Hi,
I am new to this site but hope I can find support from people who are having to deal with this dreadful disease!
I was diagnosed 4 weeks ago, was told I had a low grade lump which could be removed (lumpectomy) after which I would have radiotherapy followed by tamoxifin. At my follow up appoint yesterday I was told the grade was 2 and that they needed to operate again as the margins were not clear. I was also told that if the 2nd op did not clear the margins that I may need a mastectomy! In addition they now analysing the tumour to see if I will benefit from chemotherapy! I am beside myself with worry, cannot sleep etc etc. Would be grateful to hear from anyone in the same position. I have spent the afternoon googling wigs, mastectomy swimwear & false eyelashes! S xx
Hello Sonia, yes, I trod your path April 2015. I think this is the most stressful part - the waiting and wondering what will happen. My surgeon wouldn’t actually give advice on whether 2nd wle or mastectomy was the best option, arrgh. Husband managed to calm me down enough to try the 2nd wle and then do mastectomy if I had to, so glad I did as 2wle was successful, and I didn’t need chemo. I know I didn’t listen to people trying to tell me to take one step at a time, but TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME. :catvery-happy: It’s so easy to rush straight on to the worst possible scenario, we’ve all done that, although hindsight is a wonderful thing! I think about 20% of people need a 2nd wle, but not sure of % who then go on to need a mastectomy, but am sure it is very small. Am so glad you’ve found this forum, as we are all here to help each other in all the variety of situations and feelings you will find yourself in. Sending gentle hugs. :catvery-happy:
Hi Sonia I am in a similar position to yourself. Diagnosed oct 19th am having wle next week. Was told initially after lumpectomy would be rads and tx but this week the nurse casually plopped chemo into the equation if it has spread to nodes…all the waiting is the worst part. After my surgery next week it will be an agonising 2 week wait for results and then god knows if margins not clear or lymph invasion. So anyway I just wanted to say I’m in a similar place and I’m just trying to stay focused on what I know not the unknowns, wish I could just say everything will be ok but I’m sure it will. Sorry for the rambling message. X
Hugs…I just found out 2 days ago 
but I know your fear:heart:
Hi Sonia, I was in exactly the same position as you earlier this year. I had a lumpectomy, then a re-excision due to unclear margins. After the lumpectomy my surgeon confirmed that the 4 nodes they removed were clear but she couldn’t rule out chemo. I was devastated as chemo was the one thing I was dreading. It came down to my risk of recurrence which was determned by my Oncotype score. This came back as 28 which is the high end of intermediate. I was so upset and looked into coldcapping, wigs etc, and I stocked up on Simple shampoo to try to preserve my hair as much as possible. So I went to my oncology appointment an emotional wreck for him to tell me that they had good news and were not recommending chemo! I was so relieved, I could have kissed him! I went on to have 15 + 5 booster radiotherapy sessions and I have been on Tamoxifen since April. 9 months on I feel the great. My breast is a little sore and I do get the odd twinge, but I am so grateful that my life is back to normal (as much as possible after a cancer diagnosis anyway!).
Don’t despair, the results may be better than you think. And if you do need chemo, the ladies on here seem to cope with it really well, it may not be as bad as we think.
Good luck sonia. Michelle xx
Thank you so much for your response Michelle, it is such a hideous time as one minute you are given what seems like good news (low grade etc) and the next they take it all away.
Can I ask what grade your cancer was?
I am so pleased you did not have to have chemo
S xx
Best of luck to you Jsyorkies.
What was your diagnosis?
Big hugs
S xx
It was grade 2, stage 1 (2cm, no node involvement). I went from my initial appointment being told that it would most likely be a lumpectomy plus radiotherapy and Tamoxifen, chemo unlikely to suddenly being told that chemo was pretty likely. I wish they had said that in the beginning as it was harder to have that suddenly thrown in, it felt like everything was getting worse and worse and this affected me quite badly emotionlly, I became a bit of an emotional wreck. But in the end being told I didn’t need chemo made the radiotherapy easier to bear. I think my fear of chemo was that I didn’t want to look like a cancer patient and have all the sickness that can go with it. But if I was told I should have it then I would have done it without hesitation. I hope your results are good. Mchelle xx
Thank you Rubycat,
I am so grateful to people like you for sharing their stories to give hope & encouragement to people like me. I am very pleased to hear things went well for you & hope for a similar outcome. I am so pleased I found this forum, what an amazing support network of lovely ladies who don’t deserve to be dealing with breast cancer. Wishing you all the best. S xx
Thank you Michelle. Your results are identical to mine: Stage 1, Grade 2, 2cm, no node involvement! I just hope,and pray I have a similar outcome to you. Exactly like you, I don’t want to look like a cancer victim and am really hoping I can get through this ordeal without chemo! S xxx
Keep positive Sonia, you may get the result you are hoping for, fingers crossed for you. Michelle xx
Thank you Michelle. S xx
Hi Sonia I was reading your post as I’m now in the same situation as you were and wondered how you got on in the end? Would be grateful for any information regards Linda
Hi Linda,
After 2 x failed lumpectomies (due to unclear margins) I ended up having a mastectomy with an immediate implant. The results are excellent & I am now planning to have minor surgery on the good side so that they match. I was convinced that chemo would be recommended as I had a micromet in 1 sentinel node in addition to a second invasive area measuring just under one centimetre. I had the oncotype DX test done which came back with a score of 15 meaning that chemo was not recommended. In the end therefore I just had surgery & Tamoxifen. No chemo or radiotherapy. Can I ask what your diagnosis is? S xx
Thank you for your response Anniej. It was last December that I had my op ect. I am thankful that in the end I didn’t have to have chemotherapy. Thank you for your kind words of support however. How are you doing? S xx
Iv just had a real excision last wed.
Went so well, no pain relief needed.
Waiting anxiously for results Friday.
Am confident he did what he needed to do.
I also don’t want chemo or a mastectomy.
But I would accept it if I needed too…
Re excision I meant
Good luck today Whistable.