Breast Clinic Appointment - Did you take someone with you ?

[AlwaysALargeSauvignonBlanc]

I have an appointment next week after finding a lump about 2 weeks ago. Rang GP last week, got seen the same day and had my appointment for the one stop clinic within an hour of getting home. The speed in which these things are addressed is amazing !

I am a very level headed person, I don't tend to spiral, I can put things away and keep distracted but gosh, I am struggling with this one.
I have a feeling. Absolutely nothing to substantiate it but I just have a feeling it's something rather than nothing.

I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about my kids and my husband. And I know there is absolutely no point in worrying at the moment. I just can't seem to keep distracted enough to keep the thoughts away.

Anyway, the point of my post was to find out if you took someone with you to the one stop appointment ? Part of me is thinking if it is bad news then there will be lots more appointments my husband needs to be at so this one isn't necessary. But then the thought of getting bad news on my own isn't a particularly nice one either.

I took someone with me and I've been the 'someone'. Each time I was glad that I/she wasn't alone. She had bad news so couldn't have driven home, I had better news and had a biopsy which removed everything, again I wouldn't have wanted to be on my own.
One stop clinic is amazing, however there can be a lot of information to take in.
Good luck! Most people have a good outcome.

I took a friend to my diagnostic appointment. I was expecting bad news and it was. My friend was more upset than me! It was nice having her there and to talk to on the drive home. However, I did all my other appointments alone because it was during the pandemic. I hope you don't get bad news but if you do, there will be a lot of appointments and it's not feasible to have somebody with you each time. Good luck!

I took someone. She drove me there and back, bless her. I was so glad she was there. (Thankfully it was good news for me - I had the lump removed and it was benign.)

Also to add, you may not know on that day if they have to take a biopsy as that has to be tested and that can take a week or so. If it's a cyst or fibroadenoma then they should be able to tell you there and then.

Thank you all for taking the time to reply.
I understand the logic in having someone there, driving, retaining information etc. I think I am actually more worried about my husband having to sit there and potentially get bad news than me to be honest.

Yes, TheFormidableMrsC, that was my understanding. Hoping to be able to walk out of there with that news

Hi
I'm on my 4th cancer diagnosis.
I've never taken anyone in with me for appointments, largely because I've always been more scared of the other persons reaction.

Instead, I go in with a notebook, pen and a large dose of Dutch courage. Afterwards ( because it's always bad news for me) I treat myself to a coffee and doughnut!

Everyone is different; we all deal with these situations in our own way.

Very best of luck going forward 🌼

I took someone mine was diagnosed as cancer. Subsequent appointments I largely chose to do them alone personal choice. I found other people made me more upset as they were more worried than I was

Thank you for your input Enigma & Maddy.
I have had a good chat with my husband today (something which I have felt too wobbly to do until now) and he is going to come with me.

He quite rightly said, if the shoe was on the other foot it wouldn't even be a conversation.

Just 8 more sleep deprived nights to get though 😴

Isn't the brain a wild thing ? In the last week I have 'noticed' aches and pains that I hadn't given a second thought previously.

I'm feeling better, I think. Manging to not just think about 'it' all of the time. Distraction is my friend at the moment.

I can't wait to be at the end of Tuesday!

@AlwaysALargeSauvignonBlanc the wait is so difficult isn't it! Minutes seem like hours as you tap your fingers waiting! Hope you are coping ok.

I took my DH with me, it was a long afternoon, we arrived 1.30pm had first mammogram at about 2pm, then another 2.30pm and then waited 2 hours to see Consultant, who then did a biopsy and I had to wait 30 minutes after before I could go home, so we left at 5.30pm absolutely shattered, I was coping well until nurse came to sit with me, when I was alone, I then burst into tears, my DH thought I had been given bad news there and then, but what she was telling me got me thinking about my DC. I was given another appointment one week later, the longest week, but fortunately received a phone call the morning of the appointment to tell me all was fine, so I didn’t need to attend. Wishing you well.

