Sorry new to this

You've come to the right place. There is great support here. When have you to go back for the results. Try not to worry although I know that's not easy but whatever the outcome they'll be able to sort it. You just have to read the posts here to know that. Keep us informed xxxx

Dear Superwhy,

I hope you don't have to wait too long for results - that's the hardest part - waiting and not knowing. Whatever the outcome you are now in the system and they will look after you.
I echo the comments of WicklowLady, try not to worry and read the posts here, there is great support and possitivity!

Karen

thanks sorry back on friday for results. Anyone give me an idea of what i should expect at this meeting. it all happened so quickly thats what is scaring me.

Mine was the same I found a lump went to triple assessment on a Thursday and went back the following Friday for results but they told me on the Thursday that it was suspicious so I was fairly sure I was going to be told it was a malignant tumour. They've been brilliant and I'm finished chemo and have had a lumpectomy two weeks ago and a follow up op last Monday to get clearer margins. Start radiotherapy in 6 weeks.

Hi there - can tell you what happened at my meeting. Basically sat nervously outside waiting for results, went in to see the Doctor and one of the nurses was there as well. He gave me the results (which of course was not what I wanted to hear) we spoke about it and what his plan of action was - so I presume this will be the same for you. Every Friday morning all the different "parts" of the cancer team in Vincents have a meeting and they discuss all the cases and they will discuss yours as well and come up with a plan of action (if needed). After the meeting sitting there looking like a ghost and realising crap I have cancer, crap I have to have a mascetomy and crap I am going to lose my hair the nurse sat with us for an hour and went through things with us. Things moved very quickly after that. It was a horrible time and I was totally stunned. However felt so safe and in such good hands in Vincents by their team there they are excellent people.

Will be thinking of you

xxxxx

ps don't Google.... its the worst thing you can do - I did and got upset - I only come on this website now and find all the info I need

Hi there!!
I'm another vincents gal! I'm 37 too. The waiting is he'll on earth, but be rest assured that if it is bad news no stone will be left unturned to give you the best treatment and the nurses are fab!

On Friday bring someone with you. I honestly wasn't expecting the bomb I was given and took nothing in. My husband was the communication link..... If it is good news you may still have to get the lump removed so do bring back up.

I was diagnosed at the end of sept- I have my mastectomy node clearance done and am a third of the way thro chemo. The docs will look after you and so will the gang here!! They're pretty great!!

Good luck! Hope it's good news
Xxx

Hi im another vincents girl
As the others have said you will be very well looked after if needed.do make sure you bring someone with you.I am out the other side and cant praise the nurses and doctors in vincents enough both public and private.Definately dont google as dee said ask away here as many questions you have we will all answer as best we can,this board has been my rock,the support here from all the ladies who are going through treatment,been through treatment is fantastic.I only hope that one day we organise a message board meeting,we can all meet up.
I will have everything crossed for you on friday.Let us know how you get on.

xx

Oh a message board get together what a fantastic idea.

I'm hopefully going to meet up with some of the women when I start my radiotherapy in 6 weeks. Ill pop in to see them while they're having chemo. This is a brilliant place it's helped me so much. I agree with all the posts, Vincent's is fantastic and anything you need to ask someone will be able to answer you. Keep us posted xxx

hi mary

How are you doing?
Wouldnt a meeting be great and we could call it the Onwards and Upwards meeting.

xxx

I'm good thanks. Just had second op on Monday will have radiotherapy in 6 weeks. Will get results of next Monday when I'm in getting my herceptin . Lost a dear friend to ovarian cancer this morning . Only complaining since middle of jan had hysterectomy two weeks ago and was told on Monday there was nothing they could do and now she's dead, I can't believe it.

Yes a get together would be ace !!!

