Hello, i was diagnosed with HER2+ bc on 23rd July. I’ve had CT and MRI scans etc but still waiting to hear from oncologist. How long can the wait be? My treatment plan is chemo & phego, then mastectomy, then radiotherapy.
Also, i work in a primary school as a head teacher. Is it safe to remain working once chemo starts? If not with my treatment plan, when would be safe to work?
Hi there. Sorry to hear your diagnosis. I believe the oncologist appointment should be under 6 weeks, but I would definitely chase it up.
I’m an assistant head in a primary school. I’ve just done 1st chemo. There is no way I could work through this. I feel rough all day and I’ve already been into hospital for a high temp. However, if you are a head and you feel ok, you might be able to get small things done in the office. You could do some tasks from home on good days. I definitely couldn’t be in school like this. Your regime might be different but it has knocked me for six.
Good luck and I hope you get treatment started soon x
Hello!
I heard from my oncologist 3 weeks after my diagnosis and saw them the following week so all in all a month after my diagnosis was when I had my face to face appointment.
I work as a mental health and wellbeing practitioner for young people and my oncologist signed me off work as soon as i started chemotherapy due to risk of infection. She said because my immune system will be low, i would be more likely to pick up illnesses from the children. Speak to your oncologist and see what they suggest. If you could work from home, you might be able to on days that you feel well enough. Unfortunately this wasnt an option for me!
Thank you.
It has been 5 weeks since my diagnosis! I have phoned my breast care nurse and they can’t see where I am on the oncologist’s list.
I will ask the oncologist about work but i agree that it might be too risky to work once chemo starts.
I hope your journey gets easier for you xx
Hi warrior1
Thanks for posting.
It can be an anxious having to wait for an appointment. Your oncologist will discuss your treatment plan with you in detail, but you can find some information by following the link. Chemotherapy can cause side effects and as @bluesatsuma says this can make it difficult to continue with work however, everyone reacts differently, and some people have fewer side effects than others.
One side effect of chemotherapy is the affect it has on blood cells, which can lead to an increased risk of infection. For this reason, you may be advised to avoid a place, such as a primary school, where the risk being in touch with infectious disease is higher.
We offer a range of free supportive services for anyone who has had a diagnosis of breast cancer which you may be interested in. They include face to face and online courses and events.
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Julie
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