Core Biopsy done this am. Ugh.

kaylynn

How are you doing jrowe after surgeon visit?

JOWE

Went to the surgeon 12/30 had an MRI 12/31 MY SURGEON CALLED LAST NIGHT SAID ONLY WAITING ON THE 2ND PART OF THE BIOSPY TO SCHEDULE THE SURGERY. MINE IS A GRADE 2. SHE IS PLANNING ON DOING A LUMPECTOMY. WITH 19 TO 33 RADIATION TREATMENT AFTER. SHE ADVISED WOULDN'T KNOW ABOUT CHEMO UNTIL AFTER THE SURGERY.

EVERYONE I TALK TO ACT AS IT IS NO BIG DEAL. FOR ME IT IS A BIG DEAL.

MLP3

it's a big deal to me too!

MLP3

karlyrie... 4 for 4 on this forum. That was an eye opener when I read your post.

I was hoping I was in the 80% and that it was just B9. But I felt that something wasn't right.And my mamm never picked up any of this. So, my faith in percentages and the systems to diagnose are somewhat skewed at this point in the game. Another thing that I read today is that women who chose to save their breasts via lumpectomy and excisiona more often than not, need a second surgery to produce a clear margin. I'm really not opposed to mastectomy. Double at that. I want to live a long healthy life and put all of this behind me.

kaylynn

Yes I agree on the systems to diagnose are messed up and the stats arent always updated but every 5yrs. I went for a pap every year thinking it would pick up on anything. Wrong never caught it until cancer then they take the uterus and say well you were lucky that had another type of cancer that could have killed you. I have about as much faith in mammograms. 

I am sorry. Jrowe people  are saying no big deal. Buti am not surprised. I have seen it all with how people can act and most of it sucks. 

bluejeanne

I was diagnosed days after the 4th of July 2015, The holiday really got in the way and my Doctor being on vacation I had waited almost 2 weeks from the biopsy before getting the results, which were positive for cancer. I decided on the double mastectomy and have been very happy as my Oncologist told me that it kept me from having radiation to the "good breast" that I had taken off as well, and my oncotype score kept me from having to do chemo. I know that my choices did not guarantee me no radiation or chemo; each case is so different. But, remember you do have choices. I am in the reconstruction phase now. My prayers are with you tonite, it is daunting, So many of us here for you.

keepthefaith

mlp, in regards to the LX and having to re-excise. I don't think that's really "more often than not", but something to think about when making your decision, because it is a possibility. My tumor was very close to the chest wall and my BS got clear margins...not that it means anything for yours. Be sure you have a surgeon that has a lot of breast surgery experience and knowledge, whatever direction you go.

jrowe, "No big deal"...I attribute that to the pink-washing campaigns. I'll admit, I used to think the same thing....lack of knowledge and information. NOT any more!

SaraJo

Hi, everyone. I feel like I am late to the party. I had a biopsy done on Dec 31 and am awaiting the results. I had an ultrasound done on Dec 14 and like MLP3, they were overly nice/gentle. It seemed strange that the radiologist stayed with me for so long after the test, then walked me to my dressing room. He said he didn't know what it was. It is a solid mass. I have a fibroadenoma in the same breast. I wouldn't be so nervous but I googled his phrase of taller than wide. I may have scared myself silly. Since I make light joking comments when I get like this, the biopsy went smoothly and they were entertained. I should get a call by next Thursday. I already have an appt with the breast surgeon on the 11th of Jan. She is the one who ordered the diagnostic mammo after looking at my lump via ultrasound earlier in Nov. I am just waiting in the meantime...

Did anyone else feel like you just wanted the lump out while waiting on results?

ChiSandy

It certainly is a big deal--how big a deal I never realized until reading the stories of so many on these boards. I too blame the chirpy, cheery pinkwashers--especially for those women who truly had no idea what hit them.

Oddly, as soon as I got the report in my patient portal inbox the morning after my annual routine screening mammo--which said “focal asymmetry not present in 2013 & 2014"--I just KNEW. At each step of the way the odds kept rising till they met my dreaded expectations. (Never did I believe mine would be among the 80% of biopsies that turn out benign, especially when I read the ultrasound report and that it was BIRADS 4b--which I knew carried a 40-70% chance of malignancy). Because of that, I had time to psychologically prepare myself and went into this with a degree of calm and equanimity that surprised myself--perhaps it was denial. Everything turned out as well as could be expected after an IDC diagnosis--but it was a roller-coaster ride of emotions during every seemingly interminable wait for test and path results.

