Testing - Not diagnosed

I'm so sorry your having to go through this. The waiting is the hardest part, and people who haven't been through it just don't understand. As far as how long it takes, I've known people that found out in days and people who have been through the agonizing 3 to 4 weeks like your going through. I saw my primary care dr. on Weds. and by Fri. was meeting with the surgeon for a biopsy. My sister on the other hand went through the weeks of waiting and she has the better insurance. The thing I had going for me was I went to a hospital with a breast care center for my mammogram. There are of course drs right there, they checked my mammo and then took me in for an ultra sound right then. Made it all much easier. As it goes, mine was positive and my sister was one of the lucky ones, you just don't know. Like I said, I'm so sorry your going through this. I know it's hard, but try to stay positive. Keep yourself distracted as much as possible (movies, books, tv etc) and breathe deep. Good luck, and let us know how it all works out.

Susan956 said:

I believe from the first time my Doctor found something suspisious it was probably 3 weeks before I had the results from the Mamogram, Sonogram and the biopsy. I found that time to be very difficult. But I used the time to do lots of research. And it looks like if you have already found this site and you are doing that too. I would keep trying to push to get an answer. I found that knowing a diagnosis even thought it turned out to be cancer was better for me than not knowing. It then gave me something concrete to fight. However, I will hope that you will be lucky like so many women who get a scare but it turns out to be fine when the final results are in.

Take Care... God Bless.... and let us know how things work out for you.

P.S. I had the cleanest house that you can imagine while I waited... I couldn't sit still... so I cleaned out every closet and cabinet in my house... turned out great since after I started treatment I was low on energy for awhile.

I'm sorry you have to go through this. Waiting is so incredibly difficult. The thing is that cancer takes about 3 to 8 years before it is even detectable. Clinically, it is not an emergency. I think your wait time has more to do with the size of the facility than the seriousness of your diagnosis. I know how hard it is to focus on anything now. MY advice would be to take up exercise if you don't already. No matter what the outcome is, you will feel better.

Hugs and hoping for the best outcome.

Lesley

ising4u said:

Thank you for responding. I don't feel quite so crazy now, knowing that the wait doesn't necessarily indicate that seriousness of your condition. I'll be very busy this weekend starting tomorrow with an all day spa treatment. I'm being good to me right now.

Excellent idea!

Hugs.

Lesley

KathiM said:

Jennifer,
It took me getting colorectal cancer, and a PET scan, AND then STILL I had to INSIST on a needle biopsy for the medical community to take this lump seriously.
Even to a trained eye (a breast cancer specialist), HE was surprised when the biopsy came back the way it did...on the films, "nothing had changed in years". He was even MORE surprised when nodes were remove during the lumpectomy that THEY were involved.
Self advocacy is the ticket...YOU know your body...AND when you feel comfortable. (Interesting, though, your itching).
ANYWAY, push, push, push until you get a good answer...I DID...and ended with only stage II invasive breast ca...VERY treatable.
All of my hugs and vibes to you,
Kathi

Sorry, for the PS, but I, too, have and HMO...they have been good about approvals...all my major stuff (bowel resection, PET scan, breast lumpectomy) was approved OUT OF NETWORK and quickly...but I DID keep calling to make sure that it was in process.
Kathi

Well at least the tests will be done when you finally see the surgeon. I saw surgeon then went and had needle biopsy followed by the altra sound. When my first lump was diagnosed they said it was fibrous cyst. At the time they didn't ask about smoking or my father's side of the family history. My paternal grandmother had breast cancer back in the 60's and lived almost 10 years after her surgery and cobalt treatments. So I have been well aware of my own risk factors yet this doctor was NOT?
I found the lump at the size of the end of my baby finger in my breast. The second doctor I saw at a breast health clinic said he wouldn't even diagnostically check since I wasn't even 40. He told me to keep an eye on it and if changed then get it looked at. I asked him why they didn't ask me about smoking? He said couldn't link it to breast cancer and this was only in 96. I asked why he didn't ask me about family history on father's side. He even told me not linked. I had to move to another province in Canada and get very ill before my cancer was diagnosed because I was too young, too healthy, and too well built being so athletic that I couldn't possibly have cancer.
If you don't test you will never know biopsy is a must. Even so biopsy is done are there any gaurantees it won't turn out to be cancer down the way?? I remove lumps and have a lump they don't want to remove or biopsy right now even though I have had it in my lymph nodes.
I ended up being diagnosed stage 3 with spreading to lymph nodes just 6 months later after seeing that one doctor. They might have caught it before spreading had they actually checked and hard not to beleive that to be.
Be good to yourself,
Tara