Waiting after biopsy - really scared
Hello all, just joined and am looking for some support.
Found a lump in late December but I have had many cysts so wasn't super on top of it. When it didn't go down after my next period I called my GP. Had mammogram and ultrasound last week, then had an ultrasound-guided core biopsy on Tues - was told results would take up to 2 weeks.
During the biopsy, they saw something with my one lymph node and decided to biopsy that as well. That is when I really started to get very scared. I have very young children and am so afraid of what might be coming.
My mum had breast cancer when she was 45, I'm 38. She is alive and kicking but her cancer was found extremely early.
Not sure what I am seeking here, but I feel better even just writing it down. I know nobody can tell me it is going to be ok, and I am really struggling to keep my head on straight.
Comments
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TSG, I’m sorry you are so scared. I know how that feels, especially when you think of your young children. I wish there were more I could say to you to make you feel better, but know there is not. Just wanted you to know your post didn’t go out unheard. I will be thinking about you, and sending you good thoughts. Feel free to post at will while you wait. I’ve found,sometimes, just having a place to go where people know how afraid you are really helps, even if those people can’t offer any real advice. Just knowing you aren’t alone helps. And you aren’t.
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Thank you so much for your quick and kind response. I appreciate knowing there is a supportive community here - waiting is excruciating in a way I did not expect.
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Yes it is excruciating. There is a whole community here who knows exactly how excruciating. Hang in there.
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TSG, sorry you've going through this - it's scary, as we all know!
Hopefully this ends up being a false alarm and you get a benign result from the biopsy. But if you don't, you will take a deep breath and then you will move forward and get through it, one step at a time. Even if you are diagnosed with breast cancer and even if it is in a lymph node, it doesn't mean that it's not an early stage breast cancer. It could still be Stage I.
So don't jump too far ahead. Get the biopsy result. Fingers crossed that it's benign. And if it's not, you will find out what type of breast cancer is it, and you & your doctors will treat it. Not always fun, but doable.
Sending cyber (((hugs))) of support!
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TSG, welcome to BCO. We know you're going through a scary and uncertain time, but just know that you are not alone in this wonderful community! Good luck on your biopsy results and, please keep us posted!
The Mods
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Thanks, everyone. Just writing it down here and receiving your reassuring responses has calmed me. Slightly, haha.
So thankful you have this space for me to wait in!
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Just want to welcome you TSG! Please let us know when you get more feedback. The waiting is soooo difficult. Do what you can to enjoy time with your kids, enjoy and relax in other ways and post as you want or need to post.... Indeed we know what you're feeling! The feelings are similar even when our situations may be different....
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TSG, I'm half of a step a head of you. We just finished the long wait and mine was cancer. BUT... I will say, even though I just found out on Friday, the waiting had it's good points. I found that during the wait It gave my husband and children and I the roller coaster ride of emotions. But by the time the news came, we were all calm BECAUSE we had that wait time to think the worst, the best, the good, bad and ugly. We felt more emotionally prepared to deal with the "C" word when they said it. It wasn't the shock I thought it would be because we'd already gone there in our minds. Use this time to prepare for the best the worst and for nothing at all. We're still waiting on the full load of specifics to be told to us. But the wait made me or ready to hear the rest. Part of me is scared but most of me is like.. okay... let's go! Let's fix me! Whatever that may mean. I'm sure the wait for you is super hard having had your mom go through it, but know that the wait does help prepare you so you're not AS horrified as you would be had they told you same day.
I hope the best for you!
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I found it helpful to deliberately do a lot of fun things between tests and appointments. It's harder with Covid and winter, but watch silly movies with your kids, or do goofy dancing, or whatever is energetic and relaxing at the same time. Mine was during the summer so I did a lot of day trips, but I remember all the fun days more than the medical ones. It's a gift to give your future self.
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TxShannon, welcome to Breastcancer.org, and thank you so much for your post and support. Please know that we're here for you too, so let us know if there's anything at all we can do to help!
Kind wishes,
From the Mods
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I appreciate all the support! TxShannon, I am so sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis but sounds like you've got your game face on which is great!! Thank you for stopping in to lend support during what I am sure must be a tough time for you.
AliceBastable, I am definitely trying to keep busy with my kids and "a gift to my future self" is a super positive way to think about it. I need to reframe some of my doom and gloom thinking because it sure won't do me any good.
Trying to remind myself that I can't control the future and take everything one day at a time. My parents have both had/ have cancer so to me it seems inevitable that I will get it but until I hear it from a doctor I don't actually know anything!
Still hoping for good news when the doctor calls, but it is so nice to know there is a warm community here for support when I need it.
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TSG, I had several relatives with cancer, some of whom died from it. Just remember that THEIR cancer isn't YOUR cancer. Even if there's a genetic link, it only shows the possibility of getting cancer, not any outcomes once diagnosed. Even with all the cancer in my family, there was no genetic link. You'd probably be surprised how many of us here had the same results from testing.
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Hoping you are having a good day and that you are back here soon to tell us your results are benign. And if they aren't please take heart! Also in general since your mom had cancer at a young age, consider doing a genetic screening
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Had stereotactic breast biopsy same breast I had cancer in 8 years ago. Results in 2 weeks . Nervous not only that it has reappeared but fear it has spread in other parts of body.Trying to stay positive, doing fine but have moments where emotional.
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65andcounting, I can't imagine how you must be feeling. I'll keep you in my thoughts as we wait!
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i just went through this and you can do it. First of all it might be b9? I am sending you really positive thoughts! My ultrasound biopsy was in December. The radiologist biopsied a lymph node also. I was so scared of the words lymph node but that part turned out to be b9. You made it through the biopsy so give yourself credit for that. That was hard and that gunshot noise sucked. You did that! Mission one accomplished. Now next step is getting results. If it does happen to be cancer that will suck but I think you have the right attitude. I was shocked but I got through it. My tumor apparently is small but it's triple negative and I have other atypical cells so I just had a bilateral mx. Surgery wasn't that bad. I'm recovering fine. Way better than I thought. The hard part for me now is waiting for final pathology. For me it helps to look at each step as a challenge and give myself a ribbon for overcoming the challenge. I know it's so hard to wait and I feel like I'm there all over again. Keep us posted!!!!
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Rollercoaster, that is very reassuring, thank you for sharing your experience. Glad to hear the surgery wasn't as bad as you thought - I had a C-section 2 years ago and I am super wary of surgery now because recovery from that was so slow.
I hope you don't have to wait too long for your results this time - must be very nerve-wracking.
The biggest thing for me is staying off the internet while I wait. I cut myself off yesterday and feel 10000x better already.
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Thank you. Having pain in shoulder blade/scapula area of course think it is the Big C. I know the worrying gets me nowhere . Waiting is terrible. Have 12 more days of stewing and fretting hoping for the best.
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