Afternoon
I can confirm I’ve been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. It’s in my lymph nodes too, but thankfully nowhere else.
I’ll be starting chemotherapy, followed by medication, surgery and radiotherapy. It’s a bit more serious than I expected, and I’m still processing the news this cancer has seriously underestimated how stubborn I am—I fully intend to beat it.
Thank you all so much for your love and support already. Looks like the next few months are going to be glamorous… hospital gowns are clearly this season’s must-have! 
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I am sorry it’s not the news you hoped for. However…….., you now know what you are dealing with, it sounds like you are ready to kick ass. Keep the positive mindset, you’ve got this. X
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Aww bless I was hoping it would be better news for you.
You sound a positive person and Im sure once you have your head around it you will go and smash it.
Take care xx
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Which reminds me I was going to redesign hospital gowns… 
May your side effects be insignificant, your surgery straightforward and your path to recovery smooth. xxx
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Thank you think I am going for a blond wig always fancied being blond I meet the team on Friday who sort everything out. They are meeting my little boy we have told him mummy has a lump and the drs have special medicine to make it go smaller ~ next comment was “can I have some crisp I am hungry!!” Xx
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Sorry for your news @titch1 You are already winning because you found it and you are getting it treated
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Morning everyone got my planning mode switched on, in preparation for my chemo starting in the next week or so what advice would you give in respect of what to take with me to make it more comfortable. My husband bought some mits and boots last night for me as I suffer cold hands and feet already!!
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Hey @titch1
So sorry to hear the news. I was really hoping this wouldn’t go this way for you.
In terms of what to take to chemo, I don’t take anything that wouldn’t already be in my handbag and have so far, after 11 weeks of weekly treatment, never needed to. I’d advise comfy clothes you can sit in for hours and easily remove and put back in place with one hand after the loo if you’ll be having the chemo via a cannula in the hand. My chemo unit provides hot and cold drinks, biscuits and sandwiches and plays music but some patients bring their own supplies. Some prefer to tune out during their treatment and will sit watching a film on their device through earbuds but the majority of us sit around drinking coffee and chatting. The vibe is often more like a salon than a medical unit.
The best thing you can take with you to make it more comfortable in my opinion is that “let’s do this!” attitude. When I first started treatment, I was quite close-minded and resistant to it and went into it all quite begrudgingly. This all changed after my first dose in April, when I was diagnosed with an early local recurrence and the treatment was changed in May to shrink the new cancer rather than just “mop up” after surgery. Going with it rather than mentally fighting against it has made it all so much easier to do.
And to hopefully add some encouragement for you, I’ve had a confirmed complete imaging treatment response in that my cancer, which was confirmed by MRI in early May as 36mm over three tumours, did not show up at all on the follow up MRI I had three weeks ago. Obviously treatments and results can differ but just wanting to share to show it can happen.
Best of luck with your treatment. x
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Are you planning on cold capping? If yes I brought with me a battery pack heated blanket. It was rechargeable. It was gifted to me to use by a friend so I’m not sure where it was bought from but it definitely helped. Take some paracetamol an hour before the cold capp starts, maybe take them as you get to the unit.
I also took with me a huge flask of warm/hot drink. I tried to stick to a ginger herbal tea but due to the nausea, I had to mix it up a bit each time. Sometimes I could only use the flask for a cold drink, usually some kind of electrolytes. Hydration is super important, you want to drink as much fluids as you can stomach to flush at the chemo.
I had a book to read, sometimes I took some adult colouring books if I thought id use them.
Earpods are handy or normal headphones if you aren’t cold capping so you can listen to a podcast or something on your phone.
I also had with me some lip balm.
The first time I got to the chemo unit and sat in the chair I got really upset. A lovely nurse saw and came over, whipped the curtain around me and sat and calmed me for a bit. At my chemo unit we werent allowed visitors with us and I think the enormity of what was happeneing and feeling so alone caught up to me. But that was the worst moment and from then it got better. The people around me helped that day, 2 lovely ladies there for different reasons but were able to talk and distract me. There were other times that id talk to the people next to me and it was always so heartwarming. To be in the worst place but meet the best people. Sitting in the chemo chair really isnt all bad. Sometimes the worst you’ll get is a numb bum 
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I’ve had worse than a numb bum @foxgem but luckily it turned out to be just sweat. 
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Haha 
I was lucky to not have any allergic reactions but from what ive heard in the cases this happens the staff are on it very quickly.
All in all I genuinely think chemo day isn’t a bad day. And like you say @mssteel think about all the reasons you are there. To kick cancers arse 
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Thank you all for your advice xxxx
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We’re so sorry to hear your diagnosis @titch1 - I’m sure you’re still reeling from the shock but please know that we are all here for you and we’re behind you as you go through this.
If you ever need a chat or have any questions, you can reach our nurses on our free helpline 0808 800 6000.
You may also know about our monthly chemo threads, the one for August starters is here: August 2026 chemo starters - Going through breast cancer treatment / Chemotherapy monthly threads - Breast Cancer Now forum
Sending all the love,
Alice
Ahhh Titch I was so hoping you were clear but we are here now. Sounds like mine, triple negative? I had chemo first, I always had someone with me and I really needed that even my mother in-law once! Well she got a free meal out of it was like a day trip. I cold capped so my boy didn’t notice my hair, however I run hot so for me it was ok. I recommend the really lovely thick socks heat holders you can get them on amazon. I also wore the same joggers and jumper (it was winter) then when chemo was over I threw them in the bin! I brought jasmine tea and home made biscuits my mum made for us. And paracetamol for the cold cap.
If you can have a port fitted I recommend getting it put into your arm, you can barely see the scar now and it was comfortable.
Your boy sounds just like mine, the difference from when he was 3 and I was diagnosed is very different to him being 5 now and I would have told him the same way you did. If you want to chat I’m here! Xx
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Thank you Alice for reaching out yes struggling today to be honest xx
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It’s her2 positive then a load of other things she said which I’ve forgotten apparently the chemo does work wounders on it it’s at stage 3 so fingers crossed. My husband has bought me the socks and mits already. Plus going to have my hair cut short next Tuesday in preparation xxx thank you for your support
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