Likely breast cancer after ultrasound

[spartanrunnergirl]

Hi all after routine mammogram I was referred for an ultrasound, which I had today and the radiologist said it's likely a cancer, thus did a few core biopsies. I did not know that cancer could be detected at ultrasound stage but she was pretty certain it was cancer and said the biopsies were to see what they were dealing with. Has anyone else had this? Thank you

All the best for your surgery tomorrow @BatshitCrazyWoman

Thank you! I woke up at stupid o'clock this morning ...

Thinking of you today, @BatshitCrazyWoman . Hope all goes smoothly for you. 💐

Good luck today @BatshitCrazyWoman

@chococakey I think I saw my oncologist 4 or 5 times through chemo (I had 8 rounds) just to talk about side effects, see if I needed any other medication prescribing or if there was anything he was concerned about. I spoke to the pharmacist a couple of times then obviously you see the oncology nurses at each session too, and for your blood tests. Are you have a picc line or port fitted do you know?

@dancingwhilstfacingthemusic I feel the same about the sun! It's been so grey. Hope it brightens up for you soon!

@Fillybuster, sorry I can't help with the HRT question. For radiotherapy, my skin did quite well, I only had one patch that cracked. I was told to ask the GP for alhydran cream and that worked wonders with the redness and it's helped my scarring. I don't think I was told not to use deodorant, but I don't sweat on my surgery side any more anyway! A small perk 🤣

Sorry if I've missed anyone. I've been feeling a bit unhappy recently and then realised it was because it's been a year today since the surgery. All the valentine's stuff was reminding me subconsciously I think. I've also developed cording, I didn't realise it could happen anytime after surgery!

Hope everyone has a nice weekend if they can! X

@BatshitCrazyWoman all the best for the surgery today. I was awake at silly o clock on the day I had mine too. Hope it all goes smoothly x

@SunnyValemin I don't know about a picc line or port yet. No one has said anything. But then I don't have my pre assessment for chemo until the day before my first session and it's only a telephone appointment. So really not sure! Sorry to hear you've been feeling a bit down. Certain things do remind us of the hard times. Hope you're ok x
I didn't realise cording can happen anytime after surgery. I've still got a still shoulder from my surgery in December. I am doing my exercises but just feel it's sore. Might also just be muscle tension from anxiety!

I had biopsies after ultrasound having found a lump (before eligible for routine mammograms). The radiologist told me she looks at breast all day and knows cancer when she sees it. She was right, in my case. I loved her for being honest with me, when everyone else was being breezy about it being probably nothing.

I had chemo, a lumpectomy and radiotherapy, with a complete response. No evidence of disease.

I hope for your sake it isn't, but if it is, you can do this.

I found the waiting the worst. Treatments have really changed in the 10 years since I finished mine ....and nobody's is the same anyway.
Back then I had lumpectomy, chemo then rads for triple negative cancer and carried on working with children throughout so I just wanted to say treatment doesn't always mean you can't have a life. Obviously not a walk in the park and mentally hard but doable.
Wishing you well.

@chococakey ah I see, not everyone gets a picc or a port, I saw a few people just with cannulas. I hadn't realised about the cording either, hoping the exercises will help. Everything tightened up a bit over Christmas so guessing that's when it started. Keep up the exercises for sure, i think I'm just unlucky with it developing now

According to my surgeon, all went well. I've eaten and had lots of tea 😍, will be venturing from bed to visit the loo shortly 😂

May the odds be in your favour, @BatshitCrazyWoman ! It’s great to start to feel your legs will move after the anaesthetic wears off.

Glad you’ve had lots of tea. I had to give very clear instructions for colour after I was given a tea which maybe had glimpsed a teabag from afar after my first operation. 😀

Everything crossed that all the nasties have been evicted.

Is the plan for you to be home later (sorry, brain like a sieve!)?

Home tomorrow - the benefits of private healthcare! I also get an organic teabag, a pot of hot water and a little jug of milk so I can make the tea to my liking!

