I have posted on here before less than three weeks ago I found out about my breast cancer , had right mst and lyms removed mst showed good margins but lymps were pos 15/16 but I am grade three I think this is more due to age 39 yrs .
Surgen said cemo would start in about 6 weeks post op …
Saw onc yesterday who said she would like me to start treatment Friday coming which would mean just over 3 weeks post op …
( still very sore and some fluid build up )
I had sorted in my head that I would start after our easter holiday with children this meaning I could enjoy time with friends and family ( celebtating friends 40th in devon on large site loads of ids and friends going …) Also I could celebrate and attend my own daughters 7th birthday .
When I said this to the onc she said she would want me to start next week but the dicsion lies with me !!!
I would not be able to enjoy my hol with fam and friends as there is large club house ( largest in Europe apa )This is were we would all spend every evening ect with kids I have been told the time i am there is when my amune system is at lowest so would be un advisable to put my self in that situation due to infection ect …also i need to inject myself and then neeed follow on blood test the date due id stll be in devon … also the time I may feel crap sick ect would be around the time we travelled just over 3 hours motorway with no hold ups …
So hope you can now see if start treatment hol for me is out of question …have to explane to young children earlier than like moommys hair loss feeling sick ect daughters bday plans not so sure …
Or wait have hol then start…
Is ten days really going to make that much difference also teeth in bad state filling ect ( hate dentist ) so have been told need to sort that out not sure if dentist can turn me round in 5 days …
sorry to go out but in a right state at 4 am …pls help advise needed …
Am i just putting of the worst part for me … of this journey …
Hi Lisa, what a shame your holiday is under threat, just when you need it too. I am at a similar stage to you, 3 weeks post op ( I had MX and SNB, then 2 weeks later full clearnace). I am also very sore and swollen and am still having fluid drained, I see the ONC on Wednesday so am hoping for a bit longer to recover from the two ops before starting the next stage of treatment. My BCN told me they won’t start treatment until my wound is healed and I am fit enough but if the Onc suggests different, as yours has I don’t know what I’ll say. It is so difficult isn’t it, because we can only follow what the medical experts suggest, at least I can as I’m not knowledgable on the subject of BC, having only found a lump in Feb. I will probably go with whatever is suggested because I want this sorted asap, as do we all. I don’t have the complication of a booked holiday and children to consider as you do, could you talk to your GP about it, I have a lovely GP who I can talk to and gives sound advice. Sorry I’m not much help but don’t know enough to comment on treatment, maybe the helpline could offer some qualified advice?
Big hugs, Di x
Lisa - can’t really add much to what Di has just said - I would call the helpline on here and see what they say… The problem is all of our cancers are different so it is hard for us to tell you what to do…
I was diagnosed late last May with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) with that you have chemo first for 6 months and then the masectomy - so i was diagnosed on the Tuesday morning, then had a week of every scan going to see if it had already spread, got the all clears the 8 days after being diagnosed and literally went from the onc’s room after hearing that to the chemo room to have my first chemo… The onc and bcn did say to me i could wait until the next week to start chemo if getting the all clear for spread was enough to take in that day - but i went ahead as i just wanted to start fighting it…
As Di has said part of the problem is your wound will need to be healed etc for chemo to start…
Sorry i don’t really seem to be being any help at all…
But i do agree with you - the timing of all this does make it sound like the holiday is a no go if you do start chemo sooner…
Hugs Theresa x
Forgot to say - hopefully if you explain everything to your dentist they will be able to fit you in quickly - even if it means seeing a different dentist at the practice to usual…
Hi Lisa
I was in the same position as you last year. Had surgery the middle of June and had a family holiday booked for the middle of July. My first chemo was scheduled for the middle of July when we were due to be away. Had a word with my onc who put the chemo back a week so that we could go away just for a week instead of a fortnight. She said that one week wouldn’t make any difference.
My dx was grade 3 with 3 out of 24 nodes affected.
I was in two minds about putting it back as I wanted to get on with the treatment but also wanted a break before the long haul. In the end we flew to Spain for a week and I started chemo the day after we came back. It really did me good and I haven’t regretted it.
