Lump isn't a cyst

fitmom: Absolutely not overreacting! Most of us go through this. Many postings here of women who have had to wait for results. Especially if you’ve had cancer in your extended family, that’s normally where our brain goes to the ‘what if’ scenario. I think it’s pretty normal actually to be worried.

My advice tho.....your results more than likely May be back already. I had my biopsy on I believe a Thur and was called the following Monday. So if I were you I’d call your dr office and ask if you could have the results told to you. You should not have to wait til the 17th!! Goodness! I can’t believe they are making you wait that long for results.

You also could email the dr. If you have mychart electronic type of chart system where you are located. You could email the dr and ask for the results.

Let them know how much stress your going through either in a email state this or talk to the receptionist or could leave msg for the doctors nurse.

But keep calling or emailing. If you don’t hear back keep bugging them. That’s ok.

Just my two cents. 😁

We are here to support you. Hang in there

Melissa: I think some of us do worry over results for ovarian cancer tests. I never was concerned over a Pap test. But I had a scare over the past year regarding a wonky ovary. Was being watched. But I’m in the clear now.

My experience has seen that if there is a high probability of something being cancer the patient is told that at the beginning. Conversely, if someone is told that something has a low risk profile, like a cyst or something similar with a low-risk-appearance, more often than not they are told that too. Can they “cross over."? Sure, but things that don't look very concerning usually turn out to be okay. Does making yourself sick change anything? No. Worrying does not change what already is. Can't count the people who come here and literally make themselves ill and wallpaper the board with lots of posts for weeks over something that turns out to be benign, often when all indications pointed to that from the very beginning.

You are not overreacting, you have every right to worry. That’s way too long of a wait to get results I would call and ask just for peace of mind. I received my BX results within 48 hours, I believe it was even the next day.

Best of luck to you. Hope everything is fine.

Melissa, I agree with you there...there is no need to validate irrational fear. HOWEVER, in my experience, I think if someone is worried, they should push to get answers for peace of mind, so if that means a second opinion or additional appointments, so be it. I don't thinking extra worrying will help or solve any problems....Only action can get most the answers they need.

I had a palpable lump at 29 that I was concerned about. I went to the dr, had a mammo, followed by an ultrasound, and followed up with a breast surgeon. Nothing showed up and the BS did not recommend a biopsy at that time due to my age. Because no one else was concerned, I wasn't either...so I waited nearly 2 years before going through the whole dr/mammo/us again. If I had pushed then, my outcome might have been different. But I didn't want to be that pushy person with irrational fears.

I don't think the other posters are pushing for fear...I think they are pushing for answers and peace of mind. The only way you would know is by biopsy. And if it was to the point that the OP needed a biopsy, it is concerning and I think her fear should be acknowledged. The unknown is scary...sometimes more so than knowing.

Each_day, I understand your point, but right now Fitmom has had a biopsy. There is nothing she can do but wait for results. Presuming the results, presuming that she will need more tests or need to push for more answers or have to go for second opinions... these presumptions just lead to more worry, which quite possibly is completely unnecessary worry. Her biopsy result might be perfectly clear. It will hopefully be fully benign. And if it's not, well, without knowing the result, there is no advice we can offer now about what to do next; the next step is entirely dependent on what the biopsy report says.

Of course, if someone is waiting for biopsy results, it is normal to be scared. It is normal to be worried.

But being scared and worried feels miserable, and frankly, it's not good for our health. Most of the time, it will turn out that we were worrying for no reason. So rather than accept feeling scared and miserable for days or weeks until the results are in, it's much better to figure out how to minimize these fears and the amount of time you spend worrying.

There are lots of ways you can do this. One thing I do is remind myself that the odds are in my favor, and in all likelihood I'm making myself miserable for no reason. Since worry is something I can control, that's not very smart, is it? I also remind myself that whatever the results, worrying now isn't going to do me any good - if the result is good then I made myself sick with worry for no reason, and if the result is bad, the worry now isn't going to change that or help with what comes later.

