Time from diagnosis to surgery

I had about 6 weeks from “official" diagnosis to surgery. I also had BMX with immediate reconstruction, so getting everything scheduled took a little while. I was having tests all throughout October and knew it was cancer a few weeks before the official diagnosis. My MRI showed concerns about mets to lymph nodes and one surgeon I consulted felt I should not wait more than 2-3 weeks. Fortunately the MRI finding did not turn out to be true, but it was certainly on my mind during the wait. I used the time to try to prepare myself as much as possible, but it was hard.

Everyone reminded me that there were women who were in more time-sensitive circumstances who needed to have surgery right away, along with those who had been waiting their turn like me. It was a good reminder, but it's still hard to wait.

I had my surgery the same time of year as yours will be. It's a good, slow time of year and ended up working out very well. Best wishes to you.

Hi Taralynn, my first diagnosis was similar to yours. I found my lump in late September, but didn't go to my PCP until the end of October. We had huge wildfires break out and we had friends staying with us. I was diagnosed on November 2nd (or close to that) and I had my surgery on around the 9th of December. I scheduled it for the day after we threw a huge holiday party at our house. It was a good distraction.

I did not have reconstruction and my chemo didn't start until January.

Waiting is always the hardest part, as anyone will tell you.

The best of luck to you!!! (((hugs)))

Interesting question. I actually went o look my dates up. The first time with all the testing & coordination of surgeons, my wait from discovery of the lump to BMX surgery was 12/14 to 2/15. The second time I had to do chemo first and the docs said it was urgent enough I should cancel a planned vacation. But again, with all the testing the wait was still from 3/14 - 4/17.

Good luck Taralynn

Oh - I should add I've been NED for almost 7 years now.

hi taralynn, diagnosed Feb 25, 2019 , unilateral mastectomy on March 14, 2019, then chemo April 8, 2019

My surgery was about 7 weeks after diagnosis. In the meantime I traveled to see family, a long-planned 3-week trip, and waited for the results of my genetic testing. If I had been gene-positive, I would have chosen double mastectomy instead of lumpectomy, which might have delayed the surgery a bit more.

I had a grade 3 tumor, most aggressive, so I'm glad my surgery was within the 60 days recommended.

I got my diagnosis Oct 18th 2018, and was scheduled for my BMX and reconstruction Dec 12th, 2018. That would have been along the same timeline as almost everyone else on this thread. Unfortunately I caught a cold a week before surgery, so it was postponed. Trying to reschedule two surgeons over the holidays added another 6 weeks to my wait time, and I was so disappointed. I eventually had the surgery January 21, 2019.

Hi Taralynn, from official diagnosis to surgery was 3 weeks for me. I pretty much knew it was cancer a week or two prior though. The delay of waiting is brutal. The not knowing if you're stage 1 or 4.

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Hi all!

My personal timeline was a bit delayed. 1st mammogram was on 7/28/2020, but I wasn't officially diagnosed until 9/1. Because I chose to have IORT along with my lumpectomy, I had to switch surgeons and surgery dates changed from Oct 8th to the 30th. I also needed to have a re-excision 10 days later, ugh! At least that's all in the rearview mirror now. While you're waiting your turn, time does seems to stand still.