Take care
Mal
Hi DI , Im afraid my story gets worse , as Ive had trouble with nipple over 18 months , had scan and managram 12 months ago showed nothing since then nipple went completely inverted and had distcharge was given antibio and cream ask to be re refered to cons in oct doc said it was pointless untill nipple was un inverted and to try some thing from boots !!! also felt small lump doc still said notheing , so since Oct last year they have been treating an absces and not listening to me … It wasnt until I was rushed to hospital and had to be put on iv drip and morphine because of infection… and pain Three weeks ago that got to saw Cons again ,I also repeated going back to docs for more antibio been on them since oct …
So as you see this could of been in me for a year but no one listened to me and now they give me 3 weeks post op …
So as you can see I have no faith in my doc what so ever…
And yes I will deal with that issue when I fell stronger …
What a mess …
Thanks Mal yes it sounds just like what I need … a good holiday …
Hi Lisa,
Just to say i really feel for you. This is such a difficult decision,especailly as you have been so mucked around by your medics and keep getting conflicting advice. Have you discussed your situation with your OH - what does he think? If you go on hols will you still be able to enjopy it or will you be worrying all the time? No one really knows if three weeks will make a difference to your outcome but i suppose you have to be guided by your onc? Personally I chose to delay my surgery by a week and we all went off to Cornwall for a break - it was a lovely holiday but only time will tell if it was the right decision.
hope you come to the right decision for you.
cheers
caroline
It is so hard to advise someone else but how would you feel on holiday knowing that you should have started chemo to keep the cancer at bay?Could someone else take the kids on the holiday and you promise them a special holiday with you when your treatment is finished.In your position I would have to follow onc’s advice-I had a 6 week gap between surgery and chemo but onc wanted 5 weeks.I deferred because of long awaited visit from granddaughter who lives in Turkey but I was so uneasy.I had no nodes involved,clear margins and grade2.It is up to you.Good Luck whatever you decide.
Valx
Lisa
Going into chemo in a good frame of mind will really help you and your kids get through it. A 10 day delay is not huge, and if you are able to have a good break and the kids are happy chemo will be much less of a trial.
If on the other hand you spend the entire ten days unable to sleep worrying about what might be happening then maybe you are better to start chemo now. Unfortunatley you are the only one that can make the decision in the end.
Think about it over the weekend you will know what is right for you at the end of the day. Good luck!
Hi all
Its changed again spoke to a bc nurse who I meet in hospital today and we did connect and now tex each othere and as a friend she advised me to start asap …
SO at mo im up for it on Friday …Let you know how I feel tomorrow !!!
hi Lisa - just found your post - what a bummer!! Its such a horrible decision and its so hard with kids etc to fit things in and feel you can get it all arranged but you’re the most important thing in the equation - personally if the chemo was going to be 10 days delayed then like you say what is 10 days since all the rubbish started but it plays with your head and I think we all mean the same thing when we say that you start to get your head round it more once you’ve got it going and if you’re going to get extra worry out of dealying it then is it worth it?? If you start asap then thats the best you can do in their eyes as long as healing etc allows because if healing isn’t great or you’re run down to start with them you’re not going to pick up on chemo so you need a strong starting place - ideally I spose…sorry its not much help…what chemo are you getting?? Mary x
Hi Ladies
Sorry these never go where I want them too ,
Hospital rang this morning they gave us the weekend to decide and we have decided that I should start my treatment on Friday the sooner the better ( through gritted teeth )
Hope if I feel ok I can join my daughter at her 7th bday party if not nanny and dad will make sure she has a great time and trying to get husband to take children away on holiday as my mom will come here and look after me …
So theres always a way round things I cant let this rule me …
Let you know how Friday goes Im terrified … Worse bit for me …
Speak soon Lisa x
Lisa {{{hugs}}} i know it is not really the option you wanted to have to make… which chemo are you going on first…?
Theresa x
Hi Lisa
have seen your posts, I know it has been a hard decision for you, just wanted to send you love and Good Luck for Friday.
You’re on the road…
Love Lizzy X
Hi Lisa
Try not to be scared of the chemo. It’s the unknown bit that makes it hard, but once you get started it really isn’t as bad as your imagination makes it out to be. I’m coming up for my 4th Epi. Can’t say it’s my favourite way to spend a few months, but it’s very do-able.
Best of luck.
Hi Lisa,
I had the same problem last year.I was due to go on holiday to Turkey and my Oncs registrar said I needed to start more chemo straight away because I had progression to my lung and spine and my breast tumour was getting bigger.
I then saw my Oncologist a three weeks later who said ‘go on holiday-it will do you good’.She said I had no immediate life threatening disease and two weeks away wouldn’t make any difference to my condition.
So I went away and had a great time and started Xeloda a week after I came back.
I think you have to do what you think is right for you.
Best wishes.
Alli x
Hi Ladies just to let you know I start on FEC-T on friday 6 sessions every 3 weeks thanks for the advise and kind wishes it means alot let you know how I get on …Lisa x