Ah Mary
So sorry to hear that its the pits it really is.I found out a friend was diagnosed with breast cancer last fri it felt as though id been diagnosed again brought it all back.Im so sorry.

xx hugs

Hi Superwhy
This is a desperate time for you while waiting for results and of course you are imagining the worst-case senate while hoping strongly that the results will come back as being benign.
All those questions that are going through your head - write them down, no matter how silly they seem.
Make sure you have someone with you because whatever the results are you probably going to miss half the conversation.
And I wish you the best of luck, don't forget we are here for you x

I just can't get her out of my head all day . She was only told Monday morning that there was nothing they could do. Ovarian cancer really is the silent killer. She's only complaining since middle of Jan. God I really was cherishing my life today

My husband is coming with me. he is being amazing at the moment.
I will let u all know on friday how is goes.
Doctor said to me she was concerned. I am finding it all hard to take in as it has all happened so quickly. i only found the lump last saturday night .
I am tryin tonight to be positive and not let the bad thoughts in.
Thanking u for the advice. Got a sleeping tablet from the doctor
so i am hopin i will sleep well tonight.
My husband made me promise not to go hear google but to only get my information from here.
My friend said to right down my questions before i go in. But honest have no idea what questions i should ask

Sorry i am a it clueless

My husband came with me and he's been fantastic, it means a lot. I don't want to alarm you but if she is 'concerned' then they are sowing the seeds in your head that something may be wrong. They told me mine was suspicious and they couldn't tell me not to worry as they didn't know what it was but I believe she did know and the lab results were just confirming it. I found out later that my GP knew it was something. You are like me though you didn't delay in going about it which if it turns out to be serious you'll have got it early and they'll be easy able to deal with it. Did you say who the consultant was?

Hi Superwhy and welcome,

I agree with all the other girls here. Google is not your friend right now.

We'll all be thinking of you on Friday, and hoping for the best. If you do need treatment you might want to ask why that particular treatment was chosen, what it involves, how it will impact you, what the next steps are ...

Mary, I am so sorry to hear about your friend. You must feel so sad and stunned by how suddenly it happened.

Hugs

Kath

Went to see Dr Evoy. I hope thats his name its all a bit of a blur.
I have been preparing myself for the fact its not good news. No one was able to give me any reassurance. i am just worried that i missed it for a while i guess.

My theory is to be brutally honest that if its nothing they can nearly tell you straight away. As we say on this site if you're going to get any cancer breast is probably best. You like me probably haven't had the lump very long I just think I would have felt it before, so that'll stand to you.

I'm gutted over my friend to be snatched away so quickly. She must have had it for a long time and didn't know. Scary times!!!

Hi again Superwhy,

Try not to torture yourself with maybes. We've all done it and truly it gets you nowhere. You found a lump and are having it investigated quickly, absolutely the right thing to do. Your case is being well followed up by your doctors and your husband is being wonderfully supportive.

Take care and be kind to yourself between now and Friday. Whatever the outcome is, it sounds as if you have a great support team behind you and you'll find the strength to get through. We all do, God knows how, but we do. It's no walk in the park but it's doable and there is always someone here to answer questions or lend a virtual shoulder.

Kath

or a cyber hug

Hi Superwhy
Hope everything goes ok on Friday but if it doesn’t the medical teams dealing with breast caner are great. I attended Beaumont and it all moved along very quickly, on the second meeting my husband brought a notebook and wrote some of the information down. I found this good because we were able to recheck some of what was said. Don’t know if you are having trouble eating, I did and took motilium and it really helped.

Trish
Diagnosed July 2012
Oestrogen positive, Lymph node clear
Lumpectomy,radiotherapy finished November 2012

Thank u can't eat much to my poor husbands distress. He even cooked my favourite last night and I couldn't eat it. Deirdre put me in touch with here and she has been amazing to me. Her blog is brillant.
Thank u. My doctor recommended recording the meeting on his iPhone so going to do that. It's all so scary. I think deep down I know it's cancer.

Thinking of you tomorrow!

I hope you get good news

Xx

I hope you get good news too but don't worry even if you don't you'll get through it xxxx

Not feeling great this evening. Had a tears episode in ikea of all places.
Just thought what if he tells me it's inoperable or something.

Hi Superwhy,

If it is any consolation I have heard many, many breast cancer stories in the past 18 months and not one of the lovely ladies I met in person or online here started out with an inoperable cancer.

Nor will you. You are doing everything right so far. Thinking of you tomorrow and hoping you get reassuring news.

Big cyber (((hugs)))

Kath

Dear Superwhy.

I am new on here too. My first time to post. I just want to wish you all the best for tomorrow. It is great that your husband is going with you. I am 37 too and was diagnosed July '12.. I went on my own to get the dreaded result as my GP and the Doctor I saw on my first visit assured me 'not to worry about it', 'its more than likely just a cyst'... Being very Naive I went on my own ......
Ive been attending Beaumont and the care and the support I've recieved has been fantastic and there is great support groups too.

