Shock..Confused...Panic or just being silly?

RnNsmom
RnNsmom Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am still walking around a little disconnected and very confused.
Have had tenderness and some discharge in left breast. Went for mammogram this morning...age 36 3rd mammogram since age 33...maternal aunt (diagnosed age 37) and paternal grandmother (diagnosed late 60's) BC survivors.
My mamogram was at 8am. I was escorted from my mammogram to ultrasound by 9am by 9:30 they were trying to schedule a ultrasound guided core biopsy for tomorrow morning but the Dr. is out of town until Tuesday. I was told to be there first thing Tuesday morning.

The urgency of the office has me terrified. The fact that the mass is solid, solitary and towards the back of the breast by the chest wall sounded like it was concerning to the doctor.

Is there something they can tell by an ultrasound that would expediate the manner in which I was "processed", for lack of a better term, this morning? Every friend and family memeber I have ever been through with this goes days between a mammogram and ultrasound and then sometimes weeks until the biopsy.

Oh...and ironically..the tenderness, discharge and lump I felt is in the left breast...the "solid mass" is in my right.
Help??? I don't know if I am over reacting or if my gut to be really worried is accurate...

Comments

  • tlmac
    tlmac Member Posts: 272 Member
    #2
    Panic is a natural reaction to what you've just experienced. I had very dense breasts and all my mammograms were followed, within an hour, by an ultrasound. When I discovered my lump, a year ago January, my mammogram and ultrasound were done, together, 2 days later followed by core biopsies of both breasts the very next day. I was lucky and caught the cancer before it involved any lymph nodes. The doctors are being prudent and you're fortunate that you can be scheduled immediately. Remember that it's just as possible these tests will confirm the mass is benign. Try to keep your thoughts positive! I'll pray that the test results are good news but remember that we're here if you need us.
    terri
  • seeknpeace
    seeknpeace Member Posts: 259
    #3
    I can only imagine how scared you must be and the waiting is the worst part. My experience was that it went really fast for me. I had a mammo, and was called right back in the next day for another. Within two weeks of diagnosis I had my surgery. So, maybe the sense of urgency is so that they can be sure,....try not to panic as best you can. That is probably impossible, but, pour out all that you need to here. We understand completely how you feel and let us know soon as you know...
    Love

    Jan
  • mom62
    mom62 Member Posts: 604 Member
    #4
    I went to the doctor because of thickness in my skin on Friday, had a Mammogram on Monday and saw a surgeon the following Friday and had a biopsy the following Wednesday. They were all very concerned and it did end up being cancer. I knew it was before they told me though, just one of those things. I hope it's not, but better to be safe than sorry. If it's caught early it's more curable! I'm all done treatment and feel fine now, three month check up was good. Good luck and take care, sounds like you have a great team of medical professionals looking out for you.

    Terry
  • PegN
    PegN Member Posts: 10
    #5
    mom62 said:

    I went to the doctor because of thickness in my skin on Friday, had a Mammogram on Monday and saw a surgeon the following Friday and had a biopsy the following Wednesday. They were all very concerned and it did end up being cancer. I knew it was before they told me though, just one of those things. I hope it's not, but better to be safe than sorry. If it's caught early it's more curable! I'm all done treatment and feel fine now, three month check up was good. Good luck and take care, sounds like you have a great team of medical professionals looking out for you.

    Terry

    My situation is similar and I too was more than a little concerned about the "urgency" I felt at the breast care center. I think the staff and doctors feel that waiting for testing and results is really hard on patients, so they try to get everything scheduled and done in a timely way. In my case, there was a holiday delaying my results. I ended up with a lump, then a suspicious area in another area of my breast. All of the testing and results went quickly, then I had to wait 4 weeks to have my mastectomy and reconstruction. Please know that we are here for you, write us your feelings and concerns. Take care of yourself too! Peg
  • inkblot
    inkblot Member Posts: 698 Member
    #6
    Hi there:

    I understand how you're feeling and it's ok. Silly? Never. Tuesday's procedure should yeild some answers for you. Not knowing is probably the most difficult part really.

    I went straight from mammo's to the ultrasound.
    The radiologist came to talk to me and wanted to immediately schedule the ultrasound. I'm wondering why the radiologist is coming up to talk to me anyway? Thinking that whatever is in there must be really ugly if he's risen from his dungeon to converse with me about it! Half an hour later I was having it done. The ultrasound waiting room was full yet they took me right in. Talk about thinking a house was on fire!!! Trust me, my mind RAMBLED. Our minds are amazing things and sometimes seem to just take off without us, so we have have to pretend we're fishing and have a "big one" on the line and fight to reel it in.

    That the team is concerned and acting in a responsible and timely fashion is a very good sign actually so don't be frightened by it. Too often the opposite is true and we're sent home to wait and worry ourselves to a frazzle while the professionals schedule this or that test and weeks can pass while we remain stuck on hold. Even more bewildering is the women who have to fight and insist on further testing, etc. because no one seems concerned or busy getting and giving them a definitive answer as to what's in their breast. We all deserve to know exactly what it is, even when they "think" it's nothing serious. Until "they" have reliable crystal balls, "we" need tests and path reports to verify their assumptions. Worse yet are the docs who play a guessing game (their minds ramble too it seems)with us and tell us what they "think" it is before they even get a good look at "it". The last thing we need is to be sent home to commiserate over a thoughtless doctor's "guesses" while they get their ducks in a row and get on with lining up something which documents what's going on.

