Hello,
I was diagnosed with breast cancer on Monday and am having difficulty taking it all in. Should I have been told what type of cancer I have already from the biopsy results, or will I find out after the lumpectomy (which is on 2 Dec)? I am so confused. Would be nice to chat to others.
Anna
Hi Anna, sorry you have had to join us and i bet you must still be in shock with only just being diagnosed. I havent had surgery yet and will be having a mastectomy when chemo is finished, so cant help you regarding lumpectomy, i just wanted to say hi, and i hope it goes well for you. Another Anna, not usually that many about.
take care
anna
Hi Anna, thaks very much for saying hello. Sorry to hear about your illness too. I hope you are getting good support from family and friends during your treatment, and this site must help.
Good luck and take care,
Anna x
Hi Anna343
They told me the grade after my lumpectomy, my Breast Cancer Nurse was then able to give me an idea of what to treatment to expect.
The lumpectomy itself is nothing to worry about. I was in hospital at 9am and in the pub for lunch! There is just some achiness after-wards from the bruising which soon disappears.
Panga
Hi Anna`
So sorry to hear about your diagnosis, it really is a horrid time, I was diagnosed on the 24th of July and had my wle and SNB on the 11th of August, I had the biopsy on the 24th and was told a week later that it was early stage grade 2 lobular cancer, to say I was devastated and shocked is an understatement. The lunpectomey (WLE) was ok to be honest, I am such a wimp with needles etc but to be honest it was ok, in hospital for 2 nights and then home. I live alone so that was a bit or a trauma, but I survived!
i have needed chemo, started on the 12th of October, I was dreading it but it hasn’t been that bad, yes there are side effects and for the 7 days after the drugs are given its pretty sh*t, but get that over and its ok, I feel kinda normal. I have to have 6 sessions of FEC, I have been using the cold cap and touch wood I seem to have escaped the hair loss so far, so it is doable! not the nicest thing to do but its saving my life so I have to do it.
I think the secret to getting through this is to just get on with it, I have days when I feel its not fair and I am sure I am gonna die, but those are not everyday and the days i dont feel like that are great - hey I dont have to work and can spend time doing what I want to do so its not all bad!
I hope this has helped a bit, if you need to chat just pm me and i will respond. Take heart and I am sure you will get through it all 
Dena xx
Hi Anna343
Sorry you have to join us, but you will be fine. You will find out all the details about your cancer after the lumpectomy. The first tests give some information, but the lumpectomy is more informative. This helps the consultant and you to work out your treatment.
Just take one day at a time and get used to the diagnosis before you bother about all the ins and outs. When you are ready, there is lots of info on this site so you can find out what you want to ask later on. Beware that you don’t frighten yourself with too much. Easier said than done but remember, not everyone needs chemo etc etc.
Where are you in Manchester? I went to Wythenshawe Hospital for surgery and then Christies for Radiotherapy. Both hospitals were great and gave leaflets about treatment and what to expect as and when they were needed.
LOL
Margaret
Dear All,
Thanks so much for all your responses - I am touched by your support and your individual stories. It really does help to hear from other women. I wll definitly continue to log in to this site.
All the best and hope to speak soon.
Anna343 xx
Hi Anna,
I was fist diagnosed 7yeas ago so the way things are done have changed since.I think you will find out you treatment following the lumpectomy. i found it better once i knew exactly what i was dealing with and what treatment i needed. I had 8 sessions of fec chemo which was not as bad as i thaught and 20 sessions of radiotherapy which i got through very well.
I think the hardest part is dealing with your diagnosis emotionally. This will take time and it will be a rollercoaster. Use all the support you can, family, fiends, medical profession and i am sure this site will help.
Thinking of you
Kate
Hi Anna,
Sorry you had to join us, but you are among friends here.
As the others have said, you should get more info from your lumpectomy. (I had one inconclusive biopsy, another which indicated grade 2, but the lumpectomy showed grade 3 tumours and DCIS).
I know it’s horrible and scarey, but I have always wanted to know exactly what my situation is so have not been afraid to ask my consultants and breast care nurses anything that was on my mind. I have a notebook with me for all my questions and answers!
I envy Panga who was able to go to the pub after her lumpectomy! I guess we all have different experiences. I had all my lymph nodes removed at the same time, so I think this is why I had to stay in hospital for several days. I have to say the lumpectomy was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.
Easier said than done, but try to take one day at a time, do your best not to stress if at all possible. The uncertainty and waiting is horrid, but try to remain positive.
