I hope this does not happen to you but it can happen if fact it happened to me.
I had a diagnose of primary breast cancer in April 2015.
It was a grade 3, 27 mm intraductal carcinoma. Lynphnodes were negative.
I had chemotherapy Fec-T, operation and radiotherapy.
It was ghastly
.
Never felt well afterwards, Always reported extreme fatigue.
They called it chronic fatigue.
I had a CT scan in May 2015, a bone scan and a liver function blood tests in June 2018.
Of course for the chronic fatigue GP sent me to talking therapies because it is in your mind or because this is what is available and somebody has to use the service. After that there was another service that needed patients so I was sent to that some new privately run physio service. Blood tests and ultrasound must have been too expensive,
I had mammograms every year and a yearly visit with the oncologist as they say that you are ‘considered’ cured if it does not come back within 5 years.
The last visit with the oncologist I had in April I was advised for the ‘fatigue’ to visit the cancer support center.
Firstly, a warm welcome to the forum. I’m a ‘newbie’ to a diagnosis of Secondary Cancer. I completely relate to your situation with feeling fatigued.
Words seem a bit inadequate but I am truly sorry to hear that you have a tumour in your liver and have been flagging up for several years that you don’t feel right.
I felt very frightened when I was informed of my Secondary diagnosis only last month. I’ve had blood tests on and off all year and finally got referred to Haematology thanks to a very vigilant and perceptive GP, it was thought that chemo may have permanently affected my red blood count. I have had fatigue for over 14 years (yes unfortunately and of course in a workplace, no one recognises it, I am a hard worker and just constantly pushed myself, to my own detriment). After years of saying I was exhausted, it was a relief to be referred. I wasn’t expecting the cancer diagnosis though… I have it in my bones, not clear of the spread as only had the bone scan 4 days’ ago.
Having read other women’s situations on this forum and reading of women who are living well several years into their diagnosis, please try and take your diagnosis one step at a time. I’ve been on hormone treatment for nearly 3 weeks now and whilst I don’t feel I can run a marathon, I am ok.
I can only imagine how angry you feel after many times of telling medics things weren’t right. However, focus on you and your family right now and lean on all of us here. Our only difference is that we are all at different stages.
Sending you a hug and my sincere best wishes xxxxxxxxxxx
Sorry to hear that you’ve joined our club, GiulianaB. I’ve had ME/CFS for 20 years, before I had primary bc and it’s a pig of a condition to live with. However I was on top form before my 2ary dx came along in Jan of this year, 7 years after 1ary dx. It’s hard to tell where fatigue comes from sometimes.
I have wondered why we don’t get ultrasounds annually, after a 1ary dx, only a mammogram of the side which wasn’t affected by cancer in the first place. I had other symptoms which ‘should’ have picked up by a GP based on my 1ary dx, but this didn’t happen. I decided not to focus on what might have been or on the ‘if only’s’ as that would rob me of energy which I need to stay as positive and as well as I can. I hope you can reach some acceptance over what has happened…shout, rant, cry and grieve if you need to…then put all your energy into coming to terms with your diagnosis and treatment plan.
I’m so sorry of your diagnosis, my diagnosis quite similar to you as it’s in my liver too. I was diagnosed January 2017, I can say that in the last 3 years I’ve had my ups n downs but I’m generally well, I was put on oral chemo Capecitabine which yes has side effects but I think are much more doable than a intravenous chemo. What plan have you got in place?