Two lumps and awaiting appt in breast clinic

Hi Lainey
Sorry to see you here and fully understand your fear.

No wise words I am afraid. Only the professionals can curb your fear but to do that you'll just have to wait for the appointments and results if they decide to do biopsies. Waiting is ultra hard!

Do what you can between now and your appointment to do stuff you enjoy and try not to think about it. Many lumps are nothing. Hopefully that will be the case for you.

Wishing you the very best and hoping for good news! Dane

Hi Lainey
I'm just thinking that the irony in your post is the likelyhood that everyone that responds to it will have been diagnosed with breast cancer - it's not very likely that you are going to get back replies from lovely ladies that found lumps and were benign so I hope you keep heart over the next few weeks!
Firstly though, good woman for getting those pesky lumps looked at; that is the first positive thing you can congratulate yourself on.
Secondly, try to hold onto the reality that you have every reason to believe that it is nothing too scary.
Thirdly, Dane7 is right - try to do stuff that will keep your mind off it all - you are not going to do yourself or anyone else any favours by losing the plot over it before you even get near the clinic.
My heart goes out to you now that you are waiting and there really isn't much that I can offer in terms of support apart from just answering any questions that you may have. Would it help if we were to tell you what to expect when you go to the clinic?
there is not much you can do while you are waiting to go to the clinic.

Take Care

Thank u both for ur replies, I read Dane7's reply and thought to myself how ridiculous of me to come here looking for words of comfort or consolation when this is the very place that it's a reality for people, that u guys are either goin thru it for real or have been thru it so my apologies for that. It would be nice to know what to expect when I get to the clinic if that's not too much trouble. What is the first step when u get there, am I likely to be there all day, should I bring the hubby, seeing them written down they all seem like silly questions but if I feel I know a little of what to expect I think I'm less likely to think about it so much, if that makes sense! Thanks again for ur replies so far

Hi Lainey
St Vincent's website has all the information you need. The majority of lumps turn out to be nothing. Since I was diagnosed 2 friends 2 sisters and my mother in law have found lumps all were harmless. I too only told my husband before tests and I am not sure if it's a man thing but he was it will be fine. Hospitals usually see urgent cases within 2 weeks so as your appointment is a bit further away it probably means your not in the highest risk category.

I wish you the very best hope it goes well for you but remember it is not a death sentence( which is what I thought) all the women here have come through it and are living normal lives!

Good luck
Madge x

Hi Lainey

No need for apologies. This[b:1ksrpva8] is [/b:1ksrpva8]the place to come for comfort and consolation!!!! There is probably nothing Breast Cancer related that the ladies on this site can't answer and a good deal more besides:-)

Bring someone - your husband, sister, mum, friend if you can. There may be nothing to require support for and you may be skipping out of the clinic before you know it. All the better to have someone to share good news with. If the news is not so good, a second pair of ears to hear it and a hand to squeeze will help!!!

I attended on my own for the mammogram (showed up nothing). Consultant initially wasn't concerned but decided to do an ultrasound which I was called back for. That ultrasound showed some irregular looking lymph nodes. I went back some days later for biopsies of lymph nodes and a of a suspect skin area. I knew at that stage from their attitude that I was in trouble so asked my husband to come with me for the appointment for results. I knew before they ever told me that the results were positive and that I had cancer.

Having my husband there meant he heard at the same time I did so I could ask him later exactly what had been said as probably due to shock I didn't remember everything. I know that I would not have been capable of driving home after the appointment so on a practical level it was also useful.

I did not take my cancer diagnosis or prognosis well. I felt like it was the end of the world - have a 4 year old boy and felt I would never see him grow up. Had to do chemo up front due to inflammatory nature of cancer. Have just had a mastectomy and auxilliary clearance of lymph nodes and thought that I would never ever accept the removal of my breast but some sort of strength comes from somewhere when the surgery takes place and no matter how bad it is you get through it.

I can't believe I am writing this but if you see my posts earlier on this site you can see how my view point has changed.

The help and support available from the ladies on this site is amazing. If the worst happens to you (and I sincerely hope that you'll be in the skipping down the road category) and you get a positive diagnosis it is not the end of the world. I learned that (slowly I admit) and with only radiotherapy and hormone therapy to go I can honestly say that while no one would wish to go down this path, many have and even ones as scared and as emotionally destroyed as I did managed the journey taking one step at a time. Dane.

Hi again Lainey!
Ask as many questions as you want - it's great to have an idea of what's going on and to have some idea of what all the professionals are talking about - it makes you feel more involved and will help in understanding what all the terminology and doctor-talk means!
I went to the breast clinic appointment on my own, and wished I had brought someone else with me, if for no other reason than to have someone mind my handbag and listen to what was going on as a spare pair of ears.
Firstly, I was brought into an exam room by a nurse who gave me a gown to put on; then a young male doctor in training came in and did a preliminary exam on my breasts with the nurse present... I wouldn't have minded being on my own with him to be fair... he was lovely looking!!!
Then the surgeon came in and again, in the presence of the same nurse, she had a poke and a prod by checking both breasts. Then she sent me off with my file for a mammogram which was grand. She had also sent me for an ultrasound because I am young and my breasts are dense and I also had a core biopsy done. All of these were done one after another on the same day for me. The core biopsy wasn't as bad at all as I had imagined it to be. I had a local injection (small sting) and then they brought out a big needle (stomach churned when I saw it... HATE needles), but it didn't hurt at all. They had to try and extract as much sample tissue as they could so they took four samples by leaving the needle in the same place but wiggled it around a bit. When they took each of the samples, it made a clicking noise like a small plastic toy gun would make. Then they put a plaster over it and sent me back up to meet the breast surgeon in the breast clinic.
When I went back up, I was expecting it to be just a formality of them making sure I had done everything they asked me to do and that I would come back for the results in a couple of weeks.
Unfortunately, it wasn't as simple as that, because when I went back, they were able to tell from the ultrasound that there were abnormal cells and that it was very likely I had breast cancer. At that stage, she was even talking about the probability of me having to have a mastectomy.
It took 2 weeks to get the pathology and histology results from my exams. It was 2 weeks I put to good use. I looked up all possible kinds of breast cancer that I might have, what the likely course of treatment was to be, etc., all the while, holding onto the hope that maybe the hospital got it totally wrong. When looking up information, I stayed to the Irish Cancer Society website and Macmillan website. Anything dodgy or convoluted, or telling me to mix eye of newt with toe of camel, I got out of straight away!!
I this is of use to you, take care and I hope everything goes well for you x

