Ok, just found out and head somewhat spinning. Have got grade 1, and have been suggested to have lumpectomy and radiotherapy. All very early stages, i just and this may sound stupid cant get over the fact i feel physically fine. Until biopsy last week, lump/breast didnt hurt. I have told family and some friends, all being so lovely, but am quite private, so dealing with all the emotional side is just to much. did anyone find support groups helpful? Sitting in room with strangers is kinda my idea of hell, but i dont want to over burden everyone else. I also know am going to have to let work people know, but cant stand that for the next few months, people are just going to pity me and give me the cancer face. Im more than this manky lump. Sorry if this bit rambling, but needed to vent.
Hi Vic55 and welcome to the BCC forums
In addition to the support you will find here please feel free to call our helpliners for further practical and emotional support on 0808 800 6000, lines are open 9-5 weekdays and Saturdays 10-2 so please feel free to call
Here’s a link to the treatments area of the site where you will find further information and support ideas which you may find helpful:
breastcancercare.org.uk/treatment
Take care
Lucy BCC
Hi Vic55 yours sounds bit similar to mine, lumpdectomy, rads and pills,havent started rads yet but on tamoxifen,no problems as yet. I felt like you, i told few close friends dont have much family, 2 cousins one lives in Spain, didnt tell them until i had op and results. I kept thinking if i dont tell people it willgo away, completely nuts i know.also like you i didnt want to be seen as a cancer victim. In my wildest dreams as a very healthy woman in 60s who felt much younger,whos never smoked,eaten junk always kept fit,and had no family history i didnt dream would happen to me. Osteoporosis which my mum had badly yes i was prepared for that,. was on HRT for over 20 years to try and prevent it,i did but as my cancer hormonal,. i guess it proabably gave me that… I did not reacr well at all,several meltdowns god knows how my friends put up with me, But once op over, results in and knowing all my other lymth nodes clear apart from first suspect they took them all anyway and knowing havent got to have chemo, i felt a lot better and am dealing with it ok now, Feesl like it has happened to someone else still.at times.
Found the breast cancer care site helpline great, Like you im not sure i wanted local groups of people all sitting around revealing all, no me either but the ladies on the helpline are lovely they listen and make you feel better,.They helped me. Also i found it helpful talking to women i know who have had breast cancer years ago and survived it.
Keep us posted.June
Hi Vic, this was eventually my diagnosis last year once full histology was back from the lab. I have just had (slightly early) my 1 year review mammo as due to have symmetrisation surgery within the next few weeks. Awaiting the results of this mammo has made me antsy, butwanted to say how useful i found the book by Cordelia Galgut Emotional Suppor Through Breast Cancer. It is more like a booket, very readable, and as said i found it very helpful.
Sorry to see you here on this site, it is a great resource,and in many respects you are ahead of me… took me months to explore and post on here.
Thinking of you, be kind and gentle to yourself .Lexilou x x
Hi everyone, I’ve recently been diagnosed in this last week and I’m in total turmoil, I have been told it’s early stage and would be a lumpectomy and radiotherapy followed by hormone tablets as it’s a receptive cancer, my head is spinning with it all and I just cannot believe it’s happening to me, I feel like a bomb has exploded in my lovely life and I just can’t cope, I have hospital in the morning to go through it all as I had my results over the phone and I’m dreading knowing any more. I am fortunate to have private health care though work so have already set that in place so know where I will be treated but I just want it all to go away and leave me alone so I can start living again, my poor husband and sons are being so strong and brave and I’m falling apart, please can someone going through similar gove me some hope, I feel so low xx
Hi Kim,
This is one of the worst times. I tried to anticipate the questions i wanted answers to, wrote them down into Yes or No answers, and always took great friend with me to listen and ask anything i forgot. Wishing you well for tomorrow x x
My treatment plan became the one you just described for yourself. This was me last march. Know your confusion x x
Hi Kim68
Just sending you some virtual hugs and letting you know we’re all here for you. We’ve all been thro similar things and have felt every sort of emotion, disbelief, fear, shock, sadness and the ‘why me’ feeling. You’re not alone. I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy and it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I thought it would be. Most people go home same day but I stayed overnight as I live a fair way from the hospital. The waiting is the worst thing and all you can do is take each day at a time. Once you get over the shock of the diagnosis and things get going you just seem to cope. Take care and keep posting xx
Thank you all so much for your support, this has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with, I lost my darling mum to breast Cancer 12 years but she hid it away from us all for so long and gave herself no chance, I’m just so sad to have to dump this on my family, especially my darling husband and sons, my eldest is getting married in 6 months and I am so shattered to have to do this to them, I’m the one everyone comes to with their problems and never expected this would happen to me, Im trying to be strong and reassure everyone I will be ok but it’s so hard, we have a little puppy as well after losing our 10 year old golden retreiver to Cancer… Ironic I Know… But she is such a comfort to me and makes me get up and out of the house each day, I know I’m fortunate to have the support I do and and can take whatever time I need from work with out worrying about my job bit I still feel so angry at of all happening to me x
Hey:
Just found out I have Stage 2/3 Grade 3 Invasive Cancer myself last Thursday. I am not fearful as much as i hated any chemotherapy that will be suggested to me. This morning, I spoke with my doctor that I would prefer radiation theraphy. Since my hormone receptor test isn’t out till 3:00 pm today, I came home and look up more website and found breastcancer.org has a very detail info on how to read a Breast Cancer Pathology Report. Though I share with everyone here. I am pretty much on my own, and look up info when I need to to keep myself informed…Until it happend to us, did not realize how painful, emotionally, physically and psychological cancer patients have to go through. I wont lie to you all that I did cry because it’s part of the initial feeling, shocked that our lives have been turned topsy turvy out of the blue…and that we have to put our lives on hold to get this through…bottomline, the more knowlegeable we, and our love ones are, the better a decision we can make. I do not necessarily want to follow everything my doctor say, and I will ask for a modified treatment if I needed to.
Please take care, everyone, and watch “Just for Laughs” when you feel like you want to cry. It helps.
Best wishes,
Nat
Back from the hospital with the news that I have Tubular Cancer, very rare apparently! booked in for removal next fri. All signs look as good as they can, Grade 1, slow growing and very treatable, just the long wait for final results afterwards then and treatment plan. Had hoped to be treated privately but that’s not looking like the best option now due to surgeon being on holiday, it’s all so stressful and I just want everything dealt with so much quicker ?
Hi Everybody, I hear what you are all saying and being in a similar boat I can totally relate to the head spin. I have a huge family and lots of friends to whom I can turn, but the fact is that I have always been their support, they have a little learning to do in terms of understanding that I have hit a point in my life where I might need to be investing in myself instead. After a few weeks of having time to think and put things into perspective I’ve decided to start a blog, I’m a writer and web techie person by trade so really I am just pulling on the skills I have to try and build something that might help / count duirng this whole journey. I’m sure we will run into eachother along the way in the forums and I’m always open to anybody getting in touch here, and for those of you who would be interested in following my blog, leaving a comment or anything else , then please feel free to do so.
I wish you all lots of luck.
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Hi I’ve just been diagnosed with IDC grade 2. I too am devastated and at times everything is bleak and dark thoughts are hard to drive away. I’m having a mastectomy with reconstruction. I do need chemotherapy which I found a very distressing thought. I’m not sure about the type and I won’t have results until after the operation. This is all new to me and I’m still trying to come to terms with the enormity of it all and was so pleased to find this site.