I had my op lumpectomy and lymph nodes removed last Thursday,waiting for my results in 2 weeks, already been told it has spread to my lymph nodes and will need chemo. still very sore seems to be getting worse is this normal? still a bit daunted by it all every things happening so fast one minute I’m fine the next my world is turned upside down,trying to stay positive very difficult seeing as every time I see the consultant he gives me bad news.
Hi C me
Sorry you have had to join us here,its a great support network though.
Its natural for your world to be upside down…a diagnosis of BC is very traumatic and something we cannot prepare for.Be kind to yourself and try not to fret about being up and down.
If the pain is getting worse maybe you should let them take a look just to be sure.It might just be everything healing and feeling tight.
Once you get your results you can move on to the next step.Just take one step at a time.
Love n hugs
Dot
xxx
Hi C me,
sorry you r on this journey, its still very early days after your op and yes it is an emotional rollercoaster!
I felt ok for the first couple of days after op then went down a bit! its not easy but you will get through it and once you know your plan you are on your way. i have just had 5th chemo, one more to go never thought i would get there!
Good luck to you, rest and treat yourself carefully,
love debs xxx
You sound like me! I had lumpectomy and sentinal lymph node biospsy on Friday. I felt fine Saturday, just a bit sore, then Sunday I was ok just moody, yesterday I decided to leave the house, just walking to the docs (literally round the corner) took it out of me. Today, it’s just gone 12 and I’ve only managed to get up, wash and have brekki. More achey than I have been today, must have meant I tried to do too much yesterday. The most annoying thing is not being able to get out there and do things, I’m normally very active.
The wait for the results is so annoying, my consultant can’t confirm if I’m having chemo til then although they say as I’m 29 it’s more than likely. I’m looking for a new hobby that I can do whilst sitting down to fill my time.
Lots of happy thoughts and big hugs.
Fairyem xxx
C me - I know what you mean about every time you see the consultant, the news gets worse. It really is hard to be optimistic about the next appointment, isn’t it? I was diagnosed with mixed ductal/lobular bc last month, having had my doctor not thinking it was bc, then being told it was but very small, then finding it was 2 types, then the MRI showing 2 further lesions. At that stage they offered me a mastectomy or biopsies - all in a matter of weeks. I chose the biopsies. I still don’t know what surgery I will have next Wednesday, because these further investigations - result on Thursday.
One minute you are a ‘healthy’ person and then a patient and then a temporary invalid. It is so hard to take in.
I do so wish you good luck for the results.
Ann xx
C me, so sorry that you have had to join us on here and you too Fairyem. Its such a shocking time. I was diagnosed in early August and had my op three weeks ago, lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. Like Ann I have lobular and Ductal cancer of the breast. No spread to the lymph gland but due to have radiotherapy soon. My cancer was discovered on mammogram and I hadn’t felt any lumps etc. So like you all say one minute feeling well and normal the next reeling from the shock and now a perpetual patient.
Don’t try and push yourself too much as your body needs time to recover. So be kind to yourself. I have only just started driving again (cant tell you how good that felt!) I couldnt have walked round the corner the next day so that seems pretty good to me. It really is slow and sure I have found. Still get arm and boob pain, especially if I do too much and yes it is frustrating. How about cross stitch (think Jane Austen)of drawing maybe. Even word puzzles can pass the time. Sending you all lots of luck for your next meetings with docs.
xx
Thank you all for responding to my letter, I am grateful for the advise and support, it was also like that in hospital we were all in the same boat and we tried to keep each others spirits up,I just have to concentrate on healing well now, I have got my Bio oil as suggested so lets hope it works. Big Big Hugs to all of you xxx
Hi
Just wanted to mention to you all about the BCC live chat service.
This is an online service where you can talk to others in real time. It is facilitated by an experienced moderator and a specialist nurse who are on hand to point you to sources of help and information. But for most people, the chance to talk to others in a similar situation is what counts.
The session is on a Thursday evening from 9 to 10pm and it is for anyone with a diagnosis of breast cancer.
To join, simply register on the site and then click the ‘Live chat’ link on the left-hand of the Community screen.
I hope you find this helpful.
Kind regards
Sam (BCC Facilitator)
Hi Not too good today my left breast is so swollen its about 3 cup sizes bigger than my right, under my arm is a little swollen too, they keep clashing with each other, its not just the scar that’s sore its the whole breast, from reading other letters its normal but how I wish it would just go away.Sorry to complain I know we are all going through the same thing, I think the family are getting fed up with me moaning,but I needed to vent my feelings somewhere.xx
Hi C me
Just to reassure you, my breast was swollen after the op , but slowly went back to just about its previous size. It was weird because I thought this one would be smaller (as they took a chunk out) but no, its still just a tiny bit bigger, and slightly firmer (actually better than my ‘normal’ one!) To start with it was v uncomfortable and teh nurses said it might be fluid, which they tried to remove but no luck. It just slowly shrank back over a few weeks/months till I stopped noticing it.
