Newly diagnosed and grateful for this forum

Diagnosed with breast cancer Recently diagnosed with breast cancer
1

Hi,

so grateful for finding this forum and for all of you sharing your stories, worries, experiences, thank you.

I knew my lump was going to be cancer, referred within 6 days and grateful for doctor confirming it was cancer after mammograms and ultrasound. Had titanium marker and biopsies but have to wait until 22nd for biopsy results, diagnosis of what type and treatment plan.

Two things I would like to share for now, firstly having just surfaced from over two tears of severe mental health issues including suicide plans this time last year I find this cancer diagnosis easier to deal with, sorry if that sounds shocking but I will explain -instead of struggling to know where to turn and how to get help for my mental health trauma (which I did thankfully eventually and just in time) outside of NHS with psychiatrist report and then finding a psychologist to work with, ongoing) - with this cancer diagnosis, in total contrast, I feel I am in already getting speedy help from caring knowledgeable NHS staff and I am in the right hands, have experts to diagnose precisely, put together a treatment plan, inform me, talk to me etc which means that despite feeling scared and worried I feel I will be guided and not left on my own… that’s also why this forum is such a wondrous find already.

The realisation, eight days after finding the lump and waiting til 22nd for treatment plan, that there is no such thing as a ‘normal’ day anymore. Sending everyone on this forum good wishes x

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Hi JJJ

What an encouraging post. I can understand the contrast of the breast care service versus mental health services (which have been disintegrating for years and which seem geared to make the patient believe it’s their fault if treatment doesn’t succeed in the magic number of sessions you’re allocated- 12/22/26?) but I have an additional, different take. I’ve had MH issues all my life and have phobias no treatment has ever reached but, to be honest, not even cancer can touch the horror of a panic attack (and never believe they can only last 20 minutes!!). So I found myself being quite phlegmatic about it all (once I’d got my sickness phobia dealt with) and I think I have a store of strategies that enable me to handle the shock and the fears better than someone who may never have experienced anxiety and panic on a regular scale. I really feel for some of the newcomers on here. Their world has been overturned and they can’t manage the feelings, which really are simple shock. So I’m not sure we are lucky but there is an upside to our life experience.

Good luck with the treatment plan. It’s all manageable and we come through the other side. Just don’t expect your life to be exactly the same. All the best

Jan x