Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Annika on March 18, 2014, 07:48:26 PM
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Hi girls..i need to ask if anyone knows how long it takes from the time your diagnosed with breast cancer until your op is scheduled. My mum went in to see her GP three weeks ago about her shingles, she has had for more than a year. The GP gave her a physical and found a lump in her right breast and sent her to the hospital for a series of biopsies. Then a week later she went back for the results and it came back positive for cancer, she has been told she will have a lumpectomy and if it has spread a complete removal of the breast. My fear is how much waiting around will there be waiting for her operation. Does anyone have any experience with this.( I should say my mum is 77 years old)
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The criteria was to be operated on within 2 weeks. I would ring the Ward where she is likely to be treated and ask! or ring her GP. He/she may already be aware of when her admittance date is likely to be.
My Mum underwent complete mastectomy at 66, didn't have any follow up treatment and is still here 22 years later.
Make a list of your/her worries and questions and speak with the GP. You may be able to talk with a dedicated breast nurse at the Hospital before surgery with your queries. You will be in shock so make sure that you get the answers written down!
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Hi Annika
I have no experience of this but just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear about your mum and hope all goes well with her op.
Hurdity x :hug:
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Do you live close enough to visit? Are you in touch daily? Physically or by 'phone ….. all issues to take into account in this next journey.
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I have fairly recent experience of this and echo what has been said about talking to the Breast Care Clinical Nurse Specialist who will have been assigned to your Mum's case and will know far more about the details than her GP. My Breast Care Clinical Nurse Specialist was my absolute rock throughout the whole process.
I don't actually know what the NICE guidelines are as regards timescales from diagnosis to surgery, in fact some breast cancer patients have other treatment(s) before surgery anyway. Personally I was operated on 2 weeks later but my cancer was high grade and they already knew it had definitely spread to my lymph nodes. My surgeon said that he would not normally operate any quicker than 2 weeks because of the massive psychological adjustment required to get used to the idea of having a mastectomy.
The Breast Cancer Care website is excellent. They have a forum too which you may find useful for support (as you're on this forum I guess it's a type of resource you like to use). Although personally I avoided the forum during my diagnosis and treatment because there can be some erroneous and frankly misleading information peddled on any forum and I didn't want to scare myself by reading all about treatment side-effects that may not even have affected me.
I wish you and your Mum all the best.
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So sorry to hear that Annika! I do hope she has op soon as it must be an awful worry for all of you. Wishing you & your mum the best. :hug:
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Thanks Tiger. How are you now?
I had a bone scan before surgery. Followed by radiation treatment. No spread thankfully.
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So sorry to hear that Annika.
I wish your mum well.X
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Wishing your mum a speedy recovery Annika.
Taz x :hug:
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Annika,
I have no knowledge about time-scales. I just wanted to say sorry about this news and that I have two friends who had breast cancer and complete mastectomies. That was about 10 and 12 years ago and they are both fit, well and happy. And in one case working too hard!
I hope you get the answer to your question soon.
Lubylou :hug:
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Best wishes to you and your mom, mum, from across the pond. Waiting is so difficult.
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Best wishes to your mum Annika, hope everything goes well. :hug:
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Hi Annika
How are things? Does your Mum have her treatment plan and/or operation date yet?
All the best.
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Best wishes to your Mum Annika and I hope she doesn't have to wait too long.
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Thanks ladies for all your kind wishes and advice as always you are a great support team. Well so far Mum has had her preOP completed, blood work etc., and they have put her on estrogen lowering pills which she will continue to take now and after her surgery but for now we are still waiting for the date and to see whether or not it might have spread. Hopefully we shall hear soon and I will let you all know how it goes fingers crossed.
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Tamoxifen?
Why is there a wait for surgery? Don't let the Hospital fob you off ;)
How are you both?
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I'm guessing that as your Mum is in her 70s she will have been put onto an aromatase inhibitor such as letrozole or anastrozole. These are very effective drugs and my understanding is that they are usually more appropriate for newly-diagnosed post-menopausal patients with oestrogen-positive breast cancer.