And I did get clean margins on the first (and only) pass.

MLP3

sarajo... I had a gut feeling something was wrong after my mamm, us and biopsy. I could just see it on their faces. And the radiologist who performed the biopsy... His hands were trembling! Talk about giving it away!!😳

But I am taking it one step at a time. Meeting with 3 Drs back to back Wednesday to find out more info and the plan for treatment. It's been hell waiting. But it's all we can do. Stay strong and positive and you'll be fine. This site has been like getting together with friends everyday. And some are professionals with their wisdom.

You have all ages, races, nationalities here all willing to share stories and give advice. It's really nea and very special.

Paxton29

As one who very recently was diagnosed (November 20, 2015), I can testify exactly how upsetting this period is. You don't have enough information to even guess at what your treatment plan will be. I will say that it was quite clear to me, and very scary, how concerned each of my doctors was at the beginning. I didn't have a lump (well, I did, but it was under the nipple and not something I felt). I was stupid enough to keep overlooking my inverting nipple as a sign I was just getting older (45). Which I am, but that wasn't why. Add a skipped mammogram in 2014 due to a busy year and I was REALLY kicking myself. My OB/GYN sent me for mammo plus ultrasound "ASAP" and I had an appointment with a surgeon one week later. Core needle biopsy on left, stereotactic on right two days later, diagnosis two days after that. Surgeon said waiting a few weeks while consulting with PS and oncologist would be fine, but he made it clear I shouldn't screw around forever (as did my husband). I had the BMX on December 9, less than three weeks after diagnosis. Honestly, within 48 hours I was so sure I needed a bilateral mastectomy I never even asked the PS about trying to conserve the right (there was never any question the left had to be removed). Which turned out to be correct, because what was thought to be DCIS on the right was actually IDC and I saved myself a second surgery. Very slow and non-aggressive and tiny but IDC nonetheless. After I had my post-surgery visits and learned no lymph node involvement from the left SLNB (yay!), and that chemo would would be only 4 cycles of Taxotere/Cyotoxan I felt so much better. I also need radiation but that seems to be more a consequence of being very thin and not having large breasts to begin with so there was very little tissue for them to take. Not to mention I'm so "young" in breast cancer terms and premenopausal and it's bilateral. In any event, my path report was much better than my MO was expecting, apparently. So they may scare you to death up front but they may just be being cautious and I think that's better in the long run! Nobody told me not to worry about anything, the only person who said anything vaguely encouraging prior to surgery was my MO, who said everything would be all right. After terrifying me, that is. She was much happier on my second visit with the path report

My husband kept telling me, all information is good information. I was terrified waiting for the biopsy results, the CT scan (clear), the surgical path results, every doctor's appointment. And he kept saying, you don't want them just guessing at what you need, right? True, but it's like, once you get the bad news that you have cancer at all, you tend to be wary of the folks in the white coats . . . .

Anyway, take deep breaths, stay off Google to the best of your ability, and take heart that this stupid @#%@#% disease is treatable. This board is so great because there is such a variety of diagnoses, treatments, etc. It really drives home that everyone is different but that no matter what you experience, someone else almost certainly has been through it before you and can offer wise advice and support. Best of luck to everyone!

MLP3

Thanks Paxton!

I just told my kids 22,21 and 17... I think that's been the hardest part yet.

614

Nothing about bc is trivial and yes, it is a big deal.  The waiting and wondering is the hardest part.  Good luck.

kaylynn

Well ladies hope you are doing well. I am calling you the fabulous 4. Lifealoft,mlp3,jlowe,mary. I went for my extra views and the radiologist said better do the US. The US ladies got pretty quiet. Then said ok i will go show radiologist and he may want to come in and check more himself. 25 minutes went by and she came back and said you can leave. Awesome then she handed me a paper and said you need a follow up. Call your dr. I said what. She said the radiologist said he would speak to you but your dr said no for you to contact him for results. Wtf. So being a few minutes from his office i drove over. They already knew why i was there. He came to talk to me. Said they found something more on US and need to biopsy. I said ok that is simple. He said well you have to be put out for this biopsy. No steriatic needle type. Needs to be cut open cause its so far back against the muscle wall. They had already faxed for an appointment. Cant call so have to wait. No idea when i can get in. He said we may have to go down state or to a general surgeon if the breast surgeons cant get you in. Maybe i shouldnt have waited a month to get into this year. He told me i could,now he wants a rush on it. I know nothing,no birad score,,only that it said 6 mm at 1 oclock. But the us lady was measuring 6 cm area so i am lost and waiting. 