Well done on checking yourself and getting those fecking lumps seen to quickly. Every woman should put a reminder on her phone to check once a month.
I went to the breast clinic on my own, but I knew I wasn't going to be getting results on the day. First the doc checked and felt the lumps. I then went for the mammogram which is a bit uncomfortable but is quick, I then had the ultrasound and biopsey taken. You are given a local anesthetic so I felt nothing, just had a lovely black mark there for a few days afterwards.
I can honestly say that the waiting for results is the worse part. Hopefully all will be fine with you, the fact that your appointment isn't marked urgent is a positive one. I know it's a stupid thing to say but try to block it out of your mind until your apointment and as my GP said to me don't keep feeling the lumps - you'll drive yourself mad otherwise. I had to get myself signed off work the day before I was due to get my results, I was in such a state of anxiety. I had a fair idea from the ultrasound that it wasn't a cyst. It was actually a relief in a strange kind of way when I was told it was cancer.
The good news is that I only had to have a lumpectomy, margins and nodes were clear, Oncotype test determined that I didn't need chemo and have a low chance of recurrance. I am now almost finished twenty five rounds of radiotherapy which is a bit tiring but very doable.
Best of luck to you and let us know how you get on.

Hiya Lainey,

Fair play to you for everything so far. You're doing everything right. And I too will have everything crossed for you. As you said yourself the stats would indicate you'll be absolutely fine. If the diagnosis isn't favorable then you can handle that too I can promise you. As the girls have said it's not the end of the world. For me so far it's one shitty year out of an otherwise charmed life. And who can't do one shitty year? besides I think this whole thing is going to end up being a very positive life changing experience for me and I know I'll come out of it all a better person.

I went to the GP with my lumps on Jan 4th and was sent to the Bons in Cork straight away - the following Monday. In fact my GP didn't even have to take off my bra during exam and picked up the phone straight away!! If I hadn't already had an inclining by then (bit of a sixth sense about it - I kinda always knew). So I went in for my triple assessment (mammogram, ultra sound & biopsy) on that Monday. They did the three only because (a) I needed the three tests, and (b) if you need all three that's their procedure in the Bons. Other hospitals do these tests on different days.

The surgeon had a poke around and sent me off for the mammogram. It was quite uncomfortable as I'm big boobed, but it's very very quick. Kinda like having your boob squeezed in the fridge door. Then I had the ultrasound and biopsy done by the same lovely man. And it's how the girls described but it's very doable. He told me that there was something there alright, and that we'd just keep the fingers crossed!!! So that prepared me for the results which I got a week later.

All the healthcare professionals I've encountered on this road so far have been amazing, and they'll all put you at your ease. Don't be a bit afraid to ask tons of questions. They really don't mind. Information/education is power as cliché'd as that sounds. And do bring your husband with you for sure. It'll be a great support for you and an extra pair of ears and it will also give him a sense of inclusion and empowerment - a shared sense of ownership over the whole experience. My Mum has been my right arm through it all. She's a feckin super star!

And remember the stats Lainey... Likelihood is you'll have nothing to worry about. So stay busy and try and take your mind off it. And do keep us posted.

Sending love and good luck wishes,
Sarah. X

Hi girls just wanted to return with an update, had my appt yest and thankfully it went well, I have to go back for an ultrasound (they're sending out an appt in the post) but the consultant is pretty confident that I've nothing to worry about.
I wanted to thank u all for ur comforting words and ur positivity, ur all amazing people to be dealing with this nasty disease and to take the time to put someone's mind at ease when there's even the smallest of possibilities that they could have it is just overwhelming.
I wish every one of u all the very best on ur journey and hope that it's as easy as it can possibly be. Thanks again

Wonderful news Lainey.

Hoping to never see you again !!!!!!!!

All the very best. Dane.

Hi Lainey
That's great news. I was reluctant to add a reply to you before because I was told the same stuff about statistically low risk, no family history etc and obviously things didn't work out well for me. I'm so glad you had good news
Jo x

Gonna Copy Danes

Wonderful news Lainey.

Hoping to never see you again !!!!!!!!

All the very best. Dee!!!!!

God I wouldn't have thought to come on this forum while waiting . I had a horrendous week in August waiting to be told and like you I was 90% sure it was a tumour as my surgeon had told me she couldn't tell me not to worry as it was suspicious. When I was told I dealt with it and feel I am a stronger and better person. Chemo isn't easy but I'm half way through, last one Christmas Eve. Roll on 2013 when I have my lumpectomy and then radiotherapy . I will start living my life to he full again.