Best wishes to you and your Mum. Rest assured that whatever treatment plan is devised and in whatever order (sometimes chemo is done before surgery) the plan will be individually tailored to your Mum's case and will have been thoroughly discussed by a Multi-Disciplinary Team.
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Well today we finally had some news as far as the surgery is concerned...on Monday 14th Mum goes in to have an isotope put into her breast, right now I have no clue as to what that is or does. Then on Tuesday the next day she will be going in for her OP first thing in the morning. Then for three weeks following a course of radiation every day so at least there is some movement ahead and she is very happy with the doctors and team she has working on her case. Last few weeks waiting seem to have been the tough part of things and she is looking forward to the surgery really and getting back to her routine. Of course the "what ifs" are going through everyone's minds but as we both agreed there's not much you can do but press ahead and hope for the best. Anyway take care ladies and thank you for all your kind words xxx
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The isotope is to allow targeted radiotherapy post surgery.
Check out the Macmillan website, if you ever need to talk to anyone the Macmillan service is excellent and they have a telephone help line.....
All the very best for your mum and to you, stay strong :-*
www.macmillan.org.uk
Wombat x
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O jad am oh dear, I had an isotope 2 weeks before surgery prior to a bone scan to see if there was any spread. I had to keep away from babies, toddlers and anyone over the age of 60 for 3 weeks.
At least your Mum has a date for surgery and she seems OK with how the wait is panning out. Let us know how *you* get on :tulips:
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Good luck for your Mum and take care of yourself as well.
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Thanks ladies for all your well wishes...well mum had her surgery yesterday morning and all went well. Instead of a lumpectomy it turned into a full mastectomy taking muscle from behind the breast too however her doctor has said she will now not need the radiation treatment and will just take her estrogen lowering pills for the next five years. Next week she will get her results but from all signs it looks like good and she has already been discharged and at home resting...quite honestly I thought she would be in there a whole lot longer but these days I guess they think you will recover better at home. She did say her doctor was a gem and that sure makes a difference. So all good news so far :)
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Great news Annika
Big hugs and healing thoughts for your mum....,I am sure she is delighted to be home
Don't forget to take care of you too
Wombat x
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Greà t news. They do send folk home much earlier these days, but she'll recover quicker at home. Just so long as she takes it easy.
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Glad it all went well.
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My Mum had full mastectomy at age 66 and no other treatment apart from 1 follow up. Make sure that your Mum rests even if she begins to feel 'better'. Shock of diagnosis, followed by surgery and waiting for results can be traumatic!
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Yes I was thinking the same thing CLKD and told her to rest up let everyone else pitch in with chores,etc., She has a drain in her chest and that will come out Tuesday so can't get around to much anyway. Your right though it really is so much to take in going through this.
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Does your Mum have access to a breast care Nurse? is there a group of Friends or PALS at the Hospital who can liaise with the services she may require? Also Macmillan have a good web-site and there is a 1-off payment if necessary.
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Hi
It's a steep learning curve, for sure. I likened the early days of my diagnosis, surgery and treatment to getting on a train, thinking it was going to stop at some nice little village stations only to find I was on an express train hurtling to the other end of the country. The information does sink in eventually but it takes time.
Hopefully your Mum will feel much better once the drain is removed tomorrow. I had drains in too and felt much more normal once they were removed.
I see from your profile that you're in the US, is your Mum being treated there? I guess some of the practicalities would be different to the UK given that health services are organised differently.
All the best to you and your Mum.
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Hi Tiger yes I am living in the States but my mum is back home in the Midlands where she is being treated. I spoke to her today and she had another trip to the hospital for her results. She was very anxious naturally and went in to see her surgeon who said she should put a smile back on her face because he feels that they were able to get it all and her lymph nodes came back clear of any cancer. No other treatment necessary except for the estrogen lowering pills and mammograms regularly on the other breast. She was told if any problems with swelling then check in with her doctor...so all good news today. ( Yes Tiger I am living in the States but my mum is at home in the Midlands) :cheer:
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:bouncing: PHEW!
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Definitely Good News :congrats:
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Yay for your mum.... ;D
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What a relief for you & your mum! :)