LifeAloft

Aw geez Karlyrie, sucks that you have to go through all that. It's so frustrating, the waiting and the confusion. I wish there was something I could say to make things better, but just know that I'm thinking of you. Most here know exactly how you feel. 

Sending hugs~

Kelly

kaylynn

I am assuming i will get a preop appointment with the surgeon first.? Going over what is involved then a surgery appt. will they remove it all since they are cutting me open and under? I just dont see any point in just a biopsy or is taking it all while there the norm? I dont want to have to go back for removal after. Any one been through this close to the chest wall stuff?

MLP3

Karlyrie- you should have more info going into surgery. Can you travel to Central Maine Medical and get a second opinion? Who is giving you this info?

I was on the same track as you bit got a biopsy the next am. Even though yours sound deeper, you should have more of a consult before agreeing. Grade, type, etc...

LisaAlissa

Hi Karlyrie,

I'm so sorry that you ended up w/ an excisional biopsy, instead of one of the "easier" biopsies (not that any of them are really easy...).

As you've no doubt heard, an excisional biopsy is more or less the same as a lumpectomy. (So you can read threads about lumpectomy, if you like.) Generally they will be trying to "get it all." But if the biopsy has positive results (cancer), there is a possibility that they will not have gotten "clean margins" and will have to go back again.

It's a hard line to balance. I've been told that you don't want a surgeon who "always" gets clean margins, since that probably means s/he takes out too much tissue. But you don't want one who "never" gets clean margins either. With a biopsy? Talk with your surgeon, they may prefer to tend toward the "not too much" side of the line...or perhaps they'll get a so-called "frozen section" during surgery so that a pathologist can advise them. You may want to ask about shaving margins during surgery if you have a positive "during surgery" pathology report. (Yet another thing to discuss w/ your surgeon.)

Even if they get a "during surgery" preliminary pathology report, there is a possibility that the final report will be different (and could lead to a need for additional surgery).

And of course if there is a positive result, you may need to have a sentinel lymph node sampled if the pathology report says "cancer." That would be a separate procedure, most likely. Again, something to discuss with your surgeon.

Let us know if you have more questions, or if we can help.

LisaAlissa

etc: spelling

LisaAlissa

MLP3, If you go into surgery after having a biopsy, yes, you should have more information that Karlyrie has before agreeing to surgery. But she hasn't had a biopsy yet, so doesn't even know if she has cancer yet (no tissue, there can't be a pathology report yet on grade/stage/type). They're proposing an excisional biopsy, because the surgeon feels that if s/he has to go that deep to get the biopsy tissue, they might as well get the entire lump, so it (hopefully) won't be necessary to go back in after the pathology report (or to watch the lump in further screenings).

Karlyrie, It's possible that a second opinion surgeon (or interventional radiologist) at a different facility might think they could do a different (easier?) biopsy procedure. If you want to see, a second opinion might be a good thing.

Hang in there!

LisaAlissa

Jessik226631

Wow! Never thought I would be on a blog like this. Reading everyone's experiences has been helpful. The Wednesday before Christmas something made me decide to do a self exam. I am 40 and had only done this once before. My dr is great and thankfully had me do a baseline mam when I was 35 because my breasts are very dense. The radiologist said it was helpful. I felt something in my right breast and it scared me enough to call my dr office. They scheduled me New Year's Eve for a mammogram and ultrasound. I was told what I felt in my right breast was tissue thickening which is normal. I was very relieved and excited to leave when they called me back to "the room". The radiologist said she found something concerning in my left breast and asked if I would undress for another ultrasound of the left breast. Of course I did it and found out she found 2 masses with suspicious calcification. I have a core scheduled for Jan 6th. I am so overwhelmed and in shock. My divorce was final in August. I moved in october. The weekend I moved I was in a bad car accident and my payment free van was totaled. No one was seriously injured and kids not with me thankfully. Then the week after thanksgiving I got very sick and was out of work for a week. I am still staying positive and keeping it together for the kids, my family and i. I am very thankful something made me do the self exam and got me in for a mammogram and the radiologist found what was in the left since we were all focused on the right. I have a bad feeling I can't shake but am praying and will stay hopeful. I am lucky my ex and i are still friends and he offered to go with me Wednesday. My emotions are all over the place but after reading posts from all of you I don't feel so crazy. Good luck, God bless and thank you all for sharing .

