Grade 1 breast cancer

[ohdoriswheresthesalad]

I have been diagnosed with grade 1 Non specific type breast cancer today with dcis in situ. Lymph nodes clear from ultrasound.

I am massively worried. has anyone had any experience of this?

• [Title and first post edited at OP's request - originally titled Stage 1 breast cancer]

I feel like the 18th planning appointment is going to be the next bad news day! Had one the 4th 2 weeks later there’ll be more to come

hoe are you this morning @LoudSnoringDog

So the 18th is your pre op is that correct and then you have your lumpectomy shortly after? ( I had just over a week between mine).
I had a very uncomfortable night, my consultant had pre warned me of nerve pain occurring a few days after the op, mainly around the area of the sentinal node biopsy. She wasn’t wrong, the nerves have all come back in full bang. I have felt like I’ve been stabbed constantly all night around my shoulder.

18th yes and then op the 22nd. It’s on my letter that it says MRI results 18-12.

oh you poor thing. I hope you have a settled day bless you xx

go for a long walk and regulate your breathing, particularly through your nose, mouth closed. Slow and calm. Look at nice decorations or trees or gardens - what ever is around you.

I also have asthma and sometimes anxiety messes up the breathing which feels similar to asthma. This is part of a technique called Buteyko breathing which has been found to be extremely effective for asthma, anxiety and also athletes.

I’m on the phone to the macmillian helpline

I hope they can help

theyre telling me im catastrophically making things worse in my head

Ok - what do you think?

I hope you’re ok and the call was helpful. I wonder if your gp can give you some beta blockers -they can be helpful for one off situations like this.

Hope this afternoon goes well

@Ikeameatballlunch oh, 100% that’s what I’m doing I know that that’s what I’m doing. But I can’t tell my brain to not do it
I spoke to one of the breast Care nurses as well and everything she was saying I was turning on its head to turn into something bad I asked her if there was a reason that I should be catastrophise And she kind of skirting around the issue trying to be kind, and then I freaked out and cried Because I thought she was telling me that I was right to have catastrophic thoughts because she knew something that I didn’t

Have you been able to arrange counselling?

just an afternoon to get through - what chocolate bar might you get from the hospital shop?

in reckon you’re allowed two bars, one for before and one for afterwards ;)

I spoke to McMillan this morning, but I don’t think I went through to the right bit, it was a man and he said he’s not a counsellor, but he did listen to me For a good 45 minutes, bless him. He was so kind And he said it sounds like for me at the moment My thoughts are worse Than the diagnosis if that makes sense, not that the diagnosis isn’t bad But he said It seems to him like I’ve already decided the outcome of all this and I’ve only had one appointment

Going to get a hot chocolate afterwards. Don’t think I can eat I’m soo anxious and nervous

That’s the joy of anxiety! <sarcasm>

When we lived in caves we had to assume the worst when a sabre toothed tiger turned up - the adrenaline made ready to run or fight (flight or fight. That’s why physical movement / exercise can help calm nerves.) it’s how we survived those threats.

Our brains can still react like this as it’s a survival mechanism. The problem is adrenaline then magnifies what ever the issue is x 1000. And the anxiety spirals.

Thats how counselling can help, it helps to put things into perspective and calm the adrenaline.

can you ring go your gp today? I wonder if an urgent appointment might help you?

35 years ago, at the same time of the year, I was diagnosed like you were OP. Told it was probably benign but called in the following day to be told it wasn’t.
I had a lumpectomy and that was that, no other treatment and I’m now nearly 72.
i was a nurse, I knew far too much about cancer and I too wondered if I’d even make 40!
I had regular mammograms, nothing else has ever happened. My incision was about 2 inch long, upper outer quadrant left boob. The lump was 3cm x 1.5 cm , no spread.
So there are good outcomes OP from Stage 1 breast cancer, no radiotherapy or tamoxifen back then.

Hope you are ok @ohdoriswheresthesalad

I’m still waiting for the MRI.
I saw there nurse before I came over and I feel worse now than I ever have.
kept emphasising the mri gives best possible imaging and we need to wait for the images. The aim is treat and cure.
things could change stages and grade can change after surgery.

I feel like everything I’ve been thinking positive is a lie now.

what would you tell your family if they were thinking and saying the same?

I’d be telling them to get a grip.

How did the MRI go? X

It wasn’t the best. I’ve done it now.
o have a terrible headache from the noise.
still terrified.
how are you feeling @LoudSnoringDog

@Zippedydodahthat’s absolutely amazing!!! I want to be you when I grow up! 35 years that’s truly incredible!

Everything feels very peculiar tonight. I’ve been advised to go to gp and get some sleeping tablets and some beta blockers?

Who advised you? I find beta blockers are fantastic for situational anxiety. You don’t have to take them all the time. I’ll be taking some today as work is v stressful at the moment. I wish I’d taken them yesterday as do sleep better when I’m not stressed.

sleep is really important for clear thinking

sorry I can’t post much, work is v busy and we aren’t allowed phones