Ok so here is my story. Diagnosed with grade 2 ER+ lobular BC in July 2010. Started 6 x FEC chemo in August and finished on 9th December 2010. Had WLE and 10 lymph nodes removed (3 were positive)on 17th Jan 2011. Was told I would need further chemo (4x TAX)due to lymph node involvement. That was the first blow. I was then told that I would also need a re-excision because the margins were not clear. Blow number 2.
I had the re-excision on 14th Feb and went back for results today only to be delivered yet another blow. There are still some abnormal cells present and so the next stage will be a mastectomy and reconstruction.
I’m beginning to wonder if I will ever get any good news. I’m trying to console myself by thinking that at least they will be able to reconstruct and maybe make me a better pair of boobs than I had before but what I really need is some words of encouragement from people who know. ie you lovely ladies on this site.
It seems like every time I can see an end to it all, someone pulls the rug out from under me and the end all seems so far away now. I coped quite well with the first half of this “jouney” (sorry to use the J word!)but the next bit seems so much more scary. Are TAX, mastectomy and reconstruction really as scary as they seem to be?
Debs
Hi debs sometimes you just feel like they drip feed you little bits of information at a time instead of hitting you with a full blown truck … i dont think tax will be any harder for you its just different side effects and some on here say less sickness. My friends worst se on tax was aches and bone pains which she took neurofen for(only think that helped)its a bunmmer that you have had to go through all that and now still having to have mast and tax but i suppose they were just trying to do the best for you at the time on the information they had available then.although it will have taken longer you will still reach the same outcome at the finishing line and that is you will be cancer free and wellxxx good luck with part 2 of treatment and i hope this time the last xxjulie
Hi Debs
I was diagnosed like you in July 2010 with Grade 3 IDC ER+ Pr+
Because of the size of the lump and the fact that I’m not a big chested lady 
I had a mastectomy and limphnode clearance followed by EC+Tax.
Like you I remember a succession of bad news everytime I saw the consultant: first the cancer diagnosis, then the grade, then 7/14 lymphnodes involvment, etc I was literally petrified of going to the Hospital! BUT it does get better!!! I have just finished my last Tax and waiting to start Radiotherapy.
Don’t worry about the TAX, like Julie said the pain is more in the joints and bones, just ask the Onc for strong painkillers and you will get through it, I had no sickness nor nausea at all, on the contrary I was always hungry
As far as the mx is concerned I thought it was going to be worse than I envisaged, but I got through it pretty quickly with no pain at all, the only bummer was the arm movement for the first month( I also had full node clearance). I cannot comment on the recostruction as I am having it done next year, are you having yours done at he same time as the mx? You will get through this, I know how bummed you must be feeling right now, but it will get better
p.s. my hair started growing with Tax!
Debs x
Thanks Debs & Julie
I feel a bit calmer this morning. Its nice to hear the things you’ve said about TAX as that was really worrying me. I didn’t suffer any major side effects with FEC and if the most I get with TAX is a few joint pains I think I can cope with that.
I should be having a reconstruction at the same time as the mx. Being a big chested lady myself they were originally trying to conserve as much as possible by doing the smaller ops but as that hasn’t worked they have said they will do the mx and recon and make it a bit smaller then at a later date they will do the other one to match. So I guess the one consolation is a smaller neater pair of boobs!
Debs
x
Sometimes it just seems to be one blow after another, doesn’t it? No advice or wisdom, I’m afraid, just sympathy.
Cheryl
Hello Buzzy… done all of it and more and still here and coping. If it makes you feel any better, tax was easier than FEC for me. I bet if you ran a vote on here, almost everyone would agree that the mastectomy thing is crap but actually, once done, it’s not nearly as much of an issue. Maybe go for immediate recon?
xxx
Hi Debs,
Again, not sure if these are words of wisdom, but just finished on my Tax, and have mx to follow.
I have found the Tax fine, a lot easier than the FEC. I have had very little joint pain, and no nausea. Like you, I have large breasts at present. I am looking forward to a reconstruction, and uplift on the other side- ending up with something pert I hope!
Sorry it is so crap for you at the moment, it does sound like one thing after another. Good luck,
Tracey
Hi Debs,
I was diagnosed with BC in August and because I had suffered from breast cysts for years, opted for a double mastectomy with immediate recon. I woke up from the op with implants already in place, to be topped up with saline every fortnight. I wasn’t very big to begin with and my lovely consultant said he couldn’t make me bigger than I had been before, but they would be more ‘perky’! Had to stop inflation while on chemo but now going to start again.Once inflation complete they then swap them for silicon implants (the family call them the jordans). It was good to wake up from the op and not be flat and the scar is very neat. I can’t be bothered with nipples at the moment and as I don’t like wearing a bra probably won’t ever bother.
I don’t think that this type of recon is suitable if you are more generously endowed!
Best of luck
jane