Sending love, and all the best for the 2nd December.
I think the drugs they give you are very good. They made me use the wheel chair to leave the hospital, even though I said I was fine. In hindsight I think it was because if I didn’t use the wheelchair I might have floated out of hospital I was that high!
I didn’t have a drink in the pub, that would’ve been a bit much after a GA. But once the drugs wore off I had a bit of slump and just slept for a while.
I had the lymph nodes done separately. I was in hospital overnight for that one. It was definitely a bit more sore. But so long as you do your exercises and don’t do anything strenuous that’s OK to.
Waiting is by far the worst thing. Like everyone says - one day at a time.
Panga
Hi from another Anna,
welcome to the site although bet you wish you hadn’t needed it (don’t we all??)!
You are at the worst phase and are probably still in shock after your diagnosis. Be gentle with yourself, take it easy and don’t try to find out too much by ploughing through the internet.(I know it’s hard, I am the type that likes to find out everything, but I ended up scaring myself and having problems with anxiety and panic etc.) Try not to let this diagnosis take over your life…carry on with going out and other things you enjoy as much as you feel you want to.
If you have a similar experience and procedure to me and most of the others on here, you will find out everything you need to know about your tumour after your lumpectomy (also known as WLE - stands for Wide Local Excision). They will probably also do a lymph node sample. In many hospitals this is done by SNB (Sentinel Node Biopsy) They do this at the same time as your WLE and use a blue dye and radioactive tracer to find out which Lymph node or nodes your cancer would go to first if it has spread. They remove these (usually 1-4 nodes) and if these are clear it means it is very likely that the rest are too. This is a good procedure as it means you don’t lose loads of lymph nodes unnecessarily.
The op is really not a problem ( and I am the biggest wimp, never had an op before and was scared to death). It can be done as a day case or you may stay in overnight depending on what time you have it. The recovery is pretty quick. You can be up and about the same day and drive again after 2 weeks. I didn’t have any pain at all really, just a bit of tightness and discomfort.
Take it one step at a time. If you want any more info please do PM me.
Please do believe all of us on here…this stuff is doable, you WILL get through it !
Wishing you lots of love and a big hug
Anna xx
Diagnosed 31st July
WLE and SNB 21st Aug
Grade 2, Stage 1, 11mm tumour
Radiotherapy for 15 days on October
Tamoxifen for the next 5 years !
hi anna, i too was diagnosed on monday and im also in manchester(something in the air eh). i have been to salford royal they have been fantastic. ive got an mr scan and pre op nest wed and im booked in for a wide local excision and sentinal node biopsy on 1st dec. ive been told i will need radiotherapy at christies and theve put me on calcium tablets and arimidex as im post menopausal(by the way im in urmston)
sue
hi anna, another manchester gal here. I was just wondering where you are having your surgery? I had mine at north manchester general and the breast care nurses there have been great in answering all my questions. I had an appointment with my nurse just before the WLE to go through everything so far and what to expect afterwards. Like someone else suggested take a notebook to write things down - i actually took my sister as well to scribe. I was diagnosed in april 09 and am currently on chemo. My treatment so far has not been too gruelling but initially when you are faced with all the info it can be quite scarey. I have found it is best not to worry myself unduely with too much information and just take each step as it comes.
best of luck
x
Hi Sue
Where are you in Urmston? I live on Church Rd. It’s a very small world!!! I’ve just put a comment on your question about how to find the sentinal node. I had WLE and SNB end July at Wythenshawe and then Radiotherapy at Christies.
PM me if you want any more info.
LOL
Margaret
OMG im on church road to
hexy ive pm’d you
Hi all - thanks for your comments and information. I didn’t even know what WLE meant until now! Finding it hard to understand all the jargon. My op is at Wythenshaw (the consultant is Mr Zeiton) and then radiotherapy at Christies. Apart from that I really don’t know any more. The waiting is terrible isn’t it - and telling people too. I’m okay one minute and then anxious and tearful the next.
Thanks again everyone!
Anna x
hi anna thats exactly how im feeling, im trying to be as positive as i can but then find myself crying, this morning was because someone(husband)left a vinegar bottle out!!!
sue
Hi Anna & Sue,
I know what you mean about being emotional - I have given my OH a hard time over some of the stupidest things!
Sue - wishing you all the best for Dec 1st.
ive just had a cuppa and a chat with hexy it was really nice and quite comforting. anna maybe we can be bosom buddies(lol sorry for the pun) as i have my op the day before yours
sue