve come to the right place for some good support as the many informed users of this site have a wealth of knowledge between them.
I have put for you below links to a couple of BCC’s publications which you may find useful. Also, if you would like to talk to someone in confidence then the helpline staff are here to support you through this. Calls to the helpline are free, 0808 800 6000 lines are open M-F 9-5 and Sat 9-2.
Resource pack:
breastcancercare.org.uk/healthcare-professionals/publications/quick-order-list/*/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/82/
Referral to a clinic:
breastcancercare.org.uk/healthcare-professionals/publications/quick-order-list/*/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/59/
Hope these help. Take care.
Jo, Facilitator
Hi Jenner, it’s very surreal, I used to call it my “parallel universe”, it takes time to get your head around it all and with so much coming at you, it’s not surprising that you feel detached. It will get better as you go along, once you have had your operation and get a treatment plan, oddly enough, you will feel better as time passes, your mind adjusts. It;s all part of the process and very normal. Take care and be kind to yourself and if you need help ask. Big Hug. Tinaxx
Hi,i have had my surgery,L breast mast/22 lymp nodes only 1 positive,so i to am new to all this plus not used to using these forums, i have had my 1st chemo FEC,which went ok,just felt a bit quiesy for a couple of days,next session due nextweek,so hope goes well,i know that usually it gets worse
before it gets better,but i try to keep positive,andkeep a smile on my face,when enyone asks how are you? ,my reply is fine,to be truthfull up to now i have been fine,after the compleat SHOCK of being told you have b/c,i decided that i AM GOING TO GET THOUGH THIS,so i only hope that i will be able to,Ihave just started to loose my hair its coming out in handfulls,but will have it cut a bit shorter on sat,and hope to keep a fair amount as i have quite thick hair for a older woman,there does not seem to many older ladies on these forums ,i sure that there must be some out there,or younger people with older relatives ,hope all goes ok for you best wishes d
Hi Ladies
Its awful to see so many new faces going thru this s***ty journey. As I’m sure you realise, it does get easier, particularly when you know your treatment plan. I always found waiting for results the hardest. I think there are ladies of all ages here, from in their 20’s to 70’s and maybe older. How lovely BC is, it doesnt discriminate!
Julia xx
Thank you all for your kind words…it does help to know that other people know how you feel.
i visited an old neighbour on Monday who is at the radiotherapy stage and she was quick to show me her scars!!It was strange as the thing that shocked me was the scar on her back from the “back flap” i didnt expect it to be so long!Her breast looked great…
I had my sentinel node scan today and my biopsy is tommorow morning!7.30am!
On the down side my mastectomy on the 30th has been cancelled as its the end of half term and they cant staff the theatre.So i await a new date.
My thoughts are with you all also…xx
Hi I was diagnosed with exactly the same on 1st Sept and have already had my op and sentinal node biopsy and also the results from the path lab. (I asked for a copy of the report) My lymph nodes were not affected and the cancer was a Grade 2 and hormone receptive (apparently the most common in this type) I agree that the waiting is a nightmare and I also felt and still feel like this is happening to someone else. All my emotions are inside although I do have the odd weep now and then. People keep saying to me that I have taken it really well but I don’t know how I was supposed to react! Surgery over I have now been referred to an oncologist (see him tomorrow)and for radiotherapy. There has been no mention of chemo. As the cancer was hormone receptive it is suitable to be treated with RT and then Tamoxifen for 5 years. I’m sure you find as I do that people keep saying “any questions” and you can’t think of one. The ones I used to write down in preparation were always covered anyway and after the appointment I always thought of quite a few more.
Concentrate on keeping yourself well for your op and try to focus on each bit as it comes along. I try to think of this - mine was picked up early by the nhs screening programme , I had no symptoms, no lump in fact I’d never felt better. So although I feel disorientated, angry and emotional I also feel very lucky.
I have only joined the forum today but I would be happy to share experiences
Hi,so sorry to hear that you to have had this diagnosis.
I had the sentinel node biopsy today(4 nodes removed)so the wait goes on…
Still no date for my op but will be ringing them again tomorrow.
…I too am new to this forum but already get some comfort from hearing about how other people are handling it.I too get told all the time that I am handling it well but as you said i also dont know how to react.
All the best for tomorrow and i will be interested to ear how you get on.
Take care x
i had a masectomy on tuesday 19th oct…the waiting was by far the worst part…keep busy…stay intouch with friends…time will pass, from being to of the of and having it was 10 days…now waiting for more results…good luck for ur op…i cant face to look at my wound at the moment but im sure il come round in a day or 2…feel free to chat any time …avril5050
Date is now looking like like sat 6th…seems to be getting further away but nothing confirmed!I have known for 21 days now just want to get on.
