How you may feel when you get your results

Getting your results

If your results show that you have cancer you may feel all sorts of emotions such as fear, anger and helplessness. You may find it hard to take in what you are being told.

Having someone with you who can listen carefully or ask questions can be helpful.

Some specialists record the consultation so that you have a tape to listen to at home.

You should also be put in contact with a breast care nurse, who will talk to you about your diagnosis and treatment.

More and more people are now living long and full lives after breast cancer.

The way you feel about your cancer will change as time passes.

The concerns you may have when you are first diagnosed can be quite different from those at the end of treatment and different again years later.

Helpline and Ask the Nurse Co-ordinator, Rose Stone, talks about common reactions to a diagnosis of breast cancer that might be heard on our helpline.

When you have had time to take in the diagnosis you may want to contact your breast care nurse again to discuss what happens next.

Some emotions you may experience when diagnosed with breast cancer:

• fear – unsure what the future holds
• shock – a feeling of 'why me?'
• anger – asking 'what have I done to deserve this?'
• guilt – because you have cancer
• disbelief – especially if you feel well and healthy
• anxiety – about treatment and the future
• sadness – because your life is changing.

You may feel you have to put on a brave face for your family and friends, perhaps even for the specialist team involved in your care. Or you may welcome the chance to let your feelings show, and draw strength and support from people close to you.

You may want to learn everything you can about breast cancer and what it means - knowing all the options for treatment can help you to decide what to do next.

Or you may choose to leave it to your doctors to decide the best approach to your treatment.

There’s no right or wrong way to go about it.

What matters is that you have as much information as you need and feel comfortable with the decisions you have made.

Your medical team, family and friends need to know how you want to deal with things in order to support you in this process.