Weigh in: What are the best and worst gifts for people with breast cancer?
Share with us: What are your proudest moments of 2024 and personal goals for 2025?
Take our poll: How are you feeling as we near the New Year?

Member of the "6 Month Watchful Waiting Club", Unite!

1…3536384041…46

Comments

  • alicki
    alicki Member Posts: 85
    edited November 2016

    hello,

    Would an MRI help? It's usually quite good about

    sorting out cancer/not cancer with an experienced

    Radiologist

    Just a thought.

    I had a blotched breast reduction with a lot of

    Hémorragie and we ve always used MRIs and

    Ultrasounds but I'm not in the US so no insurance

    Issues

    Best

    Alick

  • tinkerbell49
    tinkerbell49 Member Posts: 177
    edited November 2016

    Hi Everyone and Happy Thanksgiving. I have a lot to be greatful for. So hear it goes I went to my onc Tuesday and i showed her my swollen lymph node, thankfully as soon as I found out I had adh I found uf breast cancer closest to me. Its an hour and a half away but its worth the drive. Ok so my onc sent me to radiology for an US instead of one swollen lymph node i had several. Right away i was having a lymph node biopsy. when I asked why, they mentioned lymphoma. I was numb. I have a good relationship with my onc and radiologist. So i spoke with my radiologist early in the am the next day. He promised he would keep an eye out for my results and that he did. At about 3:00 pm he called me and said NO CANCER!!!!!! and that he would not let me spend the holidays worried. My onc called at 6:00 pm way after she left her office to inform me too. I feel so lucky to have such great drs looking over me. I cant imagine days, weeks without any news. I am so Thankful. Thanks to everyone that gave me incouraging answers mellissadallas, lovinggrouches,ddw79,alicki, djabi and everyone else. I hope my results can ease someone elses worries. Lots of love and hugs

  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 346
    edited November 2016

    Yay Tinker!!!!!! So happy!!!! Alica, I will talk to MO in three months. I am suddenly relieved, I'm determined to believe that no news is good news. I'm determined that starting today, I will not build my life around cancer!!!!! Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!

  • alicki
    alicki Member Posts: 85
    edited November 2016

    hello,

    I'm going to adapt that attitude for another health problem for which I won't know for two months. Thanks for inspiring me

    Best

    Alick


  • Ddw79
    Ddw79 Member Posts: 217
    edited November 2016

    how everyone doing post Thanksgiving.

    Hoping your holiday was good but I well know how anxious you feel through it all.


    I was so anxious before this last one . I hate it that never ends now


    Many 🤗🤗🤗

  • djabi53
    djabi53 Member Posts: 97
    edited November 2016

    Tinkerbell - I am so very happy for you - what wonderful news. I was thinking of you all week last week. I was off the boards because I had company all week and was also fighting a flu like virus. I didn';t have the energy to be with my guests and and take in any new information. What happens now for you - do you stay on the same 6 month surveillance program?

    Lovingrouches - nice to have you part of our group.

    Alicki - thinking of you today. Let us know how your appointment went.

    Ddw - how are you doing? Do you have any appointments coming up. My holiday was okay but I had a flu like virus so my energy was down.

    I hope everyone is surrounded by love and support as we make our way through this process.

    Frankie



  • alicki
    alicki Member Posts: 85
    edited November 2016

    hello,

    MRI is clear with a lot of scar tissue - radiologist said. That's what I like about Switzerland, the radiologist tells you straight away and then you only wait for the report!

    US in six months. Now dealing with an injury from August above breast area which is a bit weird with lots of swollen lymph nodes over stereocostal joints,apparently not breast!

    Off to see big centre tomorrow, I think two ops in the area and and wondering if this isn't lymphdema but they are checking me for more serious things, better safe than 😐 sorry

    Thanks for your thoughts and prayers

    Alicki

  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 346
    edited November 2016

    alicki, I say better safe then sorry!!! The more the merrier! At this point, I wouldn't care if they did a mammogram, MRI, AND ultrasound every six months lol!!!

  • Ginger_16
    Ginger_16 Member Posts: 23
    edited December 2016

    Hello everyone ,

    I am BRCA2 positive for a variant of unknown significance .I cannot find any updated info on it either .I am at high risk for ovarian and breast cancers. I have been recommended to have a double mastectomy as a preventative measure but for now am part of the waiting every six months for a breast MRI or mammo until I decide what and how to do it. My worries are more for my ovaries because the genetic predisposition is there. I can't help feeling like I am waiting for the other shoe to drop . Thanks for listening.

