hello *waves* newbie alert!

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Background…i’m 38. Been having problems with ‘lady things’ for all my life, 2 yrs ago had a mirena coil removed and my hormones have been bitter and twisted since! I found a big lump (well i think it was lmao) approx 4 months ago, deep down by the side of nipple area. I went to gp nurse 4 weeks after as I know that things can change with cycles and there was no change… still there, she said yes def lump (paranoid that they wouldn’t feel anything lol) she got me to see Dr straight away… yes, lump, referal within 2 weeks but he didn’t think it was sinister.

Went to hospital, which wasn’t brilliant to say the least. They did an US with a new machine, so new the sales rep was in with me trying to flog the thing, sonographer (I don’t think) looked over the area where the lump is correctly, didn’t go near it. This new US shows what type of lumps there are etc and can catagorise so less use of needle biop, but he found nothing.

I went into specialist. He said he couldn’t find anything with examination, I had to show him. He did find it, thought it was all hormonal, back in 6 weeks, which was Friday.

I went in and sat down, he said " Well, I expect it has at least got smaller, or has it dissapeared yet?" No, it has got bigger… he looked shocked, examined me and found it straight away. The first I knew that he was going to do a biopsy was when he asked the nurse to prep the area for a local!

He did not explain what type of biop it was (I had to come home and google). He did not explain anything during apart from “there will be a scratch” and " the sound might make you jump, please be still". He took 7 pieces. The nurse dressed the wound… I honestly left the place thinking that I had been peppered lmao and only knew after googling that there was just one cut!

I now have the dressing off, and to me it doesn’t look as if the biopsy has been taken from the correct area? The biop was done without any US etc… I am sure that I am being daft in this but it is worrying me!

Sorry if this sounds a little jumbled, I’m just left with no info apart from what I have found with self searching the web.

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oh no! poor you. I bet you thought you were wasting everyones time and then the next thing you know your having core biopsies–are you bruised and sore?

It might look as if he has the wrong area, but if its a lump you can feel he will know what he is doing,and he might have gone at it from an angle to protect the sensive area round your nipple. He did not have good communication skills did he?? Probably been doing it a long time, the new guys have had so much training about patient interaction and explain everything every step of the way.

So now you have joined us waiting for results. Did they say how long that would be? It can be an aweful time. You go over every word and gesture in the appointments looking for clues. Probably google and find alsort of horrid stories of what happens with the most agressive type of cancer.

Trouble is a lot of the stuff on the net is old. new machines and treatments are being brought out all the time. The best info is found on sites like this. did you know that 9 out of 10 breast changes or not cancer?? Also that 50% of biopsies are negative?? so there is a good chance you will have good news to tell us all next week.

its only natural to wonder about being the 1 in 10 that does have cancer, but if that is the case you have caught it realy early. the earlier it is discovered the easier it is to treat, and the less invasive the treatment. I am sure there is a statistic somewhere for people like me that just need a small operation a nd a few weeks of radiation. we found it early and it was not trying to spread, so no chemo.

Please come on and ask more questions or just chat if the wait is getting too much for you

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You really have had a rotten time and I’m sorry you’ve had to join us here. The “waiting room” is the worst place to be.
When I had my core biopsy I found that the chap really lacked in communication skills and I got quite angry with him.
Do you know when you will get your results. Why don’t you have a chat with the BCN or give your GP a ring.

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Hi zebras-like-to-boogie and welcome to the BCC forums

In addition to the support you have here please feel free to call our helpline where you can speak to one of our team in confidence, the lines are open 9-5 weekdays and 9-2 Sat on 0808 800 6000.

Best wishes
Lucy

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Sorry you have had such an experience.
I concur with OAL do not google especially at this stage when your diagnosis is unconfirmed. Unfortunately, you now find yourself in the “waiting room” while the pathologists look at the samples and report back. It’s a tough place to be but try and keep in mind that most lumps are benign.

As to it not being taken from the correct area, the needle they use to take the biopsy is long and the point of entry does not necessarily correspond to the area they are sampling. You might take some comfort from the fact that he took 7 samples. It sounds like he was trying to be make certain he got some of the lump for the pathologists to examine.

Good luck. Fingers crossed for a benign result. Whatever the outcome you will find plenty of support here, so keep posting.

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Thank you all xxx it is just playing the waiting game now.

How long do you think it will take the letter to arrive? How fast do they do the lab tests, go through the hoops of sending out letters etc… will it be a few days or a few weeks? I know that it is guess work as they didn’t tell me how long at the clinic, just planning when I should call and pester lol!

