Stress increasing while waiting

[seadraem]

Has anyone noticed while waiting for biopsy results that the stress increases exponentially once you hit the days you may get a response? I was ok yesterday - wasn't really stressing that much, although my abdomen has been iffy all week. Test results are due in today thru Friday and today I'm staring at my phone and stressing completely.

[seadraem]

The wait is a killer - I keep trying to listen to all of my friends and family telling me "If it was bad you'd know by now", but part of me still expects the worst. I really just want to know.

Still - I've decided to deal with the stress in a different way. Rather than "Waiting on a phone call" and driving myself insane, I've moved up my post-op appt from next Monday to Wed. morning this week with my surgeon's P.A. Now I'm waiting on a scheduled appt. This is working better for me because it's scheduled and not an unknown.

Besides, after having the most stressful week I can remember in my life, I've had the most stressful weekend with family arguments, so.. I don't feel so hung up on the results right now. Just trying to to cry at work, for either reason.

Thanks ladies - you are all such a huge help!!

Susan

[Sally_OMalley]

The waiting is the hardest part.  I experienced 2 days of stress waiting for the results of my biopsy.  From what I've been reading, that is not very long to wait compared to others, but it definitely plays tricks on your mind.  My results came back as malignant, but you never know.  Everyone is different.  All I can say is hang in there, find something to do to take your mind off the wait, and have faith.

[ilovelucy54]

Thanks for your message.   I feel exactly as you say.  I do have alot of faith in my dr. She is highly respected & also has had breast cancer herself.  But believe me, from now on I will be very vilgilant.  I guess I need more time to pass....

[mamaboulet]

I too suffered from anxiety and a sense of unease for a long time after the biopsy. It had been such a roller coaster ride that I was not able to shake it off when the good results came in. I think this is quite common. Sort of post traumatic stress that's hard to shake off. And since I was a BIRADS 5, I wanted my doctor to go ahead and schedule me for another mammo in six months instead of waiting a year. She didn't even bother to call me with the biopsy results. I had to go pick them up in records at the hospital. Part of me has had this little niggling worry that the biopsy missed something, which is why I was willing to suffer through another boob squishing at 6 months instead of waiting. But I waited and now my annual mammo is wednesday, and I'm going to just think positive since I managed to work out most of the anxiety over the previous year. Part of what I did to get over it was to learn more about breast cancer and to be supportive to other women going through diagnostic stuff like this.

[ilovelucy54]

I did the same thing the other day, and mine came back 97%!   My mother aged 76 was diagnosed a year ago with early stage breast cancer, so I was/am more worried than ever before.  
I know how you feel though,but try and keep busy!
Joanne

[madgeOwens]

http://www.cancer.gov/bcrisktool/Default.aspx

copy and paste......it calculates risk ...I have 98% chance of not getting breast cancer....

[madgeOwens]

This is one time where I have to say that no news is good news does not apply.  The not knowing is terrible.  Thanks though......I love the comradere in here...it helps a little.

[trisha668]

you are in my thoughts these weeekend.
and I think : "NO NEWS IS ALWAYS A GOOD NEWS" !!!!!!
good luck!!!!
Trisha

[madgeOwens]

It always helps somehow to know other people are having those same anxious feelings too.  Everyone tells themselves its nothing and it will come back negative but in the back of your mind you are thinking what if it is something.............we are all doing the same thing and its nice to know we are all NORMAL.

[ilovelucy54]

Hi everyone,
It's funny but even though I got a "no cancer" phone call from my dr, I still seem to have this lingering & vague anxiety.  I guess all these weeks worrying have taken it's toll.  
I really do apprieciate all of you!  My family and friends seemed to think I was over reacting, but it's easy to say when  it's not your boobs they are biospying.  What I plan to do is to take better care of myself and hopefully this anxious feeling about my health will fade.  
I am thinking of all of you still waiting...you're not alone, we are all here for support!
Joanne

[seadraem]

Try to have a good weekend with me - I didn't hear either. In fact, I called them at the end of the day and got "Oh - I was just getting to your papers. Nope, we haven't heard yet. I'll call them and call you back."

No call... So now the weekend. I'm gonna go play a game on my computer - they're pretty mindless and may take my mind off it for a while.

