Hi
I am newly diagnosed with breast cancer - 17th December following call back from routine screening. This has come as a complete shock to me as I have no symptoms/lump that I can feel etc.
Saw the surgeon on Tuesday 22nd who says I need a surgery followed by radiotherapy at least. Due to the snow on Tuesday I still haven’t seen any breast care nurses and though I was told they would phone I haven’t heard anything.
Have surgery date for 7th Jan WLE and SNB - previous day have to go for wire to be put in to locate the lump and have been told I will be able to go home the same day.
Can anyone tell me how much time I should be telling my work I will need off?
How long after surgery do people need off and then what about the radiotherapy?
Hi Petal5
Welcome to the forum, and sorry you have had to join us. You must still be in a lot of shock right now, and not helped by not being able to speak to your BC Nurse or anyone at the hospital. Once you have seen them and have your treatment plan in place, you will feel a bit easier, I promise. It’s fear of the unknown that’s so scary at the moment.
I had my lumpectomy four days after diagnosis in June, then had eight lymph nodes removed ten days after that and then started radiotherapy four weeks later (would have been three weeks, but my oncologist let me fly to Spain for my baby’s christening!). I didn’t go back to work between surgery and radiotherapy. Physically, I probably could have gone back in a couple of weeks, but emotionally, I was nowhere near ready. You need to give yourself time to deal with your feelings.
After radiotherapy finished, I had about three months off and then started back to work part time initially, which I am still doing. Radiotherapy is very tiring and again, it’s the emotional side of things which sometimes makes work hard to deal with.
You will find a lot of amazing people on here - I know I have! We will all do out best to get you through this.
Love and best wishes
shenagh xx
Hi Petal
Firstly, sorry that you’ve had to join us, but you’ve come the the right place for help and advice.
You will quickly learn that we all have different kinds of bc and all need different treatment, to which we react differently, but having said that I recall my bcn telling me before we knew the full diagnosis that it would be about 3 mths off work for WLE and axillary node sampling (had 7 nodes removed)followed by radiotherapy. As it tirned out, my cancer was grade 3 and 5 nodes were affected, so I had chemo then rads, and in all I had 8 months off work.
Some people work during rads. It just depends on what work you do, how you react to treatment etc.
Good luck as you tread your path through this. Come on here any time. I have found it an absolute godsend.
Hugs
Kinden
x
hi petal, i was dx 25th nov lump could not be felt by consultant and i had wire localisation also snb the following day with surgery(wle)on 1st dec. thy removed 6mm tubular tumour with clear margins removed 3 sentinal nodes which were clear. i go for my mark up on 31st dec then 15 x rads sometime in jan at christies. i have a sick note(im a teacher)til mid march. i will then make a decision as to when to start my phased return to work. the way i feel at the mo is still shocked, still weepy, and quite shaky so im not going to rush. i think everyone is different and you really must listen to your own body. have they started you on hormone therapy? i was on arimadex for 3 weeks but the doc said to stop it until he sees me on 31st due to severe joint and bone pain(one of the lovely side effects) if you want to chat or ask any more questions please feel free, this forum is fantastic.
sue
Hi - I had a double mx with immediate reconstruction in April this year. I then was put on a six month chemotherapy programme in May finishing in October. I felt well enough to go back to work quite quickly but my onc insisted I have at least two chemo treatments before she would sign me off the sick. After three months she agreed I could go back on reduced hours and restricted duties. I am a Police Officer so obviously could not go back to full duties immediately. I am still on a phased return to work but since getting back have never looked back. I actually think it is therapeutic to work - you feel more like your old self. I undertook my final three chemo sessions whilst working and to be honest felt no more tired than I would have done had I stayed on the sick.
hi Petal - am so sorry you are dealing with this -it is hard not to be able to have contact with a breast care nurse - once you do,am sure you’ll find them hugely helpful.
