newly diagnosed

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1

Hi,

I’ve been looking at all your posts for the last 2 weeks trying to pluck up the courage to register. Need someone to talk to really and don’t have much close family, just my husband and daughters. I can’t sleep, is that normal? I was playing with my grandson 3 weeks ago when he caught my boob with his foot, it really hurt!! 3 days later in the shower, I felt a lump in the same place, thought it was a little swelling. Went to the doctor who referred me to the breast clinic the next week. I was told on the day I had breast cancer. I have had an appointment today with the BCN at the hospital who confirmed the diagnosis from the clinic, you know, I can’t believe what is going on, it’s surreal really, I am quite breast aware and didn’t feel the lump and I only had a mammogram last year. If he hadn’t caught my boob with his foot I wouldn’t know the lump was there yet!!! I have to go back next week to see the consultant. Have to have something called lumpectomy. I think the nurse said a name with initials but I can’t remember. Please can someone tell me how long I will have to wait for the operation and what happens then. Trying to take this a day at a time but in the night your mind works overtime. Can’t stop crying.

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Hi applestreet,

I am sorry that you have had to find yourself here but i promise you the help & support you will receive here will really help you.

I expect what your nurse was referring to was a WLE (wide local excision) & a SNB (sentinal node biopsy) i had both of these procedures last year & they are usually performed as a day case rather than an overnight stay.

Depending on the size & position of your lump sometimes a small wire is inserted into your breast via ultrasound the day before surgery as this assists the surgeon with the location of the lump you may also receive an injection of radioactive dye which will assist with locating the SNB which is the main node in your armpit which they will remove & test with the understanding that if it is clear the cancer has not spread into lymph nodes, not so long ago many woman had all their nodes removed as standard but Doctors have now found this unnecessary as often after testing they would be clear.

Not sleeping & night times are always the worse, you may find that your Gp can help between now & surgery & prescribe a mild sleeping tablet.

Am not sure what the time scale between diagnosis & surgery is but i believe it would be within the next 4 to 6weeks, mine was 2 weeks after diagnosis but am sure that when you see your consultant next week that he will give you a date.

Dont be afraid to call your Breast care nurse with any questions as that is what she is there for, infact over the next few days it may be worth keeping a pen & paper to hand in order to write down anything that you would like to ask as everyone on here will tell you our minds at the time of diagnosis are a huge muddle of many fears, questions & anxieties.

Dont be afraid to give the helpline on here a call with any questions or fears, they are wonderful people & may well be able to set your mind at rest until you meet with your Doctor.

Also try not to panic, i was in your shoes last year & know its easier said than done but here i am now with treatment completed & results looking favourable, it can be a tough road but is doable.

Take Care

Sarah.xxx

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Welcome to the BCC forums applestreet

In addition to the support and information you will continue to recieve here you are welcome to call our helpline on 0808 800 6000, the lines are open Mon-Fri 9-5 and Sat 9-2.

We have published a newly diagnosed resource pack which you may find useful and you can order a copy here:

www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/diagnosed-breast-cancer/resource-pack-primary-early-breast-cancer-bcc145

Take care
Lucy

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Hi applestreet
I agree with all Sarah says. I was diagnosed with BC and had a lumpectomy and removal of nodes. The wait was 2 weeks from diagnosis to operation, which was done in day surgery. Then I was given a programme of 6 chemos then radiotherapy. I have had 2 doses of chemo 3rd one should be this Friday. Its all very doable. You are in the worst time now its the waiting that is so stressful. I found this site so helpful with all the lovely ladies coming on to answer lots of questions and they will all tell you no question is silly, we have all been there. So keep posting and asking your questions.
sending you HUGS
Val xx

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Hello Applestreet,
So sorry you have to join us, but it’s a good place for support, encouragement and asking questions. Well done for taking action once you knew something was wrong; now you can do your best to get it treated.

I can’t really add to what Sarah has already said, save to say that however you feel it quite normal and natural.

If it’s any consolation, I too was quite breast aware but didn’t find my lump through checking (I’m too young for mammograms), I just rolled over in bad one night thought “ooh what’s that”… saw my GP and the rest is they say is history. Althoguh mammograms are good and pick up lots of lumps they don’t find them all for all sorts of reasons. So what I’m saying is, don’t worry about the fact that it was an accidental kick that made you discover this, you didn’t fail in any way.