[madgeOwens]

I have never submerged entirely into epsom salts hahaha always thought there were certain orifices that would notexactly like salts hahaha.ok now I am getting weird.........Gilda is on FNC now maybe I will try and watch that.........ugh.....
Tuesday...Wednesday,,,,,,Thursday.....Friday....now the darn week end ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  why don;t they hurry up

[mamaboulet]

hey, watch that show, Mythbusters!  Nothing like a couple of dingbat guys blowing up stuff to take your mind off biopsy waiting.
And take an epsom salt bath. Magnesium has sedative properties and is really good for you.

[marcy5]

My prayers are with the both of you.  I wish there was a way to eliminate the stress that we have to go through when we have to wait for the results.  I know I used to tell myself it will be fine or even if  it is BC it will be okay.  I might be fine for 10 minutes, but then the stress would go through my entire body.  What I finally did to help ease a couple of hours, I rented some funny movies.  Nothing serious and/or too intense.  Just funny.  So if you have any favorite movies that will make you laugh, try watching them.  Because when you are waiting, if you can get any amount of peace, it makes that time go a little faster.   Good luck and God bless you both.

[madgeOwens]

Yes I just called also to see if they forgot me, but they said they will call either way. I was hoping to know before the weekend. Guess not though....Let me know how you make out. Good luck!!

[seadraem]

Here with you! I called yesterday to make sure I hadn't missed a call, and they called me back this morning to say "Sweetie, I'm sorry but your results are not in yet. I should have them today though...".

They'll come - as my cubicle neighbor keeps telling me - what good is it doing you to stress. The answer won't come any quicker. So I try to listen to her - I say try...

[madgeOwens]

Still waiting since Tuesday for pathology report. I think I may barf.

[ilovelucy54]

Thank you.....you are both in my thoughts & prayers...I think the waiting IS the worse...even now, I have been so worried for so long  (6 weeks) about this, I have to remind myself-things are okay.    I will check in and see how you guys made out.  
Take care,
Joanne

[seadraem]

Hang in there with me! We'll get thru this. I got thru it once - the second time is a little easier but the doc said 3-5 days after and the biopsy was last Friday morning so I'm hanging in the best I can. I think my husband is getting impatient with me. "So is THAT all that has you stressed"... grr... He's great but sometimes...

[madgeOwens]

Oh thats great news! Thats really wonderful.  I still didnt get the call.....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
this is terrible.............
CALL ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ilovelucy54]

Good news here,  Dr called said NO CANCER, but there were a few pre-cancerous cells.  I will have to have a procedure to remove that .  I feel like a new woman, this has been going on for about 6 weeks.  I will always be very vigilant about my mammograms, etc!   I will check in to see how the rest of you made out.  
Thank you!
Joanne

[ilovelucy54]

I work 3rd shift, so it kind of took my mind off my waiting... until I came home.  I get in at 4:15am, so I am so tired, physically & mentally.  I have to sleep at least until 12 noon.  My thing is when my breast surgeons calls....this waiting is the worst.  All of you will be in my prayers..
Jo    

[madgeOwens]

I know what you mean. I actually thought I had a bug, but after reading other comments in here I know its stress.  I feel like I am holding my breath at different times during the day I have to remind myself to breathe.....when the biopsy was done yesterday I was having a hard time getting a breath and a deep breath....one for laying on my abdomen on that metal table for so long and the other was nerves I am sure, but because of my age they thought I was going to have a heart attack....can't blame them for thinking that I must have looked ill too....I think I held my breath then too haha....I can barely wait for the call........I know it will be ok...I am just being silly.

[seadraem]

Me too.. This is my second round waiting on the same mass. My original doc (well, his Nurse Practitioner) interpreted the core biopsy results as "mass is benign" and left it at that. No follow-up scheduled or anything. When I went to another doctor for a second check - she sent me to this surgeon, who said the original results didn't mean the mass was benign - it meant all they got was normal breast tissue, so they missed the mass entirely. So now I wait again... I've been sick to my stomach all week since the surgery - was trying not to be stressed but I think it's catching up with me.  I just want to KNOW!!!  Nuff stress for the night - good night ladies and thank you for your good wishes!  ((((((((((HUGS))))))))) to all of my fellow "wait-ers"!!