Moderators

Jessik-

We're so sorry for the worry you're experiencing! It sounds like you've had a tough couple of months, and this scare is undoubtedly not helping. We hope your biopsy goes well, and that your results are benign and you can put this behind you! We're here for you either way!

The Mods

kaylynn

I know I am asking questions to soon,and that when I get an appointment with the breast surgeon I will know more,but it drives us nuts not having any info. since I saw a breast surgeon last February for a US on a lump my gyn dr. is hoping the same BS will take me in faster.I think I am finding out that we only have two BS in my area.My gyn dr mentioned if they are booked a ways out we may want to use a general surgeon he named a few good ones,(anyone used a general surgeon for this?)which of course went in one ear and out the other because you cant comprehend this all happening so fast. I was convinced I would go through the mamm and US and they would say come back in 6 months so I guess I wasn't prepared. And I was sure I was going to pick the radiologists brain on what he found,but he called my gyn dr right away (is that normal?) and gyn dr said he would talk to me about the results.7 mintues later i was in his office and all office workers knew why i was there because he had already given the order to get me an appointment with a BS.Well I have one of those gyn dr that doesn't want to worry you or give out much info.Which is why I got blindsided when he found cancer of the cervical glands,he was telling me oh its nothing don't worry. I have not agreed to any surgery yet,but cant really skip it either.I was just hoping for a simpler biopsy and maybe just maybe they can do that but do I want to be awake for that? Central Maine Medical is about 100 miles away from me,it is possible to go there but I will wait to get a call and see what my area says.My gyn dr had to fax BS for an appointment and then wait.They are not allowed to just call and get one,that is so screwed up. He said I will hear with in a few days.The last time I went to BS I got in less than a week.But that was just an office visit.

MLP3

thanks for clarifying LisaAlissa;)

kaylynn

Well they finally called to day with an appointment to see the same breast surgeon specialist I saw last February for Jan 19th,then they make the surgery appointment so I am guessing that could could go into Feb. Hoping she has a less invasive idea to biopsy. So wait wait wait

kaylynn

Jessik has her core biopsy today,hoping it is all over with and she home ralxing.

kaylynn

Oh and MLP3 has an appointment today also,hope she replys back the treatment plan they have.

LifeAloft

Karlyrie, sorry that you have to wait so long, how frustrating! I'm so new to all this, I don't have any advice but I'm thinking of you. 

I saw a breast surgeon yesterday, see the MO next Tues. His opinion was to do chemo and then a bilateral mastectomy, he was pretty confident that the MO will agree with him. 

I'm getting a second opinion from a different facility on Fri.  And as of yesterday the results for my receptors weren't available yet...grrrr...

Yikes...this has just started and I'm already exhausted. 

Paxton29

Breast cancer is a huge time suck, that's for sure. See the surgeon, the plastic surgeon, the oncologist, have surgery, recuperate, see doctors again to discuss path reports, fill expanders, decide on regimen, treatment, scans, doctors doctors and doctors again. Argh! I've already decided 2016 is just an obstacle to be gotten past

kaylynn

I wanted to know more about what they found and what the ratings were of chance of cancer. But i am now thinking i am better off not knowing more until i speak to the specialist. I wont be able to analyze and google reports. This way i can say oh its nothing since i know nothing. I can get through the next two weeks with just mild anxiety. I thought since i have been through this before it would be simpler but guess what it isnt any easier the second time around. Other than i know what to expect from surgery. And the surgery will be minor where as before i had to have major. 

LifeAloft

Paxton29, I agree on 2016...just have to get through it and hopefully be done with it.