Waiting for biopsy for IBC

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Wow Ladies, I have never had a reason to concern myself with this before and therefore it is all new to me.

I have been on antibiotics for 26 days now and still whatever is going on with my left breast has not gone away. I have the reddness, maybe a bit of swelling but it’s mostly the heat and mild but persistant pain on my breast and under my left arm.

I am horrified; so scard. I am 44 years old. I have never married, no children and both my parents have pasted. I have a sister but we have barely been friends for years now. I do live with my boy-friend and he’s great and all, I was hoping we would marry soon, but now this. I don’t think he signed on for this and I know I didn’t!

I’m having a pitty party and I’m the only one attending. I had blood coming from the nipple of this breast over a year ago but it stopped and my mammograms have come back fine. But… I am waiting to get in for my biopsy now and fear the worst.

I have never felt so all alone, so scard. I have read just about everything I can find on this and none of it is good. I have been crying so much, I’m surprised I have any tears left.

I need support. People, women I can talk to. Everything in my head is spinning and making me crazy. I found this site. It’s odd how until one is faced with a problem like this, it all seems so far away. It’s not so far away any more and now I’m thinking how I should have been more involved in the cure before.

I have read a few post and have found hope in your words. I wish I could reach out and hug each of you. These hugs are for you and for me.

I have been angry at God since my mom passed. That was along time ago, she died when I was 26, she was 50. She died of lung cancer and she never smoked. The odds of that are slim. And now at 44, I’m facing my own slim odds. Fancy that.

I don’t know if I am suppose to ramble like this in here, I’ve never done this before; for anything or any reason. So please feel free to teach me the way.

Is there a chance I won’t be joining you? There is a chance I will and if so I hope you’ll have me.

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Dear way2nice2believe,

You will soon get a lot of support from the other users of this forum I am sure.

Don’t forget you can also phone our free Helpline to talk things over. They will be open at 9.00am. The number is 0808 800 6000

Kindest regards

Janet
BCC Facilitator

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So sorry that you are having to go through this worry… and i really hope things turn out well…

Unfortunatly i must admit that a lot of your story sounds familiar… i suddenly presented with a red hot breast… my gp put me on antibiotics that never really did much and my annual mammogram was due only a few days later anyway so i went for that but nothing showed up… (have a bad family history so went for mammograms once i was 40…)

But when i went for an ultrasound the tumour showed up straight away and was 5.5cm… i take it they havn’t sent you for one yet…? Have they given you any idea when you will be getting the biopsy done…? when i had mine they used the ultrasound to guide them and took two types of sample - one was a fine needle and one was a core sample which is done by something that makes a loud clicking sound… the consultant looked at the fine needle biospy there and then and i was diagnosed straight afterwards (not sure if all units can do this…)

Please don’t worry about saying the wrong thing… i know exactly how devastated and mixed up you feel - especially as IBC doesn’t exactly make the best reading on the net… Don’t worry we are here for you to rant and rave at if needed…

I really do hope all is well… but if not be prepared that they might well send you a whole load of tests in a very short time… i had a chest xray, full abdoman etc ct scan, heart scan (that was incase i needed herceptin in future), full skeleton nuclear bone scan within the first few days of being diagnosed… and started chemo a week after diagnosis… Chemo always happens before surgery for IBC…

Keep posting… let us know how you are getting on… sometimes people find it helps to see your gp and get some mild sedatives to help during this waiting / worrying time… i know i was so scared…:frowning: and used bach’s rescue rememdy - it really did help me…

Take care

Theresa x

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Hi There,

I was diagnosed in April this year and still going through treatment. Had my mastectomy on 14th Sept and waiting to start radiotherapy. I could echo everything Theresa said as her experience of diagnosis is very close to mine. She’s right about this being the worst time. The waiting and not knowing are very hard and we are all shell shocked at first. It seems hard to believe but if the results do show you have cancer it will seem much more manageable once you have a treatment plan in place.

She is also right about how scary IBC seems when you read what’s on the net. I do hope it turns out to be a false alarm for you, but if not, it really isn’t as bad as it seems. There have been a lot of treatment advances in the last few years that are not yet reflected in the statistics. From the language you use in your post I would guess you are living in the USA. There is quite a high awareness of IBC there and hopefully you will get the best, most advanced treatments. None of us would pretend it’s easy but it is doable and you CAN come out the other side.

I can also sympathise with you about your mom. Mine is having treatment for lung cancer at the moment. We support each other as best we can which is the upside. I would never have wished it for her but at least I am not on this journey alone. I hope you find you have some good friends who can help you through this. The ladies on this site are very good at answering questions and are all very supportive.

We like to hear good news stories so if it turns out to be a false alarm please come back and let us know. Best wishes for a good outcome.

Janxx