Dima
Welcome to the thread. Hope it helps. I know exactly how you feel about goalposts - I was told that an underarm biopsy was clear and then told 3 weeks later - after my Mstectomy that this was not the case and am waiting to go in for a full clearance.Then it will be another 2-3 weeks waiting for results and then the wait for probable start of chemo - which like everyone else I am dreading - but if it gives some good news then I am ready for it.
Best wishes to everyone
Janet
Dear Susieb54, I was so sorry to read your post and the lack of support from your family. It is a difficult thing to go through alone and although I live alone, I am tremendously supported by my sons and friends and family. I have now come to terms with my diagnosis which I received on Thursday and am making plans to have my long blonde (well nearly) shortened next week with a view to having it shaved pre-chemo simply because I think for me it will be less traumatic than watching it fall out. I am also looking forward to next summer when all of this will hopefully be over and I can emerge with a new cancer free body, my new breasts and a positive attitude to life. I hope you will also be able to continue receiving the support from colleagues and friends and that this will make you feel like the precious human being that you are. We are at the same point in the journey and I shall be looking for your posts to support you. With love…L xx
Hi Golden Girls
Just found a fabulous thread-“undergoing treatment: chemotherapy: wind!!!” I laughed so much I had tears running down my face. The ladies posting have the most wonderful sense of humour. The meds I take for Rh arthritis make me “windy” the Tamoxifen has exacerbated that little problem so heaven help me when I hit the chemo scene. Watch out world! I live alone so nobody else will have to suffer during the night - think I’ll put a warning sign up on the front door. Thanks to all your good advice I now have sleep bras, a bag for the drains, and pyjamas. Just need some slippers and I’m all ready. Wendy and Diana I will be thinking of you both tomorrow.
All the best to everyone.
Diana (the other one)
Thank you Letitia, it means a lot to know that people understand. You are going through something similar to me except that yours is triple positive and mine is Grade 3, ER, PR neg and HER2+ with no node involvement. I feel as though I am moaning and complaining when everyone else seems so brave. I can’t say just how afraid I am. Normally I am a very strong and resilient person but all this moving of goalposts (every week a new piece of bad news!) is eroding all that. It really really doesn’t help that my kids are so emotionally distant from me and I’m sure if they were there for me I wouldn’t feel so isolated and terrified. I just cannot get my head around the chemotherapy thing and I don’t think I’m going to be brave enough to go through it. I could do the Herceptin I think but I don’t believe that they will give me that on its own, only as part of or after the chemotherapy. I will ask the oncologist at my appointment on Wednesday. I need to know what are the chances of a recurrence and time scales before I can make a decision I think. Thanks for all your support.
Can I join please? I’m 52 and had hysterectomy and ovaries removed nearly 2 years ago. Apologies in advance for the rant!
Origianlly grade 2 3cm R breast. Node scan clear. WLE and SNB 5th Oct, expected all clear and Rads to follow…
Results, 57mm tumour, grade 3, widespread vascular invasion and 4/4 nodes infected! Bone and CT scan clear…
but found a lump in my tummy.
No plan can be done til we know what that is, was told that results from that biopsy (done last week) should be in today if all straight forward, but I have just had a call from my BCN to say full results will not be in til Wednesday - (so it’s not straight forward then)?
Have kept my Onc appt for lunchtime today and will go back again Wednesday too.
All this time and I probably have more nodes ticking away inside me and no meds at all !!! I’m going mad here!
At the start they said they wouldn’t want to wait 3 months, and here I am ,Dx was Sept 8th and I’m feeling that nothing has really been done yet! Please God, when will there be good news???
Good Morning Golden Girls.
A new week, thinking of those of you waiting for results. To all the new Golden ladies on here welcome.
As I see it for us older ladies support can be thin on the ground. I am very lucky that my OH is always here for me, but as we get older our families are sometimes spread far and wide and getting on with their own lives. This is where this thread can be so important - we can come on here and vent our frustrations, moan if we need to or just chat to friendly people who are going through the same illness and have experienced most of the problems.
Although my DX was over 2 years ago now I have had major problems with a seroma that became infected and eventually required emergency surgery to resolve it. Then followed 10 months when the new wound just would not heal. This saga came to an end 2 weeks ago just as my surgeon decided that I needed a new bone scan, Results this thursday I hope .Oh for a spell when my next hospital appointment is months away.
Take Care all you precious people
Andie
Hi Peachez
Our posts crossed. Welcome. One of the hardest things for me along with the waiting has been the frustration of results not being in the right place at the right time, causing delays in treatment. To be honest that is what I am expecting this week. My scan was done at a different hospital because my own has its bone scanner out of commission at the moment. Although they assure me the results will be back at the hospital in time my doubt is whether they will have got as far as my records.
