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Original poster

Scared. Two week urgent referral

121 replies

Oneglassisnotenough · 11/05/2023 01:33

I can’t sleep for worry. I have severe anxiety as it is.

I have been referred for the urgent two week cancer pathway. Have had symptoms for a while and an internal scan has found something that doesn’t look good on my ovary.
Got to have blood tests for tumour markers on Friday. Dr sounded very serious when she called me today and apologised for telling me over the phone but due to the urgency she said that she had to. I’m seeing her tomorrow.

Please can someone hold my hand.

OP posts:
Original poster
Oneglassisnotenough · 14/05/2023 09:28

Objectrelations · 13/05/2023 22:41

Can you do something to keep really busy tomorrow @Oneglassisnotenough ?

I barely slept last night . Feel very anxious but trying to breathe through it.

Its horrible .

OP posts:
Robotik · 14/05/2023 11:50

Whatever it is, you will deal with it: this is the worst part, the waiting. Whatever happens I promise the next part is easier, it’s the not knowing is the worst. Can you get a hold of your GP for sleeping tablets at all?

Freshfoods · 14/05/2023 12:58

This system makes me really annoyed. There must be a better way other than causing people extreme anxiety for two weeks. It's routine for the medics, but very upsetting for the patients. I don't think anyone says, 'a two week referral, oh well, never mind, I just won't think about it.'
Why can't the NHS decide who is a priority, arrange an appointment for them and then let them know a couple of days before? They could at least spare people the stress of waiting.

Original poster
Oneglassisnotenough · 14/05/2023 18:32

Oh my goodness. Please can I have a million handholds. I am in a terrible state despite two glasses of wine and a diazepam.

Have not stopped crying. Panicking. Catastraphising ( can’t even spell) and I am here with my two children. My husband works abroad at the moment and has come home for the weekend but has to now fly back. And I am in such a state.
I feel sick

OP posts:
Original poster
Oneglassisnotenough · 14/05/2023 18:42

Bump

OP posts:
Nicklebox · 14/05/2023 18:58

Please try to keep calm do some slow breathing. I had some scans last year of my ovaries i have some cysts which they decided were ok to leave i also had a CA125 test which was low so ok, but I had to wait over 2 weeks for results so I know how worrying it can be. They also found a large tumor which after a lot of scans and tests and endoscopy have decided that its not cancer. It is somewhere in my duodenum. I am currenty waiting for latest biopsy result another 2 week wait to find out what sort of tumor it is and whether it needs to be removed. It has taken from April last year until now to get this far. I am on Sertraline for anxiety as it has all been very worrying. I really hope you get some good news soon. Try to take one day at a time.

Candleabra · 14/05/2023 19:11

Handhold here. Take some deep breaths. Feel the floor beneath your feet, try and focus on naming objects around the room to ground yourself. Keep breathing xx

Candleabra · 14/05/2023 19:12

And please don’t drink any more alcohol after taking diazepam.

Peekingovertheparapet · 14/05/2023 19:15

I think the only way you can look at this is that until the ultrasound this mass was there, growing, unchecked. As far as I can tell you don’t have obvious symptoms yet, so without the scan you would be none the wiser.

yes, it is scary, but now that it’s been found they are doing something - first they will work out exactly what it is and then what to do. The only way is up.

JlL2013 · 14/05/2023 19:16

Honestly, this is the worst part. If it is bad news, when you have a treatment plan in place everything will seem better, it's the not knowing, the waiting for a call or a letter which is the worst part. Stay away from Google.

Original poster
Oneglassisnotenough · 14/05/2023 19:18

Thank you so much everyone. Honestly, I am in a such a bad state. Feel quite hysterical and am desperately DESPERATELY trying to calm down.
Tears are rolling and rolling.
Your kind words mean a lot . Thank you 💕

OP posts:
newjobnewstartihope · 14/05/2023 19:31

Freshfoods · 14/05/2023 12:58

This system makes me really annoyed. There must be a better way other than causing people extreme anxiety for two weeks. It's routine for the medics, but very upsetting for the patients. I don't think anyone says, 'a two week referral, oh well, never mind, I just won't think about it.'
Why can't the NHS decide who is a priority, arrange an appointment for them and then let them know a couple of days before? They could at least spare people the stress of waiting.

Because there just isn't the capacity to do so. It's a different debate altogether
Good luck op I've been there myself earlier this year. The worry can be overwhelming. However the positives are if there is something going on you will soon be getting the treatment you need but best case scenario is it's nothing serious

Candleabra · 14/05/2023 19:35

Are you able to do something to distract yourself? Do you have a garden?

