**Tamoxigang Thread 52** With virtual tea, cakes and chat for all with cancer concerns

[Lilymaid]

We were almost at our 1000 post limit for Thread 51 - hope the title is OK but wanted people to know that we aren't just about people on Tamoxifen but for all with cancer concerns!

L I'm sorry to hear that - it's just not reassuring is it? They're clearly overloaded in the clinic (my appt was at 9.20 so no time for them to have built up a wait that day) but all the information prior to that makes you think you'll be reassured that day

I have my ultrasound this evening but they have told me that if I need anything extra (FNA or biopsy) then I will need to come back again and then wait for a letter with the outcome. There is very clearly a hard mobile lump in my breast so I'm guessing I will need a FNA or biopsy? But then I don't know so I'll wait. Again.

I hope you get an appointment very soon L

I'm very sorry to read that you have both had disappointing experiences of the breast clinic. It sounds like your hospitals are struggling and by getting you in front of a surgeon within two weeks they are following the guidelines. Unfortunately, a surgeon cannot diagnose breast cancer by having a quick feel, mine couldn't be felt at all.

Having to then wait for scans is not how it should be, nor should you receive news by post, especially if it is bad news. You should leave hospital after a biopsy with an appointment for the following week to get your results and be talked through the treatment if you have cancer.

Waiting is very frightening, stay away from google.

Like Mrs Rhod I'm sorry you've both got more waiting. Mine was a one stop shop, cancer confirmed by mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy all in one visit then I just had to wait a week for the more detailed findings.

Hope everyone's ok, I do read but don't always have anything to add plus am busy with work, roll on half term next week :) love to all x

It's bloody frustrating isn't it ISee? I notice your appointments have been on a tuesday and thursday, my local hospital only has it's breast clinic on those days, I wonder if we're going to the same one? Best of luck for your ultrasound, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that today will be the last appointment you need.

It is so frustrating and anxiety inducing L! Are you in Liverpool?

Apparently I have a breast full of cysts the lump I could feel was 2cm and has been aspirated. I'm very relieved and very grateful for your support. I might pop back from time to time as my mums treatment progresses but in the meantime I wish you all well on your journey

That's great news ISee, you must be so relieved! I'm in Norfolk so not the same hospital. I hope your mums treatment goes as smoothly as it can.

Sooo relieved . Well, it looks like the NHS is struggling to meet the 2 week wait targets if it's not just one area eh? I really hope you get good news L, the numbers are on your side x

Great news Isee. I hope your mum's treatment goes smoothly.

Good news indeed Isee, and for you too Karen - glad you both had short stays!

Any more news Lthewife?

I had my second EC on Tuesday - 2 down, 2 to go! Was fine in itself but then my plane was delayed coming back and I was exhausted by the time I fell into bed at about 2am! Doing ok now though, back to exercising and no real side effects yet. Still have hair, touch wood! Cold cap seems to be doing something...

... am now going back next Thursday for genetic testing to add to my journeys to and fro to the UK. It's all go.

Hot Choc how are you getting on post first chemo, ok? Are you checking in on the YBCN on FB much? I find that the group dominates my whole FB feed and it's all cancer cancer cancer on my news feed so I might ungroup myself - not sure I can work out how else to tone down the number of posts I get from them!

Boobz glad to hear you're doing well I had the same problem with that group, joined in but then left as it was all over my FB and sometimes you don't need the constant reminders

You can edit your notification settings so that posts in a group don't show on your timeline xx

I tried that but failed Shadow?

Glad to hear you're getting on ok Boobz, all that travelling sounds exhausting!

I've not had an appointment for the ultrasound through yet so I doubt I'll be seen until next Thursday at the earliest.

My mum is trying to be reassuring but I swear sometimes she doesn't think before she speaks! She's angry on my behalf that I'm having to wait and told me the story of her first breast lump (which she says felt similar to mine). Her and her best friend, both in their early 30's, found similar feeling lumps within a few days of each other, both got sent to the breast clinic on different days. Mum went through the one stop process, was told it was a cyst and had it aspirated the same day. Her best friend was also supposed to go through the one stop process but like me was told she'd have to come back for a scan and the whole thing dragged out for quite a while. I think Mum was trying to be reassuring and say that it just happens like this sometimes, but hadn't thought ahead. Her friend (who I adored as a child and knew as Auntie friends name) was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer and passed away less than 8 months later.

I knew there was a reason I don't usually discuss my problems with mum!

Hello everyone, hope everyine is well

Thought I'd pop in and ask for any experiences of being referred to the breast clinic after finding a lump?

Found one about a month ago by chance as I leaned over DD in bed and cupped my boob, assumed it was a blocked duct due to breastfeeding 5mo DS but a month on its still there and painless, wouldn't have even gone to the Dr today if it wasn't for my mum making me an appointment and then telling me about it!

GP agreed definite lump, so I have been given an urgent referral. No other symptoms, just a lump. 29 with no family history of breast cancer so I am doing my very best to be rational but failing

I feel like crying every time I look at the kids.

Luckily the clinic I am going to has a rapid diagnosis thing meaning ill find out that day what it is.

Can anyone tell me what actually happens at the appointment please? Is it best to take DH along?

Hello naice, sorry you are going through this frightening time but keep in mind that its most likely to be something innocent. What should happen is that you will be seen by a consultant/ surgeon who will ask questions and do a manual examination. You will then be sent for an ultrasound scan, completely painless. If nothing is found of any concern you will be sent back to the consultant to get the good news.

If the radiologist finds something that needs further investigation they may do a biopsy, there are different methods of doing this but you should get a local anaesthetic so don't worry. It usually takes about a week for the results to come through so you should leave with an appointment for the clinic the following week. Lots of biopsy results come back clear, they just have to be sure. Some doctors/ radiologists will actually tell you immediately if they suspect the worst but it depends entirely on the dr in question I think. I would definitely take someone with you.