Your BCN should be able to explain everything and answer your questions. If you can take someone with you, and take a notebook and pen, that’s at good idea as you won’t be able to take everything in. Also, write down the quesitons you want to ask in case they fly out of your head once you’re there.

The waiting is the worst, and we’ve been there so understand something of how you feel. But you will get through this. Try to be kind to yourself, enjoy a few treats and come back any time with questions or comments.

Big hug

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hi applestreet, sarah has gone the the proceedures well, although if you have a lump that cna be felt you probably will not need the wire inserted, that is more for tiny tumors that can only be picked up by scans.

Isnt it wierd how we find the lump? I spilt tea on my breast, wiped it off and there it was. I could not believe it was happening to me, not panicing or crying just completely spaced out, walking round in a bubble, imagining the worse.

For me, because of my huge needle and proceedure phobia I was more worried about the actual tests than the outcome. but I tell you it was all very doable.

I had the lumpecomy and blue injection. My nodes were clear so i have two scars a very neat one where they took the lump out(it was a couple of inches round) and a smaller but not so neat one under my armpit where they took the sample node out. I was lucky I did not need any painkillers at all after my op. My node was clear so all I needed was a month of radiation everyday and I have started tomaxifan.

the radiation was time consuming but ok, I had a couple of weeks of tiredness and slightly sore boob as if it was scalded but yesterday I got my head back complely, did a full days activity and am starting to put it behind me. Only come on here twice a day rather than every couple of hours.

its normal to cry all over the place. Dont try and hold it in, its your bodies way of coping.

two bits of advice. Ring the helpline and get the exercises, Start them now so that your muscles are well conditioned for the op and you might find you get your movement back quicker.

Go and get fitted for a sports bra with cups and no underwires. Unless you are tiny you will find you wear it day and night after the op .

I am glad you have started posting, it is such a help, especially at night. No matter how supportive friends and family try to be they do not really understand. They cannot unless they have been through it. We have all been there and are here to hold your hand

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Hi

Thanks for replying so quickly to my post. I am trying to get my head around this but everything is going so quickly. The nurse did mention WLE and I,ve since read the book pack they gave me. She has also underlined the node thing but I was so spaced out nothing went in. Thanks again for the support. I have what I call white coat syndrome, I hate hospitals. What I can’t understand is that I don’t feel ill, I always thought that cancer made you feel bad, the only thing that’s bad for me is the worry. I

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no, thats the problem, breast cancer in the early stages does not make you feel ill at all, thats one of the reasons its such a shock. I still cannot realy believe I have it. The only thing that will make you feel ill is the worry and stress if you let it. Rads was tiring and a bit sore, but did not make me feel ill. Of course if it is not caught in time, then chemo is different.

For now just look after yourself, go with the flow. If you feel the urge to manically spring clean then do it(or come round to mine, cos i did not get that urge) If you feel like sitting down and watching back runs of mindless tv, then dont feel guilty. Some people resort to retail therapy. Go wherever the fancy takes you.

Did you take anyone to the appointment with the nurse?? If not you might want to consider taking someone to the next appointment to be your second pair of ears. Or now that you understand things a bit better you can ring your breast nurse and ask her to go over it again–they are quite used to people not taking it in the first time.

You mentioned grandchildren, how are your family coping with all this?? Do you work? If so how understanding are your employers?

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Hi Applestreet

Sorry you find yourself here but the info and support on here is excellent and has helped me a great deal.

It is a scary time. I was diagnosed on 16th august. I had WLE and SNB but it wasnt as horrendous as i thought it would be. I waited 2 1/2 weeks for surgery from my diagnosis and just tried to keep busy as much as possible.

Take care of yourself and let us know when you get your date. Everyone here will help you through it as best we can xx

10

Hi

I have a lump 2cm by 29mm and it is invasive ductal cancer. the nurse has given me a booklet and it says it hasn’t spread to the lymph glands. I don’t know if you’re supposed to put initials for this. I haven’t got a date yet for an op but see the consultant next tuesday so should know more then. My husband comes with me to the appointments and I couldn’t manage on my own. He has been fantastic support. My eldest daughter hasn’t really taken it in but she works and lives on her own with my grandson, the younger one seems to understand. I don’t have anymore family. I don’t work and my husband is retired. I am 52 and can’t believe this is happening to me either. I am just trying to get through the days until next tueday and hope they give me a date soon as I just want to get on with the treatment whatever it may be. It really helps me to talk to other people in a similar situation. Thank you for your replies they’re all really helping me to cope.

