If anyone stumbles across this post, hello. Please excuse me whilst I try and off-load this weighty problem. I’ve got myself all worked up into near breaking point. I was about to hit my 3 year in the clear for bc when a blood test has showed up elevated ALT levels in my liver. The test was repeated a month or so after and it had got considerably worse. I was sent for an ultrasound which showed a very fatty liver (guess by my user name it gives the game away I’m hardly Olive Oil) and also, what he believed to be, a cyst. He couldn’t be sure because of how fat I and my liver are so the GP referred me back to Oncology. They have arranged for a full CT and MRI.
To say I’m beside myself with worry is an understatement. I had just started to be more positive and move on, if anyone truly can move on after diagnosis. Things were getting better and with feeling in good health, my hair growing and the sun shining, I began to feel alive again instead of just existing. Now this.
I stupidly went to the Macmillan site and read their advice on receiving bad news (as I’m convinced it will be) and one page led to another and then another and before I knew it, I was reading about the last days leading to death. I’ve scared myself stupid. All the nightmares are back, the waking with that strange feeling of immense anxiety in your body that stays with you all day. I’ve lost count of how many times I find myself crying during the day, petrified I’m going to get bad news. I’m sorry for pouring my heart out but I can’t talk without crying and I have no friends so this seemed a good idea.
Ct is 1st June, MRI is 6th June, results 7th June.
Hi
Just read your post, don’t know what I can say to reassure you, just that I am thinking of you.
If it is any help at all, I am a nurse in a hospice ( as well as having BC obviously)and I can tell you your situation is a million miles away from the patients I look after! You know yourself the liver thing could be a thousand things other than the big C, it is also positive that you are feeling well with no other symptoms.
If there is one thing I have learnt from the ladies on these sites it’s DONT GOOGLE, it can only make you crazy
wishing you all good vibes
Jane x
The only thing i can say is that even if the fatty liver obscured the view, these radiologists are very good at analysing what they see. And nowadays I think the tell you honestly what things might be if they have the information. So if he said he thought it was a cyst, hang your hopes on that.Cysts look very different to tumours and I think they have to be quite sure before they say anything.
it is possible to have cancer inside a cyst(thats what I have got) but that type of cancer is not as aggressive as other tumers. It is also quite rare, so you will find more information on realy bad things happening to livers than on intracystal cancers.
obviously you are petrified, and reading the internet is going to make it worse (didnt stop me googling though, I had picked out hats and scalves before i was even diagnosed). But you are in a better position than someone who was told there is a mass that needs investigating with no reference to it being a cyst. I have no medical knowledge but thats what it seems to me.
What have they said about the fatty liver??? Is it drink or is it one of the growing number of cases of non alcohol related fatty liver. If the cyst turns out to be benign what treatment will they give you to sort the liver out??
r u on tamoxifen, this can cause fatty liver?
Hi Ladies, Thank you all for taking the time to post a reply to me.
Jane, many thanks for your good vibes and words of support. I know that it could be something else but I just don’t feel er…‘lucky’ shall we say and I think my mind is in such a dark place it’s difficult to see any daylight. Nonetheless, words of support are like a kind of hug, which you can never have too many of. So thank you xx
Oldandlumpy, yes you’ve got a point about holding on to what he said, I’ll try but feel like I’m losing the grip on reality let alone being able to hold onto what he said. Oncologist didn’t say anything about what the treatment would be if all’s well. Very much well lets see what the scans show up. I didn’t leave the room feeling positive lets put it that way. Defo not alcohol related and I’ve had to stop myself googling anything else as I’ve just made myself even worse. Don’t know what it is but it kind of has a power over you, making you look and not being able to stop yourself. Soon as hubby see’s me crying he’s like ‘what have you been reading now’.
lolly73, yes I’m on Tamoxifen. My GP thought it may be one of the reasons my ALT levels had shot up but Oncology more or less laughed at the suggestion.
Thank you all again, much appreciated, take care
D
x
well you have a week now in the worse place ever–the waiting room. You have been here before but now because you are better informed its worse than ever.
no matter how often people tell you to stop worrying, its probably not going ot happen, worrying and googling are the way some people cope. i find the computer a strangly hypnotic place that lets my mind race away and work its energy off so that i can be calmer in my day to day life.
for me the way to cope is to keep posting lots of messages on this forum, at least its not as scarey as researching what might or might not be wrong. I have gone onto some of the other support webs too, but none seem quite as relevant as this one.
hope the next week is bearable, you will get lots of support on here
Results tomorrow. I’m expecting the worst but somehow I don’t think it will be easier to take bad news no matter how much I try to be brave. Who am I trying to kid, I’m frightened stiff and burst into tears all the time. If anyone reads this please pray/keep your fingers crossed for me!
BFM 
x
Just a quick note to wish you luck tomorrow.
Love Anthi x
Sending you all my positive thoughts and a virtual hug
Q x
We’ll all be thinking of you tomorrow BFM. Keep strong.
Deb x
Your post made me feel so sad for you, my heart really really goes out to you. I really really do hope you get good news tomorrow.
Please let us all know how you get on. Sending really positive vibes.
SGL xxxx
what time is your appointment?? will try and send good vibes through the ether. However, if its anything like my clinic it will probably be a couple of hours late.
really feel for you tonight. nothing i can say can make it better for you. hang in there girl.
i do believe that no matter what the result is you will feel better tomorrow night than you do now, its the waiting that is worse.
thinking of you you today sending bigs hugs xxxx
thinking of u today! love alex xxx
Anthi, queen of retail therapy , Furball, stargazerlily, oldandlumpy, honeybee121, mummysboob - Thank you all sooo very much for taking the time to post good luck wishes and hugs as it meant so much to me this morning when I read them before I went to the hospital.
Well the results showed NED!!! Just the cyst and fatty liver. I didn’t stay brave, in fact embarrassingly I was in such a state they saw me early because ‘I was getting so worked up’. Anyway, liver ALT is reducing but our favorite friend NED is back and hopefully here to stay.
Going to celebrate with hubby and kids and start to live again.
Thank you all again
one very relieved & ecstatic BFM aka Dee x
That’s fantastic news Dee! You go girl.
All the very best for a happy and healthy future!
Deb x
AWWW, now thats great news, I am so happy for you. Most of the time on here I read things and feel sad upset for people, but your post last night actually made me feel tearful and I would have liked to have given you a big hug last night, but glad my words helped you.
Go out and have the best celebration ever, you so deserve it.
SGL xxxx
yay!!! fab news dee! good 4 u!!! alex xxx
thats fab news hun you go enjoy yourself really happy for you
xxxxx maz
Great news BFM really pleased for you 
And don’t be embarrassed about getting worked up I did exactly the same when I went for results of liver CT scan and they also rushed me in coz I was a wreck lol.I also have fatty liver.
Best wishes Melxx