Cancer support thread 62 - here comes the sun (hopefully)

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Good evening

Our previous thread is here

If you've got cancer, this is the thread for you. Introduce yourself and feel free to ask any questions. We also welcome anyone who is waiting for cancer tests. We know how scary it can be. So don't be shy. We will happily hold your hand and hopefully wave goodbye when you get good news :)

Hi Leslie just popping in to say sorry you've been experiencing an increase in symptoms and suffering additionally with hay fever. Waiting for scan results is awful isn't it? I'm sure they'll have a plan whatever the results are. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and wishing you well.

My next scan is mid-June and results end June. They'll either send me away for a rest before it comes back again or put me on another regime. I'm feeling pretty good at the moment though so I'm hoping for a rest.

Thank you TQ :) I feel prepared for whatever they say. And I have complete faith in my oncologist.

I hope you'll be able to have a rest after June's scan. Just in time for the summer!

Hi Gin,
it's absolutely horrible waiting for test results....as Leslie says, 9 out of 10 breast lumps are benign...so fingers very firmly crossed for you.
Everyone copes differently....I kept determinedly busy, worked hard and arranged things to do most nights to keep my mind off it.
Sleeping became slightly problematic, though that was after diagnosis, but people are so happy to help, my lovely GP prescribed a short course of sleeping pills etc.
Again at the actual breast clinic they are incredibly kind, I find mammograms slightly wince making, but ultra sound and biopsy not a problem at all.
The likelihood is it WON'T be cancer..but if it is...breast cancer can be really quite doable...that's not to negate it can also be a complete bugger....but for the vast majority the survival rates are amazing. I finished treatment under a year ago (lumpectomy and radiotherapy), physically I was fine and again lots of women are.
Mentally i will admit i still struggle sometimes with anxiety that it will come back.....but again not hugely, most of the time I carry on with my life and even forget it ever happened sometimes. Recently I completely the moonwalk....and I promise I'm generally a wimp, cry every time I get my eyebrows threaded!
Hope that helps a little bit and feel free to DM me any questions..whatever they might be. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
Leslie...i will be thinking of you tomorrow and hoping for the best possible results...
TQ....has that understairs cupboard been tackled yet?!! So pleased you're feeling ok.
Today I'm writing about the use of pets for mental health therapy..but mostly wishing i hadn't drunk so much vodka last night..ahem!
waves to all. xxx
oh and Miles....v sorry to hear your news...hope treatment not too gruelling..xxx

Ahem.... understairs cupboard has dropped to bottom of my 'might-do-if-I'm-feeling-like-it' list! DCs are distracting me with to-ing and fro-ing..

Hi Gin as others have said the waiting is definitely the worst part but the chances are that you have nothing to worry about, it's much more likely to be something other than cancer.

I had a mammogram and ultrasound last week and I didn't find the mammogram painful at all, I'm not sure if it's the same for everyone but I got my results straight away and although I have a definite lump they said it's nothing to worry about as it's just fatty tissue. Good luck for Friday and let us know how you get on

I've been wondering how you've been getting on TQ, I'm pleased to hear you're feeling good. Fingers crossed for your scan 🤞

I've just had my appointment letter through for my MRI, it's next Sunday. I was hoping it would have been a weekday so I could have a day off work ah well, at least it's not until 4:00 so I can have a lazy day before going though

Welcome Gin Hope it turns out to be nothing, it most likely will. I've never tried to be sane, I've just embraced the madness, so sorry can't help with that

Good luck for tomorrow Leslie

TQ Glad you are feeling good but shocked you've not done that cupboard. My house is immaculate good job you can't see through the internet

Freddie I'm not convinced my cat would help mental health. She's very cute and cuddly but waits until everyone is asleep then howls really loudly every hour for 5 mins.

Purple Glad you have your MRI through.

Hospital are supposed to have faxed my results through today to GPs.

Will they be able to tell you the results over the phone tomorrow if you give them a ring Penguins? Although surely they would have rang you if it was bad news so fingers crossed your results are fine

Hi everyone.