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Hi Applestreet

Treatment wise I suppose I am sort of between you and Clare37 received my diagnosis on 5th Sept saw the surgeon on 6th Sept but have to wait until 30th Sept for my op which is the hardest bit just waiting. My lump was found on routine mammogram.

I was told that the guidelines recommend that the op is done within 4 weeks of you seeing your surgeon but this doesn’t always pan out exactly.

I had my worse day yesterday as up until then I seemed to be coping quite well, worried and scared of course, but with no doubt that I would get through it OK but last night everything just seemed so overwhelming and I just sobbed, hubby bless him was really good and just cuddled me until I finished. My poor granddaughter who lives with us was devastated to see me so upset, difficult for her to deal with at 21.

But today is another day and I feel so much better for it, starting my mini spring clean today and sorry oldandlumpy I struggle to do my own let alone anyone else’s lol. I am finding getting everything clean and organised before my op on 30th makes me feel as though I am in control of “it” rather than “it” being in control of me.

So glad for you that you decided to post because the help and support from everyone on the forum and in the office is amazing and you will without doubt benefit from that.

Take care
Jean

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Hi

Thanks for your posts, clare37 and granny22. I too am having bad days and good ones. Sorry oldandlumpy I do like a clean house but have enough with my own. One messy grandson and a teenager are enough to clean up after!!

All the posts really lift the spirit and I don’t feel so isolated in all of this.

Thanks again.

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hi forgot to say thank you to sarah and revcat for their comments, I keep trying to think positive and that if it’s doable for other people it is for me too thank you all again

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Just want to say thankyou to the ladies who have sent me lovely messages of encouragement.Im off to a spa tomorrow my sister is taking me to relax…hope it works …Im going to hospital tomorrow too having my pre op .xxxx

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Hi

woke up this morning feeling a bit better about all this, knowing I am supposed to see consultant next tues. Now there is no appointment in the post as I expected and I am starting to panic again. I have phoned the BCN who is not answering, she’s probably busy with other people, I finally got through to someone else on another number and they told me I should know by the end of today or Monday. The appointment is for Tuesday. I am now all over the place. Is this normal with waiting lists!! can anybody help me with information please

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Hi Applestreet,
firstly no worries about not thanking us/me personally - we don’t need thanks, lovely though it is, we’re just in this togther.

Glad you feel a bit better today. I learned with BCNs to leave a message and they do get back to you - some better than others. I have/had three, one at each hospital involved and they were all different, so in the end I tend to contact the one I felt I connnected with best, even if that means waiting for a call. She is everso busy but always gives me just a couple of minutes when I feel no one else is on her mind… counts for a lot.

The first couple of weeks is always a whirlwind - a different one for each person, but nuts. I recal being given an appointment then half an hour later being phoned to have a different one… once you get going on your treatment it will settle down.

Have as good a w/e as you can manage.

Hugs.

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Happygolucky - hope you are having/had lovely time at the spa, thats a lovely though from your sister im sure that will help relax your mind a bit, enjoy it and good luck with the pre op, for me that was just the paperwork bit(lots of questions) blood pressure and mouth swab

Applestreet - hope you manage to talk to BCN today, im sure she will get back to you if you leave a message

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Hi all

Finally managed to get an appointment for Monday morning, been on the phone half a dozen times but I feel as if I am taking back some control of this situation I find myself in. It means getting a train there and back but I don’t mind.

Have a good weekend everybody.

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Hi

Tried to have as normal a weekend as poss. Off to see the surgeon today. Went to bed as normal but not sleeping well. Have been waking in the early hours with huge panic attacks, racing heart and sweating. have to get up to calm down. Then cannot get back to sleep. It’s just my nerves I know but I am going to mention this today and see if I can get some sedatives or something. This is the most stressful thing I have ever experienced in my life. I am usually a very capable person but this has knocked me sideways.

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thinking of u today applestreet, love alex x