If you have just been diagnosed....

edot: Wow, things move quickly in Switzerland! I had a mammogram in early Nov/2010 and was called back for an ultrasound at which time they told me it looked like a cyst. I went back for a needle biopsy on 11/23 and it was not a cyst. The radiologist told me he thought it was a fibroidenoma (sound familiar?). He needed to do a core biopsy at that point but I'm extremely allergic to various metals and he did not have a titanium marker available so I had to wait another week to do the core biopsy when he had the titanium marker! In the meantime, the needle biopsy results returned on 11/29 and were malignant. Then I had the core biopsy as planned to get more definitive pathology (found out I'm ER+/PR+/Her2+) and an MRI to rule out any other suspicious areas and a BRCA genetic test (it was negative). I'm having my lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy this Friday (1/7/11). What a difference in how the process works-especially with the timing, huh? I'm pretty sure I'm headed for chemo due to the Her2 (could be what made your tumor a grade 3 and so aggressive...are you going to find out about Her2 status on your tumor?)

So sorry about the history with your mom and the bad timing but then there is never good timing with breast cancer. The forums are great. Lots of great support here. Wishing you all the best as you get ready to meet with an oncologist.

Hi ladies, I have been diagnosed today I am still shell shocked the whole of today has been a blur. I am now all alone and awake my OH and 1 yr old daughter are sleeping both as drained as what I am. I have had to take in so much info today but what I have gained from that is

11th Jan I will be going for my pre assesment

25th Jan Lumpectopy and Lymphnode Biopsy

2 weeks later results and check up

Discuss Chemo plan with oncologist either 6 or 8 wk blocks

Then radio therapy

Put like that it seems simple and I am going to be strong. I am 32, my daughter was 1 on NYE, I am just about to start a new business so alot of things to keep me going.

My thoughts and prayers are with you all and our journey together. xx

Sorry to have to meet in these circumstances.  

Hi dragonfly, hope your surgery went well yesterday. Yes my surgeon who I met with yesterday told me I will be having chemo because of my age its the most preventative option for re-occurance. I  am sure to be asking alot of questions over the next coming weks to prepare me for surgery and already really appreciate the support I received on the "waiting for results board" Wishing you the bery best to.

Dragonfly, I hope your surgery went well. I found my lumpectomy to be so easy. Sure it was sore but I didn't even need a tylenol. Gentle {{{HUGS}}} for you as well.

Just called my doc yesterday at 4:45pm to find out my biopsy results and heard "we don't have the hard copy yet, but the pathologist says it's cancer."   Yippee.   Kind of knew it and am glad it is now finally discovered and will be out of me soon.  I went to the cancer doc 6 mths ago and was told it was nothing (my left breast was funny looking with irregularities and a weird dimple thing).  She said to come back in 6 months just to make sure.  Well - low and behold she finds a "new" 1.5 cm lump that turns out to be cancerous.  She missed it the first go around but is now calling it "new" - yeah right.   Don't yet know the staging, etc. but hope the 6mths in putting off the dx did not cause me much more harm.  I must admit I am scared and will find out on Monday all the details.     

Claire/WillBok--You will find lots of help and advice on these forums. Once you have your full diagnosis/pathology and treatment plan in place there are a lot of forums here that can follow you through your treatment. I was diagnosed back in July 2010 and joined the Aug 2010 chemo thread and it has provided so much help to me. I am just about to start my rads and will follow along with the Jan 2011 rad thread. Believe me, I know how hard it is when you are first diagnosed--everything is surreal--once you have everything in place--gets a little easier. Take care, Rachel

p.s Claire--I was born in England and moved to Canada when I was 12 (lived in Oxford)!

dizzyakira...i so sorry that you had to join this board...but know you will find support and answers here...please take one day at a time and let it all out...I know its extremely scary right now, i have 2 young boys 6 and 4...I worry about this daily...Its the hardest at the beginning and once you have plans and feel lie your doing something, surgery, chemo...or whatever path you take...it feels like your fighting it!  message me if you need anything or have any questions...i will be thinking and praying for you

I really  do wish I was meeting you all under different circumstances, but all the same your forums have all touched my heart dearly. It is nice to know were not alone. I went in Dec. for a biopsy on 2 lumps and 1 lymph node. Was told on 1/5 it was cancer but no sign of going into node. Monday I go for bloodwork, meet with Oncologist, and Surgeon. As all of you I am scared and pray God will see me through this.

Samantha41: So sorry to hear about your diagnosis but glad that you have found this website for support and information.

Just in case you do in fact have a diagnosis of triple negative, I noticed that there is a forum called "Calling all TNS" that seems to be very active and is for those with triple negative. You can find it by going to the "Jump to Forum" box at the top and looking under the title triple negative. Hope this info helps.

While realizing that there may be a benefit to having all the receptor information, I thank God that I had not had that added to my own diagnostics.  Are these studies performed by the pathologists looking at the tissue samples?  If so, is this requirement cutting in to time spent reviewing cytology?  Best of everything to us all.

Hi everyone,

So sorry you are all here, but  now that you have found us it is an amazing resource.

