Can ya recommend some kind of tonic for BIOPSY APPREHENSION? (uninsured/cancer scare)
March 22, 2011 9:03 PM
After a diagnostic mammogram and subsequent immediate ultrasound, the cyst discovered in last year's same tests has grown. I'm being sent for a biopsy, but have to wait TWO whole weeks due to being uninsured and going through "charity" care. I'm an anxious mess....how on earth will I survive the two weeks? AND, how long do biopsy results take?
My pathologist informed me of the good news:
It's not attached to the chest wall.
There's no vascular supply.
It's margins are pretty distinct.
It's horizontal, not vertical.
I have family history (mom and sister)of fibroid cysts that have changed with hormonal fluctuations. They are benign.
I tested negative for the BrCa gene mutation.
Then he said, "If you were my family, I would advise you to get a biopsy soon." because:
The cyst is "complex" -- it has "things" in it.
The cyst has grown from 1.1 to 1.3 cms since last June.
My dad's paternal grandmother died in her forties of breast cancer, his mother had a mastectomy in her 40s from an unknown tumor, my mom's sister had breast cancer at 75 and my sister had stage 4 Ovarian cancer five years ago (she kicked its ass, Thank God.) Dad has the gene mutation.
I have no health insurance at present! Ironically, because I was laid off from a Cancer Center, where I set up and ran a beautiful support program for cancer patients and their family members.
Last year I was a little freaked out with having a 3-day wait for ultrasound results. This year, I'm wigging out. I am just starting a new business, in the "Spring" of life after a LOOOOONG Winter, and I don't need this scare and interruption. I don't want to overdramatize, be "victimized", become all helpless, desperate and panicked. But it seems to be happening anyway. Mercy.
Hivemind, I welcome any encouragement you might have....I feel very afraid and alone. My sense of humor needs reviving. I don't know how to manage this anxiety. THANK YOU.
P.S. I lost my best guy friend (college) and another significant loved one to cancer five/six years ago. And many others I worked with.
My pathologist informed me of the good news:
It's not attached to the chest wall.
There's no vascular supply.
It's margins are pretty distinct.
It's horizontal, not vertical.
I have family history (mom and sister)of fibroid cysts that have changed with hormonal fluctuations. They are benign.
I tested negative for the BrCa gene mutation.
Then he said, "If you were my family, I would advise you to get a biopsy soon." because:
The cyst is "complex" -- it has "things" in it.
The cyst has grown from 1.1 to 1.3 cms since last June.
My dad's paternal grandmother died in her forties of breast cancer, his mother had a mastectomy in her 40s from an unknown tumor, my mom's sister had breast cancer at 75 and my sister had stage 4 Ovarian cancer five years ago (she kicked its ass, Thank God.) Dad has the gene mutation.
I have no health insurance at present! Ironically, because I was laid off from a Cancer Center, where I set up and ran a beautiful support program for cancer patients and their family members.
Last year I was a little freaked out with having a 3-day wait for ultrasound results. This year, I'm wigging out. I am just starting a new business, in the "Spring" of life after a LOOOOONG Winter, and I don't need this scare and interruption. I don't want to overdramatize, be "victimized", become all helpless, desperate and panicked. But it seems to be happening anyway. Mercy.
Hivemind, I welcome any encouragement you might have....I feel very afraid and alone. My sense of humor needs reviving. I don't know how to manage this anxiety. THANK YOU.
P.S. I lost my best guy friend (college) and another significant loved one to cancer five/six years ago. And many others I worked with.
and next time you go in for this, be sure to talk to the financial counselors in the medical center about what insurance coverage you can get ASAP! That is what they are there for.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 9:13 PM on March 22, 2011
posted by treehorn+bunny at 9:13 PM on March 22, 2011
Male here, but I recently had a cyst removed from my leg. Biopsy took a week + 1 day (it was benign, an inclusion cyst). So I would guess one to two weeks for a biopsy. Seems like most testing I get done, no matter the insurance, is "call back in 2 weeks for the result".
