Hi, This is my very first time on any forum. I am 40 years old, I found out on 20th Sept that I had BC, they told me that it measured 6mm (very small) however since I had a fatty lump removed last year from the same breast they sent me for an MRI scan of the breasts. I was lucky that there was no other area. I went to surgery a week past Thursday to have lump removed they also removed some nodes. I received my results a couple of days ago and was told grade 2 which measured 9mm with a clear margin(10mm) and clear in my nodes, very positive to my hormones. I have now started tamoxifen (Thursday) and will receive radiotherapy in a few weeks. Is there anyone with a similar situation out there? Many thanks
Hello gordok and welcome to the forum, everyone on here is very helpful and supportive. I had 8mm BC removed on 12 Sept WLE and therapeutic mammoplsty they got good clear margins and no Lymph node involvement, mine also very positive to my hormones, i’ve had Tamoxifen for about a month now and have just had my 1st rad today 24 more to go! Hope all goes well for you. (Gentle Hugs) x
Hi Ventura29
My name is Karen. This sounds very similar to me. I feel that I don’t know enough and I am unsure of the questions to be asking? How have you been on the tamoxifen? I spoke to my BCN and she said that there is good success rates with tamoxifen. I am not nervous about radiotherapy, I have read things on here and it can make me feel worried, is that normal. I know that I have been lucky compared to what others go through. Thank you for taking the time to get back to me, sending hugs to you also. Karen xxx
Can I join you ladies. I have just started taking Tamoxifen about a week ago and due to start rads in December. I have grade 1 with one lymph node affected, found during SNB. Went on to have a partial axillary clearance but no other nodes affected. I thought I would go on to have chemo but as the lymph node contained only the tiniest cell I don’t need it.
How were the rads Ventura 29, I have heard they are fine, just time consuming.
Hi sunshine1,
I started tamoxifen last Thursday, after reading the side effects I did have concerns but I am trying to stay positive and trying to eat healthy plus drinking plenty of green tea and pomegramet juice. Can you keep me posted as to how you are both getting on with tamoxifen, thank you karen xx
Hi Karen,
The rads are actually fine, you are zapped for so many seconds and basically that’s it. It is tiring if you have to travel a long distance to hospital (mine was in another town). I didn’t have any problems really just some redness, nipple peeling and itchiness and that occurred when rads finished. Everyone was very kind and helpful at hospital and they reviewed you once a week. If you were worried or anything at all was bothering you they would put your mind at ease. A couple of weeks after rads that’s when I had my tiredness, it lasted around 1 week and I was exhausted, a bit of a shock because I sailed through rads.
The tamoxifen well, think I have had every side effect there is but they only lasted a few days so you can cope with that!!! Do have nausea at the moment but they say it’s not tamoxifen related.
Hope this is helpful, take care oops nearly forgot have only a tiny bit of hair now in my armpit, well pleased about that!! xx
I have been on Tamoxifen exactly a week now and everyday I keep waiting for some side effects. Touch wood so far nothing (hope I am not tempting fate) but I realise it is early days. My GP said I might not be too affected as at the age of 53 I probably wouldn’t have much oestrogen in my body now, I might just suffer hot flushes. I haven’t suffered any hot flushes going through natural menopause so hoping I might escape them.
Thanks for info re. rads. Luckily my hospital is only 10 mins away so thankfully no long distance travelling.
Good news about loss of hair in armpit, maybe they could do the other side to match.
