Hi I am new to the forum. I am 34 years old and have had a lump under my armpit for a couple of months which I have been back and forth to the go about. Finally I got referred to the hospital for test which I had 2 weeks ago. I had a ultra sound, mammogram, a needle biopsy into the lump under my armpit and 3 core biopsys into an area of thickened tissue on the side of my breast, which I hand not even noticed til the ultra sound lady pointed it out.
The oncologist said that he is pretty sure that it’s cancer but would love to be proven wrong. Oh and said that I will need surgery but didn’t say what. So the last 2 weeks have been agonising.
I have been Googling which is a big no no, and this has just made me extremely fearful.
I get my results on Tuesday, and I am so scared of what he is going to say.
I’m scared of surgery.
My dad has myeloma which he has been battling with for a long time now and I am usually the rock that holds our family together through the tough times.
I’m really struggling to get my head round this,and suffering with anxiety and depression is not helping me with this while situation. ?
Hello twilightmich. Firstly I’m really sorry you’ve found yourself here. It’s a really scary time and we all know the time waiting for your results is the very worst. I stopped googling following my biopsy and haven’t done it since.
If is proven to be cancer once you get your treatment plan things move at a pretty fast pace. If you can take somebody with you for support and as a back up when you’re trying to take it all in.
Although I was scared of surgery I saw it as a means to an end. The start of my battle and there are people to help you all the way. I was the opposite. I was told they would be flabbergasted if it was anything serious so was a shock to find out it was.
Once you find out your results there will always be one of us here whether it’s the news you want or not.
My husband has severe Crohn’s disease and like you I was the family rock. However things have had to change and they will need to for you too. Obviously I don’t know your family set up but you might be surprised.
Good luck on Tuesday xxx
Twilightmich so sorry to hear what you are going through. It’s so hard. There is a younger women’s BC network which might offer some much needed support about things only younger ladies worry about eg fertility & will also make you realise you are not to only one to be given the short straw in your 30s. This area is, of course, brilliant for support too. We have all stood in your shoes & know that wait for results is sooooo hard. Unfortunately you just have to wait. A friend who had been through it gave me a book called AntiCancer by Davud Servan Schrieber, which I tells you things you can do to help yourself. I felt it gave me some feeling of control back ie there is something you can do to help yourself as well as what your medical team do. I saw BC described as an unexpected earthquake the other day & it certainly felt that way to me. Big hugs coming your way. How are you sleeping? I had to get tablets during that wait because I was exhausted. Take care. xxx
Hi. I joined 2 days ago as just got my diagnosis of invasive ducal cancer on Thursday 21St. I, like you spent a lot of time Googling as I found the lump easter weekend and could not get any help till the Monday. Since then I have had a biopsy and then had 11 biopsies taken on Friday as some specks had shown up on my first mammogram.
One of the nurses said to me do not look on the Internet as it isn’t tailored to you and it can scare you. She was right. I’ve since spent a lot if time on this site, reading and gathering as much information as possible. My lumpectomy is booked for the 11th, then will have radiotherapy after and will be on tamoxifen for the next 10 years.
The last couple of days have been really hard, telling family and friends. All have been really positive, offering help and a shoulder.
Good luck to you. People on here are here to help and even though I’ve only been here a couple of days I feel much more positive in the situation I find myself in x
Hi, I’ve been lurking around this forum since the 7th April when I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer on my right breast. I also suffer from a long term anxiety disorder and severe recurrent depression which has landed my in the psych ward quite a few times.
I found painful lump in breast, went to GP, referred to Breast Clinic, had mammogram, ultra sound, fine needle biopsy, the radiologist managed to get some fluid from one lump but not the other (turns out I had two small lumps, rather than just one). Was given an appointment for 3 days later and told I had a 50/50 per cent chance that it was cancer. When I went back for results they told me it was.
I’m booked in for a lumpectomy and sentinal node biopsy on the 11th May. I know nothing about what kind of cancer it might be etc., what type of treatment to expect. To say I’m scared is an understatement. The term “rollercoaster” sounds like a bit of cliche but I can honestly say it is the best word to describe ALL the different emotions you feel!
I’m hoping it hasn’t spread to my lymph nodes and also that it is not hormone recepitive, I take a lot of medication for my mental health problems so the thought of more drugs (which could possibly interact) and more side effects is worrying me also.
I’m scared of the operation, the General Anesthetic, the recovery, how much pain I will be in, infection and most of all the results of the pathology test.
I’m 47 years old and live alone. I did a bit of googling but scared myself so I’m just sticking to this forum now. There is a Macmillan Cancer Support Group on in my local library tomorrow which I’m thinking of attending but I’m a bit scared to go to be honest.
It’s really helpful to read all the stories on this forum and know that I’m not the only one going through this. I didn’t tell anyone other than my partner and close family for over two weeks but have told a few friends now. I still often feel a sense of denial, I was quite badly bruised after core biopsy, although not in pain and my lump feels different, I think I can only feel bruised tissue still actually. I’m half expecting the surgeon to tell me that there has been a mistake and I don’t have cancer after all. Hence, putting off telling people as I didn;t want it to be “real”.
Wishing you all good luck and best wishes in your journey through this and thanks for sharing your experiences. xx
Hello All,
The worst thing is that the word ‘cancer’ conjures up so many bad things. If I had said ‘heart attack’ or ‘heart disease’ or liver/kidney/heart failure which are equally as serious and can also affect anyone at any age, somehow it doesn’t sound so bad.