On the positive side, it took 8 months for your cyst to increase .2cm. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it changing much in the two weeks you have to wait for the biopsy results. If it continues its rate of growth it will then be 1.3125cm... I'm not even sure the resolution on the x-ray is sensitive enough to measure that. If your doctor thought it was more urgent he would have scheduled you sooner (insurance or not).
Hoping for the best.
posted by sbutler at 9:19 PM on March 22, 2011
On the positive side, it took 8 months for your cyst to increase .2cm. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it changing much in the two weeks you have to wait for the biopsy results. If it continues its rate of growth it will then be 1.3125cm... I'm not even sure the resolution on the x-ray is sensitive enough to measure that. If your doctor thought it was more urgent he would have scheduled you sooner (insurance or not).
Hoping for the best.
posted by sbutler at 9:19 PM on March 22, 2011
I had the mammogram and ultrasound through a charity clinic's referral -- no health insurance/financial counselors there.
Also, the doctor can't control the timing of the biopsy in charity cases. Only in insured cases. Charity cases are referred to the local charity hospital and you get in when they have an opening. Two weeks out is the earliest opening.
sbutler, I love the 1.3125 figure....I just need someone to shake the fear right out of me. It's useless and counterproductive.
posted by sleeping beauty at 9:26 PM on March 22, 2011
Also, the doctor can't control the timing of the biopsy in charity cases. Only in insured cases. Charity cases are referred to the local charity hospital and you get in when they have an opening. Two weeks out is the earliest opening.
sbutler, I love the 1.3125 figure....I just need someone to shake the fear right out of me. It's useless and counterproductive.
posted by sleeping beauty at 9:26 PM on March 22, 2011
I can't say anything about the medical side, but for your fear and anxiety: start making plans, ASAP. Movie night with the girls. Coffee date with an old pal. Volunteering at the (fill in the blank). Finally cleaning out the attic. Hold a garage sale. Fill up the next two weeks with as much as you can.
When one of my best pals was going through a breast cancer scare I took her out to see a movie. She chose that horrible one about couples on a tropical retreat, starring Vince Vaughn. I wanted to kill her, till I remembered that she just needed to laugh. You need to laugh, too!
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:46 PM on March 22, 2011
When one of my best pals was going through a breast cancer scare I took her out to see a movie. She chose that horrible one about couples on a tropical retreat, starring Vince Vaughn. I wanted to kill her, till I remembered that she just needed to laugh. You need to laugh, too!
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:46 PM on March 22, 2011
Cancer Vixen is a humorous and inspiring autobiographical account of beating breast cancer. I found it in a comic book store and couldn't put it down.
I know a couple of people who have had breast cancer. One was a co-worker. She worked part-time throughout treatment, and I saw her go through the whole process to emerge on the other side. Hers was much more severe than yours sounds, but she came through it very well.
The other person was my stepmother's mom. She had breast cancer in her 40s, and in those days radical double mastectomy and harsh chemo were the only treatments. She was extremely healthy when I knew her, and died at the age of 90.
Good luck, and feel free to MeFiMail me if you want to chat.
posted by xenophile at 7:34 AM on March 23, 2011
I know a couple of people who have had breast cancer. One was a co-worker. She worked part-time throughout treatment, and I saw her go through the whole process to emerge on the other side. Hers was much more severe than yours sounds, but she came through it very well.
The other person was my stepmother's mom. She had breast cancer in her 40s, and in those days radical double mastectomy and harsh chemo were the only treatments. She was extremely healthy when I knew her, and died at the age of 90.
Good luck, and feel free to MeFiMail me if you want to chat.
posted by xenophile at 7:34 AM on March 23, 2011
You sound like you're in the same boat I was a few years ago...it was probably a benign cyst, but my doctor advised me to get it checked anyway. I had the same promising signs you did, but I was still scared. Everything turned out okay, and I was relieved. Unfortunately, I lived in South Carolina at the time, dealing with graduate student insurance, so it took a little over two weeks to find out, which sucked.
I agree with BlahLaLa. The thing that worked best for me was to find distractions. Now is a time to take advantage of the kindness of your friends.