I was diagnosed on October 26, 2011 with ILC and 1 postive node was found in the biopsy. The lump was found during a routine mammogram/sonogram, no thought that it would be anything other than my normal exam, I had a GYN visit in the summer and no lumps were detected in breast exam. Scheduled for PET and MRI imediately following the diagnosis.  MRI showed the lump to be much larger that the original estimate from Mamogram and sonogram - almost double. otherwise both came back with no other signs of cancer.  I had my surgery on December 1 (Lumpectomy and SNB) and now know that the mammogram estimate was closest, MRI read larger due to blood swelling the area from biopsy.  My SNB removed 5 nodes 2 arae positive.  I am now waiting to hear what the next steps are, should know more tomorrow after my first ONC visit.  Holidays and vacation schedules made this the first appointment I could get in the cancer center.

 I agree it is never easy to find out you have breast cancer but dealing with it around the holidays added an extra layer of stress.

I would recommend Dr/Love's "The Breast Book" as a good reference boook if you are like me and needs to know whatever I can in a situation - make sure it is the latest edition which is the 5th from 2010 as you want the latest findings. This website is great as is the American Cancer Society.

I agree those first few weeks of not knowing are hard...I kept saying I needed to know the plan. We need to keep up our spirits - not always easy but it is OK to cry, we are all processing so much information right now. Have some close people you can lean on and the women in these forums are all very supportive and know exactly what we are going through and are in all stages of treatment and recovery.

Once piece of advice I received early on was to request a copy of every report/test result be sent to you when they are sent to the doctor, keep a file (binder/folders) whatever works for you. This has proven to be a major timesaver, I already have the reports and did not have to go back and request copies when needed. Keep records or a notebook, helpful to jot down questions information, recommendations and have in one place.

Don't be afraid to ask questions or get a second opinion it is your body and you need to feel comfortable and understand the treatment. Don't assume the doctor is always right, there can be other options that are better for you.  My fist BS was automatically going to remove all the lymph nodes since the one biopsied was positve, the second surgeon said the latest studies showed for patients undergoing lumpectomies there was no difference in surrvival rates if you just removed the positive nodes if there were less that 3 instead of removing all of them.  I went with the second surgeon.

If you have a question use the search button on the top right. It will lead you to a thread that is dicussing it. Search the forums and look for threads that fit your situation there are all enlightening. There is even one listing all the abbreviations should you need help "translating"

Best of luck and hugs to all,

Jean

Imanalo: Sorry you've just received your diagnosis but you've definitely found a supportive place to ask questions or just vent your feelings when you need to...The first few weeks are the toughest when you are trying to absorb the reality of it all and it doesn't seem real.

As far as the staging of your tumor, the nurse is right-you won't get an official staging of the tumor or the stage of the overall cancer until after surgery because that comes from the surgical pathology. However, the testing you are having done now will still provide some very helpful info. For instance, you will probably find out from your initial pathology (biopsy) whether the tumor is estrogen+ and/or progesterone+ and they may also test it for Her2. These are really important to know later for treatment reasons. The MRI is important to look for other areas of concern and my radiologist also told me that it gives some idea of how the lymph nodes look (healthy or not) even though its not intended to be a diagnostic tool for the lymph nodes.

Ask any questions you have and someone will be along to answer...there are lots of us at varying stages of our breast cancer journey. I've just had a lumpectomy/sentinel node biopsy and I'm getting ready to see an oncologist to find out my treatment. Everyone has been incredibly helpful in explaining everything to me so that I was not afraid of the next step. This is a safe place and we will all help as much as we can!  

As far as your husband goes, he's probably not sure what else to say at this point and is scared and wants to reassure you (and himself) that you will be okay. I found a book that is helping my husband to better understand-it's called "Breast Cancer Husband: How to Help Your Wife (And Yourself) During Diagnosis, Treatment and Beyond" and is written by a man and from a man's perspective (found it on Amazon.com). My husband has been reading it and finding it helpful.  

Hi, goldiebelle ~ I'm so sorry you're joining the club that none of us ever wanted to be in, but glad you've found BCO.  Since you're starting chemo tomorrow, one thing you might want to do is look for the January 2011 chemo thread.  (Go to Forum Index above & scroll down until you see the Chemotherapy section.)  You'll find lots of support there from other women who are also starting or have started chemo this month.

Good luck tomorrow.  Oh, and in the Chemotherapy Forum, there should also be a thread with all sorts of tips re. getting through chemo.  It's pinned to the top of that section.     Deanna

Hi Becky--It is a whirlwind of information when you are first diagnosed---trying to understand everything they tell you. Hopefully you have a copy of the information--this way, you can take some time to understand the reports. I did not have a MRI scan prior to my surgery. I was diagnosed via breats ultrasound--then biopsy. Surgeon did lumpectomy. Then I received the official pathology report which then explains the official grade, stage and if lymph node involvement. At that point, they are then able to explain treatment plan in more detail. Wishing you good luck for your surgery. Once that is done and you have report in hand--things will make more sense and you will feel more calm (I know hard to believe but true). Rachel