Hope you feel better soon, Sarah
Hi Sarah
Its lovely to hear from someone else with the same problems as yourself, I keep getting told by friends and relatives be positive its all going to be ok, step in my shoes why don’t you and see how hard it is to stay positive, I am a very independent person and I am finding it hard to ask for help,and rely on people,I suppose I will have to get used to it over the next few months, got an appointment on Friday to see the consultant for my results, he’s already told me it had spread to the lymph nodes so I will be definitely be having chemo just don’t know when. I must sound very grumpy I’m trying not to be but still finding it all a bit surreal, still that’s enough about me how are you feeling? ok I hope.
love Carole xx
Hi Carole,
As the others have said I am so sorry you have had to join this group of lovely people, sorry for myself too I’m afraid. One of the nice things about this forum is that we are allowed to be sorry for ourselves, or angry, or sad, or happy, or funny - in fact it’s a place to be ourselves and not the ‘poor person with cancer!’. That’s how it feels to me anyway.
I found a lump in my left breast in July and had a WLE on the 11th of August, just a couple of weeks earlier than you. I had a SNB and they removed 5 nodes in total as when they operated the tumor was bigger than they had anticipated, which I believe can happen with lobular cancers. I have had no lymph spread thankfully, but I am still due to start chemo on the 12th of October, FEC x 6, then rads after that, so feels like a long journey yet to me. The point of telling you this is to say that I had relatively little pain in my affected breast for about a week, but it was very swollen, at least 3 cup sizes bigger. I found that in the morning it would be softer but as the day wore on the fluid collected and by the end of the day it was quite painful. I also found that if I tried to do a bit extra it would be worse.
I agree about people to keep telling you to be positive, and on the whole I think we all are to a huge extent. What really annoys me is that the one time you feel vunerable, (and I do think its vunrability and not negativity!)people have you down as a negative person who will do themselves harm by thinking bad things! Most of the time I am sure they are just trying to help, but you are right, ‘here are my shoes, dont just walk a mile in them, you can bl**dy well have them with my love!’
I hope you keep posting, its nice to chat to someone at about the same stage.
Dena x
hi carole
you are not being grumpy at all, it is alot to take in,i to had grade 3 3/20 lymphnodes affected had a full clearance, and also found out i an triple neg ,so chemo and rads then thats it, no hormone theraphy as my type of cancer would not respone, so i no about bad news after bad
but once you get your treatment going ,it does get abit easier, i do have up and down day, but as i had my last chemo yesterday i can see a light at the end of the tunnel,
look after yourself and hope all goes well for friday hugs julie x
Hi All,
Here I am again an early rise I can get to sleep, after taking some painkillers, but find I wake up early and cant get back so I get up, still it gives me chance to chat to my friends. Going to see if I can drive the car today got a clip for my seat belt and my left arm feels better so I will take the opportunity to get behind the wheel, start of normality after op. Got my appointment on Friday with consultant dreading it worried he’s going to tell me need another op to clear lymph nodes, although he told me they were(in his opinion)cancerous on first op so wondering if he took them all out then save me going in again,thing is they only tell you what you want to know, not what you need to know, didn’t think about asking him if he had. Trying to write down some questions to ask him at the appointment and my minds a blank should really write them down when I think about it, any ideas just to try and jog my memory? In some ways the sooner I know more the better as this not knowing is the worse, you think all sorts which isn’t good for you. My sister is coming to stay at the weekend so I will have her to talk to,she’s a lot stronger than me so she will be a good person to have here if I get bad news. Hope everyone is ok. Carole x
Hi All
Good news (for once) the consultant said my lymph nodes were clear and everything was cut out successfully, although because it was so aggressive apparently I can’t take Tamoxifen or any other drug as it wouldn’t do any good so chemo is the only way to make sure that no stray cell have gone walkabouts, so now have appointment for next Wednesday to see oncologist. My husband is jumping for joy so are my kids and friends but for some reason I’m not, either its not sunk in or the fact I’m still having to have treatment I don’t know I’m more thinking don’t count your chickens, silly I know but you can’t help the way you feel, I suppose I wont feel happy until someone says your cured.
Hope everyone else is ok
Love and Hugs all round Carole xx
hi carole
i have just finised chemo 3fec/3tax, and then 5 weeks rads, but will have no other treatment after,
read the thread starting chemo may as there is lots of advice,to help with side effects, im glad i did, you wont get all se but there are lots of things you can try to make them more coperble
once you get going in the cycle of chemo, you will get your head round things,
good luck for wednesday julie m x
re hobby
Hi Fairyem
Since Bc I have taken up knitting. My seven year old wanted a yellow/purple/orange/pink scarf so that is what she is getting, as I sit in various waiting rooms. It did not start off too well, but my knitting is improving, so by the time my treatment is finished I will probably be doing fairisle and cable.