Specific ibc question

beatchkitty

Being tested for ibc. A bruise popped up a month ago followed by breast pain, swollen lymph nodes sometimes, redness and swelling. I am 22 weeks pregnant but this IS NOT MASTITIS ( 1st thing they ruled out).

Ultrasound was clear but very dense breasts, punch biopsy done on marked area. Extreme pain in Arm attached to breast from swollen lymph nodes last night - ER dr gave penicillin and norco incase of biopsy infection.

My question is... is it a good or bad thing they haven't called with results yet? I've had this appointment since the biopsy last week and I'm going in circles here , especially sincemy lymph nodes are going crazy.

Mamiya

can you call them?

beatchkitty

Mamiya, I did. The receptionist was a stone wall and said my surgeon was in surgery today. She just kept rexpecting that. . Military hospital, everyone

Mamiya

hmmmm. I am 23 years military and don't put up with that. I don't read anything into it though. Call again, and again until they answer your questions

LisaAlissa

Call back. Try asking for your doc's "nurse" or "physician's assistant" or "corpsman." There's going to be somebody who acts as that doc's assistant/gatekeeper. And you need to talk to whoever that is. So when you talk to the receptionist again, try to enlist their help.

Try something like:

"I'm not sure who I need to speak with. My Dr. is Dr. ________. He's a surgeon and is so very busy--often in surgery.(Ditzy laugh here, if that's your style.) But there must be someone in his office (or who works with him) that I can talk with. I had a biopsy and I don't know how (or when) I'm going to get the results. There has to be someone who can tell me what the procedure is--or maybe the results are already back? So who should I be talking to?" (you're asking for advice here...appealing to the knowledgeable receiptionist)

As you go along, get the name/extension # of every person you talk with (can I have your name/extension--so I can get back to you if I need more help). And take good notes on who says what. If you end up with a cancer diagnosis, you'll be dealing with these people for a while. You want them to think of you as a friend. So try to enlist them in your concerns.

HTH,

LisaAlissa

Mamiya

The other possibility, if you are dissatisfied with the answers you are getting at the military treatment facility, ask your primary care manager for a referral to an outside provider (breast surgeon). Hope you can get some answers that put your mind at ease, you certainly don't need to be worrying about such things while pregnant if you don't have to!

trudy-erl

If it was me, I would call them. I was told immediately after my punch biopsy, approximately 10 minutes later. I had an Oncology appointment for the next morning. Within one week I had every scan and CT done and started chemo one week after I got the verdict. It was a horrid time for me as the world dropped away from the feet I was standing on. With each test it was pins and needles time I prayed and cried as I felt it had metastasized. It did not. How very fortunate I was, I'm on an AI and celebrated my 12th anniversary last fall........never did I even let myself imagine I'd still be here to complain.