There seem to be a great team of ladies on here who are a great support for each other. Try and get some rest tonight and again best wishes for tomorrow. xxx

Hi Superwhy,
Best of luck tomorrow. It's a worrying time for you and nothing any of us say on this board will lessen your fear. However I can tell you from experience even if you don't get the best news you will get through it. The care for breast cancer in this country is absolutely amazing. Like all the other girlies on this site our worlds were turned upside down when we got diagnosed but we are all getting through it, step by step and with support from each other. Our lives have changed but we're getting there
Thinking of you and sending you best wishes,
Shirls

Hi Superwhy
Hope you are ok in advance of Friday. I've just found the list of questions that I brought with me when I went back to get my results; I'm not in Beaumount so I'm guessing that your surgeon is Mr Evoy? So with that particular consultant, he will confirm if it's cancer or not. There are numerous types of breast cancer; DCIS is when there are pre-cancerous cells found in the breast duct, then there is invasive ductal carcinoma, lobular cancer, inflammatory cancer and a few other types that I can't remember. All treatable.
If there are tumours then he will tell you the grade of cancer and this identifies how agressive the cancer is. And I hasten to add that agressive is a bit of a scary word, but it doesn't mean that the cancer is going to go bananas in the space of a couple of weeks but at the same time it's a tough cookie.
Breast cancer can be "driven" by the hormones oestrogen or progesterone, in which case breast cancer would be identified as eostrogen positive or negative, or progesterone postitive or negative. It may also be driven by a gene called HER2, and so would be referred to as HER2 positive or negative.
I would be surprised if he said exactly what stage the cancer is at - that is usually determined by a bit more investigating or after surgery, when they would have done more biopsies. The stage of cancer refers to the size of the tumour, and whether cancer has been found in the lymph nodes.
Then treatment options will be discussed - you may be told that you need a sentinel node biopsy to identify whether there is cancer in the lymph nodes; you will also be told if you need surgery, which can be a lumpectomy, in which the tumour can be removed without having to take too much breast tissue, or it can be a mastectomy, where they remove all the breast.
It will also be suggested that you may need chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy and other treatments such as Herceptin. These treatment plans are usually outlined properly by the medical oncologist and then by the radiotherapy consultant.
There are a whole range of treatment questions that could be asked, but to be honest, I think there is enough to be dealing with, as to whether or not you actually have cancer and if there is something there, then you will be going back for another appointment anyway to put a treatment plan in place.
Wishing you only good news - hope you can get a bit of rest xx

Hi super why

Good luck tomorrow we will all be thinking of you.Im sure we will all be keeping check here tomorrow to hopefully hear good news ,but if not we will all be here to support you along.you will get through this I too have 3 small children the youngest was 3 when I was diagnosed at 39,my eldest was due to make his communion.i made that my target and focused on it and the kids.

Xxx hugs

Best of luck tomorrow - will be rooting for you. Great info Encee - Jesus I learned from that and I have the bloody thing

Well I didn't get the news I wanted to hear. I have breast cancer and it is I the lymph nodes too. He wants me to go for a ct scan and other tests is this normal. He didnt really give me an reassurance it was going to be ok. Am just in an awful state today. I really hoped I would have a plan today but I just it's still a waiting game in case it is gone to other places too.

Hi Superwhy so sorry to hear your news but we will all be with you and helping you out wherever we can.

Yes its normal to get all those scans done, CT, MRI, Bone and maybe a sentinel node biopsy (thats a day proceedure) they take one or two nodes out and examine them.

It was good news that it was 2cm most people are way bigger so that will be more managble. Unfortuantely Doctors dont go out of the way with reassurances at this stage but when they have all the results back you will meet them again and they will have all the results.

Its been a horrible day for you - but do remember its treatable and thats the main thing. Its terrible when you come out and you are still in the dark..

Sorry to hear your news! unfortunately the waiting game will continue for another while. Waiting for tests and then waiting for the results. It is actually the worst part!! But you will manage through this. they need to figure out exactly what they are dealing with, so that they can put together a tailored plan for you. It is not easy, none of this will be easy but you will struggle through. I am really sorry for you x

What happens now is totally normal. These are called staging tests. MRI ct scan and bone scan. After this, the surgeon will do a sentinel node biopsy. Once this is complete the team will put the treatment plan in place for you.

