I work abroad in Asia. I’ve found a large lump in my breast. It was at the end of my maternity leave when I was due to start week, my baby is 14 weeks. At first the hospital thought it was a blocked duct but they referred me for a mammogram and ultrasound and found two suspicious lumps, the one I knew about and a smaller one in the other breast. They then took biopsies and I will get the results on Tuesday. I know I will be most likely to need lots of costly treatments and procedures. I can’t afford to have the treatment here. The biopsies cost £700. I will have to return to the UK, certainly without my partner, and maybe without my baby. In the NHS system, will I be able to use the results from these biopsies out will I have to go to my GP and be re-referred for the tests again? The hospital is reputable. How long would this take when I’ve already left it late as it was assumed to be a blocked milk duct? Any advice much appreciated, thank you.
Dear Maggie
You sound like you are in a particularly difficult situation at the moment. Please give our Support line a call, the number to call if you are overseas is (+44) 20 7620 0077.
Best wishes
Anna
Digital Community Officer
hI Maggie. sorry you find yourself in this position. I was in Asia (Thailand) when I found out I had BC. Luckily enough I had private health cover through my husbands work. I know treatment is very expensive in some of these countries…
I am now back in the uk and the situation was I took all my results from the hospital Ask the oncologist to give you a report on their findings. Get as much information from them as possible…You should have copies of your mammograms and biopsies report. If they didn’t give you any copies ask for them You will have paid for them. Bring all the information with you.
You will need to go straight to your GPs as he will need to refer you to an oncologist. I think it will all depend on the oncologist what happens next as you have not actually had any treatment yet. If you have your mammograms on film they might accept them but they might prefer to redo them. SAme with your biopsies. Hopefully they will accept them. Your Gp might be able to tell you better.
When I moved from Thailand to Malaysia I took all my info and they just carried on with the treatment the oncologist had planned for me and went on to get regular screening there. The same on my return here I have just carried on with the planned treatment and screening.
Hopefully on Tuesday you will,get a full picture of what they think you will need and take it from there. You might need to rethink a lot of things for afterwards as well if they put you on a course of medication tablets for 5 years it can be expensive. In Malaysia it cost £800 for 3 months supply of Arimidex.Luckily the insurance covered this.So you will really need to get the full picture and cost the ongoing treatment if you go back to Asia. . It may not be what you want to hear but unfortunately cancer medication is expensive.
good luck for Tuesday.
If you want any other info or chat.Please pm me.
Janette