Hi I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer on Weds 28th march, have been holding up ok until today, have broke and found out that it is invasive ductal cancer, and grade 3, have to have mri tomorow, which I am dreading, and go next weds for talk and results, I have been working hard and getting good results, work in promotions, have this week off, and i am so tired today, been crying, and scared all day, anyone else want to talk i will be happy to share and talk…xxxx
Hi Lisa 123
Firstly, welcome to the forums, I am sorry to read of your recent diagnosis, the first few days and weeks are always difficult when coming to terms with things and getting to grips with your treatment plans, etc. I’m sure some of the other users will be a long shortly to support you.
In the meantime you might find it helpful to order the BCC resources pack. It has been specifically designed for those newly diagnosed and contains information to help you better understand your diagnosis, test results and the various treatments available. If you would like to order a copy just follow the link bellow:-
Also, do give the helpline a ring if you need any further support or information. They’re on 0808 800 6000. Open 9-5 Monday to Friday and 9-2 Saturday.
Best wishes Sam, BCC Facilitator
Hi Lisa, what a shock to the system finding out that you have breast cancer! I found my lump in May 2011 and was diagnosed with grade 3 invasive lobular. What followed was weeks of tests, scans and biopsies then five months of chemotherapy followed by a mastectomy and axillary clearance just before Christmas last year. The I had 15 radiotherapy sessions which finished at the end of February.
Yesterday was my first day back at work after ten months of being signed off sick. My Oncologist told me not to try and be a hero by trying to work whilst going through treatment. She was right. The treatment is tough and you need to put yourself first now and concentrate on giving your body as much rest as it needs to recover.
Good luck with everything. I am sure lots of ladies will be along soon to offer their support. I come on the forum every day so please contact me if you ever want to talk about anything.
Deb
Hi deb
Yes I am very upset and scared at the mo, I found the lump in my breast 3 weeks ago, whilst washing differently to normal, went straight to the hospital, as i was working away, has it checked and got a phone call from the breast unit on the isle of wight, and was asked to come in on weds, went in thinking i had a cyst, had biopsy, mammogram and ultrasound, last week went for results still feeling confident it was benign, when dr told me it was cancer i just sat and cried, couldnt take it in, devastation, went off to work on thurs for 3 days, and worked my way thro the news, home now, had mri today, now i am waiting for results next weds is when they discuss options with me.
I was told it is invasive ductal cancer, and grade 3, i am very scared of all this dont really understand it all, as its all new to me, any advice will be welcome, did you say that you worked thro your treatments, i have a fab partner who is being a rock, and a wonderful son of 17, and 2 great families. xxxx
Hi Lisa123,
I’m sure you’ll get lots of good support from your fellow forum users, but while you are waiting I have put for you below links to some of BCC’s publications you may find helpful.
Hope these help.
Take care,
Jo, Facilitator
Hi Lisa
I didn’t work through my treatments - my Oncologist told me not to be a hero. I concentrated on fighting it and surviving the treatments.
You will find that once they have a treatment plan for you that things start to feel more in control. I felt much better (in my head) once I had started the treatments. I think you will do too. It is amazing what we can deal with once we know what it is we are dealing with and how it is going to be done! (hope that makes sense)
Deb
Hi Lisa,
I found my lump in November - I had invasive DC grade 3 but was cleared with WLE - SNB showed no spread - now due to have no 5 of 6 chemo and feeling really great except for a few days after each FEC!
I found it hard at first being out of work but have adapted - should be back in June after chemo and rads finish - will have been out for about 6 - 6 1/2 months in total but do go in on good days - informally to take care of admin - teacher and HOD so too disruptive going in and out to teach!!
You will get through this - the waiting is the worst!
Take care,
Marina
Hi Lisa.
I was diagnosed the week before you. What a s*** club to join?!!
Are you on the IOW? I am in Portsmouth, so if you would like to talk to someone local, then please get in touch.
I feel like I am in a whirlwind of hospital visits and tests but I feel so much better than the week of waiting. I am booked in to have my operation next week and then I will be having chemo, hormone and radiotherapy.
I am so sorry that you are going through this too but I am sure, you will find, like I have, that you have more strength than you ever imagined.
The ladies on here are amazing too, and someone always replies to your questions.
Hugs. Jo xx
Hi Lisa and Jo…I was dx on 9th Jan, WLE and SLNB on 3rd Feb, with results on 16th Feb. My lump was IDC, removed with clear margins and no lymph or vascular spread; however grade 3, >2cm and low hormone receptors so have just had 2nd chemo (4 to go!) followed by 15 rads…probably no hormone therapy but they will decide later. I am on the south coast and my treatment has been excellent from surgeon to oncology and wigs to the MacMillan centre! Today I was in the chemo day unit ‘naughty corner’ and provided the entertainment - for which I was rewarded with a lemon cake! Once you have your treatment plan you will feel more in control - as lots of people on this site told me - and they were sooooo right 
The waiting is the absolute worst, but tbh once chemo starts the only ‘waiting’ is for bloods to make sure you can have each treatment. I have been fairly lucky with minimal/controllable side effects and have worked on a number of days since my first session. I work in a school - in the office - so worked in the first part of the 2nd week and the whole 3rd week. Again, the great advice on this site is to listen to your body and do what you feel is right for you. My choice was to retain as close to a level of ‘normality’ as possible, without comprimising my overall health. For me, this has included working but that was a very personal decision, supported by my Onc. I realise that I will probably get more fatigued as treatment progresses and changes from session 4 amd I will re-assess as I progress. It is doable…take one day at a time…cry when you need to…and happy for you to pm me if you like. Love and hugs xx
Hi thanks evryone it is nice to know there is a good support group out there, yes it is a s*** club to join…lol.