Sorry to hear you cant look at yourself yet but as i said in a previous post i saw a friend who had it done in january and her breast looks brilliant!!It will all look a but raw at the moment but its amazing how quickly scars fade.
Keep your chin up…we’re all in this together!!x
I am at pretty much the same stage as you! I saw my GP on 1st Oct, then was up at the hospital for mammogram/ultrasound/biopsies ten days later, back a week later for confirmation of results (though I was told straightaway that it was bc), so my official dx date was 21/10 - though I knew from 14/10… and now I’m waiting to hear when my pre-op/op appts will be. My bcn said to phone today if I hadn’t heard anything, and I am going to - the waiting is what I can’t cope with - I totally understand your impatience and frustration. The actual bc is something my mind won’t fix on - I know it’s there, I can’t personally do anything much about it, but I want everyone else to get on and sort it out!!! I was told last week that my op would be within 3 or 4 weeks, so we’re looking at within 3 weeks now, I suppose. Just bring it on, let’s get going… 
Yesterday i had good news!!!
My lymph nodes are clear!!whoop,whoop!!
What a relief this was to me and my family.
While i was there they offered me a definite date for my op…fri 5th Nov but with a different surgeon…i refused,i want my guy!
This worked,this morning they rang to say they had managed to rearrange my surgeons day and he would operate on Fri 5th in the afternoon!
Triphazard i hope you had some news today as i really feel for you…the waiting is the worst!xx
Excellent news all round! So pleased for you. (Who’d have thought we’d be cheering about having a date for an operation???! How our worlds turn upside down in such a short time!!).
and the lymph nodes clear - fantastic. Does that mean they won’t have to remove any when you have your op? That must make it easier afterwards.
Still no news for me <snarl>. I even steeled myself to phone this morning and speak to the co-ordinator… finally rang at 11am - ANSAPHONE. Aagh! Left a msg, but still heard nothing, so am going to phone my bcn tomorrow for a bit of moral support!!!</snarl>
Good good news for you though, I can go up to bed now smiling xxx
So true…the things we now cheer about!!
They removed the sentinel node lymph gland(main one) and 4 others and will now not touch the rest during op.Still means a 5 hour slog in theatre!!
Can you not speak to surgeons secretary?? Thats who i have spoken to…almost daily!!
She is there 9-5 and always willing to try and help…at the end of the day its her that does the booking but i suppose each hospital is different??
Hope tomorrow brings some good news…yet again isn’t it strange we are cheering the day they remove part of our body!
Speak soon…xx
I rang just now to speak to the co-ordinator - who had just picked up my msg as she doesn’t work wednesdays… aaaagh! Now they tell me! I’d have phoned on Tuesday afternoon if I knew that, had a day less stressing!
Anyhow, she was lovely, told me my pre-op will be on the 10th at 10am, surgery tbc, but I’m thinking that it will prob. be fairly soon after, if it really is going to be within the 3-4 weeks that the consultant quoted?!! Anyway, follow up letter being sent out, be interesting to see if it does appear…
I hadn’t realised how long the op took… 5 hours?? Good grief. Almost longer in theatre than we are in hospital afterwards!! Are you supposedly just in over night, too? Scary thought.
Take care xx
Hi everyone here,
I am waiting too for my sentinel node biopsy and am definitely feeling disorientated, angry and emotional. I have a date of the 8th November but find I can’t think of much else. I sort of feel that I am wasting the time I have got really, but I don’t just feel like doing anything. Mine was picked up when they found DCIS and I still have a swollen breast from first operation. I feel even more frustrated at the wait as I could have been 3 weeks on.In my head, I know I am lucky it was found at all but the rest of me is a mess! Any ideas of how to get myself into a more positive mindset gratefully received!
Gwendoyn - you’re here, you’re capable of emotion - screw what those emotions are, hun - you can FEEL, you can RAGE and you can keep on going. ‘Lucky’ is such an odd word in this situation - yes, you are ‘lucky’ that it was picked up, but no one is going to blame you for feeling anything BUT lucky right now.
You have a date, you have not been overlooked - things are happening and in hand. Breathe, scream, cry… but keep on trucking. Get out and walk, or have a long bath, or just curl up and watch a weepy movie and let yourself howl - it’s all ok to do. Just don’t bottle it up inside (- you can email me whenever, if you want) I’ve got no answers, I know very little (as yet) about this bloody cancer - but I don’t mind my shoulders getting soggy xxx
Sophie
Oh Gwendolyn,i really feel for you right now but as Sophie said,you are here and you are being treated.I also agree,breath,scream,cry,stamp your feet…it is allowed!!
I also am here anytime so please ask what ever you like…not everyone is the same but we may help each other somehow!
Mel xx