I still find it hard to admit ‘out loud’ that I have (had?) breast cancer as the word still feels like a hand around my throat choking me!
One (only one!) of the worst things about cancer is the horrible stories and the treatments which can be quite harsh (especially chemo). But please don’t punish yourselves by thinking on that ‘dirty word’ too much. The general prognosis for breast cancer is a good one. Yes you have to take your treatment and I don’t underestimate at all that it will be easy (I am due for my 4th chemo treatment this week).
Yes *do* avoid googling. Trust your doctors/consultant/team at also switch off from this forum when you need to because, at times, it can get a bit ‘breast cancer’ concentrated.
Hope this makes sense.
One day at a time,
Ali xx
Ok so today’s the day. I’m keeping everything crossed. Hopefully it will be a relief cause all this waiting has been making me ill.
Thank-you everyone one for sharing your stories and your advice. Means alot. Xx
Fingers crossed for you twilightmich xx
Big hug twilight. xx
Best of luck Twilight. x
Sadly it wasn’t good news. I have been diagnosed with invasive ducal cancer grade 2/3 and also DCIS. i have to have a mastectomy and lymph nodes removed under my right arm, chemo and radiotherapy.
I agree with alot of people on here I do feel a slight sense of relief now I know what I am facing, and that it can be treated. I just hope I am strong enough to get through this. It feels like an impossible Road ahead when you are at the start line, just hope that I can see it through to the finish line. X
Sorry to hear that Twilight but you will get through this. The waiting for results is the worst bit. You now have a plan of action and need to put your trust in the medical team. The dark mist will descend at times but this forum is a great support and everyone on here will help you through it. I start chemo tomorrow and whilst clearly it wasn’t in my plans for the year it is a necessary evil and a belt and braces approach. You can do this. Have you been given a date for surgery and are you having reconstruction. Lou x
The nurse has penciled my surgery in for hopefully 4 weeks time but I have to have a body scan first to make sure it hasn’t spread anywhere, just incase I have to have chemo before the surgery. If not then I should have an appointment for surgery.
I’m not having reconstruction straight away so possibly in the future.
Not looking forward to the prospect of early menopause. X
Twilight really sorry to hear your news. If it helps, I just wanted to run away from it all when I knew what was coming down the line, like an express train heading right for me. I kept on saying to my family that I was not strong enough to deal with it, but I did & so did everyone else on here because we had to. You would be amazed at how many people have said to me that they admire how strong I’ve been facing up to it. I didn’t feel like a strong person before, but I really do now & so will you. You’ll come out of the other end, a bit battered & bruised, but you will have made it. Keep smiling Twilight, you’ll make it. xx
Not sure if anyone can help but I am so petrified about having my surgery. I was wondering if anyone else has had a mastectomy and wondered what I should expect. I have never been In hospital before this and never been put to sleep. I’m worried that I might wake up mid operation or something. The thought of the drainage tubes is scary, do they hurt when they are taken out. I am having such huge anxiety over the whole surgery thing, but I do suffer from anxiety anyway. And it’s fueling the fire. Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated xx
Oh Twilight,
Also. Do a forum search for terrified of general anaesthetic/ scared of surgery …any such sentence…and you will get various archived threads showing how not alone you are in your fear. I did those searches and bookmarked them, where people had come back after surgery and said ‘it was really ok’. In case you are wondering, I didn’t have a panic attack there, maybe a weeny one after coming round but that was adrenaline from earlier I should think. it was so quick being ‘put under’ that I’m sure it took less than a second. I didn’t feel sick and was eating biscuits 20 minutes afterwards. ?
Hi Twilight,
Like you, I’d never had surgery before I was diagnosed last year and was terrified of all the things you mention with regard to having an operation. I even became obsessed with the fact that they might not reunite me with my glasses after the op (I am useless without them) and had to be reassured that this would not happen (they ended up putting a big tag on them with my hospital number).
Since then, I’ve had two surgeries and both have been fine. None of the awful things I imagined happened.
I had a mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. Having never had an operation before, I imagined lying around groaning in pain for days. I was amazed to be sat up on the ward texting people a couple of hours after coming around then eating dinner. The next day I was walking around the ward chatting to other people and doing the first lot of physio exercises. I’ve had three drains over two ops and can honestly say I barely felt a thing when they removed them.
Easy for me to say from my position post-surgery but please don’t worry too much - you will be well looked after by the professionals.
Good luck and look after yourself.
Ruth xx
Charts I totally echo what Peggycat has said. I was exactly the same 2 operations. The bit about the glasses made me laugh as that is what I was like panicking about them going astray. I had a one night stay in hospital after my mastectomy and came home with one drain the other being taken out before I came home. I had some discomfort but nothing too bad and I did my exercises. I was back at work after 3 weeks and driving after 2. It is fear of the unknown but you will be in expert hands and all will be good. Xxx
Hi twilight sorry the news wasn’t what you have wanted but now you gave an answer and a treatment plan which I found easier than all the what ifs and not knowing. As Jo has said break it down into chunks otherwise it gets to hard and unmanageable. I know it seems to huge and difficult at present but you will work through each bit. Chemo wasn’t in my plan so that was a real shock but I had my 2nd yesterday following a weekend if family celebrations where i felt well so not doing to bad. Xxxx