Hi everyone, still in shock I’m on this forum! Didn’t know anything about all this a month ago but I’m so glad you guys are here…. So I found my lump on the 11th April, docs for referral on the 13th, mammogram ultrasound sound and biopsy on the 22nd, diagnosed with grade 3 breast cancer on the 30th, lumpectomy on the 6th may.
It’s been a complete whirlwind I’ve had panic attacks thrown up been shaking everyday. I’m 39 with 2 boys (9&13) and they know I’ve had an operation on my boob as I said it got infected I have to wait till the 4th June for full report - stage - type - treatment etc so didn’t want to mention anything until I know what exactly is going on. There such happy kids and it makes me soooo sad that I have to tell them this is happening. The surgeon said its caught early it’s small and after my op said my sential lymph node looked good. These are positives right?!?!
I know I can do whatever I need to do to get this done as long as I come out the other side. What I’m really looking for is positivity and reassurance that I’m going to be OK. My thoughts when I’m on my own are awful. Thanks xx
Hey, I’m very new to this too (meeting my surgeon tomorrow for biopsy results and hopefully a treatment plan) but from what you’re saying that all sounds really positive. I’m now 7 weeks from seeing my GP about my lump so it sounds like things have moved really quickly for you which is great! Hopefully some of the other ladies can give you more knowledgeable information about their experiences but I just wanted to say hi and I know exactly how you’re feeling. It’s a horrendous thing to deal with already but the waiting makes it so much worse. I’ve been focusing on spending time with my loved ones and doing fun things to take my mind off of everything. I hope you’re able to do the same. Sending you lots of love and best of luck with your results xx
Thanks so much for replying we are very silimar time wise aren’t we, things have moved super quickly and I’m so glad they have because the in-between moments have been horrid. Everyone has said the waiting is the worst maybe when I’ve got my treatment plan I will feel better. Best of luck with your results tomorrow we will get through this xx
Hey sorry you find yourself here and like you’ve already been told the waiting is the absolute worst!!
I was diagnosed last October with early, hormone positive, her2 negative IDC. Small with no spread to lymph nodes. Had a lumpectomy in December with clear margins. I had to wait for extra biopsies as different machines kept flagging up different “suspicious areas” which were luckily benign in the end apart from the IDC. Sounds like great news on your lymph nodes too!
I’ve got 2 young children (3 and nearly 6), I didn’t want them to know anything because of their ages, and despite being almost through chemo with a bald spot on my crown (thanks to my amazon wig topper nobody has even noticed I’m wearing clip on hair) I’ve still not told anybody outside of my immediate family other than a couple of friends because I just wanted to get through it without having to answer every bodies questions about it (especially on the daily school runs). I think it’s massively helped being able to get my head down and get through it without being reminded! I’ve been surprised at how I’ve been able to carry on as normal with a few extra breaks here and there doing playgroups with my little one and working a physical job still too. I’m on 3 weekly cycles so I have a day or 2 feeling abit rough (but all manageable) and then I’m fine until my next lot. Hopefully you won’t need chemo
You will get through it all and come out of the other side stronger than ever xxxx
Thanks for the reply I love this positivity thank you. I don’t know what the future holds treatment wise but luckily have a great support system, I know what u mean about the school run mums I don’t want them knowing and then asking me in front of my kids. Them not knowing anything keeps my home life normal. Hope your chemo goes quickly xxxx
Hi, I had a lumpectomy in Feb 23 for a grade 3, 25mm ductal carcinoma which was Er and Pr positive, her2 negative that had spread to 2 lymph nodes. I have had aggressive treatments, which I won’t go into as our treatments are personalised depending on our cancers biology, apart from Letrozole, they were completed in December 25. Three and half years after diagnosis I am a healthy active 65 year old who has no evidence of disease(NED). In fact last week I cycled the DAVA way in Scotland.
This part of your journey is tough as our minds run riot as they are so many unknowns. Once you have your results and a treatment plan it does get easier. Sending my best wishes, you will get through this.
You sum up so well the shock of receiving a new breast cancer diagnosis. I haven’t forgotten how devastated I felt after I was first told, and my world changed in a flash.
I thought it might be useful to you ladies to get a long view of the issue because that is what helped me so much when i was diagnosed. I had a 4.3 cm grade3 tumour with 3 pos nodes. I was diagnosed while visiting my Mother who was very ill in NZ, so very far from home. Small town with “jungle drums”. There were 4 knocks on her door with elderly ladies coming to tell me that they had had breast cancer 18, 20, 30 and even 42 years previously. It sort of kept me sane at the time, particularly knowing they would not have had the sophisticated treatments available today. I had a second 2.5cm her+ tumour diagnosed in my remaining breast some time later and went through the whole range of treatments. again. I know it isn’t sorted successfully for everyone but there are thousands of people living long, healthy lives after a breast cancer diagnosis.
I am currently completely well , and that was all 18 and 8 years ago.
So, take heart you lovely ladies, trust in the treatment systems and when you get “spat” out the other end, try and find a “Moving Forward” course near you (because that is a weird time).
