Hi there ive just had my lumpectomy and lynph nodes taken and now awaiting my results and thought i would find some new friends on here xx
Hallo billybetsy!
I am bumping this up for you in the hope you will find someone else at your stage of the proceess!
Sorry that you have had to join this club.
I hope that your results will be good and that it hasn’t gone into the nodes.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
When will you get the results?
I would advise you to take someone with you for them.
Wendy.
xx
oops, posts twice!
Hi Billybetsy
I’m a little bit ahead of you, but I had to have a re-excision so that’ll delay the process a bit. I’ve had my results though, so know more or less what’s in store for me.
“The waiting room” is the worst place on the planet, and I definitely second what Wendy said about bringing someone with you. Also make sure you bring a pen and paper, and write down any questions that you may want to ask so that you don’t forget them.
Hi Billybetsy,
Sorry you have a reason to post on here but welcome …
I am slightly ahead of you, I had a Lumpectomy and SNB, I had one node testing positive so had more surgery to remove all the nodes but I am back waiting again for the results of that. I already know the grade of the cancer and have an idea of what treatment I am to have.
The waiting is the worst, but this site really helps to say what is worrying you and ask lots of questions.
Best of luck to you and keep reading and posting on here
Donna xx
Hi billybetsy and welcome to the BCC forums
In addition to the valuable support you have here please feel free to call our helpline on 0808 800 6000, the line is open 9-5 weekdays and 9-2 sat.
I am posting a link to the BCC publication which has been designed for anyone newly diagnosed, you can order a copy here:
Take care
Lucy
Hi billybetsy, I am new to this site also. I had surgery on Jan 4th WLE and lymph node clearance, i already knew i had one infected node my surgeon removed 13 and just that one was infected. After surgery i was dreading looking at my scars but once i did i was pleasantly surprised, nothing too horrific. I think that this test result wait is the worst wait i had, i knew i had to have chemo and rads and tamoxifen before surgery but got myself into a right state waiting. However i do find that all the health care professionals do drip feed information to you in bite size chunks which i found helpful. I recovered well from the op and was back at work 2 weeks later however i do have seroma and am still having fluid drained once a week. Next step the chemo on Feb 11th, and i shall deal with that when it happens. Good luck with your results, never be afraid to ask questions , i always found my bc nurse had all the time in the world to answer both questions from myself and my partner. Thats what she is there for!! Sally x
Hi there its me again, just had the best news they managed to cut out all the cancer and it hasnt spread to my lynph nodes YEY!!!. Ive still got to have chemo though as it was a grade 3, will be stating that in a couple of weeks im going to try the cold cap as im very vain and really dont want to loose my hair if i can help it, have any of you lovely ladies tried it and do you have any tips x
YAY!!! CLEAR NODES!!! YAY!!!
Delighted for the good result (relatively speaking) about the nodes, AND the clear margins. Not so brilliant about the grade, but it’s still do-able.
Still in the waiting for my re-excision margins but it’s brilliant to hear good news, thank you for letting us know.
Hi there - great news about the nodes.
As for the cold cap - as you can see from my most recent pic i haven’t bothered. I was dx in Nov and at the time had naturally curly shoulder length hair. which I loved. However as soon as dx I had a very short crop to get me used to the idea of short hair. This was ok until last Thurs (Day 18 FEC1), it had been falling out a little but began to fall out more and when straightning what i had the straightners were pulling it out! So I shaved it off and it’s not too bad. Do have wigs, but have been out ‘Commando’.
I didn’t even consider the cold cap as i have heard that it adds lots of time to your chemo session as well as bringing on terrible headaches. I hadn’t heard enough people being successful with it for me to think it worth while.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
WOW!!! you look great with no hair, i really dont know what to do xx
Hi Billybetsy - great new about the nodes, mine was not quite to good, i have had WLE and as a few nodes looked suspicious they removed 18 at the same time as WLE so lucky only had one op. Unlucky for me 2 were infected so need now to have a CT scan as though consultant thinks no spread its just a precaution, plus i need chemo and rads and i have a Grade 3 though results said all cancer been cut out and margins clear.waiting for oncologist appointment and i am same as you re the chemo and hair loss - im vain too, long dark hair and even having a trim i need valium - but as you say the lady who decided to have it cut and not use cold cap looks fabulous! This forum really is as good as the medication we need to have, glad you too find comfort in this site as I do - good luck and keep posting - maybe we can share tips and advice how to cope with the chemo both emotionally and physically. lotsa hugs shar xxx
Shar, you sound in a bit of heightened state, so welcome to climbing the walls, there are a lot of us up here!
A couple of things that might help you. It’s a good thing that you’re being offered the scans, as that will be the reassurance you will welcome when they tell you it’s fine. It’s a worry waiting for the results, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed for you.
