Breast Cancer Now Forum

AdeleS · ‎03-11-2018

Hi Everyone - Had hoped to start my radiotherapy 10 days ago in october but had my first treatment session this Thursday 1st November, the 56 days wait time made me anxious aka 56 days after 2nd Surgery. Was told 15 sessions , and as always my expectations are never met as I assumed it would be 5, 5 and 5 I accepted as you have no choice that appointments could be any time of day and and that I would know the times of the following week at the end of the 1st week So had had two so far but wasnt happy to learn that my week #2 will only be x 4 session as the hospital cant fit me in - on Friday which means I will have an interuption not of the standard two days over the weekend but 3 - Monday night #3 of 15 is at 7pm which isnt ideal but at least they are fitting me in, the man who gave me my appointment booklet assured me there was no difference to reocurrence rate if treatments are not consecutive and further informed me there had been recent trails yet everything i have read online states to the contrary so Monday morning I will email oncology and ask if they can find another hospital for Friday. My journey from February to now hasnt been seamless made to feel am on a conveyor belt, after Radiotherapy and who knows how many weeks I assumed it would be 3 but now it will defo be 4 I then start on my endochrine therapy - taxmofen OR Letrozol was always referenced but its #exemestan dreading taking as it will as we know destroy all my oestrogen yet surely the body needs some oestrogen I so grateful to Breast Cancer Care and will post on here my radiotherapy 13 more sessions to go, Maybe I am doing my self a disservice pushing for 5 consecutive treatments as having 3 days off could be good but on the other hand it published studies show the reocurrence rate is higher for those who are not compliant ie miss a session even if they make up the session afterwards.

AdeleS · ‎07-04-2018

Yorkie hi Chemo+Her prior to or after Mastectomy I have had similar indentical diagnosis ER+ 4 PR 0 HER2+ 3+ Invasive Grade 3 , DCIS Grade 3 not exercised yet, but the WLE didnt deliver clear margins and as the DCIS was not 16mm as advised but 32mm will be requiring further surgery but after treatment The plan always has been to have Chemo + Herceptain and it's taking ages already 30 days and yet to be n by an Oncologist such a challenge to get appointment so unlikely will get chemo within 50 days. Am at a Central London Hospital My Question to you and anyone else is did you have your Chemo+Herceptain prior to Mastectomy or after Thanks

AdeleS · ‎18-03-2018

thoroughly enjoyable read thank you so well written Good you seem to have now finished your treatment and glad you had people around you, partner and parent (that must have helped) i dont have that so the challenge of the chemo will be tough

AdeleS · ‎18-03-2018

have had surgery havent dared to look yet

AdeleS · ‎18-03-2018

hi Mai7 will read your story but am really Not sure with a 10 year survival rate of 74% if i want treatment until it reoccurs the thought of going on a 2 year journey when i feel fit and well and it not curing first time round as per my particular cancer type seems as it if will adversely impact on my quality of life with the chemo poisoning when i might need to go thru more treatment again - i will let the experts convince me

AdeleS · ‎18-03-2018

I bought a couple of bras from M&S and even thought they are non wired support bras and sports bras they are not comfortable under the arm where i have a bruise keeps pressing on it, I was unaware about front zip down sports bras - John Lewis seem to have a really good range /collection on line of post surgery and sports bras so going to check those out Good luck with your surgery on 27th thats the day i go back for my post surgery results and then hopefully treatment plan

AdeleS · ‎12-03-2018

Hello KathrynB To answer your question by treatment if you mean first surgery then guidelines are 31 days from diagnosis i wld have waited 36 days or treatment after surgery well that varies on what type of surgery but the quickest i have seen on these boards after surgery is about a month or some 6/8 weeks I too am new to this but have learnt to manage my expectations and realise its not an overnight stop but a journey that we go on which isnt going to be a short one. I pleaded for a sub cutemaeous mastectomy as wanted the lot out but was told even with that there is still potential of 5% being left in and coming back and that the recovery time is so much longer I am having a wide excision via wire or what it terms i suppose a lumptechomy My journey at a top London NHS hospital has been bumpy and lengthy , i checked with a friend who was being seen privately and actually there is very little difference I was diagnosed 7th Feb, Grade 2 Invasive and like you DCIS but grade 3with the cancer receptors being ER4 and HER2 3+ I then had an MRi 8th Feb, then another ultrasound 22nd Feb and had to chase them up for my followup for surgery which was last week 7/8th March with surgery this thursday 15th March - so 36 days where as my friend had her surgery in 28 days My next appointment is 27th March i made sure i had this booked and if no further surgery is required then my treatment is being proposed as 6 months chemo, 12 months herceptain and 5/7 weeks radio - however I like everyone else am dependant on what they find when they go in and do the surgery - and this regime might change - but my treatment is because of my particular cancer receptor type - i couldnt see yours? What i am learning fromt this journey is our breast cancers are as different as we are and there is not one package to meet or treat all but the progress that has been made over the last 40 years even last 8 years is astounding and I cannot be more grateful to breastcancercare for these boards and support from others Yes its scary knowing we have this disease (virus) yes its life changing - Good Luck and Big Hugs

AdeleS · ‎12-03-2018

Hi Dizzybee, thanks for your reply, tell me did they reduce the other breast on NHS or did you have it done privately. I think this surgery on Thursday will be one of the easy steps in this long journey of chemo/herceptain and then radio but trying to take one day at a time as who knows what tmrw will bring Adele

AdeleS · ‎09-03-2018

Just to update you - the appointment on the 8th was upsetting no surgery had been booked yet and we are now out of the government guidelines - they could offer me the team I would like to have had but later on in the month or another team this Thursday 16th,I opted for next week I have a propop assessment at 8.30 am Tuesday which leaves me one day only to read and organise what i have to according to whatever info they give me I did want all the breast tissue removed to reduce the chance of reoccurrence and the consultant said it would still leave 5% risk then went on about Angelina Jolie sooo wanted to happy slap him as she (as we know didnt have a cancer diagnosis but family history and chose to do so as as a precaution , I am not happy as he told me my breast would be smaller which means skin will be cut away so tomorrow i will write in via email as Oncoplastic breast conserving surgery aims to is to leave a discrete scar with minimal change to the breast volume!, shape and nipple height. Whats happening with you now Adele x

AdeleS · ‎05-03-2018

Hello Emmalou66 I too am very recently diagnosed 7th Feb and my MRI also picked something up , went back in last week for an ultra sound and they were able to tell me, it was fatty tissue and cysts so with that over i now await an appointment with a consultant which I have 8th March, good they are checking this,just so you know there was a slight wait for me to get the ultrasound as it has to be by a specialist who can also read the MRI - Good luck with yours and I Still cant believe this is happening either I am so far invasive grade 2, and insitu grade 3 my receptors are ER 4 and HER+++ from I can see on these boards its going to be a journey

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