I had three chemo in my arms as the only person who could do it round one was on holiday then by round two they couldn't do a picc due to damage and I had to have a Hickman. My arm was bad for a few years after doing physio and seeing the pain clinic I finally went private and had intense massage and acupuncture which freed up my arm and I could dress myself as well as no more daily migraines.

Really pleased you’re being looked after overnight @BatshitCrazyWoman The tea situation sounds optimal too. Onwards and upwards!

We’ve spent some time in the garden today as we are repurposing an area for cut flowers. It looks like the Somme as we have removed rotted fences and dug bits over (I have been careful of my pic arm and node arm!). It feels a bit like a metaphor for my own rebuilding. I’m going to spend a bit of time tonight selecting which flowers to grow and to continue to find some more ways to look ahead with positivity.

A cut flower area sounds amazing! I have a tiny garden, so no room for something as lovely.

It’s only about 2x5m and I reckon half of that is shaded 🤣 but … the little sunny plot should be just right for a few plants. We had had it for chickens and now they’ve all reached their natural elderly ends, it’s time for something else.

I hope you’re comfy and have as much posh tea as you wish to drink.

I was imagining you drifting around your cutting garden with a basket @dancingwhilstfacingthemusic , like something out of Downton Abbey!

I'm wide awake, as they keep coming to check on me, blood pressure, temperature, sats and looking at my boob. And then telling me my blood pressure is a bit low and to drink lots of water ... I know it's good to be looked after, but I would actually like some rest now! Anyway, I'm on Mumsnet and drinking the water, as instructed ...

I am wafting in with an armful of flowers for you, @BatshitCrazyWoman and with my best Maggie Smith dowager voice, telling you to rest up. Someone will be along with a tea tray and breakfast shortly.

There’s not much rest in hospital but it’s good to know they’re keeping a close eye. I hope you’ve managed to get back to sleep and they’re happy to discharge you to your own bed later.

I have EC #3 of 4 next Weds, bloods allowing. 15 out of 16 chemos so far. Nearly there.

@BatshitCrazyWoman pleased to hear it's all gone well. Hopefully home later today. Oh yeah you get no rest in hospital. Every time you nod off someone comes in to do blood pressure or something else!

@dancingwhilstfacingthemusic sounds lovely with the flowers. I noticed some of my daffodil bulbs are making an appearance in my garden. A sure sign spring is on the way.
You're so close to that chemo finishing line now!

@SunnyValemin yes nothing mentioned yet about a pic or port. Whenever I have blood tests they always have trouble finding my veins as apparently they are small and deep. So I guess we'll see how it goes when I have the first session in a couple of weeks.

Half term for us next week and we've booked to go to a hotel in Norfolk for 2 nights. Just as a mini break before me starting months of hospital treatment. My 6yo is excited as there is a pool there! I'm looking forward to a breakfast buffet

I got very excited by the brief appearance of some sunshine on Friday but crikey it’s still flipping freezing out there. @dancingwhilstfacingthemusic I’m amazed you’re cracking on with the gardening!! I’ve had just a few small jobs to do (including attaching sticky tape around our 3 miniature fruit trees that all fell victim to major fruit moth infestations last summer) for the past 6 weeks and simply have not been able to bully myself out there to get on with it. Even though I know full well that this means I’m probably way too late…

@BatshitCrazyWoman so glad it went well. How are you feeling today? There’s always a trade off between 24/7 tea service and being disturbed for checks all through the night, isn’t there?! Hope you got some sleep in the end and aren’t feeling too sore today. Are you safely back home again?

@SunnyValemin i almost hesitate to ask, but what is cording? I’ve not spoken to my Gp at all through this entire process (which seems kind of crazy when I think about it, actually), but the alhydryn cream sounds like a good shout. Maybe I’ll try to get a phone consult in the diary - to be honest, it’s usually impossible to see them with less than 6-8 weeks notice. Sorry you’ve been feeling a bit blue: I can imagine that anniversaries for all of these things can kind of catch you unawares. Hope you can find ways to be kind to yourself this week.

