Waiting game

I have been diagnosed with breast cancer last Monday. I suspect that I m in Stage 4 as my specialist thinks the lumps have been 12-18 mths. I know my body is feeling pretty bad n getting nerve pain n isomia and yet I m still waiting for lymph nodes biopsy n PET scan to be done. Then another week of delay that I can see my breast specialist for treatment plan or surgery. I m afraid my body cannot wait any longer. Is there a way to get treatment immediately? Is this a norm to wait about 2-3 weeks to get treatment plan?
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I know, you are reading this thinking 'Oh, thanks for that helpful hint'
You won't know your staging until you have all your tests. Even then, unless you are metastatic, staging is not a particularly helpful tool.
Whatever is going on has been brewing for a while. A couple of more weeks can feel like an eternity once you know something is wrong, but testing and screening takes time--regardless of who does it. Two or three week to get a reasonable idea of your diagnosis is quite speedy. Getting a treatment plan can take considerably longer.
The main thing is to get into the system. Don't be distracted by timelines for other people's disease; what happened to someone else's wife/sister/friend/hubby is irrelevant. Your particular version of this shitty disease needs to be fully understood before your team can figure out the best way forward for you. It takes time.
Mxx
Try to keep busy so you are distracted, do things you enjoy and spend time with people who are positive and supportive. If you think too far ahead you will only get anxious. Stay in the present moment. Thinking or over thinking is not going to change what test results.
Breast cancer is unique for everyone and everyone's treatment plan is different too. The thing is your drs need to have all the information to form the best path forward for you. Also just because a cancer is there awhile doesn't mean it is stage 4 at all. Could be slow growing. It is natural for humans to think the worst but the reality is that treatment is so good these days and improving all the time.
Hang in there. Sending positive vibes to you. We are here to support you when you get those results. Hope you have a good weekend.
Try & keep as busy as you can in between the 'waits' - the waiting time between appointments & surgery etc absolutely mucks with your brain even more than anything else! .... Keep doing things you love, that will help distract your mind. If you can do physical activity as @Cath62 has said - even just walking - it should also help with your insomnia.
As it is such a sneaky beast, most of us would have had their cancer growing for some time before it was 'discovered' .... Did you find a lump yourself? Or was it a GP or was it Breast Screening? What state are you in - pop it into your Profile - we may have other members living nearby that you could even meet up with, covid willing?
Just take one day at a time, one hour, if necessary.
I hope you have supportive family & friends around you to help you thru this anxious stage and your ongoing treatment - once you've got your surgery date & treatment plan afterwards - you'll be surprised at how much 'better' you'll feel.
Take care
Don’t blame yourself! Whatever we did or didn’t do, the challenge is to deal with what is now. Think of all the things we can’t check!! It’s exhausting to maintain a constant check on every part of our bodies that might suddenly malfunction. Keep your energy for the next steps. As everyone says, you’ll find it a bit easier with more knowledge and a plan. Best wishes.
Your heading definately resonates with me!
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in my left breast in August 2020 after I found a lump only 12 months from a previous mammogram.
The bad news was it was 5.5 cm but the good news was it turned out to be slow growing ( lobular , ER positive) and had not gone to my lymph nodes.
Because of the size of the tumour my breast cancer specialist got me to have a variety of scans including a PET scan and before each scan I was convinced this would be the one that showed I had stage 4 and was going to die soon.
It turned out I had stage 2 and after a double mastectomy and radiotherapy ( didn’t need chemo) I am on hormone tablets for 5 years.
My understanding is that less than 10 percent of breast cancer is stage 4 when diagnosed and the survival rate for breast cancer these days is very good but statistics are often no comfort when you are playing the waiting game and your mind is going to dark places.
All the best with your results and treatment - I found once I had a treatment plan I calmed down a lot.
All the biopsies, tests & scans are just tools of a more accurate diagnosis ...... it looks like your team is being very thorough.
All the best for the scan and the results xx.