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~* The Waiting Room *~

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Comments

  • TriciaK
    TriciaK Member Posts: 124
    edited March 2010

    lori,

    My friends that stayed with us are from the Uk but live in Spain and we had a great time together:)

    I met her online!!! It was like we had known each other for years though lol....

    Keeping good thoughts for you sista!!!

    ((((hugs)))

    Tricia xx

  • lorieg
    lorieg Member Posts: 79
    edited March 2010

    Tricia,

    Glad you had a great time with your friends!

    Thanks again for thinking of me!

  • cazza
    cazza Member Posts: 6
    edited March 2010

    I'm joining the waiting room. I am getting a bone scan this wednesday for pain in my neck.



    I am so scared.



    I can barely think right now since all i seem to think is mets.



    Who else has had a neck pain turn to be benign

  • cazza
    cazza Member Posts: 6
    edited March 2010

    I'm joining the waiting room. I am getting a bone scan this wednesday for pain in my neck.



    I am so scared.



    I can barely think right now since all i seem to think is mets.



    Who else has had a neck pain turn to be benign

  • TriciaK
    TriciaK Member Posts: 124
    edited March 2010

    I have Cazza!!

    I had neck and back pain but as the back pain was worse I focused on that mainly as did my onc.

    I had numerous scans and went through a very worrying few months here in the waiting room and got amazing suport from  everyone here.  Thankfully it was all benign (eventually) and I really hope your's will be too:)

    Just an after thought, if you take hormone therapy it can give this type of pain too, also stress related so try not to painic!! :)

    Love

    Tricia xx

  • cazza
    cazza Member Posts: 6
    edited March 2010

    I had my bone scan today and got a verbal report from the radiologist that no cancer was seen on the xray. They made me do a ct scan of the neck and i won't get those results tomorrow. But with the clear bone scan it doesn't appear to be cancer causing my problems.

  • TriciaK
    TriciaK Member Posts: 124
    edited March 2010

    Wonderful news Cazza, I'm sure you're very relieved:)

    Tricia xx

  • cazza
    cazza Member Posts: 6
    edited March 2010

    I just got my ct scan results and it showed uptake at c5. What does this mean??

  • lorieg
    lorieg Member Posts: 79
    edited March 2010

    Cazza, glad to hear ytour bone scan was ok.  Uptake could mean a lot of different things besides cancer.  I am surprised they didn't do an MRI?  What were you told?

  • lorieg
    lorieg Member Posts: 79
    edited March 2010

    I am back from MDA where I had all my re-staging scans.  My PET, breast ultrasound, and mammo all look good.  They did not show any active cancer in my breast, lymph nodes, or major organs.  I am shocked and thrilled   My breast is still firm with skin changes and nipple retraction (although MUCH better tha n3 months ago) but it looks like it is scar tissue.  I was starting to think I would never have surgery, but now I am going to get this ticking time bomb off my chest soon!

  • lorieg
    lorieg Member Posts: 79
    edited March 2010

    I am back from MDA where I had all my re-staging scans.  My PET, breast ultrasound, and mammo all look good.  They did not show any active cancer in my breast, lymph nodes, or major organs.  I am shocked and thrilled   My breast is still firm with skin changes and nipple retraction (although MUCH better tha n3 months ago) but it looks like it is scar tissue.  I was starting to think I would never have surgery, but now I am going to get this ticking time bomb off my chest soon!

  • cazza
    cazza Member Posts: 6
    edited March 2010

    Well i spoke to my oncologist and he advised the uptake on the spect ct just shows a bad neck like degenerative disk disease.

     I can sigh relief. Thanks for your suport on the site.

  • Nancyb7912
    Nancyb7912 Member Posts: 15
    edited March 2010

    Here I am on the boards again. Only this time I'm on this thread rather than the Feb2009 chemo forum. Here's my latest story. I developed sudden and unbearable chest pain 2/21. My husband drove me straight to the hospital since we were close and in the car. While I was in the emergency room a CT with contrast was done to check my heart. Well, the doc came in to tell me the heart was looking good....but we found an enlarged node.

