Ok i am a newbie here, i first found a lump in my right breast in the beginning of March, waited for a few weeks and off i went to the doctors.She told me not much to worry about but to be on the safe side we will make an appointment to see a breast specialist. Appointment comes through for the 20 April 2011, off to the hospital i go a mammogram , ultrasound and 4 core biopsies later was told by the specialist that there is a likelihood that i have BC as not only there one lump but another lump was found.
Follow up appointment on the 27th April confirmed this and he talk about my options, He spoke about a SLNB and that i will have to have a mastectomy, an appointment for my op was booked for the 19th May.
I have no idea what type of cancer i have and am not sure when i will find out which is making me worry even more. Do i go for the SLNB then the mastectomy?? or do i have it all in one go and wait for the results??
I am so confused by it all and not sure what questions to ask, i am up and down crying on minute brave face the next, trying to answer question that are put to me by friends and family, my head is all over the place, where and when will i find out more about it all.
Angii
Hi Angii. Sorry you find yourself here, but its a a good place to be for help and support.
I reckon you should phone your breast care nurse for starters. They should be able to tell you what the story is if they have told you that you need a mastectomy. Also try phoning the helpline here - they should be able to reassure you and give you some good advice. It might help to write some questions down before you phone your breast care nurse - such as, what type it is, what grade, and what the op will involve.
I didn’t have a mastectomy so can’t give you any advice on that, but I had my lumpectomy (WLE) and sentinel node biopsy at the same time. They then look at the SNB results to see if your nodes are affected; if they are, then they do a full node clearance. But the SNB means that if they are not affected, it is a less invasive procedure and quicker to recover from.
I’m sure others will be along to give advice soon too and I hope it all goes ok for you. But you don’t need to put on a brave face - you’re allowed to be angry, upset, etc. Keep coming on to the forums if you need to let off steam.
Al x
Hi Angii
Welcome to the Breast Cancer Care discussion forums, you’ve come to the right place for some good support.
I have put for you below links to a couple of BCC’s publications which you may find helpful. Also as Al has suggested do use the helpline here, they’re here to support you through this. Calls to the helpline and BCC publications are all free.
Resource pack:
breastcancercare.org.uk/healthcare-professionals/publications/quick-order-list/*/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/82/
Diagnosis and the future:
breastcancercare.org.uk/healthcare-professionals/publications/quick-order-list/*/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/89/
I hope these help. Take care,
Jo, Facilitator
Hi Angii
Sorry to welcome you to the club, it’s not something any of us want. Lots of good advice already, and do give the helpline a ring too, they are very good and might help you to formulate the questions you might want to ask.
Couple of tips.
Get a notebook and write down questions as they occur to you. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SILLY QUESTION. You can ask some of them on here, we might be able to help, or ask your specialist when you see him or her.
DON’T google indiscriminately, you can scare yourself witless if you’re not careful. Stick to reputable and responsible sites such as this one, Macmillan, Breakthrough, Cancer Research. Avoid single-issue sites or sites that are trying to sell you something.
Log on here and weep, wail, rant, fret, as much as you like. You’ll get support from people who have been where you are.
The Waiting Room is horrible, we all send virtual hugs. It will be easier to deal with once things get moving, but now is a truly horrible time for you.
Best of luck, you’re not in this alone.
CM
x
Hi Angii,
Sorry to see you here, but you will find there’s a lot of support frome people going through the same thing as you.
I’m a week or so ahead of you, diagnosed on 15th April a week after my initial ultrasound & biopsy, since then had an MRI scan. I know now it’s 24mm, grade 1, oestrogen +ve. I am having a local wide excision & sentinel lymph node biopsy next Tuesday. I’m not thinking too much beyond that.
I agree with others that you need to ask more questions about what op you are having on the 19th - just the SLNB or the mastectomy too? Ring your breast care nurse - she will know or be able to find out for you. If you want to know more about your cancer type just ask those questions too. There is no such thing as a silly question - and these are really basic Qs!
I could remember hardly anything I was told initially as I was so shocked by the whole diagnosis.
The emotional roller coaster is completely normal. We’ve all been there.
Good luck.
hi angii. im like you head mixed up and dont no what way to turn because all i need is answers. i was diagnosed on the 18th april. routine lump check at docs then seen by the next week. within 1 week i was seen by consultant to know the results of the core biopsy. inavasive ductal 2.5cm. approx. having surgery on the 19th may to remove it then followed by chemo.in june. im like you wanting to know answers i cant find. waiting is the hardest part and these last couple of weeks have felt like months. give your breast care nurse a ring they can answer any questions you have niggling at you. take care hun xxx
sorry for not getting back to everyone, thank you for all your advice. I have now made an appointment with the bc nurse and am seeing her today at 11.30. I taken on board all of the wonderful things everyone has been saying and made a few notes and questions to ask her. So hopefully i will have a few things clear in my mind later.
Thanks once again
Angii xx
Ok got back yesterday from the seeing the cancer nurses they were so lovely and very helpful. I have two tumours one grade 1 the other grade 2. My operation on the 19th will be to have my lymph nodes checked and a mastectomy, then another wait for the results to find out if the lymph nodes are clear and if i will need any more treatment.
I feel a lot better in myself and not that tearful any more and can also more clearer answer some questions that my family have been putting to me to help ease their minds
So thank you for all your advice and help, at least i know where to come when i want to have a rant rave moan or just a good cry. With people who are going through exactly what i am going through
Thank you all
Angii xxxx
Hi Sundaygirl,
Sorry to hear of your news. You are right though as it does feel better once you are informed more about your surgery and ongoing treatment. Like you, I had surgery earlier this year (three tumours present, all under 2cm) but needed mastectomy too as it was considered safest option. It was a real shock at the time,as I thought it a bit radical especially when surgeon kept repeating that disease was at an early stage. I am now recovering well though and I hope you find support online too, as I did.
Caroline, hope all goes well next Tues. too for you and SLNB biopsy all clear. That would be great result.