Breast Cancer

Oh not much fun having to wait 2 weeks for your appointment. Pain is not considered to be a warning sign is it, so maybe that will give your some optimism. And remind yourself that treatment for breast cancers is very often successful these days. Me, 3 aunts, a close friend - all had b cancer treatment over ten years ago and all still here. You have done the right thing in going straight to your doctor.
Suggest you busy yourself over the next week doing your christmas shopping (and then if you did have to have a lumpectomy you'd have them all bought and wrapped) or go and visit someone or something?

Thank you JessM xx very comforting post! i will be going Wednesday for private tests,so i will know at the latest the following day! its the waiting,once i know i can bear the further waiting to be seen at the NHS clinic. the doctor said today that he could sent me as urgent ...but that would still mean a 2 week wait for results...
good idea about the shopping and wrapping! will do!
i will come back with the results,then look at this thread properly...

Good call taking action. Take care.

thank you JessM xx just the thought of an op i find scary...i'm not as brave as these ladies on here...i was when i was a lot younger!

I don't think I was brave, but faced with it all, you know you've just got to get on with it! There isn't really an option. I was terrified, I have to admit, then on top of that a sort of steely determination took over, which kept me going. Still does, I think, sometimes.

I don't think I was brave but I had to get on with it. I was in my 40s, boyfriend in HK, mother had motor neurone disease and DSs being a pain. I did have some supportive friends which made a big difference and a good team looking after me. Dealing with the emotional ups and downs more difficult than the surgery for me. But hopefully rosieanna it might not come to that.

just to say i got the all clear today! all the way through the tests i was getting negative ..possibly expect the worse! first things asked did you take HRT..Mmmm..i'm not out of the woods though..the other side now needs to be checked out ....so off to the NHS for that! silly me.. i thought as you are paying ..they would check both....i even had to ask her to go under the armpit with the scan..
thank you Ariadne and JessM xx

Happy for you, Rosienanna! to you! xxxxxxx

That's great news rosienanna, good luck with the other side too

bless you all !thank you xxxxxx

That is good news!!! I was wondering.

Oh Rosienanna am SO relieved for you. What a happy and sunny day for you! Though as Ariadne and JessM say, you just steel yourself and get on with things if it DOES turn out to be cancer. I'm not sure if it is andrenalin or what, but you do seem to gain a bit of strength from somewhere, very essential and useful in comforting the husband and one's dear children - all of whom have heard words of comfort from us over the decades and are NOT used to having to worry about mum!

Such good luck with the other side - sorry you have to wait for that to be mammo'ed but cross fingers you get the same happy results.

Rosienanna, I am happy for you too. Its good news and you must be relieved. I don't think I would be as brave as some of the women on here either.

Thank you again for all your good wishes!
Polly we are thrilled but very worn out with all the stress, i don't it's sunk in yet!
I heard today there is a newer type mammogram machine ..thats slightly more kind? or maybe it's all down to the personality of the one about to flatten you!
my last experience of that wasn't good..
How do you ladies manage a mammogram after having surgery? lumps removed ..

We grit our teeth, as always. It is extremely uncomfortable because that breast remains sensitive for a long time - well - mine has.

Mine get done in the hospital rather than the caravan (more expert staff I suspect) (partial mastectomy )
The machines have improved immensely over the years - rounded rather than sharp edges and an instant release mechanism once complete. Yoga/antenatal breathing.

Recently diagnosed but cannot find national guidelines which tell patients how long they have to wait for surgery after routine m/gram showed the problems. Does anyone know the waiting time please for breast cancer surgery?

I waited ten days, but don't know the statistics, I'm afraid.

Varya there used to be a target for how long you would wait to get seen initially by the hospital if your GP referred you with suspected cancer. But I think the present government did away with "targets". I do remember them talking doing so.
After that I think it will depend on the hospital and how busy (and how efficient) they are. Your GP should be able to tell you, or your consultant's secretary. I waited a couple of weeks once I had seen the consultant and they were very apologetic about the wait - but xmas intervened. Are you having a lumpectomy first? I had a staged process - needle biopsy in outpatients to get a lab verdict on cells, then a lumpectomy in day surgery to get a better look at the cancer under a microscope etc, and then a partial mastectomy.
Hope you get an appointment soon - the waiting bits are not easy.

Not entirely sure but I think it would be 31 days from date of diagnosis. I had a mastectomy and reconstruction 14 months ago. Found on screening - absolutely no symptoms. I'm so lucky, no chemo, no radiotherapy, I just take hormone tablets. Had my first annual check up last month and all well. Hope all goes well Varya

After my last mammogram the letter I received said if I was 70 before my next test I would not receive a routine prompt for the test.
If I wished to continue having the tests I needed to contact the hospital to make an appointment.

Please, please, everyone- the diagnostic info. received far outweighs the risk of the very tiny radiation dose in a mammogram.
However, it has been suggested that routine mamms should be every other year if not every 3 years.
In the 90's, I worked in a "one stop" clinic. Staff were radiographer, radiologist and breast surgeon. First of all, mammogram. Films then examined by radiologist, who, if deemed necessary did untrasound. Then if necessary, a fine needle biopsy by the surgeon.
Unfortunately, these clinics no longer exist as far as I know, but I am sure that they saved the patients a lot of sleepness nights worrying between appointments.

Also, if you have symptoms, and get an emergency appointment for a mammogram, do insist that you have an ultrasound examination too.

Just recovering from lumpectomy and had some lymph nodes removed. Was picked up on mammogram. Feel waiting on results so so scary. Any tips u can share with me. Thanks. X

Hello Annie678 sorry to hear you have joined the club no one wants to belong to! I was diagnosed as a result of routine screening 17 years ago. I am back on routine 3 yearly screening and know exactly what you mean about the stress of waiting for results. I am due my next one in July and already getting myself into a state about it. The poor postman has one arm shorter than the other where I grab the post through the letterbox whilst waiting for the results, so you are not alone! My only suggestion is to make good use of Breast Cancer Now/Breast Cancer Care, they were my saviours many times and may well have some tips for you. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

I'm 62, should have been having my breast screening at the beginning of the year, but it's been put off, until next year, I've been told..............