I've been lurking on Mumsnet for a while but have never posted before. I also don't have cancer (that I know of), but earlier today my GP made an urgent referral for me to visit a breast clinic about a lump I found yesterday. Apparently the firmness of the lump is a concern. I have had bouts of severe health anxiety, but have never experienced such an obvious physical symptoms of any illness. I know most lumps are benign, but I am getting more worried as the hours go on.

I don't have anyone to talk to about it, and I have just been seized by the notion that having a response of any sort from strangers on the internet might make me feel a bit better(!). Especially after reading Gin's posts today, as she seems to be just one step further along with things than I am.

It's very generous of you to let people join in who are just being tested, not diagnosed. Thanks for reading.

Thanks Purple I've sent an e-mail to doctors saying they are arriving as its in my maiden name and saying can they call if its something serious that can't wait to 30th. I'm not sure if my doctors can read CT scans well even but they should have a rough idea. I won't get proper results until 30th but hopefully someone will call if there's anything major.

Its very unlikely to be cancer Flourella but always best to get properly checked.

flourella you’re definitely in the right place, posting here. The ‘not knowing’ bit when you are going through tests can be one if the most worrying bits, especially as there is often a strong urge to keep it private in RL until you know what - if anything - you’re dealing with. So online support is important - and we perhaps know that better than most,

I had my MRI done today, all very efficient and friendly. Minimum of 10 days for results (as it’s routine surveillance of what was pronounced benign six months ago). So if I’m not called in early, I can assume it’s no news is good news.

Ginworksforme - I love your user name! And it’s kind of a reflection of where I am now, as I’ve utterly lost my tolerance to my previous red tipple

Thank you for responding, penguins and iVampire. I don't know how to make someone's name bold; should I be doing that to reply properly?

I think this waiting is going to be tough. Right now, all I know is that I have a lump, it needs investigating, and the result of the tests will show cancer or not cancer. But it's quite difficult to not see those outcomes as being equally plausible; i.e. it's 50/50. I will need to find some good distractions!

Being new, I'm not sure of the exact situation of anyone here, but iVampire, it seems that you are awaiting results to confirm a benign condition? I certainly hope you get good news from your MRI soon.

The MRI is icw a cyst they found on my liver as an incidental finding when I was going through the diagnostic pathway.

I have leukaemia, and am ‘lucky’ that I have one of the most treatable forms (CML). I had other symptoms around the time of diagnosis, so had a full neck to knees CT scan, followed by MRI of liver as they needed to have a closer squint at something that shouldn’t be there, which they decided was benign cyst (not uncommon, apparently). But wanted another look at 6 months to check it still looks innocuous, and if it does then it will be roundly ignored unless I become symptomatic. I have regular blood tests including liver function anyhow, as the targeted drug I’m on (not chemo on the classic sense, but still cytotoxic) can be hostile to both liver and kidneys. Most recent blood test showed a rise in one liver enzyme, so I’m on enhanced blood testing for the next six weeks so they can assess what’s going on. Running a bit high on that enzyme isn’t necessarily a problem, an inexorable rise would be. I’m doing my very best to shove that possibility out of my mind. But I expect it’ll come and bite me as next consultant appointment approaches

Gosh vampire, I'm sorry that I got that wrong. In that case, I hope your scan and blood tests show that your liver remains uninvolved with the leukemia, if that's the right way to put it, and that the leukemia treatment is working.

I've read so much in the last 24 hours and I can't believe the learning curve people diagnosed have to go on just to make sense of their status. Or maybe I'm just unusually badly informed about cancer and cancer treatments.

Hi Flourella Don't worry about the bold but if you want to its a star before and after what you want bold with no spaces. Took me a while too.

I am just testing like you, results on 30th. Hopefully you will have the all clear soon.

Hi penguins

Thanks for telling how to make words come out in bold. Let's see if I managed it just now!

I hope you get good news next week.

Goodnight everyone. I won't reply to everyone as it's late and I'm sleepy! I've been at a concert and it was great fun :)

McZeba good luck with your MRI, which I think is tomorrow

I hope you all sleep well.

