I have recently been diagnosed with primary breast cancer, I am wating for an appointment for a MRI and then have been told last Friday that after they get the results -they will set up a meeting to discuss treatment- how long do you usually have to wait for a MRI?-I am struggle with all the waiting and not being sure about what they have found, I was told its a mixture of lobular and ductual invasive grade 1. It was found though a routine mamagram but they did mark the area as an area to watch when I had my last mamagram 3 years ago. I have had a bi-opsy and a scan and they said my armpit looked clear. I was told that sometimes lobular can be hard to detect- I am 53 - I am quite numb at the moment-I have found the forum very useful so far-just deparate to start my treatment now.
Welcome to the forum. So sorry that you’ve found yourself here, but you will find lots of support and advice from all the lovely ladies on here.
Waiting for tests and results is the hardest part of the process. Once you have your treatment plan in place, you will start to feel better and have something to focus on. I had to wait about a week for an MRI and then another week for the results. As much as you probably want to get on with it, nothing will change with your BC. Grade 1 means that it is very slow growing. Sometimes lobular is difficult to detect on a mammogram, that is why they will do an MRI just to be sure.
Feeling numb sounds quite normal for what you’re dealing with. I certainly walked around in a daze for a couple of weeks.
Please can and chat, and ask questions whenever you want.
Hi Bluemonday
Your situation is similar to mine when diagnosed. Mine was detected on second mammo. Following biopsy I also had a mixed picture-lobular/ductal. The mri was done within the week, to make sure there wasn’t any more lobular present.
I did find it stressful waiting for the mri, but now I’m out the other side, I was very glad it was done, as I was confident that everything was done to get the correct diagnosis & treatment plan for me. As it turned out, nothing further was found & the final results after surgery came back as ductal bc.
What you’re feeling is quite normal, but it does get better when treatment starts & you know where you are with it all.
Do come back & chat ask anything you feel you need to.
ann x
Hi Bluemonday, sorry you find yourself here. You will find plenty of support on the forum as we have all been where you are now. I’m afraid it is very much a waiting game , and will be for a while. Waiting for tests, waiting for results , waiting for appointments . I hope you have someone to accompany you on your appointments, as I found two heads were better than one. I sometimes got into a bit of a panic mode and latched onto something instead of listening to the whole picture. I think it is very encouraging that the ductal tumour is grade one, which is the early stage. The lobular,mas you say, is a bit more difficult, which is where the MRI scan works it’s magic. BC is so treatable now, whatever stage and grade. My advise would be to take one step at a time, and don’t look too far ahead . Once you get results you can move to the next stage. Second guessing what may happen can be quite depressing, I found. Do not Google either, asthere are no stories of hope on there. I’m 70, have had a 23 cm. ductal tumour removed , with LN involvement. I’ve done my chemo, finished my radiotherapy and I’m taking my aromatise inhibitor every day like a good little girl! I’m not going to kid you and say it’s easy, but I will say that it is very doable. Read up on diet and exercise, Blue, and get your weapons ready to fight this battle. We’ll be with you every step of the way, and there are some very special big girl knickers we pass around when needed. Good luck. ???
Hi Bm,
I was diagnosed in Feb last year following 2nd screening mammo. As my first mammo was clear, it turned out to be an early diagnosis, as below.
I had a wide local excision - day surgery, followed by radiotherapy approx 2 months later. As it was er+ (oestrogen positive), I am now on tamoxifen for 10 years.
From biopsy it was initially grade 1, then went to grade 2 on the final results, but this did not change the treatment plan. I was back to normal within a few months.
Wise words from Annie, just take it a stage at a time, I found it helpful not to think beyond the next appointment or overthink it. Your team will tell you what you need to know.
ann x
I am new to this forum and had been reading through some of the posts. I agree the waiting is torture.
Reading some of the threads and knowing that so many of you have gone through this and came out the other side is reassuring.
I was told my tumour was breast cancer last wednesday on the 13th December, 2 days after the mammogram, ultrasound and biopsies taken.
I knew that day i would get bad news as they were concerned. My tumour is quite large, I didnt think much of it over a long period of time as at the last mammogram I was told it was jus cysts…
I was told that there is LN involvement and I am now waiting on an appointment for a CT scan and bone scan.
I got my appointment for the bone scan through today which is the 5th January. I am not sure of anything else at this moment in time as pathology wasnt fully complete at that time. My next appointment is the 3rd january to discuss results and plans but knowing I still wont have all of the information only makes treatment seem so far off.
I know I am one of so many woman in this position currently, and I am trying not to obsess about all of this. Any advice on how to push this to the back of my mind to get through christmas and keep it together at work? x
Hi Dennet,
Sorry you’re joining us, but there’s fab support from everyone here.
What you’re feeling is common to most of us here, but it sounds like you are dealing with it as positively as you can. It’s really about doing what you need to for you.
Thankfully, although it doesn’t feel like it, it has been picked up so that it can be treated & nothing is going to change between now & starting treatment.
It can help not to think to far ahead, just focus on the next appointment & avoid googling, there is a time & place for google, but at this stage it just tends to feed the anxiety monster.
As far as work is concerned, it depends how you feel. Once I told key people who had to know for employment reasons, I was quite happy for it to be common knowledge, although this is not right for everyone. I had enough sick leave, so I took it, others prefer the distraction.
Do what you feel you need to, to get through & it is normal to have wobbly days, so go with the flow if it happens, rather than trying to fight it.
ann x
I am also fed up of waiting. I found a lump but the mammogram was inconclusive so I had ultrasound and biopsy on same day. Two weeks later I was told it was grade 3 invasive duct cancer and ER+ but needed an MRI to see if it was confined to one breast. I got my BC nurse to chase up the MRI unit after a couple of days and they offered me a cancellation that afternoon. MRI was loud and seemed endless. Got the results a week later and then had wle and snb the following week on 7 December. Today I went back for my results. Lump removed with clear margins and very small amount of cancer cells in lymph node. I am now being transferred to Oncology team so I still have to wait to find out my treatment although radiotherapy and hormone therapy are pretty definite. All this waiting is the worst part. I want to get it over with. I am also 53. I wish you well.
Bigger again than frist thought- MRI stated 39mm surgery 41mm lobular, duct and DICS, clear margins and no node involvement so pleased about that bit, they have sent off a sample to America to see if I need chemo, so more waiting but I can relax for Christmas at least!