Another thing to do is to create a time when you worry and then to not allow yourself to have these thoughts any other time. I often post about how I give myself a figurative "slap upside the head" when I want to change my thought process and knock worrying thoughts out of my head; I actually visualize it when it when I do this. That's very effective and the visual always makes me smile, which helps me get the worrying thoughts out of my head.

More common advice from around here is to keep busy. Do things that force your mind to think about something else. Attack those tasks that you've been avoiding. Clean up all your drawers. Or just get out and take a long walk and marvel at the beauty of the season.

It is normal to be scared, but it's not a healthy to be scared. So don't accept it and instead figure out how to deal with it. Come up with a technique that works for you. It's a handy skill to have in life because we all encounter situations that scare or worry us. Having a technique available in your pocket that you know helps you get through stressful times is a very good thing. If you don't already have this skill, this is a perfect time to develop it.

Edited to add: Fitmom, I don't think Melissa is being unsupportive of you. I think she is pointing out that telling you that it's okay to be nervous and stressed and to focus on the possibility that you might have breast cancer isn't going to help you get through the next few days until you get your results.

Beesie, those are great suggestions and I do believe staying busy is the ultimate distraction. Easier said than done though and we can't blame a person for worrying. There are so many women here who have a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer. Let's use that for good, esp with those who are scared! If you have never been scared or had what they thought was a cyst that didn't collapse when punctured (as noted in the original post), move along and don't say anything at all. Not every post is going to apply to every person.

I would think that BCO is the exact place someone should come to with their fears and worries. And those of us who have had a diagnosis know what that fear and worry is like even before being diagnosed, so who are we to judge? I have a mammogram this week...I'm terrified. Last time I had a mammogram my whole life changed. But I can't talk about that with my family or friends....they don't get it. That's why I come here. I read other women's stories and ask questions. I don't think we should discount Fitmom's feelings. Fitmom, you ask and vent away!

Edited to add: We don't know, but a number of people could be going through a similar situation and be too scared to ask. I read through posts on here for years before I ever posted!

I agree with trying to get the results ASAP. That is a long wait. I got my results 2 days after my biopsy. Also I love the people who you not to worry or avoid stress. Exactly how do you do that? Like you planned on being stressed?
We have all walked in her shoes so we know what the fear factor is. Keeping busy is helpful but I see nothing wrong with trying to speed up the process. Sometimes I wish the medical people who have not had to wait on a test would experience what it is like to wait.

Praying for good results.

Diane

You know what I did the day after my biopsy? I went to an awesome, rockin' concert and had the time of my life. I might have a different perspective because I'd had cancer before, and I might have been a little nervous with that first one - but the gynecology oncologist surgeon was a patronizing prick who didn't give me much information. So when I went through the whole test test test test kerfuffle with breast cancer, I wasn't particularly scared or emotional, I felt like an old pro in the cancer world. Which came in handy when I was told I had kidney cancer just a few days before the breast surgery! I have yet to cry or get myself in an emotional knot over any of them. Even with the first one, I got the phone call at work, and as soon as I hung up, I resumed typing the email to a client that the call had interrupted. As Melissa said, how you react is a choice. I was raised by a chronic worrier, and she stressed EVERYBODY with it, including the dog. So my choice from decades ago was to NOT be a worrier. And I'm not. You can retrain your emotional reactions, and leave much more time for the cool things in life - or even have more energy for tackling the not-so-cool things.

Okay, Of course I fully understand that we are going to be concerned and worried, within rational limits. Do I feel it is helpful to have multiple threads (the same people are going to respond to all your “not diagnosed” threads) endlessly asking for validation and reassurance? No. Nobody here can tell you if you have cancer or not. Do I think it is helpful to have endless strings of “Oohh, it is so scary.Isn’t it SOOO scary? threads? No.I think it is helpful to have rational responses that you most likely do not have cancer. I do not understand why anyone would find that offensive rather than reassuring

Hope you're hanging in there! Praying that it's benign and you find out sooner rather than later.

The waiting is the hardest part for sure.