I was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer today

gwydiana

The Kaiser nurse called and told me that my biopsy was positive for cancer. She didn't tell me anything else and I'm chomping at the bit to get my pathology report and figure out exactly what kind. I'm a wreck and cannot sleep...

Any information and advice would be greatly appreciated!

gb2115

Take a deep breath!

Did the nurse tell you when you would find out the pathology details, and is she helping you set up doctors appointments? Those are your next steps! It took me about 4 days past finding out I had cancer to hearing the pathology, and that really did shape the plan.

Moderators

Hi gwdiana,

Firstly, welcome to the boards!

We're sorry that your recent diagnosis brought you here but we're glad that you found us.

Waiting for the pathology report is a difficult time and as gb2115 said, you should be made aware of how long you will expect to wait to receive it. Here is some guidance from our main site about waiting for your results

"The best way to help yourself during this waiting period is to find out from your doctor—in advance—when you are likely to get a phone call and how the information will be given to you. Will it be over the phone? Or in an office visit?

Prepare yourself for the fact that the pathology report comes back in pieces, so you will have only part of the answer you're looking for at first.

Once all the results are in, your doctor will review the pathology report with you and discuss next steps, including your need for additional ("adjuvant") therapy such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or hormonal or targeted therapy.Here is some information for you that you may find helpful".

Getting the results of your Pathology Report

Also, we have a comprehensive booklet on our site which goes through everything that you need to know about understanding your report:

Understanding your Pathology Report Booklet

We hope this is helpful and do keep us updated as to how you are getting on.

The Mods.

star2017

I’m sorry. I know exactly how you must feel. I’m sure most of us do. I was diagnosed last fall, and those site and other women who have been through this have been an amazing resourxe

beach2beach

sorry you have joined us but you will find much needed comfort and resources here. If the nurse did not tell you anything other than it's positive, I would call back and ask, what's my next step? When will the final diagnosis be in?

Seems many get the diagnosis right away and others have to wait. I was told what type right away. I just had to wait for the hormonal results,,er,pr etc.

Jojobird

Gwydiana,

I am so very sorry. This is a very difficult time, the hardest part in some ways, in which you wait for the bits and pieces of information to come in and until the plan gets known. Rally your friends, family, support network - people who you trust and who will catch you, hear you, stop and listen. And let yourself cry and grieve and feel everything your body needs to feel.

And also: welcome to the most wonderful and sad sisterhood of all time. The women you will meet on these boards are angels, lifesavers, sisters traveling side by side with you and who've been on the same road. It is so good you are reaching out.

Please keep us posted, and hugs to you.

ReadyAbout

Welcome Gwydiana and sorry that this is the reason our paths crossed! I was diagnosed Feb. 1st and FWIW, here's my takeaway from the past few months: cancer involves LOTS of waiting. If you are type A, this will be especially hard. Extra tests may be ordered and these take time; new information from said tests will alter your diagnosis and treatment plan, and this can be frustrating. You may get great news one day and potentially troubling news the next: brace yourself for this. If you enjoy orderly, steady progress towards a goal, it will be even harder. Try not to read too much about any given topic on breast cancer, because like WebMD, you will absorb the worst and discount the best and be convinced 40 minutes later that you need to get your affairs in order. Suspend judgment but read enough to ask good questions. Take notes, or have a friend/loved one take notes, at every visit. You will want to look back on those notes to get a comprehensive understanding and the notes will help you during future visits. Finally, you may want to buy some Melatonin or some kind of sleep aid. I have never been a good sleeper, but having breast cancer has kicked my insomnia into overdrive. I used to wake up at 2:30 a.m. and worry about 10 things that will never happen; now I wake up and wrestle with the substantial unknowns of cancer. This is a wonderful community and once you enter your personal information, the website will automatically download lots of helpful articles regarding your particular cancer. Chin up! Fight the good fight!

gwydiana

thank you! I drove to Kaiser and acquired the Pathology report on my own. Invasive Lobular carcinoma in situ. Lots of learning to do. I have to wait another 6 days for the appt with the General Surgeon.

Zoisite

Gwydiana I am so sorry to hear you are joining us here but you will find a strong group of women and men to support you. I do not post much but your post reminded me of when I got the horrible phone call that I had cancer. ReadyAbout gave some great advice try to take it in a little at a time. Hugs

beach2beach

I thought in-situ was before it becomes invasive (as in LCIS) yet your report is saying invasive in-situ. Learn new terminology everyday. I had both, but I did not know that until after my surgery and they were listed separately.

Glad you are getting in soon and (hopefully) will get all your questions answered. Hang in there.

BlueSky1969

Hi Gwydiana;

I second everything ReadyAbout said in her post. I've felt gated at each step, then It's zig one way, then a zag the other: super frustrating. I attributed that to our Canadian system (I'm in BC), but it sounds like it's a similar in other countries too. I feel like all my suggestions are so obvious and will sound patronizing: exercise, ask Dr for sleep or anxiety meds, deep breaths, and know that all the women on this site know exactly how excruciating the waiting is - I'm still in process too. Maybe it's just as well? It takes me some time to absorb each bit of info anyway.

I was told BC is not an emergency, that most are slow growing and the wait won't affect the outcome. But psychologically has been brutal - the most intense limbo I've ever experienced

gwydiana

beach2beach, I've been reading that in situ was pre-cancerous, yet the Kaiser nurse who called me said "you have cancer". So I submitted the pathology report to AFLAC (I have a policy) and they processed and paid right away. I've been getting emails from my Kaiser dr saying that an ultra sound that was done came back positive for cysts on my liver. Yet, everybody seems to just want to wait and see.
The frustration is incredible.

gwydiana

"In Situ" means absolutely nothing when included in the Pathology Report for Invasive Lobular Carcinoma. Apparently, they just throw that into the Pathology report as it's on the template. The tumor is now baseball sized and apparently was hiding deep in the breasts over the past few years. The doctor seemed surprised at the size of it but said it's not that unusual for Lobular cancer.

Going to be a bumpy ride.....

Thank you all so much for your amazing support and advice!!!