hi i have just been diagnosed with breast cancer and i am due to have lumpectomy and lymph node operation next thursday i am so scared and worried that they will find more or it has spread what reason do you have chemo my breast nurse has told me that i will have it but if i dont need it then it is a bonus how do they decide that you need it and do you have it at the same time as your radiotheapy
Sorry you have had to join us here on the site but welcome and be assured that you will get great support from the ladies here. It’s a great place to come and rant, don’t feel you need to hold back any - just let it all out. Also remember that there is no such thing as a stupid question in here - regardless of how daft it might sound ask it anyways cos there’s always someone who’s got an answer.
Good luck with the op - I had the same in January and it’s not as bad as you imagine it’s going to be.
There are a number of factors as to whether you need chemo or not - one being if the cancer has spread to your lymph nodes. If you do need chemo and radiotherapy then you tend to have the chemo 1st then do rads afterwards.
The best advice I can offer at this stage - and I say this to all the newbies on here - be very careful as to how much information you research at this stage. It’s oh so easy to go and read every scrap of information you can get your hands on and scare yourself rigid. I was advised by a friend who’s daughter was treated for leukemia not to listen to everyone’s horror story and apply it to myself - as she told me, everyone’s cancer is individual, we all have different issues and we all have different problems - some are luckier than others (and I count myself a hell of a lot luckier than some) take each step as it comes and don’t look too far into the future and stress out about a treatment what may or may not happen in 3-6 months time.
Let us know how you are getting on.
Hi Jackie
Welcome to the Breast Cancer Care forums. I am sure you will continue to get lots of help and advice from the many informed users of this site. You may find BCC’s resource pack helpful, it has been designed for those newly diagnosed. If you would like a copy just follow the link below:
breastcancercare.org.uk//content.php?page_id=7514
If you feel you need to talk to someone in confidence about the worries have, please give the helpline a call, the staff here are all either breast care nurses or people who have personal experience of breast care issues and are able to offer you advice and help or just a ‘listening ear’ The number to call is 0808 800 6000 the lines open Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturdays 9am - 2pm.
I hope this is of some help to you.
Best wishes
Lucy
Hi Jackie
I know how you feel to be faced with an opperation and i was scared witless, but with no need, i feel so stupid now for how i behaved befor the opp. i know it is easy to say but please dont worry its so much better than you expect. i completly agree with Lilacblushes when she said that everbody is an individual and our treatment is just for us but we do all have something in common, Cancer,and on here you will find so much infomation and support. you should get your results after your opp it looks to be around two weeks after i think . i havent quite got there yet another week to go. its then that i think they discuss your diagnoses and treatment with you so try to keep your chin up untill then. best wishes for your opp
Take Care
Tina
PS
where abouts are you
thank you so much for your replies i had a phone call today from my breast care nurse and she gave my results for my mri scan and it showed that my tumour is only 12mm in size and has not spread to any where else so now its down to my results from my op but it is looking really good for me. oh tina i live in stoke-on-trent and thanx for your wishes
Hi Jackie
You sound like me - I will be going in for my lumpectomy on 16th June and don’t know if I will be having chemo as well as rads yet. Glad your MRI came back clear. Do you (or anyone else) know if everyone has an MRI before their op? Most people on here seem to be saying they have had one but I haven’t been told that I will have anything before the op. Do they tell you nearer the time?
Jo xx
Hi jo I have just had a mastectomy with recon and I did not have an MRI scan. I had a lumpectomy and WLE. Maybe if things (lumps)are not that clear they may have to do one.
take care Di x
Hi Jo
I didnt have an MRI at least i dont think so, when i had my cone biopsy i had a scan at the same time but I thought it was just like an ordinary (as in baby) scan under my arm.and boob, they said that they couldnt see anything in the area under my arm but when i had my WLE which i had on the 20th, they still took 6/7 nodes out. So now i am wondering did I or didnt I have an MRI I get a bit confused at times. best wishes for Jackie for the 5th (by the way Jackie i am from linconshire )and the same for you Jo on the 12th
Take Care
Tina
Hi Jo
I had WLE and node sampling in Jan - no lymph nods involved but did have an intermammory node affected but have not had any scans before or after surgery.
