Worried & Waiting

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Formack
Formack Member Posts: 9
edited May 2017 in Waiting for Test Results

Hello; I have been reading and reading here for several weeks and finally decided to join and post. A 33 year old, married mom of 2 (12 & 11).

•In March I noticed a dark pink/red patch below/slightly overlapping my right nipple. Skin was dry, flaky. I assumed it was a skin issue; added extra lotion and cream to area. 1-2 weeks go by and it becomes a little darker,feels fuller/heavy and is achy and sometimes itchy. I decided to make appt with ob/gyn.

•4/11/17: Appt with Gyn. He feels it looks like a dermitological issue but says we will do US to rule out any issues.

•4/14/17: 3D mammo and US- they perform both US & mammo. The tech performed the US and then sent in the radiologist, who also performed the US. *I was a little annoyed because they only performed the US over the area of redness and lower inner quadrant. No check of upper outer region or lymph nodes.

•4/17/26: receive results:

(Mammo: Global sssymmetry in the lower inner quadrant of right breast which effaced on 3D imaging and is suggestive of glandular tissue. Based on mammogram you do not have dense breast tissue)

Impression: incomplete- addtl imaging suggested

(US: focal nonspecific mild skin thickening noted at area of clinical concern. No mass, distortion or cystic lesion is identified)

Impression: Clinical concern appears dermal. Clinical follow up & management recommended. Right breast assymetry, probably benign. 6 month follow up is recommended to document stability.

BI-RADS category 3: probably benign

--Gyn referred me to dermatologist.

•5/2/17: Dermatologist appt: skin scraping(-) and skin punch biopsy

I'm currently awaiting results; I have an appt tomorrow to get my stitches out and hope they have the results then.

-I know statistically my chances are high that everything will be benign. The area of redness is sightly larger. And my lymph nodes are swollen and sore under my arm pit (even before skin punch biopsy). My breast continued to feel different and achy, with pain in my lymph nodes. I am obviously worried but am trying to staying calm. I have only told my husband and best friend. I felt there was no need to worry anyone if it was nothing.

- does it normally take a full week or more for biopsy results?

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited May 2017

    So sorry you are in waiting mode, it's absolutely the worst. Yes, it is very possible that biopsy results can take a full week or more. It typically depends on the size of the lab and their workload. I've had results come back in a few days (from a smaller lab) up to a week (for a larger teaching hospital lab).

    *about "only performed the US over the area of redness" - you may have been referred for a diagnostic, which means that their focus is perhaps on diagnosing what you presented with (vs. a screening, where they are looking for anything that might be there).

    I am glad that your dermatologist proceeded with reasonable caution and performed a skin biopsy, and am hoping your wait isn't as long as a week.

    Waiting sucks! ((hugs))

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  • Formack
    Formack Member Posts: 9
    edited May 2017

    thank you MTwoman. I am resisting the urge to call the Dr. and see if they have results. I know if they did they would call me.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited May 2017

    Waiting is the worst. We all understand how you are feeling. Try to distract yourself, and take care of yourself. Wishing for a b9 result for you!


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  • Formack
    Formack Member Posts: 9
    edited May 2017

    Thank you for your kind thoughts! It has helped. I currently sit in the waiting room at the dr to get my stitches out. I hope they have the biopsy results; it has been 1 week.

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  • Formack
    Formack Member Posts: 9
    edited May 2017

    Thank you for your kind thoughts! It has helped. I currently sit in the waiting room at the dr to get my stitches out. I hope they have the biopsy results; it has been 1 week.

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited May 2017

    Good luck! and certainly let us know how your appointment goes!

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  • Formack
    Formack Member Posts: 9
    edited May 2017

    I got my stitches out uneventfully. The nurse said she had called to check on the status of my biopsy results because I had my appt today. She states that the results weren't back yet because they had to run more tests on it. ☹️ That immediately made me more worried. She said "we hope to have the results by the end of today or tomorrow". We will see......more waiting.