That is what should happen but if you read back over the last couple of pages you will see that it doesn't always go to plan and sometimes there are no appts for scans available on the day. Sounds like you won't encounter this though. Good luck.

Boobz, sorry, you need to unfollow the YBCN group. I've done that, and set my notifications to off, and don't see anything on my FB feed. It does get overwhelming, doesn't it?

Hi all. Yes Boobz, the fb feed is a bit much. A lot of the time it's depressing too. I have been trying to ignore it.

I am feeling well after my chemo thanks. My second one is next Thursday. My hair has started falling out though, which isn't so good.

I hope that it's good news, Naice. I took my DH along and was v glad for it. I got told at my first appt that I almost certainly had cancer. Had mammogram, ultrasound and biopsies all then and the biopsy results a week later.

Anyone got plans for the long weekend?

Hi Everyone,

Can I join you? I've just been diagnosed with intermediate DCIS. Going to have operation within 30 days, get date next week. May have to have radiotherapy.

Can't take it all in really. I know it's not really really bad news but I'm on my own, two older teenagers and an 11 year old I'm not sure how I'm going to manage a hospital stay and then not being able to drive.

Hi Sienna17, welcome to the forum. It's a bit quiet here tonight and I'm afraid I don't know too much about DCIS, other than as you say, it's not the worst news at all. I'm sure there is experience of it here, someone will shout out.

It's all a shock at first, whatever the diagnosis, but I'm sure it's much more overwhelming when you are facing it on your own. Now is the time to call on anyone who may be able to help out, parents of your children's friends, your friends, family. At the beginning people are happy to help out so grab them and give them a task. How old are your teenagers? Do you know how long you might be in hospital? Is it far from where you live?

The strange thing about this is that before the treatment starts you feel perfectly well so you can do a lot of preparation. Fill the freezer, teach your dc to do various essential jobs etc. mine were 17 and 20 last year at diagnosis and after the initial shock they were a great help and support. Fortunately the eldest could drive, which was great. I'm exactly a year on this week and feel great, there is a future.

Hi sienna
I had widespread high grade dcis so I had a mastectomy which meant no radiotherapy needed.
The outcomes for dcis are very good but it is still a big shock to get the diagnosis and worrying to have to go through it all.
What operation are you having?

Waving to everyone else waiting for news or getting through treatment.

I'm still waiting for the outcome of my hysteroscopy. It'll be 2 weeks on Tuesday. Trying just to get on with things and not think too much but I am obvs. Still having a little bleeding too which is freaking me out as everything I read says that's supposed to stop after a few days. I have been dashing around a lot with work so plan to take it easy the next few days.

Wishing everyone a good long weekend.

Thank you mrsrhod and marshy.

I'm having a Wide Local Excision to remove the cancer cells and an area round them. Then once they've examined them they tell me if I need radiotherapy. I should be home the same day but they've said I may not be able to drive for 2 weeks. Then the radiotherapy would be a few weeks later every day for 3 weeks at a different hospital 25 miles away.

This has just hit me so hard and made me realise how totally on my own I am. Friends are lovely and supportive but at the end of the day I've got no one to give me a hug and tell me everything will be all right.

I really don't know how I am going to manage, my youngest is in her last term at primary and there are so many things going on and also taster days and meetings at her new secondary school. Also I've just got a new job - due to start at beginning of September, just told my current work I'm leaving and now this!

Sienna you poor thing! Timing for this kind of thing is always crap but your health must be a priority. The good news is that the outlook for someone with dcis is excellent so try not to worry too much about that.

The practicalities sound a challenge. Recovery from your op is usually straightforward. You shouldn't have to be off work for too long. Rads appointments are a pain in terms of having to turn up for them but I think they will try to time your appts around your other commitments especially re children. I didn't have rads but others did who will be along to advise. Time to call in all favours I think. People can be very surprising in what they will do to help. Have you been introduced to a breast care nurse ywt. They are normally great for information and some emotional support. I cried all over mine on many occasions!

We're here to help too!

Hi Sienna, how are you? As others have said, prepare as much before hand. I felt shakey after the op, but still did basic cooking etc. good excuse not to do the hoovering or ironing.

I had my radiotherapy in a local hospital. I literally did the school run, had half an hour or so at home before going to the hospital, having my radiotherapy ( it didn't take long), and then driving to work. Towards the end I felt tired in the evening, and was usually in bed by 9pm, but could carry on reasonably well during the day. Hope all goes well for you.

marshy - I've got my scan and consultants appt, in a couple of weeks time. Last Monday, had a phone call asking why I didn't attend he scan earlier that day. ' cause I didn't know about it! I not too nervous every about the scan( yet), but am nervous every about drinking two pints/litres of
Water, and then not going to the toilet. Any tips?

Naive - how are you? In my first appt, I spoke to the consultant whomexamined by breasts and chatted generally. I think I had a mammogram and ultrasound. Usually they give the requests immediately. My results weren't clear, so I also had a biopsy. The breast cancer nurse also chatted to us. It's very much a one stop shop and was very well organised. It's worth taking a book to read though, because sometimes you have to wait between each appointment/procedure.

Hi river
drat re the scan appt! The info with my scan appt letter said to drink 1 - 2 pints of water an hour before the appt. So I swallowed the last mouthful exactly an hour before. My hospital is about 10 mins by car from my house and I was seen promptly. After the scan over my tum, she wanted to do the transvaginal one (where they put the wand thing up your foof) and I was allowed to go for a pee before that thank goodness. So I had to contain a full bladder for quite a short time really which is just as well as my pelvic floor could probably do with some toning.