Hi
Confused.com - no wonder you are feeling confused, I think we all feel that at first. The way my Doctor told me about the chemo really helped me. He told me ’ at this moment in time you don’t have breast cancer as its been removed but we are giving you an insurance to make sure it doesn’t come back and the more we throw at it the better your chances of staying free are` I for one will take everything to make sure this is the case. Hope as time passes you will be able to accept what is happening to you even though you are so young and its not fair. Hugs to you and everyone in the same boat
Lol
Hi confused.com, sorry you are having to join us but glad to have you here. I think with any spread to the nodes - even a little bit - chemo is highly recommended. Especially given your age. That said, it’s worth remembering it’s always your decision. But I think if I were in your position I’d definitely go for the chemo. Radiotherapy only targets the chest area, not your whole body, whereas chemotherapy goes through your whole system, moping up any stray cancer cell that may have spread via the lymph or bloodstream. Those stray cells can take a while to form a proper tumour but once that happens, and it’s big enough to detect, you’re generally looking at treatment to slow progression rather than cure. I think we all want to do whatever we can to avoid that situation, especially when you are young and have so much life ahead of you yet.
all the best
Nicola
HI- loll0101- my consultant said exactly what yours said- the more treatment after surgery the better the outlook. I’m having then chemo, radio and tamoxofen. I had my first chemo the day after you-6thSept and i also tried the cold cap. So far so good- some hair has come out when i wash it and a little when i comb it but only i notice this- everyone else said they can’t tell so I’m going to persevere with the cap next Thursday. I personally can’t bear the thought of no hair- i look stupid in hats and scarves! ( i noticed you had posted on the scalp cooling thread)
key features-well said and explained- I agree entirely.
Good luck to everyone going for chemo next week 
x
szh
Thank you both! I am still in 2 minds, chemo is highly recommended but are they always right? Losing ur hair and battering ur immune system is not great. I guess they are only trying to help Just go with it our forever be looking over my shoulder wondering what will happen next
Confused.com - it depends what you mean by ‘right’. Because it’s not possible to detect tiny cancers / cells thoughout the body so can only go with probabilities. A lot of the time when we have chemo it most likely isn’t strictly necessary but there is a chance that it is. I don’t want to scare you, but the fact they found a tiny trace in your lymph means your tumour had found a way to disperse itself, all be that at a very early stage. And cancers in pre-menopausal women like us do have a tendency to grow and spread more readily because our hormones are still very active - and the cancers feed off this. Chemo is just an extra line of attack to give yourself the very best chance of it not coming back.
However, there are people who just decide to have surgery and no additional treatments and a lot of them are fine. Whatever you decide, you just need to think that it is the right decision for you - and get support for it from those around you.
I too struggled with the chemo decision because my lymphs were clear and I also had clear margins, as well as feeling healthy. But then I read up more about my type of cancer (HER2+), and understood more why my oncologist had suggested chemo. It is hard, because when you are feeling fit and well you just want to get on with life and go back to ‘normal’ as soon as possible. But once I’d made my decision I adjusted to it and accepted that for the next few months my main focus is going to be getting through treatment.
Hi confused.com. Sorry you’re joining us! I has a wide local excision - good margins and no lymph node spread but I’m also triple negative. Although the cancer has been cut out my oncologist explained it’s a belt and braces approach. Very much what everyone else has said - that the chemo and radiotherapy will zap anything left. I have 2 teenaged children and I want to be around as long as I can for them. It’s what keeps me going through those scary moments. There is good evidence that this approach works - that’s why women are surviving breast cancer and I want to be a survivor! I’m lucky that I’ve got good support from family, friends and work, and that makes a huge difference. Talk to your breast care nurse and ring the helpline here. Get as much info as you can to make a decision that you’re happy with!
Hi, I am new to the forum, I am 49 and a Mum of 2 teenages and a 21 year old.
I was diagnosed in May with BC and then I had Tamoxifen for 5 weeks and a lumpectomy on 19/7/12, the margins were clear and no spread to lymph nodes but I have just started chemo on 18/9/12 due to size and aggressive nature of the tumour.
I am having FEC 75 x 6, followed by 4 weeks radiotherapy in the new year. This has been the most terrifying experience, I wish I could teleport myself forward to a nicer place! The first thing I said when I was diagnosed was ‘I don’t want to lose my hair’ and it still fills me with dread and I know I am not far away from it happening now, a couple more weeks maybe.
Although I was petrified about the chemo the actual process wasn’t too bad, I’ve certainly had worse things done, yesterday for me was the worst, I’ve had a gnawing stomachache on and off all week, insomnia, headaches, nausea (but not bad) and shaking, my insides, legs and hands, followed by an upset tum yesterday evening and to cap it all I got my period, life is a bitch!
I feel brigther this morning and have actually got dressed today and I don’t feel as tired which can only be good.
I have been really impressed with the hospitals in my area, the consultant is excellent and I really could not have had better care, they have been topclass and for that I’m very grateful as it has made this emotional rollercoaster ride a little more tolerable.
Hello Niknak321 - I was diagnosed in May too. I’ve no kids and am 40. You have lovely hair, I’m not surprised you don’t want to lose it. Mine was just a bit longer than yours, but a lot finer, and the longest and healthiest it had ever been - my hair takes ages to grow. I found buzz cutting it before it started thinning out was the best approach for me, and then I’ve just thrown myself into finding lots of ways to dress my head.