I had WLE and SNB in May,followed by radiotherapy in July - I work as an illustrator,self employed and cannot afford to turn any work away,so I ended up working on a book through my radiotherapy -it turned out to be very good for me in lots of ways as it made me feel normal and useful…was tiring though,in retrospect and I also asked to delay starting tamoxifen as I was anxious about overloading myself with everything at once. The wire guide is fine by the way, though I had mine on the day of my op…you’ll have a local anaesthetic. Wishing you lots of luck. xchipperx
This is an interesting thread as I do not have a clue about how much time I would need ‘off’. I am due to have a bilateral mastectomy with possibly DIEP reconstruction and auxilliary clearance, with Chemo and hormone treatment. I run my own business of which is a softplay centre and it is going to be really, really hard as I am so used to getting stuck in and lifting, carrying equipment etc.
Time will tell I suppose!
Paula x
I had an MX and full lymph node clearance and had 3 weeks off work for that (would have been 2 but my family insisted I took another week) and have been back at work ever since, only taking the day of chemo off and other hospital appointments. So that shows how different we all are. I find going back to work helpful to give me something other than me and my BC to think about!
Not had rads yet, but as it is a daily treatment I will probably work from home if I can, take sick leave if I get too tired. My occupational health nurse has recommended I also take the Monday off, and Tuesday if I need it, after my Friday chemo sessions in future. I will if I need them, not if I don’t.
I run a small university library, so very desk based, and everyone else did lifting for me until my arm was fully healed. Took 8 weeks and a little bit of cording to get full movement back. I’ve been lucky to heal well and not have any side effects from chemo so far.
Hi Petal5, I really think it depends on what kind of work you do and also how you are coping with the realisation of what has just happened to you. I do not think you need to tell anything to your work about how long you will be off. At the moment the time you need off is uncertain and is probably something you need to speak to your GP about and your Breast Care Nurse when you can get hold of them. But try to be realistic and be KIND to yourself. You will be going through all kinds of emotions just now and you need to conserve your strenghth to get through the next few months. Keep in touch with us on this thread and let us know how you get on next week. LOve Val
Hi Petal5, sorry you have had to join us - a lot to get your head around, isn’t it? hope you aren’t feeling too much ‘up in the air’ with not having contact with bcn - I have found mine so helpful - a couple more days and things’ll be back to normal-ish.
That will help you to start thinking about what steps come when, get timescales and a feel for the hosp you are being treated at etc, I found these things really helpful.
This is my second lot of bc - the first time I took only the necessary time off work but struggled with depression following diagnosis etc, so am just seeing how things go this time - may end up applying for early retirement.
I guess its all about you - where you are re career, the rest of your life, how YOU feel, physically, mentally and emotionally and also how you react to different elements of treatment.
All I can advise is to see how you go, and let work know that people react differently to different treatments so you will have to see how things work for you. As Val says, be kind to yourself, but also, remember that there are no real rules to follow, other than, it needs to be whats right for you
hope this is some help
love, monica xx
i agree with monica in that you really have to listen to you and how you feel, dont feel guilty(but im sure you will) about taking off the time you need, i know that certainly emotionally im a wreck and the insomnia is really getting me down (im getting on average 2 - 3 hrs a night) contact your local mcmillan centre they will have loads of advice and information plus they can offer you some complimentary therapies like reiki and reflexology, ive got my appointment early jan. i dont know how old you are but im nearly 52 and if i could afford to retire then i would but im seriously considering working 4 days as of september, but as i said everyone is different and all of us will handle our bc in different ways and it has to be what works for YOU.
sue x
Ditto to all of the above - all the treatments seem to affect everyone so differently. I think you will have to play it by ear and take each day as it comes. It does help to keep busy if you can but it all depends on what type of work you do. But you really have to listen to your own body and only do what you feel comfortable doing and what you feel up to.
Like Sue, I am only managing to get about 3 hours sleep per day and feel like I am in a constant fog - need to sleep but cant so obviously that affects your concentration levels too. The one side effect i would relish at the moment is the ’ chemo coma’ but doesnt seem to hit me!