God I am so so sorry you had to get that news today. The next few weeks are not an easy time, but be kind to yourself and take help where you can.

These tests DON'T mean that your cancer has spread (I kept thinking that). It's for the docs to see what they are dealing with.

We'll all help you here too, so keep in touch on good days and bad

You will get through this!

Xx

Oh poor you Superwhy,

Most of us have been exactly where you are this evening and it's scary for sure. Yours must be the quickest diagnosis I have ever heard of. Such a whirlwind! You are definitely being taken care of in a great way. The news is hard but it must be reassuring to know that the health care system is looking after you so well

What you need to know is that there are many types of breast cancer and many, many treatments too. The doctors need to know exactly what you have to be able to target it with the most appropriate treatment. That's why you need more tests. Nothing sinister there I promise

Take care

Hugs

Kath

Hi Superwhy

I am so sorry to hear that todays news was not what you needed to hear.I am not going to start spouting platitudes to you but please try and remember that BC is highly treatable thanks to great advances in medicine. Your brain is probably mush and unfortunately it will stay like that for a while but once your treatment plan is in place, you will jump on the treatment train and it will high speed you to recovery. I was diagnosed 2 years ago this week and I am now back at work and whilst life is different it is good. Your road is not going to be easy but remember we are all here for you. Just make sure you always have someone with you when you are meeting the medical team because it is so hard to take it all in and another pair of ears is always useful. And dont ever be afraid to ask questions and if you are still not sure, ask again. They are all there to help you. Hopefully they will have all your scans sorted next week and you wont have to wait long until your treatment plan is up and running.
Stay away from Google, it will melt your head and there is allot of rubbish on it. The hospital should be able to provide you with all the information you need and also drop into the Daffodil centre where you will get great support and information.
You are in my thoughts and prayers

Love and light

Sinéad xxx

I am so sorry Superwhy that it wasn't the news you were hoping to hear. And it has all happened so quickly for you, I'm sure you don't know if you are coming or going.

In terms of what's ahead, I'm giving you the chronological info of what happened to me - bear in mind that everyone is different, and what applied to me may not apply to you. Also, it appears that things move alot quicker than when I was diagnosed, but maybe it will give you an inkling as to what to expect. It's going to be a whirlwind of appointments and scans and results and meetings, the time will fly it.
20/01/2011 Met breast surgeon for breast exam, mammogram, ultrasound, core biopsy
03/02/2011 Met breast surgeon for results
15/02/2011 Met breast surgeon for proposed treatment plan
16/02/2011 Sentinel Node Biopsy
03/03/2011 Met breast surgeon for Node biopsy results
08/03/2011 Physiotherapy in Hospital following sentinel node biopsy
09/03/2011 CT Scan, Bone Scan
15/03/2011 Met breast surgeon for Scan results & discuss final surgery plan
29/03/2011 Admitted for surgery & reconstruction
30/03/2011 Surgery carried out
04/04/2011 Discharged from hospital
19/04/2011 Breast clinic to have dressings changed
26/04/2011 Met breast surgeon for full pathology results from surgery
28/04/2011 Met Medical Oncology consultant for chemotherapy plan options
03/05/2011 Physiotherapy in Hospital, met Oncology nurse to put treatment plan in place
05/05/2011 Portocath implanted under local anaesthetic & sedation
06/05/2011 Follow-up in Oncology Day Ward of portocath implant
09/05/2011 Chemotherapy #1

It's wonderful that you are getting scans - they are going to leave no stone unturned.

It's going to be a busy time from when everyone finds out your news. I remember feeling so loved up - the amount of support and the feeling that the world was cheering me on made life easier. Cards, flowers, dinners, cakes, offers of childcare and driving to appointments; it was so generous. I found I had to find a balance between entertaining visitors and talking on the phone - it takes up alot of time and can be tiring, especially when I was running on adrenalin during the day, and not sleeping great at night. So I set myself a job of getting as healthy and as fit as I could before surgery and treatment by eating healthier, drinking loads of water, getting as much exercise and fresh air as I could. I guess it was my way of dealing with it all.

I hope I'm not overloading you with info, but if there is anything more you need to know, don't hesitate to ask.

Big hug to you, and I hope everything goes ok xx

I'm so sorry but I'm so glad you found this forum as speaking from experience it has helped me so much. The women on this forum are fantastic , and will try and help in any way and we are all at different stages and give our experiences of what we've gone through. It's invaluable . Where are you attending?