  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 346
    edited December 2016

    Welcome Ginger!!!!!!!

  • Ginger_16
    Ginger_16 Member Posts: 23
    edited December 2016

    Thank you Lovinggrouches ! If you don't mind answering this personal question : did an MRI or mammo define your cancer ?


    Thanks, Have a great day !

  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 346
    edited December 2016

    Ginger, I actually never had a mammogram before this year. I was having pain in right breast that would shoot into my shoulder and back. It went on for 2 months and had to go to doctor anyway to get yearly refill of meds and asked for mammogram. They saw an area of increased density and ordered ultrasound. It showed a black, spiculated mass. Then I had biopsy that confirmed can ER, in my LEFT breast. They did bilateral breast and RIGHT shoulder MRI and found out my pain was from partially torn rotator cuff. I was only 41 and didn't know at the time that there was so much breast cancer in the family since we aren't close to that side of the family. 😘

  • RNstrong
    RNstrong Member Posts: 10
    edited December 2016

    I posted this in the Not Diagnosed thread but I feel like it is more suited on this thread. Is it possible to have a lump when you just had a MRI 1.5 months ago? I just had mammo, US in Oct and MRI with Contrast November. They found complicated cysts on my right breast at 2 and 3 o'clock position. And Im also experiencing fibrocystic breast changes. From Birads 4 from MRI, I was downgraded to Birads 3 after the second-look US. Radiologists and my onco surgeon advised me to comeback after 6 months. Yesterday, I felt a new lump on my right breast like attached to the chest wall right below the nipple. It is smooth. But I cant really tell if it is a lump. I can only feel it while standing and arms down. While laying down, or standing up with my arms up, I couldn't feel it. I am not too worried about it since I just had a MRI and it didnt find anything on the area. Im just wondering if it is possible to have a new growth that quick? I found one on my left breast 3 mos ago prompting me to go to my doctor and do all those tests. Any input will help. Thanks.

  • awb
    awb Member Posts: 213
    edited December 2016

    RN--- With fibrocystic breasts, you are bound to have all sorts of lumps and bumps. since you just had the all clear from your mammo, US, and MRI Iin Oct and NOv,, I wouldn't worry about it. Most breast cancer is very slow growing, taking 6-10 years to be the size it can actually be felt on palpation, so it's highly likely it is just another benign cyst you are feeling. I have them all the time. I would wait until your next 6 month appt.

    anne

  • RNstrong
    RNstrong Member Posts: 10
    edited December 2016

    Thanks for your reply awb! I really cant tell if it is a lump or a tissue over a rib. Also, I know with fibrocystic breasts, we usually feel pain before our period, but even after my mensies I can still feel pain. Sometimes it's shooting pain.

  • djabi53
    djabi53 Member Posts: 97
    edited December 2016

    Dear RN - welcome to our group. I am not a MD and so I don't have an answer to your question. I have been monitored every 6 months for 2 years as a Birads 3, and during that time I have called my radiologist when questions/concerns come up. She is always very eager to speak with me. Best wishes to you and your situation.

    Frankie

  • Ginger_16
    Ginger_16 Member Posts: 23
    edited December 2016

    Happy New year everyone .

    I am waiting on results from an ultrasound for a lump under my right breast near or on my rib bone . We will be doing more genetic testing and a more extensive panel than I had two years ago . My breast specialist will then decide whether or not to keep me as a high risk patient. The first testing I had was very limited and resulted in a variant of "unknown significance" . It is a little frustrating not to have clear results or updates on the variant. I don't (and two of my doctors) believe VUS should be treated as if negative either .

    Thanks,


  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 346
    edited January 2017

    Hope everyone is having a great New Year!!!! I'm determined that this year WILL be better than last year!!!

  • tinkerbell49
    tinkerbell49 Member Posts: 177
    edited January 2017

    Hi everyone I hope you all had a wonderful christmas and an even better New Year. I haven't been posting because I had a big scare with my lymph nodes. I had posted back in Nov. that I had swollen auxillary lymph nodes.To recap I had a core needle biopsy that came back benign. I was super happy but in Dec the swelling was still there, so I no longer was worried about bc but lymphoma was possible. I haden't posted since this forum is about bc. But yesterday I had an excisional biopsy of 3 auxillary lymph nodes. It wasn't bad I did very well. Today I got my results and they are benign. This whole adh has made me so scared of any issue that comes up. I have been healthy my whole life saw my gyn once a year and thats it. I didn't even have a pcp. Now i worry about anything that pops up. I don't even have words to explain, Momo summed it up in an earlier post. Until you go through this you dont know the feeling that comes with it. At least for me its been a life changer. My next 6 month check up is in March so here we go again (anxiety). Well I thought I would share and give a little advise DO NOT GOOGLE SYMPTOMS it will give you more anxiety and stress than you need. Hope everyone is doing good and getting good results.