Jo I would love to get in touch with you it would be nice to have someone local, and at the same time, b****y scary though.
Can you please explain WLE and SLNB and IDC, sorry new to this…lol
Thanks
Lisa xx
Hi Lisa…sorry got carried away with acronyms (see how tuned in I am just 3 months down the line!!). WLE = wide local excision/lumpectomy, which is where the surgeon removes the offending lump, if it’s removable, i.e. not attached to chest, if it its size is realative to the size of your breasts…WLE + radiation has the same survival outcome as a mastectomy (if a WLE is the right treatment for you - remember everyone is unique and treatment is personal). SLNB is where the day before your WLE you have radioactive dye injected (stings a bit but painless for me). I believe this option is only open to you (in my hospital anyway) if the ultrasound and manual exam shows no evidence of lymph node spread. During the WLE op (mine was day surgery) blue dye is injected, the sentinel lymph node (the first one(s) the breast drains to) is/are removed and checked for cancer cells. If there are cancer cells present then they will proceed to full node clearance (or about 60%?); if not, then only the sentinel node(s) is/are removed. IBC = invasive ductal cancer (the most common type) where the tumour has invaded breast tissue i.e. moved out of the duct. Hope this helps? Not an ‘expert’ just a control freak who likes everything explained, which I then write down lol. Please feel free to pm me if you would like to…several people did that for me when first diagnosed and it has really helped to have that support. I can’t believe it was nearly 3 months ago that I was where you are now and only 2.5 months to end of chemo, followed by rads in 3/4 months time. Stay strong…hugs xx
Sorry…mean IDC not IBC…chemo brain
Hi
Yes i understand now…its all a blur to me at the moment still, i dont even know what they are going to do to me, i have been told i have invasive ductal, and grade 3, had mri today, to see if it has gone in lymphs, and have to go back next weds for discussion, i can understand you wanting to know everything, i am the same, although all this is very hard to take in, and digest, thank for explaining it all to me, you are doing very well with it , and 3 months is not long, mine started 3 weeks ago when i found a lump in the shower because i washed differently, and felt a lump, good job i did. I am very scared all the same, and have never been so up and down, one minute laughing, joking, then crying shouting and hundreds of why me…xxx
Other wierd thing, i am usually an insomniac since finding all this out I am sleeping all night, how does that work…xx
Hey Guys, I’m so pleased to be able to talk to you as only you will know how it feels. Felt a lump in February, diagnosed 9th March and still waiting for date of Op. Stage 3 ductal and I know it has grown quite a lot. I’ve had all the tests and felt like I won the lottery when they told me it hadn’t spread. Just having to wait so long for my mastectomy as my Surgeon is on holiday so looking at 16th April as the earliest but no date yet. I am so lucky that my Man is so supportive but I worry that I don’t appreciate how much stress he will be under.When I try to talk he is all positive but I know there is far more that he won’t discuss.
Any advice???
Thanks to anyone who answers and love to anyone who cares!
xxx
Hi Lisa
This bit is the pits - you’ve been told you’ve got cance, you don’t really understand how serious it is and you have no idea of what your treatment will be.
Believe me, it does get better once you know what your treatment plan is and get started on it.
In the meantime, this link might help with all the terms and abbreviations you’ll come across on here: share.breastcancercare.org.uk/forum/glossary-useful-words-and-terms-f162.html
Keep posting, and remember there’s no such thing as a silly question!
Big Hugs
Dx
PS - I had a large grade 3 invasive lobular tumour, luckily no nodes affected. I had to have the ‘full monty’ of treatment - mx with immediate recon, chemo, rads and I’m now on tamoxifen. None of it was pleasant, but it was all ‘doable’. I worked whenever I could throughout. My active treatment finished last September and I’ve been back at work full time for some months and am enjoying life to the full. Next week is the anniversary of my first chemo!
Yes I think it will be easier when i know what to expect, was it easy to work through it, only prob with my work it is all over the country, dont think they have walk in treatment centres…lol.
I just want it over and to get on with it, and fight the blooming thing, you have done very well, and does life resume normaility…xx
hello steamyfi
Welcome to the forums. I’m sorry to hear of your diagnosis, the first few weeks are always difficult when coming to terms with your diagnosis and treatment.
As well as the support you will receive on the forums you might find it helpful to order the BCC resources pack. It has been specifically designed for those newly diagnosed and contains information to help you understand your diagnosis, test results and the various treatments available. If you would like to order a copy just follow the link bellow:-
You may also like to talk things through with one of the helpline staff, they are there to offer emotional support as well as provide information. The free phone number is 0808 800 6000 and lines are open 9-5 Monday to Friday and 9-2 Saturday.
Best wishes
June, moderator
Hi Steami…I have just been diagnosed with the same as you, dont know if it has spread, will know next weds, my partner is fantastic too, and he says he finds an inner strength and its the love that is giving him the inner strength, it is strange where it does come from as since i found this lump 3 weeks ago, i have been surreal, but you keep going, hope this helps…xx
For the first 3 cycles of chemo I managed to work almost normally for two weeks out of each three, but it does get more difficult and fatigue creeps up on you. I was also lucky in that I have an office based job that’s only 20min from home - any days I started flagging I just came home early.
I also had remote access to the server at work and so could check emails, etc from home.
Everyone is different though and you won’t know how you are going to react to chemo until you have it.
Normality? Well things will never be exactly as they were - I have too many scars, mental and physical, for that - but I’m enjoying my ‘new normal’ and refuse to let bc define the rest of my life. I’m off to South Africa on hol in just under a month!
Good luck with your treatment.
Dx