When you get closer to the time of your biopsy, take a little time to plan what you're going to do that day. The biopsy isn't the most fun, but it's manageable, and the recovery isn't too bad, but I felt emotionally drained afterward from all the gearing up and the slight residual pain. I found that those ice packs made of a sheet of smaller cubes were nice for soreness. Having some food to eat at home and something to watch on TV is important, so you can just relax when you get back.
To be honest, I was anticipating the biopsy more than the results. After the biopsy, I felt like I had gotten through something challenging (again, not that it hurt terribly, I was just really nervous and somewhat wussy), and felt like I could manage whatever came next as well.
As a side note, my aunt has dealt with cysts and dense breasts her entire life and has had so many biopsies that she just calls them "going to Jiffy Boob."
Try not to dwell on the what ifs. In the absolute worst case scenario, you've caught something at a very early stage, which means you can take it down. You got this, don't worry.
posted by cndelia at 7:17 AM on March 24, 2011
I agree with BlahLaLa. The thing that worked best for me was to find distractions. Now is a time to take advantage of the kindness of your friends.
When you get closer to the time of your biopsy, take a little time to plan what you're going to do that day. The biopsy isn't the most fun, but it's manageable, and the recovery isn't too bad, but I felt emotionally drained afterward from all the gearing up and the slight residual pain. I found that those ice packs made of a sheet of smaller cubes were nice for soreness. Having some food to eat at home and something to watch on TV is important, so you can just relax when you get back.
To be honest, I was anticipating the biopsy more than the results. After the biopsy, I felt like I had gotten through something challenging (again, not that it hurt terribly, I was just really nervous and somewhat wussy), and felt like I could manage whatever came next as well.
As a side note, my aunt has dealt with cysts and dense breasts her entire life and has had so many biopsies that she just calls them "going to Jiffy Boob."
Try not to dwell on the what ifs. In the absolute worst case scenario, you've caught something at a very early stage, which means you can take it down. You got this, don't worry.
posted by cndelia at 7:17 AM on March 24, 2011
Update.....had the biopsy yesterday. Three "core" needle biopsies, two of them with the help of the "gun" to get inside what is likely a fibroadenoma. Very sore yesterday and today...bruising...but I think the local anesthetic exhausted me more than anything because I'm sensitive to drugs.
I feel hopeful, but also aware....it's an ordeal to go through. I have a new compassion and empathy for anyone going through a biopsy. The waiting is the worst. I will not have results/an answer until NEXT FRIDAY. Crazy. Doctor says it is NOT a cyst. But maybe a fibroadenoma.
So....I'm just living life! Thanks for the kindness, support, and understanding to all of you.
Oh....you're right about the good to eat and something to watch, cndelia. Preparing is out of the question.
Living in the present, embracing health in my mind, and resting as needed....seems to be the ticket.
sb
posted by sleeping beauty at 8:44 PM on April 7, 2011
I feel hopeful, but also aware....it's an ordeal to go through. I have a new compassion and empathy for anyone going through a biopsy. The waiting is the worst. I will not have results/an answer until NEXT FRIDAY. Crazy. Doctor says it is NOT a cyst. But maybe a fibroadenoma.
So....I'm just living life! Thanks for the kindness, support, and understanding to all of you.
Oh....you're right about the good to eat and something to watch, cndelia. Preparing is out of the question.
Living in the present, embracing health in my mind, and resting as needed....seems to be the ticket.
sb
posted by sleeping beauty at 8:44 PM on April 7, 2011
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A complex cyst is not as benign as a simple cyst, but all the same, it sounds a heck of a lot better than an invasive-looking, jagged tumor with a big vascular supply. I think as far as the spectrum of breast biopsiable things to worry about goes, you are pretty much at the lowest end of the spectrum. There are obviously no absolutes in medicine but I urge you to think as positively as you can because signs are pointing to this probably being not a big deal.
I hope that is at least a little reassuring. and - impressive that your sister beat ovarian cancer - you must have at least some lucky streak in your family!
posted by treehorn+bunny at 9:11 PM on March 22, 2011