Good luck with the surgery
Hi Di, Tina & Lilac
Thanx for your replies & your good wishes for the surgery. I think you must be right that if they can see the tumour with mammagram thingy or ultrasound scan etc. then they don’t need an MRI unless they think it has travelled to other parts of the body. So maybe us not needing one is good news? Hope so anyway.
Love Jo xx
Hi Jackie
I have just had the same op as you will be having next week. Newly discharged this morning. Wednesday was a bad for me really scared so iknow just how you are feeling, but what a difference 2 days make. I have no drains very little pain just still groggy and just the lymph site in tender ,cos of where it is i suppose. Just on 4 hourly paracetamols or co-codemol, but I dont do those, and 6 hourly brufen. 10 days wait for results then will know all about the beastie!!!
good luck with the op next week and dont read too much into the leaflets they give you. Tkae it one step at a time. Just off for a sleep now
Love & hugs
Bridie
hi bridie sorry not been on had my op on thursday 5th was out next day with no drains been doing really well my hubbie has been great but now its back to normal i feel fit as a fiddle although i have a pain in my nipple where the dye went in did you have that not takin any pain killlers coz i too dont do that too i was driving on monday so im on the mend physically but mentally been tortured as i dont get my results until 27th june which i thought was a bit unfair i was told it woukld take 2 weeks never mind im keeping positive and feeling brill x
Hi Bridie
My Mum has just been diagnosed last Friday. They say its looks promising as caught early. 16mm in size, lymph nodes look clear which they actually put on the report. We have found the breast care nurse to be a rock. She reckons my Mum is going to be OK. She says you can tell certain things from mammo, ultrasound and biopsy. My Mum has a lumpesctomy and the sentinal lymph node operation on 2nd July. We know we wont really know whats going on until about 3 weeks after that.
Jackie, keep us posted, cos if you are a bearer of good news we all need to know about it.
Take Care,
Suzy xx
hya sorry its been so long since made a post i went for my results on 27th and was pleased to be told that my cancer was all gone the op was a sucess and no lymph node involvement my cancer was 9mm stage 3 which i was told was agressive and it was hormone positive got to see oncologist on 11th july and will be having chemo epi- cmf and tamoxifen for 5 years i am scared now of the chemo as i have said on other threads but i have had some good advice from the lovely people on this sight i am going for a wig fitting on thursday this should be funny already my hubby making fun of it all in good humor though he says hes going to draw on the back og my head a funny face sticking its tongue out lol and ive told him im going to take a shaver to bed with me so i can zap a bit off his head when i find hair in bed lol
speak to you soon
jackie x
Good evening Jackie
Glad to hear that the op seems to have got the little bugger but sorry to hear that you are going to need chemo, however it’s good that they are taking the belt and braces approach just to be on the safe side. good luck with the wig fitting - and I’m sure your husband will not mind if you want to shave abstract patterns on his head!
Hi Jackie
I had the same results as you, but mine is HER2 +3 pos. onc asking for second opinion on +3. I too am to have epi-cmf but also rads and herceptin. Feel loads better everyday, then got to prepare for chemo. sleeping while i can.
Have you got a start date?
Keep smiling
Bridie
hi,
I’m having an MRI scan - they said because I’m only 36 my breast tissue is to dense to tell everything from the ultrasound and biopsies - so it will pick up if there’s anything else. They seem to only offer them to certain women eg younger ones and those with lobular carcinoma (which I have) - and they’re only scanning my bresats, no other parts of the body. It was meant to be yesterday bu the blimmin equipment packed up and they think they’ve got it fixed now (“think” - that’s reassuring isn’t it) so going in at 1.30
Fiona
x