Hi Everybody, what a relief to have this site with all your posts. I was diagnosed on 11th, saw surgeon on 24th and due to have surgery on 18th June. The first 3 days were awful and sometimes at night I find the head tends to take off. When it is daylight it is so much better, I read positive books and send a few messages upstairs so to speak. Try to keep it in the day and keep things simple. This is helping and I can’t believe how calm I am keeping. I suffer from Bi-Polar and would welcome hearing from anyone who has it too and if going through all this made them have another episode. I am on Lithium and have been for 20 odd years and pretty stable and would like to keep it that way. The plan is to have the 18mm lump out, surrounding tissue plus a part that is clear, also take out 2 lymph nodes. I might be having Letrozole 2 wks before surgery and after (possible trial), followed by 5/6 weeks radiotherapy followed by 5 years of Letrozole. If the lymph nodes show up positive then I will have to have chemo as well. All the best to you all.
Hi Kent,
Welcome, sorry you had to join us, but you will find some great support here. You seem to know what is going to happen to you. Waiting is the worst, well done for coping, you certainly have the right attitude. Sorry I can’t help with the bi-polar, but I just wanted to say hi and all the very best, we will all be thinking about you on the 18th June
Cyber hugs
Maria
Hi Kent,
Just to wish you good luck on the 18th, as you say you have been stable
for 20 odd years, and long may it continue! you certainly sound as though you are keeping yourself well and positive, so may that continue too.
It is a very hard to stay positive, all sorts of thoughts go through our minds, so go with the flow and if you have any questions, there are plenty of ladies to help.
Hope someone comes along with suggestions for coping with the Bi-Polar as well as…but you sound as though you are doing a good job.
Perhaps you would get more results with this if you put it under a heading ‘newly diagnosed’ plus Bi-Polar’ more people may see it.
Good Luck
Sandra xxx
Thank you Sandra4 and Marial
I will try and stay positive although I am not taking the credit for this as I am sure I am getting help from a Power greater than myself.
All the best xxx
KENT
I cant help with bipolar but I have had depression on and off for most of my adult life. Though I wasn’t depressed when diagnosed, I started on antidepressants as a precaution. Tho haven’t become depressed, I do find the nights worse for worrying. It really doesnt help that I’m getting night sweats with tamoxifen which keep me awake as well. The docs know what they’re doing as regards drug interactions and there may be no reason for your bipolar to play up. Do you have a CPN if you get worried?
Julia xx
Hi Kent,
Sorry to hear of your dx. Wishing you well for 18th.I suffer from clinical depression and my cancer dx in 1999 & secondary dx this year has not impacted negatively on my depression.I know people with BP but not with BP & cancer dx so can’t really help on that front.However I think if all involved - GP, Onc, CPN etc -are aware of the situation and meds you are on there’s less of a chance of an episode.
My thoughts & prayers are with you for 18th. Keep using this site it really does help. All the best
Julie
Hi KENT and welcome to the BCC forums
I am sure you will continue to receive lots of support and information here from your fellow users, in addition, I have posted the link to our ‘New resource’ pack which you may find helpful to read, it has been designed for anyone newly diagnosed:
You may also find our helpline useful to call, the lines are open 9-5 weekdays and 9-2 Saturday on 0808 800 6000, here you can speak to someone in confidence, ring up for a listening ear or further information about all aspects of breast cancer. (Not open monday this week due to B/H)
Hope this helps.
Take care
Lucy
Hi Kent,
I’ve had a mastectomy after two other ops and am BP. Fairly level at the beginning but then depression became the norm for me. It has been very difficult especially dealing with it on my own and terrible NHS support for total breakdown in January 2010! It has been a case of having to cope alone without any real professional help but maybe you live with better resources than I do here in coastal Kent.
Recently felt I was going high and kept logging my emotions but no drugs needed as I disappeared into a deep depression just this week!
Can’t do a thing at the moment…just curl up into a ball.
What a nightmare this is!
Really hope you will be ok without too big a dip up or down.I found the level of support from the cancer world kept me fairly even but of course it always seems to get worse at weekends when there is no one to access. Do hope you find the support here an aide.
I have found it isolating having to hide the emotional health fears away from the cancer worries. I did originally ask if anyone had the same diagnosis with a mx dx too but no one came forward on this site.
This is the first time I have admitted it openly to give you a bit of support. Hope I haven’t frightened you off?
Thinking of you until 18th June.
Welsh Girl
Well done you for opening up in order to support someone else. Much respect.