Hey! It’s triple positive grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma (I think I’ve got all that right!) The nodes in my armpit were also positive. The plan at the moment is 6 rounds of chemo followed by lumpectomy but as always that may change. I have my CT scan on Friday (very nervous about that), meeting oncologist Monday followed MRI. Then heart scan Tuesday (I think this is because my plan includes Herceptin) so it’s all moving at super speed now which is good. Hopefully will be able to crack on after all that is sorted. The surgeon was lovely and said it’s all very treatable so I’m feeling really positive in general, just want these bloody scans out of the way so I can stop stressing about spread.
The fact that she said that is wonderful! Good luck with all the scans (no doubt I have that to look forward to!) You’ve got this and hopefully be over before u know it. It’s a mindfield isn’t it with the different types xxx
Hi dear friend. I have gone through something similar but in June 2023. Your emotional rollercoaster is normal and I experienced the very same. I think we all do.
You will get through this but there will be difficult days ahead but remember you are not on your own. There will be a full team of professionals who will work with you and for you having your very best interests at heart.
May I suggest you just take one day at a time and try not to overthink ahead. Do share with a very special friend or two that you know you can trust. It helps to talk to your breast care nurse.
May I also suggest you contact the ‘Someone like me’ team here on Breast Cancer Now and they will match you up with one or more persons who have gone through what you are going through, ie the same type of breast cancer, your age, young children and how they handled the situation, etc etc. it is an excellent service and free to access.
May I wishes you all the very best and assure you there is life through and after cancer. You will look back in a years time plus and be amazed and proud of how far you have come.
I just wanted to jump on as I am newly diagnosed too. The initial diagnosis was the worst thing ever and i remember feeling numb and just rhinking of my kids (12, 14 and 16 just sitting her GCSE exams too!). Had a lumpectomy on 16 April but unfortunately 3 out 4 lymph nodes removed in surgery were positive. So i am now having a lymph node clearance in a few weeks and have a CT scan today and will get my results on Tuesday but I am absolutely terrified again.
I’ve been lurking on this forum for a while and people are so lovely. You see such negative things online but I keep reminding myself there are so many lovely people out there who just get on with their lives after BC and we don’t always hear their stories.
We did tell my children just before I had the lumpectomy and they took it better than I did. I’ve not told them about the scan today until I know what’s happening next. My surgeon said it is common to have lymph nodes involvement and it not spread further - I’m hoping she’s right x
Thanks for the reply, sorry you find yourself here like me. I find this forum better than social media but some people’s attitude on tiktok help me too I think yes if u can do this I can!
After the 4th I will explain it to them and I hope mine are like yours, I don’t want this to be part of their childhood but I need to know what’s in store so I can give them the full story I don’t want them having ‘what ifs’ like me.
How soon did you know the lymph nodes were cancerous was it in the follow up appointment? I’m trying to just enjoy these next 3 weeks as everything has been so full on it’s nice to actually sleep and eat knowing the tumour is out of me xxx
They told me when I went for my follow up appointment after surgery. It was a shock but I was weirdly relieved it wasn’t in all of them. I think you have to find the positives in this journey don’t you.
I follow Beverley Callard (Liz Mcdonald from Coronation street) on Instagram. She is going through the same journey as us and posts alot which i find helps me too.
Children are great at dealing with things. Like you I didn’t want mine to have to deal with this in their chidhood but they rarely ask me anything and have carried on as normal. I let their school know and they have been great and so supportive.
Hiya, i’m back in the waiting game again. My CT apparently showed a bone island so now I have to have a bone scan (just waiting on an appointment). I always go to the worst case scenario and am now scared it’s spread. They did say these islands can show up and be nothing whixh i hope, but i’m terrified. My lungs and organs were all clear which was good.
How are you doing, have you had any results yet? Hope you are doing ok xx
Just thought it worth a mention. There is a new leaflet, recently out, in the BCN publications called “Talking to Children”. You can find it in publications in the main website but hopefully this link will take you to it
Sorry I did mean CT scan. Oh God more bloody waiting! It’s the worst, I’m sure if it is sinister it’s nothing they can’t treat. I really hope you get the reassurance soon. I’ve still got another 2 weeks until I know more so I’m acting delusional and trying to carry on as normal but feeling 80% better after my lumpectomy xxxx
It’s all the waiting isn’t it! I’m glad you’re feeling a bit better. It really helps to keep distracted, this is certainly the worst part so I keep reading xx
I keep reading this too, my first thought was this is all happening so quickly I barely came up for air but things do slow down - scan results appointment scan results appointment it’s going to be a long road but we will get there! Xxx
xx
we are very silimar time wise aren’t we, things have moved super quickly and I’m so glad they have because the in-between moments have been horrid. Everyone has said the waiting is the worst maybe when I’ve got my treatment plan I will feel better. Best of luck with your results tomorrow 
we will get through this xx
I’ve still not told anybody outside of my immediate family other than a couple of friends because I just wanted to get through it without having to answer every bodies questions about it (especially on the daily school runs). I think it’s massively helped being able to get my head down and get through it without being reminded! I’ve been surprised at how I’ve been able to carry on as normal with a few extra breaks here and there doing playgroups with my little one and working a physical job still too. I’m on 3 weekly cycles so I have a day or 2 feeling abit rough (but all manageable) and then I’m fine until my next lot. Hopefully you won’t need chemo 
, and that was all 18 and 8 years ago.