Hi Elaine

I'm so sorry to hear you've had such an awful experience!! I was diagnosed in September with early breast cancer after an operation to remove tissue and examination of the tissue!! I'm no expert but I know that calfication can be a warning sign but until the tissue is examined ( which is what they are doing now right?) they can't know for sure what you have!! Perhaps this is where things have gone wrong? Otherwise why the need to biopsy?

When I got my results I was told exactly what I had and discussed treatment. They can't do that before knowing exactly what the tissue is. Maybe you could see your gp to discuss how your feeling and see what she suggests!! You need to feel supported!!

I'm glad you've found the site and just wantt to welcome you and hope you find this site helpful and supportive!! Please keep posting and let us know how you get on!!

Best wishes Ann

Hello Elaine and welcome.

It is such a shock when you are first told you have cancer isn't it. I remember for me it was the consultant phoning up and just saying you've got cancer. I stood there reeling, and after asking one or two questions just standing laughing and crying in turn. Your thoughts go all over the place.  Having said all that there is no easy way for anyone to tell you've got cancer or any easy way to hear it. The waiting part of being a cancer sufferer is the next most awful time. I am at a waiting stage again and was told I would hear by last Thursday and guess what?? nobody has contacted me. So I have to chase it up on Monday!!.

I guess Elaine the best bit of advice I can suggest to you at the moment is to start writing a list of questions over this weekend. This is to put to your consultant. I took two sheets of A4 in when I first went to see mine. He was a bit shocked but I made him go through them all with me, I then wrote his response at the end of each question so that I could refer to it afterwards. Make sure you know what your options are with the surgery. They are suggesting a full mastectomy, okay so why, you need to understand why and what exactly they plan to do.

I am sure someone who has personal knowledge of what you are going through will be along to offer you more useful advice soon. I just wanted to let you know you are not on your own out there. Keep us informed of how your getting on .

Annabel.

Hi laine,   you must be in shock, but welcome anyway, the club that nobody choices to join!

I also had calcifications which were very difficult to see on the mamagram scan, just 3 small tots in a row in a duct. At the time of the biopsy the  radiographer went away to have a quick to see if she had got enough of the sample to test, and I was sent on my way to await results.  This is the most awful time , the waiting in no-mans-land which you are in the middle of right now.  The information hosps seem to give out, in my experience, is on a need to know basis.  I assume because there are so many different sernerios and the results narrows down the treatment options.  They will not know exactly what they are dealing with until the have had a look at the sample in more detail.

Your cyber name hints that you may have had a mascetomy before?  I was told that having cancer in one breast upped the odds of getting it in the other breast by 25%, so maybe the hosp are making assumtions before getting  the results.    I hope these are good.

A good place to find information is www.breastcancercare.org   various leaflets availbe to veiw or download which help to understand the terms used.

Hope this of help a little, come and ask away or just to sound off, we've all been there,  take care. gardenlady.

hi there,

my cancer was picked up on a mamagram no lump just small mass i had needle biopsy and was told they were almost certain it was breast cancer i went a week later for result and it was grade1/2 i had lumpectomy a month later and 3 lymph nodes removed on returnimg two weeks later was told it had gone in to two lymph nodes so back a month later for node clearance they took 15 nodes away all of which were clear i was offered 6 months fec chemo and three weeks radiotherapy i refused the chemo but had radiotherapy then put on arimidex tablets for 5 years only managed a year as the side effects were horrendous i couldnt walk with pain so then put on exemerstane which are slightly better i have been on these now for a year it is three years this sept since my op if it wasnt for all the joint pains i would be fine also tiredness and lethargy caused with them too. all the best regards sandy xx

Good evening Ann

Thank you for your reply and others, I was told by the consultant I had cancer and he suggested the best thing was a mastectomy, evening Dr Peacock after taking the 3 samples came back and said there are cell changes! So how can they be so confident in their comment, I put it down to the consultant having 25 years experience.

Yes I am angry for lack of help yet I have chance like we all do to think many things until I see the consultant on Wednesday, I will let you know the outcome next week.

Regards

Elaine

Good evening Annabel

Thank you for your reply and others, I was told by the consultant I had cancer and he suggested the best thing was a mastectomy, evening Dr Peacock after taking the 3 samples came back and said there are cell changes! So how can they be so confident in their comment, I put it down to the consultant having 25 years experience.

I have a 2 page list of questions to ask, I walked around town today looking at others to see if I could see a sign over other people's heads to say they have cancer, stupid I know! We try to plan our lives and now it is all on hold, yet you still feel alone Annabel when they tell you the news.

Yes I am angry for lack of help yet I have chance like we all do to think many things until I see the consultant on Wednesday, I will let you know the outcome next week.

Regards

Elaine

Good evening gardenlady

I have to say once I head the news I gave my bad breast a name (Mr Nasty) and after crying and thinking why me???? I thought this is not going to break me so o gave myself this name as they are confident I will lose the breast.

I was told by the consultant I had cancer and he suggested the best thing was a mastectomy, even Dr Peacock after taking the 3 samples came back and said there are cell changes! So how can they be so confident in their comment? I put it down to the consultant having 25 years experience.

Yes I am angry for lack of help yet I have chance like we all do to think many things until I see the consultant on Wednesday, I will let you know the outcome next week.

Regards

Elaine

Good evening sandy loo

Thank you for your reply and others, I was told by the consultant I had cancer and he suggested the best thing was a mastectomy, even Dr Peacock after taking the 3 samples came back and said there are cell changes! So how can they be so confident in their comment? I put it down to the consultant having 25 years experience.

Yes I am angry for lack of help yet I have chance like we all do to think many things until I see the consultant on Wednesday, I will let you know the outcome next week.

Regards

Elaine

Hi Lainey,  Yes it does make you angry, but unfortunately we are in their hands. Its a big thing to deal with having a boob removed but it can be coped with even it doesn't feel like it now,   the alternative is unthinkable    Think the funding cuts are having an effect on staffs time so they have little time to help us take on board whats what.   Also sounds as if all the useful leaflets had been taken.

Just to let you know that my calcifications came back as cancer at the biopsy stage, but contained within the duct so it was assumed in had not spread into the surrounding tissue.  I could have had the option of a lumpectomy (they had put a small staple in as a marker for the surgeon) but I was  also given the option of a mastectomy which I took.  Better safe than sorry in my veiw.   Glad I did as the  histology results  showed the rest of the breast to have many cell changes, which I assume is a pre-cursor to cancer.  The Cancer removed was high grade and  had increased to 2 cm, but thankfully still contained with in the duct  -  this from 3 small specs on a scan a few weeks earlier.   Good job my routinue scan came around when it did - three years later it could have spread anywhere, even this cloud had a lighter lining.

Sounds as if you may have been caught early, I do hope so, I'll look in next week to hear how you got on,  take care, gardenlady.

I am so sorry to hear what you are going through Elaine, I have mine on Wed preparing myself for the worst, so I am not so shocked if it is bad news.

Although I suspect it won't work!.

You sound very strong, should be very proud of yourself!.

Ps Do you mind me asking what made you go and get checked out?

xx