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited May 2017

    Okay, formack, breathe. Try not to jump to conclusions (yes, yes that is awfully hard). You will get results today or tomorrow. Now's the time for distraction and relaxation as best you can for a calm mind to be able to digest what they say when they call. Let us know if you get any confusing results that you need help understanding. We are "in your pocket" while you wait! ((hugs))

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  • Formack
    Formack Member Posts: 9
    edited May 2017

    No results today. Thankfully work kept me busy this afternoon. Hopefully I can relax tonight. I feel like the more time that passes the more likely there is that something's wrong. But I also know; that "something" doesn't have to just be cancer.

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  • Formack
    Formack Member Posts: 9
    edited May 2017

    MTwoman, I have a question. So far I have only seen my ob/Gyn and a dermatologist. Even if I get a benign report; I obviously still have something going on. The rash is still present and the derm could possibly help. But I have multiple swollen painfull lymph nodes. Would you recommend following up with a breast specialist either way to kind of lead/organize my plan of care?

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  • LisaAlissa
    LisaAlissa Member Posts: 1,092
    edited May 2017

    Hi Formack,

    Not MTWoman, but...

    Who is your primary care provider? You may want to ask their assistance in checking this out. Rash and swollen lymph nodes could present in many kinds of things. Talk with your PCP about what you've done so far, and whether they are the right person to help you get these symptoms sorted out from this point. Or get you referred to an internist who enjoys sorting out diagnostic puzzles.

    Specialists tend to focus on their specialty. Other possibilities may escape their notice (they often assume that your PCP will be coordinating among the specialists, reading and assessing their various reports and making sure that various specialists don't end up working at cross-purposes.

    HTH,

    LisaAlissa

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited May 2017

    Formack,

    I am in complete agreement with LisaAlissa. I'd go to my PCP (if you know them well and have a good history of working together). If you don't have a PCP, then I'd find a good Internist (I love mine). My reasons are the same as LisaAlissa's, specialists assume that all of the "usual suspects" have been ruled out and that it must have something to do exclusively with their area of expertise. GPs or Internists tend to look at clusters of symptoms and think about which body system(s) they involve and what the "usual suspects" are, ruling them out one by one until they come up with an answer. Good luck!

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  • Formack
    Formack Member Posts: 9
    edited May 2017

    Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and prayers. It has helped me get through this waiting period. It turns out I have cancer on my breast; but not breast cancer. Pathology came back: cutaneous non Hodgkin's lymphoma.

    Thank you again!

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  • Icietla
    Icietla Member Posts: 1,265
    edited May 2017

    I am so sorry, Formack. Hoping your treatment goes very well for you. Prayers for you.

    (((Hugs)))

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited May 2017

    Oh Formack, I am so very sorry! I am also hoping that they caught it early and your treatment goes well for you. You will be in my thoughts. Sending you white light and ((hugs))

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  • Formack
    Formack Member Posts: 9
    edited May 2017

    I saw the oncologist today. He stated that he too found the wording confusing on the patho report. He called the pathologist himself. Turns out the sample was negative for lymphoma!!! But he isn't sure what's going on. He mentioned maybe paget's? I have an MRI on Monday 5/15. Then once we have results; I will have breast biopsy (2-4 random, and of anything the MRI shows) and I will have an excisional biopsy of an axillary lymph node. I am calmer because they are hopeful/thinking it's not lymphoma. But he believes it is something related to my breast; now we wait and see benign or malignant. Thank you again for all of your support! I have decided that other than my husband and 2 friends; to not tell anyone until I have a definitive diagnosis of what's going o

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited May 2017

    Oh my goodness Formack! What a doozy of a confusingly worded report ! :/ But I'm ever so glad it isn't lymphoma! Hurrah! Really sorry you're back in the waiting and worrying stage. I can still hope for benign results for you. Please do be extra good to yourself right now, you've already been through the ringer. ((hugs))

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