Good luck when you see your BCN - once you know for sure what is happening and when, you will find the strength to fight this - lots of help and advice and moral support here on this wonderful site!
Karen xx
Thanks to everyone for your support and sharing what has worked for you. I really appriciate it. I am still in the emotional fog and still waiting to speak to BC nurse. I did call their number but the message said no-one available until Tuesday.
I look forward to keeping in touch with you all as we journey together along this difficult path.
Hi, I find the work issue a real problem for me. (I am a dep head in a primary school). I was dx in May and had surgery in June, I was expecting rads during the summer and to be back to school in Sept as though nothing had happened.
However, post surgery tests showed a grade 3 tumour and chemo was recommended. I was still in return to work mode, and did so in Sept. I went in when I could and stayed off when I needed to. My boss started off being very sympathetic but it didn’t last long and it was only a couple of weeks before I was doing supply cover and having children coughing and sneezing all over me. So more time off. All in all I had about 6 weeks off last term. I also had my rads while still on chemo and went to work as I opted for late apppointments.
I have spent most of the Christmas hols in my nightie lying on the couch or in bed as I am absolutely shattered after the treatment.
I finish chemo next week. My onc said that I should have 3 months now for recovery. I now realise that I have to listen to my body and take the recovery time. I don’t particularly want to be on half pay as I am single and only have me to support me.
I think that 30 years of going to work through all circumstances, with coughs and colds etc is ingrained and difficult to shake off! But I now give in and I am going to look after me!
xxx
Hi smelltheroses, i know exactly how you feel. I am a primary teacher who was diagnosed July 2008. Like all teacherts i made plans to be back at work in september 08 after a lumpectomy and rads. Turned out i needed a full mastectomy and ld recon so my return was delayed, then complications followed and my return delayed again…then a serious infection, return delayed AGAIN…It went on and on and i felt sooo guilty for not being in school. I finally returned last easter after seven months off and found the school hadn’t fallen apart without me, they’d all coped fine and i’d worried totally uneccessarily.
The lower pay wasn’t great but i cannot advise strongly enough that anyone with bc should have as much time off as they could get. My hardest times were after all the surgery and treatment, when everyone expected me to be able to get on with my life again. In fact i totally fell apart, had panic attacks, and was always anxious. If i had gone back to work as soon as i was physically fit i would have been a mess as the pyschological impact was pretty immense. I am now more than a year all clear and feel great. It feels like i was never away from school and the children are like goldfish, i swear none of them remember i was away at all!
Be kind to yourself, you’ll be much more use to the children if you are mentally as well as physically fit when you return.
xx
Hello
I had lumpectomy and went back to work after a week off, worked a week then had 2nd lumpectomy for clear margins again went back to work after a week. I am self employed with a shop so worked 10 til 4 instead of 9 - 5 and made sure I had a break for lunch, also Lifted with just my right arm to avoide lymphodeama risk.
I knew it was cancer 3 days after biopsy and found out after 1st op that it was v aggressive grade 3 so had to have chemo then radiotherapy. Chemo I had 4 days off each time and changed to working just tuesday, thurs, fri and sat. I was tired but I found work kept me “normal” and I was less depressed than being at home. If I felt too tired I locked up and went for a sleep upstairs. Being self employed puts a big financial strain on me but it’s also a great motivator and I’m lucky that I can work (to an extenet with out closing the business down) the hours I want. I need people to keep going and refuse to be beaten. I do b**ger all when I get home though!! Get in and sit down, lovely hubby fed me when having chemo and now does all the dish and clothes washing - we no longer iron and the house is a tip but in the future I’m sure I’ll start tidying again!! I had radiotherapy every morning at 8.45 so could drive the hour back to work and open at 10 as usual. Managed to do it for 4 weeks. I’ve just had 2 weeks off over xmas and now feel that I’m almost ready to go back to “normal”.
Good luck, I was very lucky with se. I did finish chemo early beacause of allergic reactions and I don’t know if I could have kept going for the full 6 months. Just my experience and we’re all different. Listen to your body you know your self best.
Take care
Katie x x x