Daisythecat15 · 14/05/2023 19:42

This literally happened to me in January. 2 week wait for a mass found near my ovary. I was petrified, like you. I was told it was an unidentified mass and it was an urgent referral to gyne oncology. I'd been having bleeding between periods for years, and a few months of bladder issues and pain.

But after a week of crying and imagining myself dying, I went to my appointment and it turned out to be a benign ovarian tumour. The gynecologist was not concerned, despite my GP saying some very serious things. I had an MRI then 3 weeks later which confirmed it. Even benign masses can cause all sorts of symptoms. I'm actually having surgery to have it removed on Tuesday!

I really hope everything goes well for you. Try not to catastrophise. Waiting for the appointment was awful, I know how you feel. But it's not long now 💐

DyslexicPoster · 14/05/2023 19:44

Try if you can to ssshhh down your racing thoughts if you can.

What if its bad news? Say but what if its not? I don't know yet, I will deal with it as it happens.

So I know it's hard to impossible but just keep saying that. To to the little niggling thoughts.

I had a urgent mri for brain cancer. Bloody terrified. It wasn't cancer btw. If you let your mind go to "but what it is?" You will go down the wormhole, so just repeat what if its not? What if its not? I don't know yet.

IHateLegDay · 14/05/2023 19:57

Sending you a massive handhold!
I'm so sorry you're going through this and I hope that it's benign!
You'll be in my prayers!

There's a sleepscape app called loóna and I use it to calm down when my anxiety is really bad! Stick some headphones in and lose yourself in it xxxx

Skidamarinkadinkadink · 14/05/2023 20:13

Good luck for Tuesday OP

SqueakyDinosaur · 14/05/2023 20:19

I'm so sorry you have all this to deal with, OP. It's really tough that your husband is working away at the moment. Do you have friends or family nearby who can help you with the children?

I'm another ovarian cancer survivor - diagnosed about 2.5 years ago after a fall in which I broke 6 ribs - they only picked it up because they were doing various scans to see what else I had done to myself, so I feel very lucky that it was caught relatively early. I had a radical hysterectomy followed by chemotherapy. It was a pretty gruelling time, but I'm currently clear (touch wood).

Someone further upthread suggested you get in touch with your local Maggie's centre, and that's a really good idea - even if it's not that close, they offer quite a lot of online and phone help too. https://www.maggies.org/our-centres/

One thing I'd say is, ask everyone medical that you talk to about what support is available, and explain to them that you have diagnosed anxiety. There is a lot of help available, but you have to make it plain that you need it. I guess some people prefer the stiff upper lip, but I definitely don't!

I don't know if anyone's talked you through the blood tests etc, but they will be looking at the level of something called CA-125 in your blood as it's a marker for ovarian cancer. Some women have incredibly high levels at diagnosis, up in the thousands; others much lower - mine never went much over 100, and the last time it was tested (about a month ago) it was 6.

Good luck for Tuesday. If the diagnosis is cancer, then you will be looked after. Sending you a hug.

Our centres

Maggie’s is a charity providing free cancer support and information in centres across the UK and online.

https://www.maggies.org/our-centres

Wildspace · 15/05/2023 07:21

Another handhold here. The waiting is a horrible time. Blood cancer here and the time between suspicious of cancer and diagnosis was awful. The one thing I found helpful during the time was to write a journal. Getting those thoughts down in writing helped me to detach a bit and reading back later I can also see how far I’ve come from what was a dark place.

elm26 · 15/05/2023 16:10

@Oneglassisnotenough good luck and best wishes for tomorrow OP, sending hugs xx

sossysalads · 15/05/2023 16:31

I hope all went okay today x

Eurodiva · 15/05/2023 16:38

@Oneglassisnotenough . I have only just seen this thread . I hope you have a good friend calming you down and supporting you . Any chance your husband can stay home until you have been seen tomorrow?
I really understand that you are feeling terrified but hopefully it is a benign mass which could be a likely explanation.Try and eat and drink . Sending you virtual hugs .X

Original poster
Oneglassisnotenough · 15/05/2023 20:21

Thank you for your lovely messages. Markers came back within the normal range, which my Dr said is very reassuring and I am very relieved about.
We aren’t out of the woods though and am dreading tomorrow. Mass still there as well as all these symptoms. Which I seem to notice a lot more. Guess that’s because I am worried.

I really feel on a real downer tonight. Anxiety , panic and all the other horrible feelings adding to the worry. It’s shit .

OP posts:
Peekingovertheparapet · 15/05/2023 20:32

That really is fantastic news about the markers. Hope tomorrow brings more positivity

Original poster
Oneglassisnotenough · 15/05/2023 20:34

Peekingovertheparapet · 15/05/2023 20:32

That really is fantastic news about the markers. Hope tomorrow brings more positivity

Thank you . It was positive but I am still so anxious.

OP posts: