My eldest Dd works as a hospital nurse hoping to become a specialist in burns, plastics and complex traumas. It was she who told me once breast cancer has been identified then hospitals do prioritise every possible question mark any scan throws up with more in depth scans etc.
TBH l wish l had been warned of that before receiving an unexpected appointment for an oncology gynaecologist. I was a wreck. Turned out my Ct scan had thrown up a none problematic ovarian cyst but the oncologist wanted a specialised gyni oncologist to check the scans etc.
@rh88 Iāve heard of doctors using informal language like āislandsā to describe little spots on scans which can be benign and common incidental findings. My CT picked up 3 areas, lungs, liver and spine, which frightened the living daylights out of me but which all turned out to be benign. Waiting for the MDT to meet and come back to you is sheer torture. We all know and empathise.
@evicting_00_squatter I also experienced your situation where my first scans led to further scans and my stress levels increased tenfold. Again, itās common and it doesnāt automatically mean they have found something sinister. Mine turned out to be scarring, wear and tear and old nodules from where Iād had a pleural effusion years previously. The quick turnaround I also experienced. Iām glad @mrsjelly and @wibbles have both been able to reassure you that this is normal. Itās good that they go into more detail to be absolutely certain of what they are dealing with but make no mistake, itās immensely stressful.
@Jaygo Ah yes, she was a shapely lass, bouncing around frenetically in a pink leotard and little skirt. This was commented upon by a male work colleague and yes, may have helped to assist her to victory! Well, if youāve got itā¦ā¦
Think this is what I need one of those skirts & some dancing fun! might drown out the orchestra Iāve got going off in my head!
I got the date wrong its 1st June. ..so not so long.
Anyway I hope all is good and a simple explanation can be found for my unwanted companions as Im booked for a trip to France late June via eurotunnel train to see Monets gardens plus a little nosey around the area along with of course some lovely french food and tasty wine. Cant wait! Yay!!
@waveylocks Monet garden should be lovely everything comes together for your trip. Perhaps we need the occasional little skirt and sparkles day just for the exclusive members of this thread.
Thatās good @waveylocks - not so long to wait. I think it is essential to have those dates in the calendar for fun stuff. I make it my business to always have something to look forward to now. Monetās Garden will be an amazing place to visit. Talking of gardens, we are off to the Chelsea Flower Show this Saturday. Weāve never been so are really looking forward to that.
@carrie5 I fully expect to see a pic of you dancing in a sparkly tutu at some point in the future!
So my check up on Mondayā¦ā¦but thatās fading some what as this week I saw my gp about sone weird symptoms. She thinks my spinal chord is being pinched so rushed a referral throughā¦..so on top of neurology app im now in MSK orthopedics with top level Physio booked in day before my hol. My gp says I need a MRI who knows when as there is a long queue for one of those..
So focusing on my hol this now leaves me without hol insurance. Sigh!! Apparrantly there is no insurance company that will insure you for undiagnosed conditions so thought I might as well rely on my bank provided insurance as itāll cover me for the anything else that is insurable.. Give me strength! Any thoughts?
If cancer is. potentially in the mix, then you will no doubt get pushed up the queue. I have spinal stenosis and sciatica and have been referred to Circle MSK. I got an MRI immediately as I have a cancer history. Iām afraid the bit that will take forever and a day is getting treatment for your back. Iād talk to your oncologist about this as they have clout, especially if you are going to have chemo. Mine kicked a few backsides and I have finally got some physio after 18 months of hearing nothing.
Good luck. Iām trying yet another gadget for the back which is probably snake oil (again) but Iām desperate. Probably another Ā£70 down the drain. It is called RelieveX.
You have my deepest sympathy. Cancer is bad enough without managing a spinal problem. x
Thanks. Im sorry to hear ure suffering too. My cancer history never got mentioned in the referral. And the depts are nof contactable only booking hubs since the new system set up by the local icb. Iāll mention it tomorrow at my app at the breast clinic and see what they think..
I havenāt heard anything good about that particular brand, but a lot of those type of machines are cheap knockoffs of ones that are used by physios. They might kinda work, but the quality isnāt great so theyāll break pretty quickly or wonāt be as good as the tried and true brands like therabody or compex.
I bought a few cheaper versions of both types of devices - massage & EMS/TENS/NEMS. The cheapo versions were usually okay, until they crapped out and then I had to chase the company for a refund or replacement.
Yeah I think Iāve allowed myself to be fleeced. It wonāt be the first time, and while I maintain it will be the last time, it probably wonāt be. Iām just so worn out with it.
Afternoon lovely ladies - after the upsetting online business rubbish I had I decided to have a digital detox and then last week took my very stressed 16 year old away for some GCSE respite , then we went to Wychwood music festival and got back last night .. Im exhausted but she had an amazing time as did I seeing lots of my favourite bands ..
Just catching up with the posts . How did people cope with the heatwave ? Iām finding since cancer I definitely canāt tolerate heat the way I used to !
@salbert Oh you lucky thing going to Chelsea , I love it so much , The closest I ever got was RHS tatton park .
@evicting_00_squatter So sorry to hear youāve had the disappointment of a residual cancer cell diagnosis.. there are a few other ladies who have had the same issue with residual cells and have responded positively to kadcyla. .. it does knock you though when you hope your nearing the end of treatment plans then something else drops into the mix
@waveylocks Ā£8.50! Good grief how long does that get you?
@waveylocks That sounds like another kick in the wotsits when you least need it. I have just been told I am uninsurable as one of my life insurance policies expires next month. Iām not surprised. I also got turned down for travel insurance in March 2025 as I was considered to have a new heart condition as had just been put on Candesartan due to the lower left ventricle ejection fraction which has rectified itself since finishing Phesgo. Itās good that you have the bank provided insurance for whatever is left insurable. Iāve been told I can get an over-50s policy for Ā£33 a month which would pay out around Ā£9k if I peg it, but it doesnāt seem worth it. Itās all fun and games, is it not!
@Jaygo I hear you re the physio. I am using BUPA for this at the moment as my GP said I would wait an eternity if I use the NHS. My BUPA premium is also astronomical now so I may as well use it!
I finished watching the Kylie documentary on Netflix on Saturday night and episode 3 was largely about her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. I found myself crying all the way through it. It was quite cathartic in a way. Most of the time I feel upbeat and lucky to be where I am but it indicated to me that there is still some trauma lurking under the surface. I guess we all carry that now, for the rest of our lives. However, she also spoke of getting a second chance which is something that very much resonated with me. Definitely worth a watch if you havenāt already. I wouldnāt say I was ever really a Kylie fan but I am now.
@salbert I keep meaning to watch the Kylie documentary.. I really like her actually , she always seems very genuine and grounded , I think we all are traumatised by what weāve been through , we just carry it differently .. even when Iām āEnjoying life ā cancer still feels like itās lurking below the surface
might drown out the orchestra Iāve got going off in my head! 
everything comes together for your trip. Perhaps we need the occasional little skirt and sparkles day just for the exclusive members of this thread.
..
Good to hear from you both.