Waiting 8 weeks for biopsy and trying to manage anxiety

seriouslydee

Hi all,

I had a mammo in February, followed by ultrasound, followed by more 3d mammo pics, then finally cyst aspiration and another mammo. Apparently my cyst was hiding microcalcifications. The radiologist gave it a BIRADS 4b and tried to call my doctor that night to discuss. She gave it about a 40% chance of being cancer, likely DCIS.

I finally got a call for the biopsy and it is not until April 12th (which is apparently a fast track appointment from the radiology centre). My doc tried other hospitals but because I already have a referral, they won't take me. 😕

My worry is -- how fast can this grow if it's DCIS or something else? I already feel changes in that breast sincethe mammo (but I am kinda cysty) and I am alternating between calm anticipation and freaking out!

I can Google no more. I need people on this one. Anyone have a similar story? Thoughts? Impressions? Advice?

Thanks,

Dee

KBeee

Perhaps your doc can ask to put you on a list to call if they get any cancellations. Maybe you can call them and ask that too. Sorry you have to wait so long.

seriouslydee

Thanks, KBee, I'm on it. I feel like it'll probably be benign but weeks of pondering "what if" is becoming intolerable

Aliceinchains

They shouldn’t make a lady wait that long in my opinion. The doctors here are very quick about getting biopsies in a hurry. Wish fish were the case everywhe

NotBrokenJustBent

I had to wait over 2 weeks and that was with confirmation from the radiologist that it was cancer. Yes, four weeks is a long time to wait because of the anxiety but it is important to remember it is likely not cancer and even if it is, cancer is slow growing. Try to remain positive and in the interim I agree to see if there is a cancellation list that you can be put on. Hang in there.

MelissaDallas

seriouslydee, I can identify. I go to a very busy clinic at a public hospital staffed by a major university medical center. I wait a long time for appointments. I had screening mammo November 1st, call back diagnostic mammo & ultrasound mid February, stereotactic biopsy in March and excisional biopsy in April. One thing I knew was that if they felt it was urgent I would have been "triaged" up the list, but yeah, the entire process took about six months. I decided I didn't have the energy to be anxious the whole time. Whatever "was" (or wasn't) was already a fact and worrying about it wasn't going to change anything.

seriouslydee

Yeesh, Melissa, that's a long wait! Aliceinchains (good ref, btw), Portland seems to have excellent health care! I'm in Vancouver, BC -- notoriously long waits for everything. And Bent, did your radiologist say flat out that it was cancer? Mine was very concerned and gave me the 40% answer.

For context, I lost a dear friend to BC that was initially missed -- fine needle biopsy missed the lump and she was told it was fine. Three months later, the lump was the size of a golf ball and they did an excision which turned out to be triple negative. Aggressive, fast-moving TN. So I'm wary of long waits and uncertainty, even knowing the odds, and anxiety doesn't let me trust triage systems in an overloaded city. 😕

I'm just really scared. It's hard to admit in day to day life and to family and friends because I don't want them to worry. I just feel like I can't do anything about it and unless I'm in constant motion, knowledge of what could be lingers in the back of my mind

windingshores

I had diagnostic mammo, ultrasound and biopsy all on the same day within an hour of each other and thought the wait for pathology results was rough. I cannot imagine waiting as long as you have to- more than three weeks from today for the biopsy? That said, that is an emotional burden but most likely with few medical effects. I would try to get on a cancellation list as others have said, and call your doctor's office to say you would like to have the biopsy sooner.

Other than that, distraction helps. Don't google! I did buy the Mayo Clinic book on breast cancer to get a broad overview but didn't research anything at all until I knew exactly what I was dealing with.

I watched Netflix, did Tai Chi and walked. I also got a little Ativan which I used maybe three times for sleep (1/2 dose for me!).

seriouslydee

Hi all,

Thought I would post an update. I did get in a week early for my core biopsy and was told today that it is DCIS, Nuclear Grade 2... I see the surgical oncologist tomorrow afternoon to find out next steps. My family doctor believes that it will be excision, radiation, Tamoxin.

Head's spinning a bit. I'm trying to write down some questions to ask but I guess all I want to know is when treatment starts.

Anyone with the same/similar diagnosis that can weigh in on what to expect?

Thanks,

Dee