Hi All, I’m new and just like everyone shell-shocked and quite frightened. I was diagnosed after a biopsy and mammagram, ultrasound etc on 23 January. I met the surgeon who will do my mastectomy on the 25th, and the Oncologist who is another part of the same team 3 days later. Tomorrow, I start my battle, by having a box fitted to take the Chemo. Then on the 11th I have an ECG as one of the drugs I’ll be taking can do for my heart. Ironic isn’t it that something that will kill this horrible thing could kill me. I am down for 6 sessions of chemo after the first three they will test to see if the tumor is diminishing, and then I will complete the course. At which stage I’ll have my breast removed. I should mention that they also found another smaller tumor, but the IBC one is the one they are concerned about.
To say I’m shell-shocked doesn’t even come close, I simply can’t react to this at all, it’s like it’s happening to someone else. Everyone keeps asking me if I’m ok and can they do anything, the answer is I don’t know. Unless someone comes up with a complete body transplant probably not.
I am just 66 years old, living a lovely life in South West France, in a small friendly village which has closed round me. People can’t do enough and it’s fabulous. I grow fruit, vegetables and keep Indian Runner Ducks, one very noisy dog, and two spoilt cats, my life is pretty good. I have no family now, but a huge and valuable bunch of friends who have sworn to see me through and I am so grateful to them.
I’m trying to stay positive, don’t want my life to be all about this thing that is in my body, but am sick with fear especially as IBC spreads. Grateful to have found this website and other people who have been successfuly treated.
Fingers crossed, I too will be another success story, thanks for reading this, it made me feel better just typing it.
Hi sorry to hear you have IBC. Its a huge shock when you are first diagnosed. I was diagnosed with it in April 2012. age 46. There is a separate bit of the forum on here for IBC people. Hope you get the support you need and your treatment goes ok.
So sorry you find yourself in such an awful place, but very glad you found these forums. You are eperiencing what everyone on here has gone through, so everyone will be rooting for you and hoping for a good result. I’m sure many others will come and say hello before long. In the section ‘undergoing treatment for breast cancer’ you will find a thread for older women. Here is a link to the first page, in case you would like to join that thread. http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/community/forums/more-mature-post-menopausal-women
There is also a thread in the chemotherapy section for the February Valentines, a group of mixed age women all beginning chemotherapy in February. Even if you don’t want to take part in these threads, they might be interesting for you to read some of the posts on there.
Wishing you good luck and sending big hugs.
Poemsgalore xx
Hi fightingit,
so sorry you find yourself in this position, it is very very frightening at the beginning. But once you get on course with your treatment it bizarrely gets a little easier. Take each day at a time and enjoy good times. I too was diagnosed about this time last year with ibc at the age of 45. It was diagnosed late and thought that was it with all the odds against ibc. My onc said the statistics are very inaccurate and out of date. Treatment has been aggressive but doable and I am going back to work tomorrow ! Good luck with everything, you sound like you have some amazing friends. And reading these forums have been an amazing strength for me. Hopefully they will be the same for you.
Xxx
Hi Thanks very much I will go onto that link. Am busy preparing for visit to hospital tomorrow. I have to bathe in Betadine tonight and my hair and do the same in the morning not my usual shower choice but never mind. Thanks so much for this support, you’ve no idea what it means to me.
sending all my love and thoughts to you
i have my toes and fingers crossed that you will be ok
just see it as a horrific journey there is light at the end of your tunnel
be strong brave lady xxxx
Hi fighting lady,
i am so sorry you have been caught by IBC too. It is a tough one, and you will go through a tough regime of chemo and surgery and radiotherapy. But it is doable, and you will get through. It sounds like you have a great bunch of friends where you are - that is fantastic. Make sure you don’t feel shy in relying on them lts. They will thank you for that too. And there are lots of very lovely ladies here to help you through.