    Discharged the next day and followed up with my onco who sent me off to a PET scan. Again, the lymph node "lit up". So she sends me to a consult with a thoracic surgeon. The complication? The node in question is nestled comfortably between my aorta and main artery. Hard to biopsy. So now they want to wait and do another PET scan in 4 weeks. The wait is the worst! Has the BC metastasized? Or not? I'm trying to think of ways to occupy my mind because the waiting is unbearable.  Plus I'm getting even more forgetful than usual. I haven't even completed my course of Herceptin yet! I do trust my onco and I know she thinks it's something else, will shrink and I can avoid the surgery for the biopsy, but I feel like it's going to explode in my chest.

  • mmm5
    mmm5 Member Posts: 797
    edited March 2010

    Lorieg

    Congrats on your good news!!! Revel and celebrate in the good times!

    Nancy I understand your panic, if it is any consolation I have a hard time believing it would have metastasized while still on Herceptin, it would be very odd. (not unheard of, but very odd)

    The waiting is horrendous, many of us have been through it...I personally have been through it 3 times and it just about leveled me, but here I am woth a very very similar dx as yours and I am doing great with no issues.

  • TriciaK
    TriciaK Member Posts: 124
    edited March 2010

    Lori and Cazza, delighted with good news and breathing a sigh of relief for you both:)

     Nancy, I faced a similar problem a few weeks ago when a spot on my back was too small to biopsy.  I did the waiting time and followed up with an mri which was negative!!!     Try to think this way, I'm her2+also so my no9nc ordered a lot of scans just in case but thankfully all was well as I hope it will be for you too:)

    I know the waiting is dreadful, we're all here for you and wishing you well:)

    Tricia xx

  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 277
    edited March 2010

    Hi ladies.

    Well, Im officially freaking out.

    I found a small lump the size of a pencil eraser, below my scar line. Its about 1.5 cm below the scar line. It feels soft.

    I just had my exchange surgery on the 28th of Jan 2010. I haven't been feeling the breast because Ive been letting the scar heal.

    I noticed the lump this afternoon and of course, it being 4:30pm, my ps,onc,gp and surgeon had gone home. Doesn't make things better since it is a Friday and all.

    So I went to a walk in clinic and the doc took a look. He drew an example of my incision scar and gave me an explanation of what happens after surgeries. He was 99% sure that it was scar tissue by the way it felt(soft) and shape(triangular).

    I had something similar with my tissue expander pretty much in the same spot. My onc examined and said it was ok.

    Is it possible that its the same scar tissue from tissue expander placment?

    Did any of you have something similar?

    I have my 3 month check with my onc on thursday and will be calling my PS Monday.

    <sigh> I hate weekends...especially lump finding weekends. Cry

  • orange1
    orange1 Member Posts: 92
    edited March 2010

    Hi Lexi - 

    Just saw your post.  I am so sorry you are back in the waiting room.  

    I think most cancers are pretty firm, so the fact that your lump is soft is a good sign.  

     Sorry for the stress and sending positive vibes your way.

  • Jaimieh
    Jaimieh Member Posts: 925
    edited March 2010

    Lexi~ I had something that sounded like close to the same thing and it was there after all of my implant swaps and removal.  Well at the end of Jan. I had hip flap surgery and it was a stitch that my body was rejecting and trying to remove.  The PS said it was covered like a pearl...ewwee...

    I hope that you PS can get you some answers on Monday. 

  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 277
    edited March 2010

    I cant stop touching it!

    Its below the scar line. If I pull at the skin I can see the shape of it.

    It feels like its the implant? I dunno what im feeling...I dunno what feels normal or not.

    I feel sick

  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 20
    edited March 2010

    Lexi - just saw your post. No experience of anything similar, but I just wanted to say I was thinking of you.

    Man, why do these things always happen on weekends? Hang tight, it does sound as though it is just scar tissue, but I completely understand how anxiety provoking it is. I feel sick just at the thought of finding something.

    Try and distract yourself as much as you can this weekend.  Let us know what happens Monday.

  • wallycat
    wallycat Member Posts: 1,449
    edited March 2010

    Lexi,

    I did not have reconstruction, but I did have a lump about 3/4 to an inch below my scar within a year after Dx.  I freaked.  My surgeon was a sweetheart.  Did an ultrasound right away and scheduled surgery to remove it.  I was awake for it and as he pulled it out, said looked like fat.

    Pathology came back B-9 .

     Best to you!

  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 277
    edited March 2010

    Thank you all.

