Diagnosed about 2 week ago loads of tests thankfully ct scan shows no spread to organs but I have lymph nodes in my armpit which I already knew, but now I have to have a pet ct scan because some lymph nodes were showing in chest no enlarged just showing this has sent me back into a panic as I was all geared up to start chemo on Thursday now it’s put back a week. They also found a cyst I didn’t know I had so that is driving me mad thinking they made a mistake and it’s a tumour just want test all done and to get on with treatment
Hi Sar(ah?)
My CT scan showed enlarged lymph nodes in the chest. I’d had a full mastectomy and axillary clearance and 19 of the 21 nodes removed were infected but the scan (plus a later bone scan and an MRI) showed no further spread. Thank god for lymph nodes, I say. The delay is likely to be to check in case they need to adjust your chemotherapy because we don’t all have the same drugs/chemicals and dosages.
If it helps, when I asked my adjuvant oncology nurse about those central nodes at our second meeting, she just said ‘Oh forget about those. They’re sorted.’ Since my approach was ‘head down, ask few questions, do as you’re told and get through it’, I did as I was told. Trust your team. They know their business and have your best interests at heart. Unfortunately, what is normal day to day business for them is an internal horror story for us if it’s not explained - the only criticism I can make - so this is where you need to make good use of your breastcare nurse. Email or ring and explain your fears. They will help you regain perspective and you may find that, like mine, it turns out to be nothing.
I wish you all the best with your treatment. Have you joined the November Starters thread? You’ll find a lot of friendship and support. Please, do NOT google anything. It’s disastrous.
All the best,
Jan xx
Hi sarwilk. I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I found waiting for test results to be the most stressful thing. I was diagnosed in June but it took a month before I had my full results and treatment plan. Like you, mine is her2 positive and in my lymph nodes in my armpit. I first had MRI and ct scans. Apparently they showed I had ‘suspicious’ areas around my lungs and stomach and they also mentioned the lymph nodes in my chest too. My consultant told me to be prepared for it to be cancerous and that would mean my cancer was secondary. But when I had a pet scan to check it, it turned out to be nothing. So it really doesn’t mean yours will definitely be cancer. Try and find positive things to do and carry on as normal as possible. Will you be having a mastectomy too? I’ve got one either in December or January. I’m terrified! Good luck with your pet scan and results