Yesterday I went for my wig fitting. Despite the women in the shop being lovely I felt so out of place there. All the wigs just looked like wigs on my head. Came away with a very short brunette one in the end but to be honest I just wanted to get out of the shop. My husband laughed when he came home and saw it on me. So I don’t know how many airings it is going to get. It’s sitting in the corner of the bedroom looking rather freaky at the moment. Think I may stay a hat and headscarf girl.
Hi Keyfeatures,
I am prepared for my hair coming out, I’ve got a wig ready, my Mum bought me a lovely one, it wasn’t cheap, my Mum is 89 and she is so worried that she can’t do very much to help me so she wanted to treat me, I think I will wear it for occasions when I’m feeling OK (she says hopefully)
I have bought turbans and scarves to dress them up and wooly hats and sleep caps. I keep saying I am going to cut my hair short but my hubby says I shouldn’t jump the gun, he says you might be the one person who’s hair doesn’t come out and he’s got a point. My hair is slow to grow too. I am conscious that it is changing slightly at the moment, it’s a week since my first FEC.
I was offered the cold cap at my hospital but decided against it as I didn’t want to spend all day there and they said it only had a 40% success rate, I’ll take my chance I think.
Morning everyone - Chemo number 2 is tomorrow and this evening i’m off to hospital to have a port put in so they won’t have to mess around trying to find a vein. The cold cap doesn’t seem to have worked for me as i’m shedding by the bucketful. This morning I gave my wig its first outting but with this windy weather I didn’t stay out too long just in case!! It doesn’t feel secure at the moment as I still have some hair left and had to wear a hairnet underneath. Still can’t decide whether to do coldcap again as I don’t think I can put up with this moulting as it is constant. I will probably resort to the clippers over the w/end.
Lol
I’m starting tomorrow and I cannot wait to get started. I still have the tumour inside me and I WANT IT GONE! I’m triple negative with a 2.5mm tumour pretty much under the nipple. My options were immediate partial mastectomy followed by chemo and radiation or chemo first to try to shrink the lump. If it works then it’s just a lumpectomy. Survival rates are said to be identical, but I wish I had asked if that was overall for breast cancer or specifically for triple negative.
I’ve signed up for the ARTemis trial which means I get one extra drug with my chemo - they are hoping it might be the wonder drug for TNBC in the way that Tamoxifen and Herceptin have made the statistics so much better for the other strains of BC.
I’m half excited and half dreading it. It’s great to read about all your experiences above.
Hi lollol01 & Fiona508
Hope all goes well tomorrow, good vibes coming your way!
Has anyone experienced stomach cramps since starting their chemo. The first few days it was there pretty much all the time, a gnawing/severe hunger type pain is the only way I can describe it. Now it just seems to happen when I eat, do you think this is normal or should I seek some advice on it, I hate to be a nuisance?
Niknak- you are not a nuisance. I didn’t experience pains but lots of people do suffer bad constipation which can give you pains. If your sure its not constipation give your bcn a ring. I’m sure they would prefer that to having you stressed and worried.
Thanks for your reply. I did have quite bad constipation for the first few days but Sunday night it went the exact oposite, I have suffered with, my doctor suspects IBS for the last few years so I think the chemo is probably aggravating it.
Niknak321 - I definitely had stomach ache on and off for the first few days, but was more worried about the acid reflux which was very painful at times. I’d definitely give your chemo unit / hospital a call to ask about it. It’s hard to know what’s ‘normal’ for these first couple of cycles and worrying about it could make stomach pain worse. The chemo and the steroids assault the whole gastro-intestinal tract. Hope you feel better soon.
Nicola
From one Nicola to another, thanks for your reply, it has been much better today so unless it happens again I will just talk to the onco before my next treatment on the 9/10. I also had acid reflux but not as bad as yours by the sound of things, I felt rather low over the weekend and burst into tears on more tha one occasion but glad to say I feel a lot better today and I’ve been out for a walk with my lovely daugther and my gorgeous dog.
I have been pleased to find this forum and reading the posts in this section especially has made me feel not so alone. Friends and family understand to a degree what your are feeling and their support is invaluable but ‘talking’ to people who are experiencing the same cannot be beaten,
Best wishes to all the September ladies
Nicola x
Hi. Have been lurking for a while, unsure which thread (if any) to join. I started 29th August and just had my second chemo last Thursday, but have still got two more FECs and four Ts to go. I felt completely washed out immediately after the chemos, but week two was worst for me last time. I had nasty stomach cramps, and pain on swallowing any solids or liquids. Also experienced lower back pain from day 7. Both cleared up at the end of week two, but I spent most of that middle week with hot water bottles front and back and felt really miserable as it dragged on. Hoping for a more comfortable cycle this time round.
wishing you all minimal SEs,
Margaret
Hi sdfmeg. Sorry to hear you’ve been having a rubbish time with the SEs. It’s good to have you here. Did they change your meds at all from cycle 1? I mentioned the terrible acid and pain of eating/drinking to my onc and he’s going to add something to help with that this time around. Can’t remember the name of it. My next chemo is Thursday - will keep you posted as to whether it helps or not.
Thanks. Hope your second chemo goes better for you. I will be interested to know. My onc didn’t change any of my meds (apart from upping the steroids a little) and just said to see my GP if it happens again. Good luck for tomorrow!