Well I had my long awaited mx with reconstruction expanding implant on Friday 12 May. The news was not good. They had thought the LNs were clear but took two SLNs during op for testing and both wiere cancer positive so I’ve had axillary clearance. Have to wait two weeks for path results to find out the rest. Is there never any good news with this process? Been told I almost certainly need chemo now and that also scares me.
Woke up with a numb and tingling hand but that recovered after a night and now I just feel very sore and depressed. Should go home tomorrow.
Someone tell me something positive please.
Hi Carole M, sorry to hear it’s all getting you down after everything you’ve already been through. I just want to let you know that that had my first of eight rounds of chemo on 27th April and it’s been much easier than I expected. You just have to keep yourself really healthy (natural food and drinks) and look after your skin and bodily entrance and exit points!. I’m 48 and was diagnosed with stage 2 locally advanced invasive BC including local nodes at the end of March. The chemo is to clear the nodes, tidy up the diffuse tumour margins and shrink it before surgery. Try not to worry about the chemo as its all very manageable and when you know your start date join the “going through treatment>chemotherapy monthly threads” on this forum for the month you start and you’ll form a lovely supportive group with those going through chemo at the same time. Your medical team are doing this to prevent reoccurrence so try and stay positive about the next bit of your obstacle course and read up on self care during chemo. You might want to have a look at our May starters thread to see how we are coping! Take care and sending you a big hug. X
Hey Carole.
Sorry to hear your having a rough time. I have my left mx with immediate temporary reconstruction on 27th April. I’m 34 And up until this point had been told my nodes were clear. I woke from surgery with two drains meaning I had full clearance because the one they took tested positive for cancer. I was so sad.
The numbness and sensations dochange a lot and please don’t expect to much to soon. Even now two weeks on I’m still suffering with nerve pain in my arm and some numbness but t does get better.
I had my results Thursday and of the ten nodes removed only one had cancer so was the best I could hope for. I’ll need chemo to and that scares me but you know what… it’s keeping me alive and I’m going to get better so have to do what they say and trust the doctor.
Try not to worry to much and don’t be to hard on yourself. This forum is great for reassurance and an ear. Don’t be a stranger. Xx
Thank you Mai. I’m just feeling weepy today and don’t feel like me any more. Losing my hair will just complete the picture. I would be ok if I knew the cancer had gone but I don’t yet. Running out of positivity.
Thank you ladies for your helpful replies. When the nodes are cancerous what are the chances that the cancer has spread further. This is my main worry and how do you find out. Is it a CT scan or what? If it’s only gone to a few nodes does that mean it won’t have affected anywhere else, I’m scared to look into this on the internet and wondered how you are all doing cancer wise? I haven’t looked ahead at the passage of this and not sure I want to.
Hey Carole. I’m so sorry, I know how tough this is - definitely not what you wanted to hear. I’ve been down this road, as have many others on this forum, and we all pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and throw back our shoulders to meet the next challenge. I have no doubt you will be fine as you have the right attitude. There are positives if you squint your eyes and look hard enough! I’ve even found positives about being hairless - like others say there is no bad hair day, no shaving, no plucking, no waxing, no clogged bath plugs, no hours spent blowdrying and straightening. Getting ready to go out takes very little time!!
I had a CT scan to check other major organs for any spread; I think this is standard and should happen soon.
Please don’t frighten yourself with the internet. I’ve found horror stories everywhere but personally I’ve had nothing awful happen. The chemotherapy is tolerable, my team are great, I am positive about the future.
My one piece of advice would be to ensure you have physio input, do your exercises religiously and if you are not happy at any stage, put yourself first and ask for/demand help. xxx
So Mai and Argymargy were you clear on CT scans?
That’s going Mai
"Good " Mai. Flaming auto correct.
Yes, my CT scan was clear. xx
Thank you Annie for your story. I’m relieved that you had half your nodes affected but nothing beyond that.
And thanks Argymargy.
It looks like there is hope . I’m just so worried the cancer has been creeping around my body without my knowledge. I’ve had so many health problems the last few years that I don’t run to the GP with every ache and pain and now of course I think I should have done.
My BC was picked up by routine mammo check.