Erm Hello, I join your community reluctantly, mainly because I think Im still having a hard time actually believing what is happening to me…
I’ve already had a lumpectomy 2 weeks ago. The results that followed were grim. They found another lump, undetected by the mammogram or scans, in the surrounding tissue (which I find really scary) and half of the lymph nodes taken were infected. I can’t actually believe it.
Anyway, they say (and this is where i get a bit confused) that I should have chemo next followed by mastectomy, but I can choose which I have first.
They recommend Chemo first, my family say I should have the op while I’m still strong. I dont know, surely I need to take the experts advice…
Is anyone going through similar, or have any insight on this?
Hi Tree so sorry that you have had to join us but welcome x
I’m slightly different I had 6 months of chemo after diagnosis and before the mastectomy (no initial lumpectomy like you…) I had a 4 week gap between being given the final chemo and the op and to be honest that was enough time to be ready for the op (But I know we are all different). I think I would be tempted to follow the unit’s advice as they have access to all the pathology results etc and will be basing their advice on those…
I really hope that your treatment goes well.
Theresa x
You could also give the helpline on here a ring - it is a freephone number manned by nurses and they are happy to talk as long as you need so you don’t feel rushed at all…
Have the chemo first and then it provides a good indication on how the chemo is working.
I had a lump grow during FEC, so obviously that was not right for me. They left the lump and gave me tax which completely shrunk the new lump.
You need your strength more for the chemo than the op!!!
Thanks for your replies. 
What is FEC? I’ve still got a lot to learn about all this. Think I’ve been shutting myself away from everything…
Hi Tree
I had WLE in Jan, and was advised to have chemo before mastectomy. This turned out to be the right decision for me as it gave me time to think about whether I wanted immediate reconstruction and get that arranged. I had my surgery 5 weeks after 6xchemo and recovering fine. I don’t feel that my chemo affected my recovery at all.
Jacqui
HiTree
I had this option too when i was diagnosed. I asked them which they thought was the best option and they said to have chemo first. My tumour was quite big and they wanted to shrink it first. So i went with what my team advised. The good thing about having chemo first was that i could feel it working on the tumour and it shrunk it a lot. It is a good feeling to know that the chemo is doing it’s job. i get my mx next week and was given 5 weeks to recover which has been good for me, i am not fully over the chemo but more than strong enough for my op.
It is totally your choice which to do first, it’s you who will be going through the treatment. Family and friends want what is best for you and i am sure there support and advice will be a great help throughout. The helpline on here is fantastic too and they may be able to talk it through with you. There are so many decisions to make at a time when you are still reeling from the shock, i do feel for you, the beginning is the hardest part.
What ever you decide i hope it all goes well for you. If you need anything just ask.
Lots of love to you
Jaynexxxx
Hi Tree
FEC is a type of chemo cocktail, and one which many people get for breast cancer. It’s sometimes combined with taxotere. I had 3 FECs ( I had a very rude alternative name for it) and 3 Ts - referred to that before I started as Afternoon T - but it wasn’t quite! Some have 6 FECs, some 4 of each, all the oncologists have different fetishes in this respect.
Chemo is bearable - its hell at teh time but when you look at it in context it is only a few months and hopefully will flush any alienettes out of your system - I referred to myself as nurturing an alien in my breast, hence alienettes as her spawn!!
Keep posting here - there’s always someone to talk to about anything, bnot just cancer
Thank you all.
I must say it feels kind of good to be here. People who know what I am taking about, and can answer my questions for a change,
Thankyou. x