Gentle hugs for you all xxx

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Hi Zebras,
My pathology results were available the week after the biopsy. If your biopsy was last Friday than you can reasonably anticipate that your results should be available on something like the same time scale, so perhaps this Friday.
Were you given a follow up appt or, failing that, the phone number of the breast care nurses (BCN)at the hospital?
If you have an appt you will get your results at that appt. If you do not, contact the BCN and ask when you are going to get an appt for your results. In fact, contact them even if you do not have their number (you can get it through the hospital switchboard) as you have been biopsied and they should be involved in your follow up. If any further treatment is needed (and I hope there won’t be)medical team should discuss this at the follow up appt.
I have not heard of anyone getting biopsy results by letter but a copy of your results should be sent to your GP.
Please let us know how you get on, I am still keeping my fingers crossed for a happy outcome.

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Hope you are coping ok with waiting - as others have said I’ve never known results to be given in any way other than at an appt - my hospital won’t even do them by telephone - they need to be able to discuss details if treatments are needed. I’d contact them about an appt if I were you - they will understand why you are concerned about when results will be available.
xx

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They have not made an app, they have not given me BCN phone number… how pants is that?

The letter is to say if I need to come in for, as the specialist put it, a “chat”. He said that if everything was fine they wouldn’t bother in asking me to come back to the hospital! Does that sound right?

ATM I am OK with the waiting… just wanna get this over with! I keep on thinking that this will be the result, that this will be the next step etc which is sheer stupidity!

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Hi zebras
I have to say yours is the maddest user name I’ve seen yet - I love it! As everyone else has said, this is the worst time - waiting, not knowing what’s going on in your breast if anything, what happens next, etc. Hopefully yours will turn out not to be BC, as most aren’t, but even if it is, don’t panic. Most of us are convinced that we can see lumps growing day by day, but things don’t happen that quickly. Then we poke and prod the suspicious bit so much that we make it sore, then we convince ourselves that it’s got worse… etc, etc.
Try to stay calm, ask lots of questions on this forum, and don’t Google too much!

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Hi Zebras,
Exactly what kind of hospital was it where you had your biopsy? Did you step through a time portal and go back to the 1950’s? I have never heard of anyone having a biopsy and being told that they will get a letter if there is a problem. So what happens if you do get the letter telling you to come back? You then have to wait days or weeks to see a doctor for the results all the time feeling anxious and distressed about why they want to see you again. Quite frankly, someone there needs their butt kicked black and blue.
Find out who the BCNs are and call them before the weekend. You should not be kept in limbo like this.

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How did I miss this thread, and with such a cool username!

I completely agree, ring the clinic that you attended and ask for an appointment for this Friday to get your results. Don’t be fobbed off with a “we’ll contact you if we need to see you again”, get an appointment and don’t get off the phone until they give you one. And if they won’t do you an appointment, ask the person you speak to for the number of PALS (Patient liaison summink) at the hospital as you wish to “take the matter further”. THAT might wake them up a bit!

How dreadful!

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hello lovelies!

Well, I got a letter today! It says…

"I reviewed this delightful lady in the Breast Clinic this morning. The nodularity in her right breast has actually become more prominent, which is about 3cm.

I performed a free hand core biopsy from this area. I promised to write to Mrs X with the result."

Well thank you very VERY much! A letter from the hospital to explain that the hospital will be writing a letter soon! What the hell is NHS playing at?

I phoned consultants secretary, she cannot access information to send in the post(? wtf?) but she has looked on my record and there are no results as yet… this is over a week now! Would you ladies think that this is a good thing, aka no news being good news? She said that there may be a back log, that if I haven’t heard anything by Thursday to call her again. I am honestly beginning to feel that this is a sick joke. Like I say I am 100% that I am clear, but what about those poor souls who think that they do have C, I am certainly thinking of complaining to PALS!

Hope you all have a wonderful Bank Holiday, and try to enjoy it no matter what you are doing xxx

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Hi Zebras,

I think no results mean just that, no results because the path report isn’t in yet.
Did you find out who the BCNs were? You need to speak to them and insist on an early appt.
I think this situation is ridiculous and definitely not up to the standard most of us have received from the NHS. Really poor.
Who was the person your consultant wrote to? Your letter sounds like it wasn’t addressed to you directly.
I am wondering if your GP can do anything to help. I have got to know mine quite well over the last couple of months and I know she would make a phone call to the hospital on my behalf to get me an appt asap, or get the results.
I hope you enjoy your weekend and try not to worry too much. Most lumps are benign.
COx

15

I am almost posative this is a copy of a letter the consultant wrote to your gp after he examined you, telling him what happened at the physical exam. Saying that the lump is bigger, he took a core biopsy and he is waiting for the result of that.

it is interesting that he called you a delightfull lady. Mine used exactly the same words. So either you saw a doctor at the Royal Free, of there is some secret code that surgeons use to clasiffy types of patients—or we are both delightful!!

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I must say that the BCN’s have been great in my area but the inter departmental communication has been atrocious. How worrying it must be for you!! I hope your gut feeling of being 100% clear is correct as it’s not a nice path to walk down but if you do happen to be wrong you have joined a very supportive forum…I am new here and have found much humility, humour, support and empathy within this forum.
Please keep in touch and let us know how things pan out.

GOOD LUCK!!

Hugs to us all. xxx