good morning, was diagnose about 5 weeks agin, had sentinel node biopsy and lumpectomy, 2 results have come back HER2 positive and oestrogen receptor positive, which means fast growing tumour and quick to spread, I am terrified, I am a tough person I think, people expect me to be strong, and I pretend for them, but I’m terrified, my breast care nurse is on holiday, what do these results mean? I know I need chemo, is it spreading do I need treatment now, I don’t see anyone till beginning September, oh my goodness this is scary stuff, any help appreciated x x
Hi Carmia, I’m guessing you will be seeing your oncologist in sept , they will have your treatment plan all mapped out for you and will explain it all fully to you, I know it’s so frightening in the early days when you are still trying to gather the fact but things get easier the more knowledge you get, cancer doesn’t grow that quickly although it’s natural to think it’s spreading every where, did you have any positive nodes and did they tell you what stage and grade it was ? Try not to google too much as it was just scare you even more! Xx Jo
Hello jobey
Thank you for replying, I havnt got any other results yet just them two, I have an appointment with my surgeon in not sure when I see the oncologist, it is a bit of a nightmare the waiting, I’ve had headache and sore dyes and of course I start to wonder if it’s spread there, I know it’s silly most of the time but every now and again panic takes over. But it helps chatting to people who have had similar concerns, do you know if the herceptin is in oral form? I hope your well x x
Herceptin is an injection you have after Chemo for a year i believe, its hailed as a wonder drug! The stress you are under makes you feel genuiniely ill which is where all the symtoms you describe are coming from,i ached all over and coughed all the time but its just your bodys way of coping with hi anxiety, i took Diazepam which really helped and now take an anti depressent long term and feel really well now, you will get through this Xx
Hello love
Thank you for that Jo, i havnt gone down the anti depressant tablets yet but I know it is an option, I have taken time of work, I am just relaxing, having afternoon naps, seeing family and friends, that just now is helping. But I do think eventually I will need help with coping. Have you tried all the therapies that are offered via Macmillan I am thinking of them and the coffee mornings. Today I am having a good day, might change this afternoon, but I was told it would be a roller coaster and it is, I am glad your feeling good x x
Hi Carmia. Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. It is very scary when you first get the news, but once you know your treatment plan then it does help because you have something to focus on. I finished chemo in May and I’m having Herceptin until next Spring. I have it intravenously but you can also have it by injection. The treatment is given once every 3 weeks xx
Hi tweasel,
Was you her2 + and oestrogen receptor +? I still don’t know if it is on my nodes, but I think it perhaps is, but only because I have those first 2 tests has positive I don’t know if I am being a bit cynical with that?
My BN mention chemo and herceptin but not how or when she also mentioned tamoxifen, I sort of think ok well I got this thing and I got these positive tests but because of them tests I get to have the wonder drug that could prevent it coming back, I don’t know if that’s wise but it’s working for me, how are you now tweasel? X x
Hi carmia, a friend of mine had Herceptin injections and was fine with them, Tamoxifen is a tablet once a day and i dont really have any side effects from them, trying to concentrate on the positives is the right thing to do,no amount of upset will change things, i went from feeling so unlucky to the total opposite and just grateful it was found and dealt with, there is no reason to think its in your nodes and even if it is they are just doing their job Xz
Hi Jo,
Isn’t is strange when you can consider yourself lucky even with a diagnosis of breast cancer,but that’s it really isn’t it? So many different stages and levels, I am glad for you Jo, I read many positive stories, they keep my head up.
My BN is off next week I see my surgeon 2/9 there’s are 2 other BN’s I could ring, I’m not sure if to ring middle of next week see if any more results are in, it would prepare me for my appointment with my surgeon.
I really need to know if it’s in my nodes. I found the lump and got seen almost immediately, when I had the USS they said they couldn’t see anything in my arm pits, and he couldn’t feel anything. Like many in hear say knowledge and treatment plan is what we all seem to need x x
They told me my nodes looked and felt fine and they came back clear so thats another positive you can take as youve been told the same ? i never thought i would ever use the words cancer and lucky in the same sentence but boy so i now know how much worse things could have been! Its always worth ringing to speak to a nurse even if only to talk things through Xx
Hi Jo, yes that is comforting, that’s your scan was also clear, I wasn’t sure if I would have done spread, with having those 2 positive tests, There was a strong chance it had spread to my nodes. But I believe these things are not connected. Just have to continue to play the waiting game stay healthy love x x
Hi tweasel, did you have your clearance done as another operation or all at the same time? Did you have cancer cells there or did they just take them away?
It helps doesn’t it having this forum, take care love x x