Diagnosed yesterday

[ashbymeadow]

Hi .How are you doing now you have started treatment?

Hope you feeling relieved although maybe a little tired.

Jacqui

[ashbymeadow]

thinking of you tomorrow.hope the chemo will not be as bad as expected.still not knowing my treatment plan i go Tuesday to find out.Awful day ahead.

[ashbymeadow]

Hi Nina

We are all in the same boat as you know.

I can fully understand how you feel.I went to my Gp following my results which was also totally unexpected..thought by 2 Drs a cyst.Gp gave me short course of tabs to calm me..i was in bits.

That was 3 weeks ago took just 2 tabs that week and non since.not really useful.

However my breast clinic had a councellor who gave me a tape..to calm me.

Brilliant.felt so relaxed.Listened to it a few times and my head cleared.Such a headache 24hrs a day went.

the tape is T.L.Recordings ltd

An Aid to Emotional Recovery-after breast cancer.

Maybe not your answer to stress but it helped me.

I had my operation 7 days ago and cannot explain how positive i now feel.

Obviosly still sore from op etc but all ok to cope with

Get my results next Tuesday so will be climbing the wall that day.Know i need radiotherapy ..hope thats all and hope no more surgery.

Once you had your surgery i quess like others you will soon progress..setbacks yes but keep looking ahead.Do chat ,ask questions etc feel free.

Jacqui

[Nina]

Thank you all so much for your support and words of advice. It's one thing to know that there are other women out there who are (or have been) through this, but so much better to feel like I'm actually connected with you all through this forum.

I spoke to the nurse this afternoon (they were having an extra 'case review' as my results were so different from the mammogram/ultrasound expectations). We now have a much better idea of why there was confusion yesterday and so I have so much more trust in what I'm being told. I know I'm going to have some bad moments, and probably many worse than this morning still to come, but guess I have to keep reminding myself that it will get better - I was dreading having to 'face' people this evening but inevitably it wasn't nearly as bad as I imagined it would be. I even managed a few hours of 'cancer free' distraction with people I haven't told and, daft though it might sound, I suddenly realized that I'm still just a 'normal'(ish!) person.

Best of luck to all of you, and thank you again for helping me end the day feeling so much more positive than when it began.

[lizzy22]

Hi Nina I was diagnosed on the 6th November and will be having WLE and SNB on the 5th December.I to was devastated .But am so glad I joined the forum as speaking to the lovely ladies on here that are battling or have battled BC gives you great comfort.

You will be fine just keep coming on to the forum

Love and best wishes

Kath xxx

[lizzy22]

Hi Nina I was dignosed on the 6th November and will be having WLE and SNB on the 5th December.I to was devasted .But am so glad I joined the forum as speaking to the lovely ladies on here that are battling or have battled BC gives you great comfort.

You will be fine just keep coming on to the forum

Love and best wishes

Kath xxx

[Tazzles]

Hi Nina

I am still struggling to come to terms with my diagnosis 2 months ago and like you I found it so difficult to talk to people about it. I am 48 with no children but I do have a partner who was with me at the time of the diagnosis and was able to tell my mum and uncle as I was unable to talk to anyone initially. I did however go into 'automatic pilot' and texted or e-mailed just about everyone as soon as I could as I just wanted to get it all out the way. I told people I wasn't ready to talk but the support that came back was overwhelming. I think once you start talking about it it will get easier. I have always been someone who tries to deal with things on my own but have realised that I can't do this alone and have had to accept all the support on offer. I have been through every emotion possible and still have days when I can't do anything but cry but it does get slightly easier. I am starting chemo tomorrow and am absolutely terrified of that and all the side effects. 

Anyway I really hope you manage to find someone you can talk to. Please don't try and deal with it alone. 

T xxx

[Jonamo]

Hi Nina, sorry to find you here. It is indeed an emotional roller coaster. The first time you talk about it will be the hardest but I found the more you do the easier it gets. It is ok to cry and show your emotions, I believe it is important and healthier to let it out. You will find the waiting the absolute hardest and unfortunately there are many stages to go through, just take each step at a time. The doctors cannot give you the full picture and treatment plan until they know exactly what they are dealing with and this won't happen until they get the full pathology on your cancer once you have a lumpectomy or mastectomy and possibly a Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy where they remove the first lymph node that the cancer may spread to.
Good luck. Be strong and fight this with the help of your loved ones.
A x

[Lucy_BCC]

Hi Nina

Welcome to the BCC forums where you will soon have lots of support and shared experiences with your fellow forum users, in addition, our helpline team are on hand weekdays 9-5 and Sat 10-2 on 0808 800 6000 with practical and emotional support to help you through this difficult time

You may also find the BCC further support servcies such as our weekly 'Live chat' and the 'One to one' peer support service helpful, you can read about these and more via this link:

http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/breast-cancer-services

We also have a 'Just diagnosed' information page where you will find lots of information and support regarding your diagnosis:

https://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/diagnosis

Take care

Lucy BCC

[Fran85]

Hi Nina,

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I too felt the same following my diagnosis last month. The emotions you are feeling are totally normal but I promise you will feel better once you have had the further scans and a treatment plan. I have told most of my friends now and they have all been very supportive. What I found, slightly more reassuring was the amount of people who knew somebody who had battled breast cancer. It is much more common than I thought.

When I had my pre-op assessment ahead of my WLE and SNB, I got talking to a very friendly nurse who later told me that she had battled bc 10 years ago at 38 and she looked full of health.

Also what I find helps is the amount of progress that has been made to treating breast cancer in just a few years. More sophisticated and advanced treatments are constantly emerging which gives more hope to us all :).

I hope you find the forum helps, it has certainly helped me with all of us at various stages and treatments.

Keep your chin up, you will be fine!

Xx

[Nina]

Hi all

I was diagnosed yesterday with invasive ductal carcinoma (I'm 45, single, no kids).  Felt completely shell-shocked last night as nothing 'worrying' had shown up on either the mammogram or ultrasound and both the consultant and radiologist had thought my 'lump' was some sort of necrosis.  Managed to walk into the consultants room feeling pretty confident - and came out in tears.  They think I'll need an MRI and lymph biopsies then surgery (conservative hopefully) in a couple of weeks, followed by radiotherapy.

At the moment I'm just about 'holding it together'.  I'm finding that I can get by with text/email but the moment I have to say it out loud to someone it's suddenly all very real and I'm in floods of tears.  I know this is going to be an emotional rollercoaster but any tips on how to get through talking to other people about it would be great.  I couldn't talk to anyone last night but will have to face people later today and I'm dreading it.

thanks

G