Community

It’s taken time to process this new challenge in my life. I have a great supportive family and friends. I am very grateful to be part of this very caring community. I wish you all a very creative day. Richard

Hi all, delighted to have found this forum. I found a large lump in my left breast a few weeks ago. My doc was very concerned and I had an urgent referral to Vincent’s. I had an appt with the consultant yest who said he thinks it’s a cyst but I still need to have a mammogram & ultrasound in a few weeks. The waiting now is killing me. Am I wrong to be worried as the consultant didn’t seem to be? Or should I just prepare myself in case it is serious. I am so tired with the last year, heavy legs full of fluid. Started HRT but it isn’t helping with the tiredness.

Hi, I had excision biospy done on the 4th of Aug. Does it normally take over 4 weeks to get a result or who could I ring, my GP or the dermatologist To check for results. Thanks for your help

Hi, I attended an appointment last week for a mammogram at St James hospital Dublin. I was told the hospital would be in contact when as to when ill have to return for an ultrasound. I thought the two would be carried out on the same day? My question is , has anyone had any experience of this in James hospital? If so how long does it take usually to hear back in relation to the follow-up appointment? I have a big lump for over a month now, which came out of nowhere, it isn't mobile and feels attached, Its just under my areola and I'm stressing about it a lot. I'm in my mid forties and I've just had my first baby a few months back, although I'm not breast feeding or using a pump. Thanks in advance.

Hi all, Sorry to meet you here. I have been diagnosed with breast cancer, originally stage 2. I have not been updated on the current stage after MRI, but a new tumor has been found, and have been "kind of" recommended a mastectomy with reconstruction. I did not receive much support or information. Can someone who has gone through this give me some advice, please? Have you done a mastectomy with an implant reconstruction? Can you kindly share your experience? Thank you so much!

Hi, I was recently diagnosed with Invasive lobular breast cancer. I have had lumpectomy nearly a week ago so waiting to get results of margins and lymph node biopsy. It’s all very surreal and hard to accept at the moment.

I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer during the week. My consultant recommended two options: 1. Radical Prostatectomy or 2. Hormone Treatment for 4 months followed by 7 weeks radiation 5 days a week. The consultant is terse and not comfortable with patient communication- the review consultation lasted 6 minutes. I asked about my suitability for brachytheraphy and his response was "- it's not available in this hospital and it has fallen out of favour " and "it will render you unsuitable for later prostatectomy if needed". He favours Prostatectomy. I am to see him again in two weeks, however I am considering a change of consultant to someone who has better patient communication skills and who is willing to discuss other options rather than dismiss them. I have also explored NanoKnife and made contact with the King Edward v11 Hospital in London. They will review my histology report and MRI report (when I receive them). I have a Gleason 3+4, with 2 of the 14 biopsy samples being 5.1 (Grade Group 2) and MRI :PIRADS 4. I feel with such scores that I should have more options than radical prostatectomy. I plan to seek my histology report and MRI report from my current consultant tomorrow but I am unsure of the protocol. Should I ask my GO, whom I am also meeting tomorrow, to request them or request that they be sent to my GP.

Hi, I don't honestly know if I'm looking for advice, or if I'm just having a rant at the apparent shambles of care my mother has gotten since she was diagnosed with bladder cancer in the middle of March. Synopsis: - 14 March Tralee. diagnosed with bladder cancer - 21 March - 12 April ULimerick Hospital Consultation, and kept for test that they kept postponing until she said she was leaving if we they didn't do the remaining tests. (Over 3 weeks in Limerick for tests that should have been done in a week max, in my opinion). I've forgotten many of the dates in-between, but she began chemo with the idea that she would have surgery after, if she responded well, but it didn't work out for her as she was too wrecked after the chemo even when it was reduced. She wasn't coming around as she usually did after her final chemo treatment and as she wasn't getting treatment her weekly blood check had also stopped. -20 July. My dad took my mom to the GP as she was very very weak and GP left her home again don't even remember what his "diagnosis" was, if he had any. (This is the same GP that allowed 2 years of recurring UTIs go on without thinking further testing might be advisable). - 23 July. I called the ambulance, she wasn't eating, wouldn't take all her meds, was confused. Turns out she had Urosepsis and was in hospital for over a week. - 2 August. Discharged, without a care plan 🙈 (After I explained to numerous different medical staff that there was already a fully dependent adult in the household, so it has gone from a house where two adults cared for one person to a house where one person cares for two. (There are supports in place for the previous care situation, that's not what I'm talking about). We had to phone around and follow up to eventually get some care support ( Just once every second week, as that's what my mom wants, minimal intrusion. She is back walking around again. - 10 August (Last Thursday) Multidisciplinary team met with all of the updated test results. My mom followed up today, no response from the doctors involved, while she anxiously waits the next steps. What is wrong, why do we have to keep chasing up with people to get them to do their job and at least communicate what is happening. - 15 Aug (today) Phoned GP to get report from recent MRI, he is on holidays. Mom felt like she might be getting another UTI so saw one of the other GPs at her practice, was given 3 days of antibiotics, and a print out of the MRI. Why are all the communications so disjointed? How long should it take for somebody from the Multi Disciplinary Team to get back to us and tell us what the next plan is? The above doesn't include everything, but it's all I have the energy to write at the moment. There have been some great care staff in the hospitals, but they are all over worked. This state is a joke.

Hi there, my mother has an appointment for Friday for results of a biopsy taking after calcifications found on routine mammogram. The clinic just called to move her appointment forward 2 hours. If the news was good would they have just told her over the phone or do they always bring you back in for a face to face regardless of the results? Feeling very worried. Thanks so much in advance

Hi, I am a breast cancer survivor and currently supporting someone going through their journey with breast cancer. I have been asked to give a talk to a group about my journey with cancer and that of a supporter. I want to give as much value to this group as I possibly can and I just want to ask the women and men in this group who are going through their journey or who have gone through their journey with breast cancer 1. If you had the courage what questions would you have asked? 2. What questions did you most want the answer to. 3. What information supported you the most. 4. What were you most afraid of? Thank you in advance.