You are being given chemo because the cancer is aggressive (I’m also grade 3) and the chemo is to mop up any cells that might have got out in other ways, as a “just in case”. Radiotherapy is to zap any single cells that might be trying to lurk in your breast, so that’s also a preventative measure - as you say, it’s all been cut out but they’re using belt and braces to make sure it stays away.
Thinking about your hair, I have just had my long hair cut off and donated the hair to a charity that makes wigs for UK children who lose their hair because of chemo and other reasons. I found it was a good thing for me because it gave me the chance to stick a virtual finger up at cancer, and if I’m not allowed to keep my hair at least others will be able to make use of it. If you want to have a look, go to littleprincesses.org.uk and see what you think. It might make you feel a bit better about your hair going. I also had my hair cut shortly after getting the news that I’m going to need chemo, even before getting a start date for treatment, so I can get used to the idea of not having long hair, so that when it eventually goes it won’t be such a big shock. You never know, you might quite like the new hairdo, I have been pleasantly surprised by it, and everyone’s been great about it.
Thanks CM i will look at the website - have you gone back to work yet though how do u go out no hair, i went for a walk last week, get some vit D as sun shining felt lucky to be alive, but brrr it was freezing and i held my hair around my ears and then remembered that when i have chemo wont be able to do that but i didnt cry i laughed, think losing it! cried later though cos my ex found out and he phoned me mum and offered him good wishes and then sent me a lovely text message. it was so sweet of him offering his support to talk should i need to outside of fam and friends. i did share this with my boyfriend and he thought it was lovely of him. Chess my OH has been fab right from when found the lump said we will beat this together, but i know what you are saying re scan but grade 3 isnt that worst kind (apart from 4) i caught it early - staycalmandcarryon made good point not to be upset with myself didnt act sooner, i acted soon as knew it ws there so why has it spread. im sorry im on a downer today - doc signed me off few more weeks but i need to work, love glass of wine but floating enough from pain relief. wish i could meet up with someone and talk face to face someone in my area of the world. plus dont this website offer telephone one to one support do you know?
Shar xxx oh i think you are very brave have your hair cut off, i did think of that then lessen the shock but my hair really is my trademark - my friends suggested i get wig made for myself with own hair, but what if when it grows back it comes back grey oh my god sorry, gonna go for a bath try and relax and switch off im rambling i know, thank you for being there and listening (reading!) xxx
xx
Hi silvershar,
After reading your post I see that you’re looking for some extra support so have put for you below the link with information for BCC’s telephone support group:
breastcancercare.org.uk/about-us/our-services/someone-to-talk-to/telephone-support-groups/
Also here’s the link for one to one support:
breastcancercare.org.uk/about-us/our-services/someone-to-talk-to/one-to-one-support/
If you would like to talk to someone further about these groups then please do phone the helpline where one of the staff will be able to explain these in more detail to you. Calls to the helpline are free, 0808 800 6000.
I hope this helps. Take care,
Jo, Facilitator
Hi lovely ladies i have come on here to have a moan (sorry) im just fed up of watng for my chemo date, dont get me wrong i dont want chemo but the sooner start the sooner i finsh.I also got an app for a chest x-ray is this routine or have they found somthing new. i havent slept for more than 2 hours at night due to worrying and night sweats im getting myself so worked up about everything, the waiting is horrible. There see i told you i was going to moan . Hope your all as well as you can be lots of love xxx
Hallo billybetsy,
Waiting for the chemo to start is horrible. It’s fine for you to have a good moan on these forums. We all know how hard it is for you with the endless waiting. It’s really good news that you have no node involvement but it’s unfortunsate that it was classified as stage 3 which is why you are getting chemotherapy to make sure that no little nasties survive.
I have had 4 out of 6 FECs so far. I had to have an echocardiogram at the beginning to check my heart out before treatment.
Different oncologists do different tests so I wouldn’t worry too much about the chest xray.
Last time I went I had to have a chest xray before chemo because I complained about being very breathless. I now have to go on Sunday for a pulmonary CT scan as the oncologist told me that the breathlessness could be due to a blood clot on the lung because of chemo. I have to inject myself every day with blood thinning meds to help disperse the clot (if there is one!).
Now I wish I’d kept my mouth shut and not said anything to her!
I was worried about the results of the chest xray and now I’m worried about the results of the CT scan. What if they find someting worse than a blood clot!
Actually I think that I’ve done so much worrying that I’m all worried out!
Wendy.
Thanx Mouseybrown ive calmed down (a bit) i to take a tablet called Flecanide and asprin everyday as since being diagnosed with bc they have found my heart is a bit wonky but i dont think the scan is for that as i have my own cardiologist sorting that side of it out, it just seems that every time i go to the hospital they find somthing eles.( oh dear still moaning) ha ha .has the chemo given you mouth ulcers as i already sufer from them im dreading having more.lots of love x