Hello everyone

I hope you don't mind me jumping on the thread. I just wanted to ask if anyone has experience with a dent/sunken area on the breast? And what was your outcome?

I noticed mine a few weeks ago on the right breast just beside the nipple. The nipple tilts into it a little when lying flat. I couldn't feel any lumps near it myself, but the GP said she could feel a pea sized lump.

Anyway I am just waiting for the appt to come through now, but am trying not to worry too much as I went last year with a lump on the left breast which turned out to be a fibroadenoma.

Thanks for reading

Thinking of you today Leslie. Best of luck with the results. Throwing positive vibes to you in bucketloads. Let us know how you get on

Thank you purple :) my appointment is not until this afternoon and they'll be running hours late by then so it's going to be a long wait. I might do some baking to distract myself. How are you?

Welcome Jaysus sorry I've no experience (bowel cancer here) but hopefully someone else will. Even if not we will be able to hold your hand while you wait I hope you get your appointment soon

Thank you for your reply and hand hold. Good luck with your appt. Hope it goes well

Thank you all so much for your replies and hand holding. And hello Flourella and AhJaysus, seems like we are all in the same boat and I hope that your lumps turn out to be nothing to worry about at all. My appointment to see the consultant and to have mammogram and ultrasound is on Friday evening, at what sounds like a very well organised 'one stop shop', so I'll report back after then. I haven't told anyone except my DH about it all as I don't want to worry anyone unnecessarily, especially not DS1 who is in the middle of GCSEs.

Leslie, I hope your appointment goes well today. What will you be baking to pass the time???

thinking of you leslie I'm strangely addicted to Bake Off the Professionals and am imagining a very elaborate creation.....!! My repertoire however stretches to chocolate fridge cake....and even that's not great...
twitter my understairs cupboard is looking quite attractive today when the alternative is writing about finances.....especially as my grip on my own is worse than my baking....eeeeeeek
waves to all.....and any breast lump questions feel free to ask me...xx

AhJaysus I don't know anything about dents in breasts, sorry. I am having a lump investigated and am hoping it turns out to be one of these fibroadenomas that you had last year. Perhaps they can cause dents as well, and your new small lump is just another of those?

Gin thanks for responding. I would like to hear what happens your appointment on Friday; not just that you (hopefully) get the all clear, but also exactly what goes on with each test. And I also want my appointment to come through as quickly as yours has! I keep trying to tell myself that it will only be a matter of days so don't think about it, but it's too easy to have a quick feel of the lump (not in public!) and see that it's still there and start obsessing over it.

flourella try to resist poking it because you might end up making it sore/bruised etc and giving yourself more to worry about! :) I'm sure it's hard not to though.

I gave up on the idea of baking as it's too hot in the kitchen. I'll wait until this evening. (I usually make some cakes to take to chemo with me). I'm going to make some strawberry cupcakes.

freddie I used to make more elaborate cakes but tbh I've found the simpler ones are often more enjoyable. Often the Bake Off ones are nice to look at but I never really fancy eating them. Give me a boring old lemon drizzle cake any day!

I've been to the gym which was a good distraction. I'm not really worried about the results themselves. What I'm most worried about is the awkwardness of my consultant telling me the results I just find it very stressful. Especially if it's bad news and everyone is looking at you and expecting a certain reaction. I feel almost embarrassed and apologetic like I've let my medical team down by having cancer

flourella I'm actually a little jealous that you can poke your lump! Even though my doctor found mine and made me feel it at my appointment, I can't feel it now, or I'm not sure I can. So I keep prodding myself and then thinking I'm going mad! I had actually gone to see the doctor because I was worried about the other breast, which had increased in size, but she couldn't feel anything except 'generalised lumpiness' in that one. She seemed really concerned about the lump she found though. Anyway, I will definitely report back in detail on the tests/consultation I have on Friday so that you know what to expect and I hope your appointment comes through quickly.

Jaysus how long have you been waiting for your appointment?

Is anyone happy to share their age? I'm 43 so I'm wondering if the lumps and bumps and changing breast size could be explained by my time of life, moving towards menopause etc.