Barbara xx
hi karen, im 41 and wasdx in april with grade 2 idc. lump 15mm, clear margins and no node involvement. had 25 rads and on tam for 5 yrs.the rads were ok, pain in the bum going to hosp every day but gotta be done.i had earlyish apps so i could work in the afto,s. bit of tiredness but went to bed when the kids did!had a sore weepy area that appeared around the week after i finished but healed up quickly and is fine now! tam has been ok. started in april.had an immense thirst for a few weeks after but that has settled down.periods have gone from mega regular to about six weeks inbetween. less painful but very heavy and only last a couple of days.mild hot flushes but mainly at nite. duvet on,duvet off!!good luck with your treatment and ask any new questions you think of love alex xxxx
Hello everyone
I was diagnosed back in July, which seems a hell of a long time ago now, I had a 3cm grade 2 lump, Invasive ductal and had WLE on 2nd August along with SNB - I was really grateful my nodes were clear. I started Tamoxifen the middle of August, I got hot flushes pretty much straight away but they seem to have settled down alot, I still get the occasional one but not as often or intense as they were. I started Rads but only had 2 as I ended up with cellulitis and an abscess, so back in hospital for IV antibiotics and the wound reopened to be drained. I’m still waiting for the wound to heal fully, its been six long weeks now before I can restart the rads. Ive been doing some Googling which is not always good and it sounds like if you get cellulitis it can be a recurring problem which is worrying me, I really dont want to end up in the same position again when the rads restart eventually.
The couple of rads sessions I had were fine, it didnt last too long, it took longer to get me in position than to do the treatment. It was a bit of a treck though - looking forward to them restarting and getting them over and done with
Anne
Hi Gordok1 & all ladies
The radiotherapy today was fine Karen, took longer to get me into position than the actual treatment, i live in Barnsley and im travelling daily to Sheffield which im sure will get to be a bit of a bind but its only 5 weeks. The Tamoxifen i’ve had hot flushes night sweats, aching legs and feel im getting more moody with my OH but to be honest i was edging into menopause for the last couple of years so was already having some of the symptoms! My main problem is im not sleeping very well. I recently purchased a Chillow plus and mini chillow and these are fab for the flushes and sweats!
Heather
Hi ladies
I had a WLE, and SNB in August with 1 node affected for 1cm BC, grade 2 (E+ and Pr+). Had axillary node clearance and started tamoxifen (and Zoladex as I’m pre-menopausal) 2 weeks ago. Not many side-effects as of yet, just a few hot flushes and aching joints now and then, but at 51 I was getting those anyway.
I start rads this Wednesday (15 plus 3 boosters).
Sorry to hear you had cellulitis, Anne. I had it about a week after the ANC, had the fluid drained and plenty of antibiotics which cleared it, but I’ve noticed fluid has started building up again by my shoulder blade so am worried if it gets worse they may not be able to do the rads on Wednesday. I hope you can complete yours soon.
Tess x
Hey Ladies,
Thank you so much for your comments, it certainly helps and eases my mind slightly. I do feel very “blank”, I am sure with being on this forum I will soon become full of knowledge. This may sound like a stupid question , why do some people with grade 1/2 not in the nodes get chemo and others don’t, not that I ever wanted it but I want to be sure that I am getting the best possible treatment. Is it normal to question what treatment you are getting? Hope you can help again.
Thank you
Karen xxx
Hi Karen
Yes, do ask questions about your treatment. Your oncologist or breast care nurse should expect you to, and be able to help, or else ring the BCC helpline.
How I understand it is, ladies are more likely to have chemotherapy if their cancer is not hormone positive, or the tumour is very large then chemo is very good for shrinking it prior to surgery. There are probably other reasons as well.
This forum is a wealth of information and you soon won’t feel “blank” at all. I hope you find the answers to your questions.
Take care
Tess x
Hi Karen.
Similar to you! I was diagnosed in August and had WLE and SLN. Grade 2 invasive ductal, 14mm, no node involvement. I started Tamoxifen about 6 weeks ago (no probs until 10 days in!) Generics one seems slightly kinder to me. I have had 16 out of 20 rads and had no problems although I am lucky, not having to work. I am really tired by afternoon and don’t know how I would cope with a demanding job. Hoping to be back at work a couple of weeks after RADS end.
Hope it all goes well for you!
Carolyn x
Hi
I was diagnosed in February, 10mm, grade 2 no nodes. I had a lumpectomy, 6 x FEC and 23 rads which finished a month ago and i am now on Tamoxifen.
I don’t know why some grade 1/2’s get chemo and some don’t my oncologist said it was up to me whether i had chemo or not, so i did.
Take care x