Wait between imaging and clinic appointment

I have an appointment for an ultrasound and/or mammogram this Thursday (28<sup>th</sup>) but my clinic appointment isn’t until 11<sup>th</sup> April which is 6 weeks after. Is it normal to have to wait this long? I understand that if they results are worrying they will phone me before then but I will just spend the whole 6 weeks waiting for a phone call

That sounds very bizarre to me, and not acceptable. You can’t be held to ransom like that, having a panic attack every time the phone rings.

The consultant will have a jolly good idea from the mammogram and ultrasound as to whether your lump is cancerous and whether there is any evidence of cancer in the lymph nodes - and will be able to tell you his opinion on the day. If he doesn’t, then you can ask. Any biopsy results may take a week to 10 days to be available, but no longer.

I had my assessment on 20th December, results on 27th December, surgery on 18th January.

Do you have abreast care nurse yet? Ask here - they can very often get results earlier. Not always happy to give them out - “not my job” - but a bit of emotional blackmail can work wonders!

Nina

So far all has happened is I have seen my GP who said he was worried about my sysmptoms are referred me for an ‘urgent’ appointment. I don’t know anything about breast care nurses yet. Maybe they will mention that at my appointment on thursday. If they do I will try the emotional blackbmail. I have tried phoning the appointments clerk person but thats a generic hospital one and normally they don’t really care.

I don’t know if this is how it happens everywhere but here the ultrasound is done in a ‘breast imaging unit’ but I don’t see a doctor then.

I’m so confused.

I have no idea what the set up is at your hospital, but was under the impression all hospitals follow the same procedures as per the national guidelines in breast care cases. The first appointment is normally what is called a Triple Assessment - mammogram and ultrasound. If the Consultant in charge of the mammogram/ultrasound is concerned or worried after the mammogram and ultrasound he will arrange for you to have an immediate biopsy.

At that same appointment you should be allocated a breast care nurse, who will go through everything with you, give you some booklets and other bits of information, and give you an appointment to come back for the biopsy results.

Of course, all the above only happens if what you have turns out to be breast cancer! If the mammogram or ultrasound show it isn’t breast cancer, then you can go home and forget it ever happened!

Good luck xxx

Hello E-841, how are you today? Please try not to worry yourself.
This is what happened to me, I saw my GP on 11th Jan this year who suspected I had a problem with a lump and also under my arm pit, he referred me immediately to the Cancer Care clinic who phoned me and hour and a half later and made me an appointment to see me 10 days later (seemed such a long wait and this was difficult but I kept myself really busy to take my mind off the waiting) I had this appointment which included a mammogram, an ultrasound and they also did a core biopsy which was NOT painful at all, they numb everything down first so dont worry if they decide to do this please. Within an hour they were able to tell me if it was cancerous and in my case it was and I was introduced to my own Care Nurse who with the Consultant explained what to expect were fantastic and gave me information and contract numbers for absolutely everything from asking questions, to grants for wigs, travel expenses, benefits whilst off work if needed to emergeny numbers. My follow up appointment was 1 week later where they were able to tell me the stage I was at, how they would treat me and most of all the type of cancer to be treated. By this time I had had time to let this news sink in and wrote down all the questions I could think to ask. I started me chemo 11 days after diagnosis and have just had my second session. It all happened very quickly and have had massive support.
I cannot imagine that you will be made to wait 6 weeks after your mammogram/ ultra sound for any result, as Lola said you will usually be told one way or another if there is anything untoward on the day. If you are made to wait then the outcome will no doubt be a positive one that the consultants will have little concern over. So be positive and remember there are so many people here to talk to with your concerns. Good Luck for Thursday, I have everything crossed for you sweetheart. Please let us know how you get on. XXXXXXX