    I agree with everyone else: You've connected with a good team and they're clearly on the ball.

    Try not to allow yourself to get nuts during the wait. It could be anything or nothing at all. There are all manner of lumps, bumps, aches, pains and inflammations and the like which come and go in our bodies. Just part of what our human bodies are about. Some of those things are serious but many are not, so try to keep that in mind and take comfort in the fact that they're taking expedient steps to find out what's up.

    During the wait, try to engage in things you really enjoy, taking take time to relax and indulge in whatever special treats typically take you away from it all. When Tuesday arrives you'll be able to walk in there and get on with the procedure in a more positive and relaxed light. Remember, everything is felt more acutely when we're tense and you don't want to have to do this procedure twice! LOL

    Keep us posted and I'm hoping your news will be good!

    Love, light and laughter,
    Ink
  • Lickedloly
    Lickedloly Member Posts: 4
    #7
    PegN said:

    My situation is similar and I too was more than a little concerned about the "urgency" I felt at the breast care center. I think the staff and doctors feel that waiting for testing and results is really hard on patients, so they try to get everything scheduled and done in a timely way. In my case, there was a holiday delaying my results. I ended up with a lump, then a suspicious area in another area of my breast. All of the testing and results went quickly, then I had to wait 4 weeks to have my mastectomy and reconstruction. Please know that we are here for you, write us your feelings and concerns. Take care of yourself too! Peg

    Hi I am Leslie,
    This was also my experience. I was diagnosed with mastitous first which is an infection of the breast tissue because my breast was swollen and discolored. I took antibiotics and the swelling went down while on them but as soon as I was done with them the swelling came back. Went for mammo and they immediately took me for ultra sound as they saw a tumor. I turned out to be diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer with 3 nodes infected and everything went so fast all I could do is pray. I was stage 11. I am now in remission and was diagnosed in July 03. I had biopsy then chemo then double mastectomy then rads and now in remission. I think they do it fast to get it under control as well as to be cured. I will pray for you hun and feel free to chat with us anytime. My email is lickedloly@cox.net that is also my msn messanger name as well. Love Leslie
  • RnNsmom
    RnNsmom Member Posts: 2
    #8
    inkblot said:

    Hi there:

    I understand how you're feeling and it's ok. Silly? Never. Tuesday's procedure should yeild some answers for you. Not knowing is probably the most difficult part really.

    I went straight from mammo's to the ultrasound.
    The radiologist came to talk to me and wanted to immediately schedule the ultrasound. I'm wondering why the radiologist is coming up to talk to me anyway? Thinking that whatever is in there must be really ugly if he's risen from his dungeon to converse with me about it! Half an hour later I was having it done. The ultrasound waiting room was full yet they took me right in. Talk about thinking a house was on fire!!! Trust me, my mind RAMBLED. Our minds are amazing things and sometimes seem to just take off without us, so we have have to pretend we're fishing and have a "big one" on the line and fight to reel it in.

    That the team is concerned and acting in a responsible and timely fashion is a very good sign actually so don't be frightened by it. Too often the opposite is true and we're sent home to wait and worry ourselves to a frazzle while the professionals schedule this or that test and weeks can pass while we remain stuck on hold. Even more bewildering is the women who have to fight and insist on further testing, etc. because no one seems concerned or busy getting and giving them a definitive answer as to what's in their breast. We all deserve to know exactly what it is, even when they "think" it's nothing serious. Until "they" have reliable crystal balls, "we" need tests and path reports to verify their assumptions. Worse yet are the docs who play a guessing game (their minds ramble too it seems)with us and tell us what they "think" it is before they even get a good look at "it". The last thing we need is to be sent home to commiserate over a thoughtless doctor's "guesses" while they get their ducks in a row and get on with lining up something which documents what's going on.

    I agree with everyone else: You've connected with a good team and they're clearly on the ball.

    Try not to allow yourself to get nuts during the wait. It could be anything or nothing at all. There are all manner of lumps, bumps, aches, pains and inflammations and the like which come and go in our bodies. Just part of what our human bodies are about. Some of those things are serious but many are not, so try to keep that in mind and take comfort in the fact that they're taking expedient steps to find out what's up.

    During the wait, try to engage in things you really enjoy, taking take time to relax and indulge in whatever special treats typically take you away from it all. When Tuesday arrives you'll be able to walk in there and get on with the procedure in a more positive and relaxed light. Remember, everything is felt more acutely when we're tense and you don't want to have to do this procedure twice! LOL

    Keep us posted and I'm hoping your news will be good!

    Love, light and laughter,
    Ink

    Y'all are pretty awesome. Thank you. Yes, the NOT knowing is the worst and I know I should be so grateful that I have been blessed with a team of people that are on top of things...
    I guess a day away and a time to breathe has cleared my head a little...
    I am usually so pulled together about stuff. Why worry until I know if there is anything to worry about? But, this feels like there is a voice in my heart saying, "Houston, we've got a problem."
    It is almost like I knew going into yesterday's mammogram that it was going to yield an issue...
    I don't know. I guess things still do seem surreal.
    I do appreciate all the time you all took. You are wonderful comforters..thanks a million! We are now one day closer to Tuesday.
    Mel

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