I took DH. Very luckily they turned out to be cysts each time and I was very glad I had him there as I was quite sore after they drained them. If it had been bad news then I would definitely have wanted him there. I think having someone with you to do the practical stuff like driving and the emotional hand-holding is invaluable. Wishing you all the best.

Mindymomo & SirChenjins so glad yours both turned out to be OK. It gives me a little hope when I feel like I'm drowning today.

spartanrunnergirl I've read through some threads and gosh, you've been through it. I hope you are coping well at the moment.

Managed to keep super busy and distracted all weekend but woke up this morning with the heaviness back.

My appointment is tomorrow so just wishing the time away now.

I hope it goes well for you tomorrow - I know it’s a terrifying time. It’s more likely not to be cancer as I’m sure you’ll already know, but it’s still a huge worry. Good luck

Good luck for tomorrow! I see you’ve found the other thread which is great! I wish for good news for you

Wishing you all the best tomorrow.

Good luck for tomorrow xx

I took my mum with, I’m glad she was there. Even though we were sure it was just a cyst, being in the clinic and seeing the signs and posters was enough for me to need a handhold.

Wishing you all the luck in the world tomorrow. All the best OP xx

I took DH and really glad I did-luckily was a fibro but the biopsy was uncomfortable and having him there as moral support made a big difference

I've had cancer three times (so far??) And I've always wanted to be alone when I knew I'd be getting the diagnosis. I just needed that few moments to deal with my feelings, without the inevitable (to me, anyway) need to deal with the feelings of others.

In all three cases, my adult child was in the waiting room and was called in a few minutes later.

It sounds like I was really cruel, but I just needed a few previous minutes to just sit with my feelings before I felt able to deal with the feelings of others.

I remember feeling similar when Mum died. At the time of her death (her family, by and large) were at her bedside. My attention then, and during the funeral was all about how my sister, niece, nephew, Adult child was coping. It was a year later before I could eventually allow myself to fall to pieces.

You do what feels right for you. Take someone, go alone. Whatever feels right for you.

@AlwaysALargeSauvignonBlancI was just on my watching threads list and saw this conversation. Hoping everything is okay, sending lots of love.

Sorry for the lack of update. Appreciate it’s probably helpful for people searching in future.

I am still waiting unfortunately. My day went like this:

Examination by Consultant which very quickly deemed it a Papilloma based on its location and didn’t see to be remotely concerned about it being anything else. Almost flippant I am going to say.

Mammogram - totally fine, not painful in the slightest, maybe a little uncomfortable but no more than a smear. I wouldn’t be bothered about having them again in the future.

Ultrasound - radiologist words were ‘nothing I am hugely concerned about but …’ she said the nodule was visible on the mammogram but there was nothing else, however, the ultrasound shows some calcium which require testing. She also checked lymph nodes but didn’t tell me anything about this as we moved quickly on to the biopsy.

Biopsy - not painful, but pulling / tugging. She took 3 samples and x-rayed them to make sure she got the calcium before sending off to the lab for testing.

Her thoughts were it would be very unusual to find calcium in a Papilloma, which is what the consultants verdict was from my assessment.

Back to the Consultant who advised 10 days to 2 weeks to wait for the results. He is happy to call me and discuss rather than make another appointment. The radiologist found a small lymph node and with the calcium that’s why she wanted to check it. (I have no idea what relevance a small lymph node would have, I assumed big ones would be an issue not small). I’m no overly enamoured with the Consultant. I felt like he was trying to make me not worry, which I understand but I am much better at being armed with as much info as possible. I don’t do well with unknowns and felt he was being a bit blasé almost.
But, he’s the expert !

So here I am, 6 days on and waiting. It’s torture.

I have been three times and only a couple of women had people with them BUT they aren’t allowed past the first waiting room.

My husband came into the examination and the conversation afterwards with the Consultant. He didn't come in to the mammogram / ultrasound / biopsy - waited in the waiting room.

ust had a phone call from the hospital asking me to go in for an appointment on Thursday.
I asked for some more information as my consultant was confident he would just call me, so it’s clearly more than just giving me a result and sending me on my way.
She said she didn’t have any information and passed me over to the Breast Care Nurses but have had to leave them a voicemail.

Here goes …