is this normal??

aisling8
aisling8 Member Posts: 1,627 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Brand new here. Diagnosis last Friday after waiting three weeks for surgical consult and biopsy appointment. Now waiting for MRI and PET scan (told that can take up to a week). Then told surgery will be scheduled two weeks after that. Meanwhile, I feel like I'm gonna die as a result of all this waiting. Not that I'm pining to begin... but really, at this rate it will be six weeks between a call back from the imaging center to finally having surgery. Is this normal????

Comments

  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #2
    Welcome to the site
    It is difficult to say what is normal and what is not. For inflammatory cancer this is not normal.For other types it is within regular range, I had my consultation with breast surgeon two weeks after I found lump and had mammogram. Then I two days later had lumpectomy/biopsy and waited for pathology report 1 week. I had surgery 3 weeks after my diagnosis from pathology report. If you feel it has been too long for you you can try a different hospital/doctor. You can see plastic surgeon while waiting for MRI and PET scan results.

    Good luck,
    New Flower
  • xskeetshooter
    xskeetshooter Member Posts: 169
    #3
    waiting
    its normal
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #4
    Been there
    Well for me it was very normal and very frustrating. I wish it would go faster but sadly these tests all take time. Welcome, I am glad you found us, we have all been there and will be there for you.

    Take care,

    RE
  • aztec45
    aztec45 Member Posts: 757
    #5
    Welcome
    Welcome to the site. Sorry you have to wait. But unfortunately, there are a few instances when we have to wait. Wait for results, wait to begin treatment, wait between treatment. Hang in there.

    P
  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    #6
    Unfortunately, it is common to wait.
    I was diagnosed last Feb. and I did not have surgery until March 31st. The waiting is torture so ask your doctor for anxiety meds. if you need them. I didn't even think about that and wish I had asked for help.

    Hugs.

    Roseann
  • Sher43009
    Sher43009 Member Posts: 602 Member
    #7
    roseann4 said:

    Unfortunately, it is common to wait.
    I was diagnosed last Feb. and I did not have surgery until March 31st. The waiting is torture so ask your doctor for anxiety meds. if you need them. I didn't even think about that and wish I had asked for help.

    Hugs.

    Roseann

    You're in the part of
    You're in the part of treatment that was the hardest for me...the waiting game. Nothing in the cancer world moves fast. I figured it was a lesson I needed to learn--patience. I'm better at it than I was but I still hate to wait.
  • aisling8
    aisling8 Member Posts: 1,627 Member
    #8
    thank you
    Thank you to all who answered. I'm sure I'll have more questions and I'm glad to know you're out there -- well, sorry that any of us are going through this, but, well, you know what I mean.

    Thank you.
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #9
    Welcome, aisling8. Yes,
    Welcome, aisling8. Yes, unfortunately, waiting is the most frustrating part of this disease, but necessary, to get tests and results. Once your treatment plan is in place, you'll feel more like you are doing something to beat the beast. It will happen, it just takes time. We'll be here with you every step of the way. There is someone here that will more than likely have the same diagnosis and treatment plan and be able to share their experience. Take a breath and continue posting. Good luck!
  • canoegirl
    canoegirl Member Posts: 169
    #10
    It's hard to wait
    The waiting can be really hard. Due to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and early Dec vacations with my "team" my testing and consults took quite a while. Then they decided I needed a special bleeding time workup (I've had bleeding issues with previous surgeries, but I told them that right away, they just waited 6 weeks to want the test). It was going to be 10-12 weeks from mammo to surgery. In the meantime I went to a cancer center for a second opinion and they did the surgery 3 weeks later (after the christmas/new years holidays) which ended up being 7 1/2 weeks after my mammo. Before going to the cancer center I was about to have a nervous breakdown. The "team" told me that waiting isn't a problem because studies have shown that if you have your surgery within 8 weeks of diagnosis it doesn't change your prognosis. That would be more comforting if they were actually going to do the surgery within 8 weeks!

    Anyway....sorry to vent...but hang in there, it can be very stressful. I felt much more relaxed once I had a surgery date and even more confident about beating this after the surgery. Not looking forward to chemo and herceptin...hoping I can get through it without getting too "down". This board helps alot. It helps knowing you're not alone.

    Good luck, hang in there!
    Marcy

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