Keep in touch
Andie
Welcome on board Peachez. Sorry you’re having such a stressful time. This whole waiting game is a nightmare. My oncology appt is also today and I’m dreading it, even though I know that once you know where you stand, you adapt and get on with it - and all the fantastic women on this forum provide the evidence for that.
I sincerely hope you get some good news soon.
Di
going for a yearly mammogram and scan in 2 hours dont know how i have got through morning all the sad memories of last year have come flooding back feel so silly will be glad when im home im driving my husband round the bend going on and on so thought i would just share it with you ladies and give husband ears a rest for now
Hi everyone my appt with oncologist is on Wed 10th Nov hopefully they will give me a date for my rads - due to start tamoxifen on 23rd Nov everything has been a whirl since diagnosis from routine mammogram in Sept two days before my sixtieth birthday a lovely welcome to my retirement!
Hi
Looks like it’s a busy week for appts. I went for a routine check with the onc last Friday and everything seems fine. It is such a relief - even though I feel well I always dread that they will find a lump or something I hadn’t noticed.
Best wishes to every one who’s waiting for news.
Joss
Hi smiley60
Hope you don’t mind me joining in here, since at 51 I’m not sure if I qualify yet! I’ve been following this thread with interest, but what spurred me to post was when you said you were due to start on Tamoxifen at the age of 60. They normally prescribe Aromatase Inhibitors for post-menopausal women so I wondered why you were being offered Tamoxifen instead? I’m interested because I will be switching from Tamoxifen to an AI myself in a couple of years.
Sarah x
My Onc cleared up a couple of questions for me today. Putting me on anything now could make the Chemo less effective, also if the lump is due to some sort of infection when my white cells fall due to Chemo it could be dangerous. So eithter way they do really need to know what this is before they go ahead. He also said he could start the Chemo in a week once we know! He also said it’s 95% unlikely to be connected to the BC, but it may be a type of Lymphoma!
We go back again on Wednesday 10th.
Thank you Dima and Andie for your replies, and to all for letting me Rant this morning. Look forward to hearing your news.
Best wishes P xxx
Wow what a lot of posts since I last looked-this is proving to be a very popular thread,it obviously answered a need in so many of us.Its ironic really-we are always told that most bc occurs in over 50s yet on most internet sites the majority of users is under 50! I suppose its because too many older people aren’t familiar with the technology yet here we are,finding each other and offering a unique level of support.
Welcome Peachez-hope you can get started soon.
Love valxx
Commenting on what sarah says, I am 63 and on Tamoxifen the reason being I took Fermara for 12 months and it did’nt work so as Tamoxifen works differently they hope that will, time will tell.
Best wishes.
Jan
Hi gals, this is me trying to post again. Hope it lands this time! I’m 59 tomorrow and off to Raigmore to have PICC fitted. Not looking forward to this - I’m a nurse and a Health Visitor and I know all about PICCs but feel really uneasy about it. Its being fitted because I’ve had pain in the arm where the chemo goes and my Mac nurse feels its my veins protesting. What a way to spend your birthday - if I’m feeling ok on the way back home (it’s over 2 hours drive) we may stop somewhere nice to eat. Plus I have to be there by 0830 so that’s a very early start!
Anyway - trying to remember what I wrote last time: was diagnosed in June, had WLE and lymph sampling in July. Had clear margins and lymph but because tumour was HER2 neg, have had to have FEC. Am now halfway through that with number 4 due on Wednesday. I always have a week afterward where I feel pretty crappy - OH is brilliant, just lets me lie in bed until I feel better. Hair on head has pretty much gone although I did shave most of it off when it started dropping out. However, have not noticed any other body hair dropping out - was hoping the facial stray whiskers would disappear but no such luck! Radiotherapy is planned for new year.
Just want it all over - plan to go back to work but may well drop a day and decide whether/when to retire. Having cancer has certainly made me evaluate my life.
I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything from my previous post which is now in the ether somewhere. Look forward to hearing from you all.
Chins up Golden Girls - Love Jan xx
Hi Jan Better luck this time. Glad to see you posted again. I have sent you a PM. Welcome to our thread and glad to have you on board. If we can help at any time just ask. One of us may be able to help. I think being a nurse can be difficult when you are ill yourself as you sometimes can know too much. But us old biddies have experienced a lot and are here to help. Love Val
Hi Sarah I have no idea why they have only offered Tamoxifen I did not know it was not usually given to post menapausal women. I just take whatever they suggest and hope it works!
Eileen
Oops sorry about the spelling error on my last post should have checked it before clicking on submit!
Morning everyone, and welcome to our new Golden Girls.
How are you after the mammogram, missmessy? Last year my first one was a year to the day after my surgery and the radiographer thought it was rather bad timing and was very thoughtful.
Sarah, I have just switched to Aromasin after nearly 2 years of tamoxifen.
Good luck for today’s PICC appointment, Jan. Yes, I really do think that having cancer makes you re-evaluate and re-prioritise.
Eliza xx