Julia xx
Hi Welsh girl,
I would like to second that, l know you have had a bad week, so to open up to ‘Kent’ and the forum is a fantastic positive thing to do, well done! hope you both get a lot of support from each other and the rest of the ladies.
Hope each day is looking brighter for you! although looking at the weather today…perhaps not!!!
Take care and lots of hugs to you
Sandra xxx
Hi Kent girl and Welsh girl
Do you live in Kent if so where abouts I go to Kent & Canterbury for my treatment and am planning to use the centrethere, where you can get complimentary therapies, I would recommend Raiki I am sure it will help and if not it is very relaxing and free so nothing to lose most hospitals have something similar to this do speak to your breast care nurses. I have only just been referred here and am so far pleased with all my care. I don’t have depression or Bi Polar but have worked in this field. If I can be of any help let me know. I know it’s hard to sleep for the worry and I do take sleeping pills you could ask your GP to prescribe something to help you sleep. I can recommend Zopiclone but don’t know if you can take them alongside your other drugs.
I had a couple of weeks about 6 weeks after my surgery where I was very low due to infections, my reconstruction broke down. But reading other ladies stories I just realised how lucky I am that I got diagnosed in time and that I am still alive and look forward to getting back to the old routine. I know that I appreciate every new day now and thank all the ladies on this site for all of the support.
Take care take each day as it comes and try not too worry about tomorrow.
Susiesue
Hi ladies,
Well done Welshgirl, I know how hard it can be to talk about mental health issues so I think you’ve been very brave and also very thoughtful to ‘come-out’ in support of Kent.Sorry you haven’t had the sort of support you needed from NHS staff.
Kent, I know Welshgirls experience may not be all positive but I hope you will feel less isolated knowing there are others, also I hope your NHS staff are better than Welshgirls have been.
May I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for responding so thoughtfully. Your open hearts have touched mine today. There will always be a stigma to mental/emotional health issues in our wider society but you have broken through and offered me hope. I am very depressed at present (could do with the start of a BP ‘high’ to lift me from this deadening place!) but reading your comments this morning and a drop of sunshine has helped me become a little more motivated. I wish you could all drop in for a cup of tea and cake to allow me to thank you in person.
You have been a lifeline for me today and have energised me into action. It is the lack of motivation that is the worst especially if you could see the chaos here!!!
I know from some of your postings that you are going through some tortuous times in your cancer stories. I wish you calmness to fight your next stage. I am through the active treatment part now and am beginning to realise this is not such an easy section after all…
Susie I do indeed know of the KCH facilities for complementary support and am trying to summon up the courage to apply now I’m through most of my painful side effects.
I hope that Kent will realise when she returns to this post that the most supportive women can be found here and she can indeed be open and honest.
Thank you one and all (especially WelshGirl)
I am late in responding because I travelled from home last night to the coast where I have a caravan. The sight and smell of the sea is uplifting and it is a kind of retreat for me. Thank you Welsh Girl for coming out - I have no shame about my mental illness and neither should anyone. We drew the short straw where BP is concerned but I am sure you more than make up for it in other ways.
I am amazed at the amount of responses and I don’t feel alone with all the support. Apart from the first 3 days after diagnosis when I was very frightened and upset - I have been ok - almost wondering if my BP was kicking in with a high which is not the case but really astonished at how keeping things in the day works, but I know as the op day draws nearer I will get frightened again. Thank you all so very very much, I wish you all calmness and to enjoy each day. I will keep looking at the site when possible. Love to you all and God Bless xxx
Hello Kent,
I just want to wish you well for tommorow. I went through a similar op to you on 12th May. It’s the fear of the unknown which is the hardest,but you will be able to be more positive after your op. When you get your treatment plan you will be able to focus on everything so much better.
Thinking of you tonight and in the future,
Good luck and hugs,
Isabelle xxx
Hi Kent,
Just a quick one to wish you luck for the op tomorrow - hope you recover quickly and can get the rest of your treatment plan sorted quickly.
Love Julie x
Hi Kent, just wanted to say hope your op goes well tomorrow and you have a speedy recovery onto the next stage of your treatment. I have read with much interest the messages to you on this thread, as, although I do not have BP, I have had depression on and off most of my life. Sending lots of hugs, Samm x
Wishing you well Kent.
Will be thinking of you later today.
Best wishes from Welsh girl xx
I have posted this on behalf of new user Gillian.
Hi my name is Gillian and I was diagnosed with IDC on the 25th May I like you suffer with bi polar, how did you cope in hospital I go on the 6th July for sentinel node biopsy and have my op on the 7th July, I wish you all the very best, hope to hear from you.