Hi, I’m still trying to orientate myself around this site. I’m Helen I’m a 38 year old mum of one. My little girl is 5 years old. I am a palliative care nurse specialist and until Thursday I was a busy mum, working full time and juggling all of things working mums have to do.
on Thursday I was diagnosed with BC, it’s also in my anxillary nodes, just don’t know how much yet. I’m waiting on core biopsy results next Thursday when I also find out er pr her2 status. At the minute my surgeon is thinking neoadjuvant chemo firnun but difficult decision when I just want to get this thing out of my body. I have no idea how I’m managing to cope with this but I am, people are telling me I’m very strong, but I certainly don’t feel that way.
i would be keen to hear the experiences of other ladies who had neoadjuvant chemo. Sorry must go my little girl is telling me I have 5 more seconds to type. Lol
Dear Helen
Along with the support you will soon have here, our helpliners are on hand with information and a listening ear, they can also talk to you about further BCC support ideas such as ‘One to one support’ whereby you are put in touch with someone who has had similar experiences by email or telephone. Lines are open today 10-2 and during the week 9-5 on 0808 800 6000 so please feel free to call
Take care
Lucy
Hi Helen
I am same age as you - mum of one, step mum to two… As a nurse yoU certainly seem more on top of this than me - I was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago and have had a lumpectomy, but still waiting for the final histology - don’t know if I am having just rads or chemo. Like you others are telling me I am strong, but I don’t feel it at all… This is my first post… Just wanted to let you know that i know how you are feeling and sometimes it’s good to talk to others who understand… It’s terribly isolating.
All the best
Jane x
Hi Helen
Sorry you’ve had to post here but you will get lots of support.
I was diagnosed with ER/PR postive and Her negative breast cancer in August of last year and my son had just turned 6 when I was diagnosed-I also work in the NHS.
Due to the position and possible size of my tumour (it measured very large by palpation though a lot less- 2.5cm- on scans) it was suggested that I do neoadjuvant chemo.
I started 6 cycles of chemo-FEC and Docetaxol which finished just after Christmas. The chemo was ok although there were some minor drama’s along the way-the most notable one being that I needed a blood transfusion after my 5th cycle (I lost weight during chemo as I found it quite hard to eat-a lot of people find the opposite!).
I was still able to function and worked throughout my chemo although by the end I was only working one week in three. The September chemo thread on this site was incredibly helpful.
I was also able to look after my son reasonably well although we seemed to spend a lot of time in the cinema! Which was a way of spending time with him that didn’t exhaust me.
The advantages of neoadjuvant chemo are that it may downsize tumours to the point where they can do breast conserving surgery and also see how well chemo works for the individual.
In my case I still had to have a mastectomy (a skin sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction) as there was still a sizeable lump at the end of chemo. However strangely enough on the post mastectomy final pathology there was no residual invasive tumour found so the chemo was effective.
My understanding is that neoadjuvant chemo can be particularly effective with hormone negative and/or herceptin positive tumours.
You are right that the disadvantage is the psychological aspect of living with your tumour for 5 more months. For me it gave me time to come to terms with the fact that I was going to have a mastectomy.
Everyone is different and I wish you the best of luck with your treatment x
Thanks to both of you, it’s easy to forget your not the only young person going through this nightmare. I seem to be ok if I just take it a bit at a time, when start by to think of scans I get terrified again. Would be great to be able to stay in work. financially it would be a big plus So glad to hear it is possible to work througit chemo. Managed to sleep last night and even ate breakie this morning. Although do seem to have lost n 7lbs in 5 days, (normally would be very pleased with this lol). Keep in touch please it’s great to know I’m not alone. Xx helen
Helen I had chemo first which I thought at the time my head would not cope with. I was fine and as long as something was being done I felt in control. When I did have surgery I had had a complete response to chemo and no remaining tumour and as it was large at 48mm quite a surprise. I now feel comforted by this because I know chemo has worked for me so can only hope it had the same effect on any stray cells if there were any. The other way round you just have to assume chemo has worked. Also if tumour not shrinking they can change chemo.
I have had Bc twice and I think chemo first is a far better way in the long run.
8 weeks after chemo I went on to have a double MX and immediate recon and can say everything is doable and yo will ge through it so wishing you well with your journey
Wendy x x
Hi,
I’m a physiotherapist, living in Canada and working in the community. I was stressed at how I would manage to work through, as all my visits are by appointment, and I was anxious about being able to “be there”, physically or mentally for my patients in the way they need and deserve. There is nobody to step in and help out if I suddenly needed time off. Anyway, my oncologist strongly advised me to go off work for the duration, and it was a relief to be “given permission”, and not feel like I was wimping out!
Like you, my instinct was surgery asap, so although neoadjuvant chemo was mentioned, I was relieved that my surgeon also seemed keen to operate first. Looking back, I now rather regret that decision in the sense that I don’t know if my cancer is responsive to the chemo or not! (I am “triple negative”)
I think, if I had my time again, and neoadjuvant was suggested, I’d be happy with that.
Good luck, however it goes! xxx
Just want to say that there don’t seem to be any benefits of surgery or chemo first on research, and I don’t think ladies should say one is better than the other as none of us are medics and it makes me feel worried and uneasy. Our consultants know what they are doing. Xx
Carolina,
Most ladies who have chemo first do so to try and shrink the lump so there is hopefully less to remove when having a lumpectomy. Those having a mx wouldn’t need to have chemo first, but after surgery instead. Hope this clears it up for you.
PG xx
Carolina I know have been doing a bit of research and the jury’s out on the benefits of adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemo. I think you are right and you just have to trust in the team looking after you. I have had 15 yrs experience in oncology and palliative care and to be honest it isn’t helping me in any way. Just hard to let go of the control and hand it over to another individual. However it is great to hear some positive stories and successful neoadjuvant treatments. I guess I’m thinking that if the cancer is already making itself comfy in my lymph nodes chemo may be the better option. I’m just concerned that after if chemo has worked how do the know which nodes to remove? Anyway will get this clarified on Thursday I guess.
You girls are all fab and I’m looking forward to getting to kyou all all better.
HI ladies as an older lady who has just had a MX and all went well I cannot comment on anything else I was just told that is what they suggested after all my tests so I went along with the what my surgeon said and at the moment I am feeling fine I had quite a bit of fluid after but that has gone now So I would suggest trust in the team treating you for they see these cases every day every year and I am sure they know what they are doing I put my trust in my surgeon and the team and all went well Good luck with what ever you decide
xxx