  • tinkerbell49
    tinkerbell49 Member Posts: 177
    edited January 2017

    Ginger 16 hope your results turned out good.

  • momoschki
    momoschki Member Posts: 218
    edited January 2017

    Tinkerbell, I'm so glad that in the end, things turned out well for you, but I do so understand the continuing anxiety and the feeling (not good!) of living life in 6 month intervals. Truly, the ADH dx casts every medical complaint in a different light and I think makes so many of us on edge. It is life changing.

    For myself, I've recently had a series of unprecedented dental problems that have led to root canals and now extractions (the second of which is coming up on Thursday). No one seems to know the cause-- I've had good teeth my whole life (well, so far, anyway...). But now, on TOP of the dental concerns themselves, I find myself worrying about the inevitable inflammation they cause and how this might contribute to an already elevated BC risk. As I'm nearing 60, I realize health issues will arise, but there is now a whole other dimension to it. Hard sometimes to keep things in perspective or to even know what the correct perspective is

  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 346
    edited January 2017

    I'm so glad everythingtrned out well Tinker! I so understand! Already trying not to worry about my next mammogram in May. Since my swollen lymph node scare that turned out to be nothing, I feel like people are going to look at me like I'm just a paranoid cancer patient now and am afraid to say anything if I DO find something else!!

  • RNstrong
    RNstrong Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2017

    That is indeed good news Tinker. My 6th month follow up will me in May

  • RNstrong
    RNstrong Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2017

    That is indeed good news Tinker. My 6th month follow up will me in May

  • Ginger_16
    Ginger_16 Member Posts: 23
    edited January 2017

    Thank you Tinkerbell49, I am sort of in a holding pattern I guess. I went to the breast specialist and she ordered an ultrasound of my right breast right away. Partial conclusion is , I have a palpable abnormal lump under my breast near or on my rib and so far the ultrasound does not pick it up . Last night I noticed I was bleeding from one nipple of the same breast. The radiologist said "we will not let this go , but it will be up to your doctor how to proceed . I am back to the genetic counseling next week , so that will be a long process because of my complicated background. Then my breast specialist will conclude whether or not she wants to keep me as a high risk patient .

    I hope you are doing well , Tinkerbell !

  • tinkerbell49
    tinkerbell49 Member Posts: 177
    edited January 2017

    Thanks everyone. Momo sorry to here about your dental issues. I too have dental issues, bleeding gums, but I don't think I can handle anything else right now. Now I have to worry about lymphedema and I can't pick up my grandson for a while, which is killing me. I feel so sad by all this I just turned 50 I wasn't expecting all these health issues so soon. Ginger16 hang in there hope everything turns out good for you and all you have is an infection.

  • Ginger_16
    Ginger_16 Member Posts: 23
    edited January 2017

    Thank you Tinkerbell , I have an appointment with the BS on Tuesday. Hope you are feeling well today .

  • djabi53
    djabi53 Member Posts: 97
    edited January 2017

    Tinkerbell - I am so very sorry that you had another scare in such a short period of time and - and while you are in the 6 month monitoring loops. Going every 6 months is challenging enough but having issues in between 6 month appointments is really hard. I am relieved and so pleased that everything came out okay. I'm sorry I didn't reply to your message earlier. I had my annual GYN appointment today and because I was worked up for breast and endometrial cancer at the same time - my annual gyn appt causes as much stress as a mammogram. Xanax has been my friend all week. I did get myself to my appointment and I also got my prescription for Evista renewed today so I will be starting my second year - with no side effects. My next bilateral diagnostic mammogram is in March. May we all find a way to get through this very difficult process. Hugs to you and thank you for sharing your experiences with us and keeping us updated. It helps me to know that others are still struggling but managing to continue to seek medical care.

    Frankie

  • djabi53
    djabi53 Member Posts: 97
    edited January 2017

    Welcome Ginger - let us know how your appointment goes on Tuesday.

    Frankie

  • Ginger_16
    Ginger_16 Member Posts: 23
    edited January 2017

    Thank you Frankie . I am trying to stay focused on weekend plans and read a lot for distraction . Have a good week end !


Categories

Join Us on Zoom: Upcoming virtual meetups. Read more...
Give your account some personality! Add a profile photo.