You will get your head around it it won't be easy but you will get through it and you need to take it day by day and do what your body tells you. Don't push it. It is the most cureable cancer and I know this sounds strange but I feel very lucky. There are worse cancers out there.

Cyber hugs and kisses and we will help you through this.

Hi superwhy
So sorry your news wasn't better.as the others have said next few weeks will be very busy.always good to have someone with you and invest in a diary for appointments and one to jot down any questions that come into your head and they will at strange times.
We are all here for you so ask away here too.

Xxx w

Dear Superwhy,
I can only echo what has been said by the other girls here - sorry you had to join this club. My thoughts and prayers are with you. It is not fun having cancer, but breast cancer is very treatable and you will get through it. Take any offers of help you get, you have a lot on your plate right now.

I don't have as much detail as encee, but my diagnosis was August 2011, 2 days before my 49th birthday! I spent 3 weeks having all the scans and tests, and at the same time closing down my dressmaking business as I knew I would not be fit to work for a while (I finished my last order the day before surgery)

I had my mastectomy mid-September followed by 6 weeks recovery then Chemo for a few months and radiotherapy after that.

I was amazed at the support - I even received a bouquet of flowers from customers whose orders I had to cancel

You will have a lot to take in and there is a lot of information out there. I was given a folder full of leaflets at the hospital and I restricted my googling to this site and the Macmillan cancer support site in the UK

Haven't really been online. Am ok during the day. Kids keeping me busy
But the nights are hell the panic sets in then. What if it spread will I be ok. The waiting is so hard.

When are you back in super why ? I know it's alright to say but try not to worry. Although I'd say there isn't a woman on this forum who hasn't gone through what you are going through. I thought I'd cancer everywhere from lung cancer (cause I cough a bit) to bone cancer (id pains in my bones)

The quicker you get in for your tests the quicker they'll put your mind at rest and then you concentrate on dealing with your breast cancer. I'm going in today and am hoping she's going to tell me I'm cancer free. It's been a long road since I was told in August. The women on this forum are the best and you'll get through it, it's the most cureable cancer. I actually feel very lucky as I gotta chance to best this, I lost a friend to ovarian cancer last Tuesday who was only sick since middle of jan she got no chance. We do, and we will be ok I promise

Cyber hugs xxxx

Hi SuperWhy,

am so sorry that you had to join us but you're here now & it's the right place to be, I wouldn't have gotten thru it without the girls here, you can ask anything here, honestly, anything. These next few weeks are the worst cause your just having all the scans etc & not getting much info, it'll be a while before you get it all in perspective & start to deal with it, I went thru 6mths of chemo in total denial, it wasn't till surgery that it became real. It's normal to be the way you are, we are all different but the same if you get me, there will always be someone here who understands where you are on your journey & what you are going through. You must believe that you are going to beat this cause you will.

Best wishes & hang on in there.

I got diagnosed in sept, and honestly until chemi started for me on jan 10th it was like it wasn't happening....
I had surgery in November and to be honest it was like a dream.

When I had my staging tests I was so so scared and when was told the scans were clear I cried for most of the day.

They have caught this as early as they can and I firmly believe you will get through this. It's not easy it really isn't but you will.

Xxx

Thanks I just I would get a date for the tests. Sick of waiting my grab aunt is 100 tomorrow so loads of family around.
The constant worry if I have a pain In my back is it in my bones.
My father in law had a hip replacement today so we had that to take out minds off ourselves.

Hi Superwhy

The time spent waiting for tests and results is the worst time of all. I will never forget this time. I couldn't eat and lost 7 kg during this period.
Once you get the CT scan and other tests done, a treatment plan will be put in place and you can then break down this illness into small pieces - surgery, chemo, radiation etc. I couldn't deal with the whole picture at the beginning and just dealt with each course of treatment as it arose.

All I can say to you is to keep yourself busy and be kind to yourself.

Roseo

Just got a call from breast nurse and its her2 positive. My husband is away today and I am just sick.

HER2+++ is a good thing, it means that you will be on Herceptin for 1yr, given intravenously every 3 weeks, a royal pain but very successful. When they told me I was HER2+++ I was devastated, thought it was a bad thing but in retrospect it was the most positive thing that happened to me. Chin up, your getting there. Please feel free to PM me if you want anything.