I had chemotherapy first. They were originally going to operate first, then they changed their minds. My circumstances were similar to Treeze, although I did have to complete all 6 cycles of chemotherapy to achieve the same effect. I had my lumpectomy in January, and have just finished radiotherapy. I am now looking forward to returning to work and getting my life back.
Having chemotherapy first can mean the difference between mastectomy and lumpectomy. It is more likely to work for you if the BC is triple negative, or if it is HER 2+ and you are able to have targeted therapy (Herceptin and Perjeta) with it. It could also get rid of the BC in your lymph nodes, so that full clearance may not be necessary.
I won't pretend chemotherapy is easy, because it isn't, and for many of us it is the hardest part of the treatment plan. But provided you get the right support from your medical team and your friends and family, you will cope. Also take advantage of any other help and advice available, such as this forum and any local support groups. When you have a start date for the chemotherapy, you can join the monthly thread which you will find in the Going Through Treatment part of the forum. There you will be able to make contact with other ladies going through chemotherapy at the same time as you. This can be a great source of support because you can say things on here that you can't say to others who have no first hand experience of BC treatment. I hope this helps.
