Going for scan to confirm nodules in lungs are cancer. Meanwhile I have been put on letrozole. Also adrenal gland was puffy. I’m finding it very hard to cope and am sure my Scan will show other mets. My imagination is going haywire. Any tips on coping
Clarence
Welcome to the forum where we are real people …coping with secondary but its so hard but once u get the dx …it’s a case of focus on treatment …there are lots of different threads here to read and get involved with too. .
Sending hugs xxx
Clarence
Welcome to the forum you have come to the right place.
Once you have the scan and you know what you are dealing with and a treatment plan in place I am sure you will feel alot better.
I felt like you when diagnosed with breast cancer and bone mets in 2009 but in time I have got used to the new norm.
Linda
Hi Clarence, I’m sorry you’ve found yourself here. I’m recently diagnosed too and felt overwhelmed with fear only a couple of weeks ago. Once I’d had my scan results I found more focus and have felt more myself since. I’ve found concentrating on the things that I can do helpful in coping. Looking after myself, eating well and exercise. Waiting for the scans is excruciating, I hope it won’t be too long. J x
Hi
I was diagnosed for the first time in August of this year. There was a suspicious spot on my liver so I had a repeat mri half way through my chemo. I got my half way results yesterday from my onc. The chemotherapy is working a treat on my Breast tumours the pesky spot on my liver has also shrunk although only slightly. It was very small to start with.
My team are now treating it as a secondary.
I will continue with my chemotherapy and surgery as planned and the plan is to keep me on herceptin indefinitely and to scan my liver regularly.
I feel distraught at the thought of a secondary. My initial liver ultrasound at my staging scan in September was clear, I only had a ct scan as the liver scan showed up an unclear area in my abdomen- Which turned out to be a weird shaped kidney. So if I hadn’t if had a weird shaped kidney the liver spot would not have been found so early and who knows when it might have been found. I appear to b having a very good response to the chemo for the breast tumours and it’s likely I would have been considered NED at the end of my primary treatment without even knowing about my liver.
So I feel distraught that it’s there but blessed that it’s been found so so early.
I find out less than 12 hours ago though. I fell asleep fine but i have just woken up feeling complete panic.
Thanks for reading
X
Dear happy go lucky
Looking at the time you posted you were obviously unable to sleep and are worrying about things …
We are real people here and understand. .the last few nights I have been getting up at 1.30 am as I can’t settle. .making porridge and Xmas pressy shopping online !! Welcome to your new life but once you settle down with just the herceptin …you should feel better as on its own …it’s easier to tolerate than chemo …
Hopefully you will get a lot of support here …a log over lovely ladies that are kind and caring
Sending big hugs xxxx??
Good morning Carolyn
Thank you for your reply. Things also feel worse in the middle of the night don’t they. I managed to get back to sleep without doing any internet shopping- am dangerous enough on amazon lol.
I feel calmer again today and as I have been since my diagnosis I just take things a day at a time.
I have been quite public about my journey and treatment and will have a lot of people asking today how my appointment went yesterday. To me the confirmation of the liver met was totally overshadowing the positive news if the chemo working. But today as much as I wish the liver spot wasn’t there I can take comfort in the fact it too is responding not as much as the Breast tumour but it’s still shrinking and I am only half way through my chemo.
I don’t feel ready to tell people about my liver met yet but I am also not ready for them to get all excited about the chemo working and already starting to celebrate a result of what they imagine will be NED at the end of treatment when I know the situation has now changed for me and it’s not a cure we are going for but management of the disease.
I better go get my kids up for school.
Hope everyone finds something to smile about today.
X
Hi there everyone
Just diagnosed today with secondary lung cancer - feeling **bleep** as had been clear for 5 years
Was blaming myself as I never felt a lump on self examination, but the Consultant said she couldn’t feel it either and it was detected on the CT scan
Very helpful to see all your comments as I thought I only had weeks to live xx
Hi Camilla9 stay positive.
I was diagnosed 2 years ago in February with breast cancer which had gone to my lymph nodes ,then a few months later it was confirmed that it also had also spread to my lungs. The chemotherapy however totally got rid of them and I am still NED. So I don’t think about it most of the time, just when I’m going back to hospital for tests or at milestones. So lots of love to you. It is horrible not knowing what is going to happen but you just kind of learn to live with it xxx
Great post FF. I’m going to shake myself I and get back out there … as long as I’m not too far away from a loo/bathroom!!!
I’ve just come across your answer. Thanks for replying. Got my scans eventually and didn’t get much info except Onc was pleased with them as they were stable so still don’t know if Lung nodules are cancerous and adrenal gland seems ok. Still to see surgeon re lump on chest wall. It has gone down so don’t know if will have to get op. In fact don’t know where I am at plus I’m very unhappy. All you ladies seem to be able to get on with your lives. I can’t because I was diagnosed with major depression prior to my diagnosis. Any hints for coping?
Sorry just came across your reply. Do you feel any better now. I still feel rubbish as my next scan when I got it didn’t show any change. Whether that was good or bad who knows. My Onc said she was very pleased with the scan for why she didn’t say x
If you find out how to stop bursting into tears let me know. They say keep busy I can’t do anything. Most ladies seem to be coping and just enjoying life. Maybe it will come
Hi Clarence, sorry but I’ve not made much progress with the bursting into tears! I tell myself it’s early days yet, I still have to process a lot of stuff. My current strategy is, if I’m with a friend or stranger or casual acquaintance and the tears start to come, I just screw up my face, try to smile, and tell them to stop being nice to me! Then if I can speak, I tell them that I’m not necessarily crying because I’m depressed, it’s just that all the emotions are very close to the surface and that’s how they come out, even if they are good emotions. It’s true.
In your case, if you were already suffering from depression, it must be even harder. All I can do is send hugs and remind you that the people on here are all here to support each other if we can. I hope you find a way that works for you.
Hi ladies, I find keeping busy helps. I had my fair share of tears at the beginning and on New Year’s Eve when everyone was hugging and shouting happy new year!
I work 4 days a week and have two children aged 12 and 15 who keep me busy - together with two dogs, two cats, three Guinea pigs and a share in a pony!! Somehow I also find time to go to yoga three or so times a week.
Hope you find a way to move forward. As someone said in a post recently this forum is called living with secondary cancer so that’s just what we need to do!