I was diagnosed with ibc two years ago. Still here and no evidence of disease I had chemo, surgery and radiotherapy too - a long haul.
please stay clear of dr google. There is lots of stuff on ibc on google which is way out of date and scary. Macmillan and this site are very good.
I hope your ECG goes well and your treatment can start soon.
please keep in touch. Check out the ibc part of this forum too. There are a few more ibc ladies here.
Warmest wishes
Hi
Sorry to read you’ve been diagnosed with IBC. I was diagnosed with IBC in nov 2011 and had my last herceptin on the day of your diagnosis. Had the whole works, 6 chemos, mastectomy, 15 rads, 18 Herceptin and now on Tamoxifen. I feel well at present and feel happy in the land of NED, still early days though, but I’m so happy to live normal life again, working, going to gym, planning holidays etc.
Wishing you all the best, stick to this site and you could buddy up with woman who go through chemo same time as you. I found this so helpful. We all finished chemo last year around march / April and in nov we all met up in London and saty in close touch.
Hi Christine, Thanks for that. I must confess I did Google at first and couldn’t believe the information. Luckily my French neigbour and good friend is a scientist so she contacted some of her friends and they have been most supportive. Plus my Oncologist is one of the best - they do not call it treatment here but starting the cure and I’m adopting that.
On a lighter note, I have just bought some wonderfully expensive perfume, and have now got a team who will be with me through this. The nurse has been today to tend my implant, and she said I’m to ask if I can have chemo at home via a bag round my waist which sounds much better. I do feel scared but positive as I’m sure you and everyone else is familiar with. Chemo starts on the 13th that’s one more milestone for me. Shall keep you all posted. Thanks for your support. Pat
Thanks for that rather like the sound of February Valentines. Trouble is at the moment I’m inundated with appointments, medication, information and can’t really take it all in. Hoping for a quieter time once my treatment has started. Thanks for your support. Pat
Before I started this I thought I’d be dead before the treatment ended. The first thing I’m going to do is change my doctor who has been worse than useless throughout all this. I actually had to insist on a Mammagram, not him, and when he gave me the news i.e. ‘it’s very grave’, he hadn’t actually got the results he’d just seen a Scan. I want someone in my corner, proactive and fighting my case.
Luckily I have a great surgeon and oncologist who are part of the support team at the hospital where I’m having my treatment, they have scooped me up, wiped me down, and reinforced me. They have said it isn’t treatment they are offering it’s cure. and not to look on the internet at all the websites with out of date information. My wonderful neighbours also are completely supporting me, one is a scientist and she has contacted colleagues and again given me positive information. I have a team who will be with me through Chemo and beyond, they say that you only find out who your friends are when you have a problem. I know mine, and I’m very proud of every one of them.
Just bought myself some expensive perfume, and am going to plant some tomato seeds, something to look forward to. Thanks for your support Pat xx
All this is really wonderful reinforcement for me. looking forward to joining in properly when my head has landed back on my shoulders. At the moment am struggling through a mountain of paperwork from the hospital, information, appointments, prescriptions. And have one moe Eco Cardiagram then I start my treatment. So shall join in at that point. xxxx Fightingit
Welcome to the BCC forums, in addition to the information you may have already, here is the BCC ‘IBC’ web page where you will find lots of information which I hope you will find useful:
Hi Fighting Fit
Glad to hear you will be joining us Valentines soon, but also sad because you have to. I love the French way of describing treatment as The Cure. Thankfully, for the majority of us, it is a cure. Good luck with finding a new and better, pro active doctor.
Hugs pg xxx
Hi,
I was reading ur message how you feeling and I’m sure you will overcome it with sucess as we are all thinking of you in this battle.Yes,its hard but out the tunnel you will see light.
I’m waiting for my biopsy result too and all I’ve been doing to give me strength is by reading everyone pain,worried and hope…
Will pray for you and big hugs
I had chemo, surgery and radiotherapy too - a long haul.