Hi
I am new here so firstly - “hello eveyone”
Somebody very close to me (in my family) found a lump in her breast which was removed…she had it sent away and tested and was told last week that she has breast cancer! She now has to have more surgery to make sure they removed it all and something to do with her Lymph glads?? i seem very vague i know but neither of us are ready to talk about exactly what is happening!
I think i would just like some advice on what “ususlly” happens next…like will she have to have chemo and loose her hair etc!?
Thanks
S4mm13 x
Hi,
Sorry you have to use this site. I think you need to speak to your oncologist and breast care nurse. As everyone here will tell you what happens next very much depends on what type of breast cancer you have, what grade etc. Your team will have this information and devise a plan suited to you and your needs for your particular cancer.
Give them a ring they will explain and make things much clearer for you.
Thinking of you and hugs to you both.
Treakle xx
Thanks very much for replying to me!!
I will take your advice then and get a bit more information about what cancer type etc etc!
I am just hoping now that whatever treatment they give everything will be okay…The dreaded “C” word scares the life out of me…too much uncertainty!
Thanks again
s4mm13 xx
Hi s4mm13,
I’m sorry you’ve had to search out this site but I’m ‘glad’ you’ve found us. Personally, I was diagnosed in March age 34 and knew v.v.little about breast cancer. Neither did my friends or family to be honest, so it has been a VERY steep learning curve for all of us.
No 2 people are the same when it comes to bc, and everyone’s treatment is tailored to meet their individual needs. I had a mastectomy within a week of diagnosis, have since started a course of chemo and once over I will be having radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Other people have less drastic ops, chemo before the op, no rads, no hormones, no chemo etc…
IF your family member does have to have chemo, and this is only IF, then she will almost certainly lose her hair. This is a bridge that really just has to be crossed as and when really, she may not even need chemo as not everyone does.
Friends of mine have all learnt a great deal about bc since my diagnosis. One of my best friends has ordered most of the leaflets and booklets that this site publish and has got herself a little ‘pink folder’ of relevant info. It’s really nice and I’m grateful she’s done that. Its important not to get too bogged down with medical jargon at this stage though! Things you read can be v.scary and are not necesarily relevant,
Take care and let us know things are going,
Kelly
-x-
Sorry to hear that you also have/had BC…and thanks for replying to my post, all of the info and advice you have given me has been REALLY helpful/usueful/reassuring.
It sounds to me like everything happens so fast its quite scary but we will just have to wait and se, and DEFINITELY find out a bit more!!
Thanks again and i will definitely keep you posted :o)
xxx
Hi s4mm13.
Two things spring to mind.
Firstly, don’t be freaked by the word cancer. Personally, I try not to use it except on this site because people find it so scary. I work in a school, and when the students ask what is the matter with me, I tell them I have a problem with some of my cells growing too fast and that this is being treated with drugs and surgery. They find this easier to relate to. Your relative will be given lots of really clear information from her treatment team, which she may be happy to let you read through, if you want to know more about it. (Or you can download excellent info sheets from this site)
Secondly, once you have a diagnosis everything seems to happen very fast. I felt perfectly healthy one day; the next day I was caught up in this whirlwind of medical appointments, information, treatment starting … very fast and just so much to deal with. This is really hard at first, especially if you’re feeling scared. But once treatment has begun life settles down into a routine and things feel more normal. Remember, the speed is there to give your relative the very best chance of successful treatment.
Take heart. A diagnosis of breast cancer is very scary, but you do soon learn to live with it and there is lots of help and support available.
Good luck. Stockbeck