I hope you can help. I am having a major wobble. Every day I’m worrying about something new. I’ve done 7 months of chemo, had a diep flap reconstruction and 3 weeks of radiotherapy. I am continuing on herceptin, perjeta, zoladex and tamoxifen.
My anxiety is in overdrive at the moment as I have come off my sertraline I take for anxiety, I have taken this for five years after the birth of my son. Mix this with all the chemicals getting pumped into me and I’m a complete wreck.
Today’s wobble is when do I expect to have my annual mammogram on opposite breast. My operation was in July and I finished my radiotherapy nearly 4 weeks ago. It’ll be a year from my diagnosis at the beginning of December and I’m terrified that I will be asked to attend for a mammogram around the same time. I have 2 young boys and I really wanted it to be a nice Christmas after the completely awful one last year.
My question is when did you get follow up mammogram done on opposite breast.
First of all a big hug coming your way ?. You will see from reading this forum that many many people suffer anxiety, so don’t beat yourself up about feeling anxious. It’s very normal and very understandable given what life has thrown at us.
My diagnosis was also early December (2016) and I have my mammograms in November usually, I think they tend to be around the anniversary. So I totally get what you are saying about getting really anxious around this time of year. Why don’t you see if you can delay yours into January if you think that would help? Why don’t you give your BCN a call and get some advice?
There is another thread on here, I can’t remember its name just now, but someone talked about the “fear goblin” striking and then putting the goblin back firmly in its box. I really like that image and the idea of locking our fears away.
Please do chat away more if it helps, you are not alone with your worries. Please ask if I can help any more.
I’m in a similar position and have had some wobbles about it. I was diagnosed late-September 2018 and had my surgery mid-October. My oncologist said they time it from the surgery (when they get the full diagnosis) and so I’m having my first follow up mammogram on the 25th, a year and two weeks since my surgery. However, since you had chemo before surgery, I guess that won’t work for you.
I hate mammograms (crazy when I put myself through chemo and radiotherapy - and it’s only half the agony now). I actually had a clear mammogram 6 months before I was found to have two extensive cancers, so I don’t have much faith in them. However my BCNurse tells me they are the most reliable form of early diagnosis so… I’m going to bite the bullet. Of course I am. She also warned me that the recall rate is higher than for routine mammograms as they check the slightest thing and not to panic as most recalls turn out to be fine. Something to bear in mind?
It would be good if you could contact your BCN to ask about timing and to share your fears - you aren’t the first. If it’s December, you can then decide whether to get it over and done with or request a deferral for very good reasons - your children need to make up for last Christmas! I’m guessing your Christmas was a bit like mine last year - I had my first chemo on Christmas Eve! Christmas got cancelled. I hope you get some reassurance x