@chococakey enjoy the break!! I’ve been told no swimming pools for at least 6 weeks post surgery - we’re going away mid April and I’m really hoping I’ll be able to swim in pools and sea by then 🤞

You're nearly done, @dancingwhilstfacingthemusic - that's fabulous. It feels neverending, I know.

Have a good break, and enjoy the breakfast buffet @chococakey

@SunnyValemin I've got a port and it does make things easier.

We've been on a wild goose chase since leaving hospital trying, and failing, to fill a prescription for the blood thinning injections, with no joy. I'm going to call around some pharmacies tomorrow, and I'll have to Uber over to whichever pharmacy has it. Could have done without that (the private hospital has no pharmacy). Have see the physio and have my exercises, and an appointment to see them in a couple of weeks. Lying under my blanket now, as I got no sleep!

@BatshitCrazyWoman glad you're home and under your blanket, hope you manage to get some sleep/rest now your back home.

I had a nightmare getting those injections after I had my son. I had to have an emergency c-section so was meant to be prescribed those. Although I didn't know that until I'd been discharged home and the midwife came the next day and started panicking I hadn't been given them. She had to call round lots of pharmacies trying to get them on a Sunday.

Hope you manage to get it sorted. Definitely not what you need when you come out of hospital x

@Fillybuster it is freezing isn't it! I don't exactly know how to explain cording, it's sort of like a cord develops under your armpit and then down your arm. Mine isn't too bad but I can feel it pulling if I move my arm the wrong way. I think it's more likely if you have had lymph nodes removed, though I'm not exactly sure!

I got the alhydran just on an e-consult, didn't have to be seen by the GP, hopefully you don't have to jump through hoops to get it!

Hi , hope it’s ok to join this thread. I’ve name changed.
Had routine mammogram last week then had letter 4 days later asking me to come back. Went back this week and had more in-depth , I think 3D , mammogram. Then saw dr for ultrasound who said they’ve found a lump and needed to do biopsies! I asked if he thought it was cancerous and he said yes it was and that I’d need a lumpectomy. He took 2 biopsies then put in a marker where lump is. Going back next week for biopsy results.
Dr said lump is 10mm so very small and hasn’t spread to the lymph nodes.
All feel very surreal, can’t feel the lump myself at all which I guess is due to it being small. I keep thinking that the biopsies will come back clear , which will be fantastic, but dr seemed very clear that it was cancerous and reading this thread it seems quite a few of you were told the same following ultrasound and before biopsy results were back. Is there any chance lumps can look cancerous on scan and come back fine on biopsy or are biopsies taken just to confirm type of cancer ? Radiographer assisting the dr with ultrasound said dr will have seen many lumps on scan and will be able to tell which ones are cancerous on appearance.

Hello, Hon Penelope, of course you are welcome to post on here!
I'm sure it is possible for your biopsies to come back negative, but that's probably not the likeliest scenario. Specialists who look at this imaging all day generally get very good at recognising cancers. What is really positive from your description is how small your lump is and that it's clear of the lymph nodes- both very good indicators.
If you've read through the thread you'll have heard people describe the waiting as the hardest part- once you have a plan for any treatment you need, you can start moving forward through this period of your life and out the other side.
None of us can advise on someone else's medical condition, but there will be lots of awesome experienced women ready and willing to support you and help you think of questions to ask. Let us know how you are getting on...
One last thing- please don't Google- it's not your friend. There are a plethora of sources of information and assistance which you will be signposted to if the tests confirm your lump to be BC. In the meantime, all fingers and toes crossed for you .Xx

Thank you @PemberleynotWemberley . That is what the radiographer said too. Guess I hope they’ll say there's been a mistake but sounds like that is wishful thinking. I’ve had a brief read through the thread and say a poster recommended to follow Liz O’Rhiorden (? Spelling ) on instagram so have done and she seems fab
Starting to compile a list of questions to ask when I got back for the results of biopsies.
Will update how I get on.