    I took 3 Ativan last night to help me sleep, feel a bit better. Im going to see my GP this morning (Sat's she runs a walk in clinic herself) to get her opinion on it)

    I just woke up, and felt it again. I think I flattened it?! I sleep on my side and stomach, but it feels like a thickening under the skin now more than a lump.

    wally,

    If I pull my skin taunt, the lump/thickness is about 3/4 of an inch below the scar. It doesnt move. Will update what my gp says later. But I know I wont feel 100% better without my onc or ps looking at it.

    Thanks again.

  • Frankie_
    Frankie_ Member Posts: 54
    edited March 2010

    Lexi- I do not have any experience in this but I wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you and hoping this turns out to be nothing serious.

  • TriciaK
    TriciaK Member Posts: 124
    edited March 2010

    Lexi, I'm so sorry you're worried but I have no experience to help you with as I did'nt have recon or a mast.

    I still think it sounds like scar tissue though, hold that thought and stop guessing until you know for sure and we're all holding good thoughts for you:)

    Tricia xx

  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 277
    edited March 2010

    <sigh>

    I really....really hate Sundays now.lol.

    SO yesterday I went to see my GP, she was not in but her associate(man) was. He felt the lump/thicknes and said scar tissue.

    Ok, so that was 2 docs that said the same thing. Continued with my day.

    This morning, woke up, and started to google......big mistake. Got all scared again. Paniked and decided to get a third opinion at the Hospital ER.

    My husband is ready to divorce me after these last 3 days....lol. But I had to do something to calm my nerves. And 3 opinions are better than 2 right?

    Saw the ER doc, he said the same as the other 2...scar tissue. He says its right under the skin. He did admitt he was not a breast surgeon and can not be 100% sure, but he has seen his fair share of malignancies and this does not feel like it.

    He told me to stay OFF the computer, relax and to see my BS. But my BS isn't in till Wed! I see my onc on Thursday for my check. Should I have my onc check first? Or try to get in to see my BS asap?

  • wallycat
    wallycat Member Posts: 1,449
    edited March 2010

    I am so sorry about weekend agnst.

    I confess a week ago, I was watching TV and ran my hand over the scar area and found a lump.

    PANIC ensued.  I examined and re-examined it...and told myself I will wait 3 days and then move on to a doc.  Turns out it was a bite of some sort and the swelling/reddness/lump went away.  GOD HOW I HATE that terror feeling!

    I called my onco's office when I felt my fat/lump and they told me they'd refer me to my breast surgeon incase biopsy/surgery were required....so I went there first.

    That is what I would do...your office may have a small ultrasound machine like my surgeon had and they can check it right away.

    I sit here with some groin pain and not sure if it is time to panic or if it is the Arimidex and joint/tendon aches that have besotted me.  UGH...this never ends till it ends, does it?

    Please post back and best to you!!!

    (((((((((((((((((((((Lexi))))))))))))))))))))))))))

  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 20
    edited March 2010

    Why don't you call your Onc tomorrow morning, explain everything, and ask his advice. He may be able to get an U/S tomorrow, or whatever they need to do. For your mental health you need to get on to this tomorrow. And we don't want your husband killing you in the mean time!! 

    If 3 Dr's have felt it and think you are OK, you probably are. Try and relax a bit, and don't go asking Dr Google anything!

  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 277
    edited March 2010

    Thank you both. The last3

    days have been the worse, noone to talk to except no cancer people who tell me not to worry. It kind of upsets me, when I have a freakout that everyone just thinks I'm over reacting. Again, noon understands this fear. After 2.5 yrs from diagnosis I'm still horribly scared and I'm aware of it now.when I felt my lump my stomach droppd and the tears came. I felt alone again,just like the first time. So I'm going to have some tea and call my oncs offic tomorrow. He isn't in mondays but I'm sure the other. 2 oncs csn fit me in for a quick exam



    Btw, if my sentences don't make sense, its me trying and getting use to my new blackberry....lol

  • lorieg
    lorieg Member Posts: 79
    edited March 2010

    Cazza- great news!

    Nancy- I hope all turns out ok.

    Lexi- all is probably ok but you have every right to freak out.  People in your life who have not had cancer could not possibly understand.  Hugs.

  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 20
    edited March 2010

    Lexi - let us know how it goes today. You are right to freak out, I have that dropping feeling in my stomach just imagining finding something.

    You are not overreacting, but I guess it is hard to understand unless you have been there. You will feel better once a Cancer Dr tells you it is OK.

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