hi hutchie
lots of women get neoadjuvant chemo (chemo before surgery) it can reduce larger sized tumours to mean that you dont need to have mastectomy but a lumpectomy instead.
also neoadjuvant chemo has found to have long term benefits for younger women under 50 with node positive disease in preventing recurrence after 10 years.
sorry to hear of your diagnosis and jj101… its a real shock at first but once you know whats happening things do get a bit easier.
Lx
Dear Hutchie,
sorry to hear your story, I too was diagnosed a short time ago, the waiting for diagnosis was drivig me insane…literally!!!had my second chemo yesterday. I am very lucky, my surgeon & oncologist discussed my whole treatment plan and options…the relief of having a treatment plan was amazing, daft I know, but I knew exactly what each stage would be they suggested chemo first (7.5 months)prior to surgery (mastectomy). As well as the other posts have suggested, they also added that if I was to have a mastectomy first, my chemo would be delayed for 6 weeks to allow healing of my op. My diagnosis was finally diagnosed by MRI so again they are not sure re node involvement so again wanted to start chemo early.
sending you huge hugs xxxx
Just checking in - Im feeling a little better now and have had some periods of calmness. I will be seeing the oncologist tomorrow to discuss my treatment and will find out the result of my CT Scan so I feeling rather nervous tonight. The week has passed by in a blur but all your comments have helped me through.
Thank you x
thinking of you for today,
Dear Hutchie,
My thoughts are with you today xx
Also thinking of you, hope it goes ok.
Sarah
Dear Hutchie
I will be thinking of you today too. I am going for MRI scan this afternoon then have to wait a week till next Thursday for results and treatement plan. It is all the waiting around that seems forever and uncertainty of not knowing what treatment is going to be etc. This forum is good and I would like to add thanks for all the messages of support.
I have to tell my mum tomorrow , she is 85 and lives 200 miles from me so are going to see her to tell her . I am dreading it.
Dear Hutchie, I was in the same state on 21st december 2009 when i was diagnosed. The dark days of our horrible winter followed and I had a mastectomy in January and started chemo in February and have one more to go. I remeber well the morbid thoughts I had and how low I was. I was convinced that cancer was all over my body and I cried and cried. I remember crying so much I had a nose bleed and convinced myself that the blood was coming from my stomach and that I would die soon. It is an emotional roller coaster and I still cry now but once the treatment starts whatever it throws up at you at least you are fighting it and can be more positive. This has changed my whole outlook on life and in a strange way I think I enjoy the important things in life more than I did before.
Dear Carolj4
I really wish you well…
I too found the wait unbearable, but daft as it seems the releif when I knew that I had cancer and exactly what my opions and treatment plan was, I felt sooo much better.
I really wish you well when you see you mum
love Jen xx
My CT Scan was clear what a relief and I now have a plan for my Chemo. You are all right once you have a plan its a bit easier and gives you a focus. I am now starting to accept what lies ahead and pray for the strength to get through it all.
Carol, I hope telling your Mum went ok, its awful seeing your loved ones upset, they feel so helpless. My Mum has been supporting me - she went through the same thing 18 years ago and I hate to see her suffering along with me but I’m so glad shes by my side.
JJ I hope your op went ok and you are in my thoughts as are all the others who have been so kind to me on this page each comment has soothed my frazzled nerves. x