Breast Cancer Now Forum

Well Joyce, I guess the news is "as good as it could be", and it sounds like you have caught it way earlier than you might have, thanks to that little heart-shaped not-cancer lump! You go girl! Jump back on that chemo train and carry on regardless! xxx ... View more

Thinking of you Joyce. We are all "in your pocket" today! Hugs xxx ... View more

Oh Joyce, Oh no, that's terrible news. It's what we all fear of course, but. Bloody hell, words fail me just now. I can't remember what your original diagnosis and treatment was, but hopefully this is a regional recurrence that can be contained and treated again. Just sucks that you have to go through this again. And your family. I'm sure you will be in all our thoughts as you go through the tests, find out exactly what is going on and have a plan to deal with it. You can do this. Try not to dwell on worst case (yeah , right?!). Many many women have to have more than one bite of this particular cherry and do ok. You will be one of them. Keeps us posted and big hugs to you! Rose ... View more

Hi everybody!   Well, excited and terrified here: I am booked for Prophylactic right Mx and bilateral reconstruction (Muscle-sparing TRAM flaps) January 7!!   I have to have a new breast surgeon, as my original BS doesn't work at the same hospital where I'm having my surgery. It's a day-long operation with my Plastic surgeon as the main operator, and two other plastic surgeons to assist ... one for the morning and the other for the afternoon. I guess I'm feeling pretty overawed .... I'm taking a whole day's theatre time, plus four surgeons, and however many anesthetists and support staff for the day. It is covered by our health service, and I feel quite humbled at the though!    I DO hope it all goes right and I heal well and will be happy with the result. THere's an awful lot of effort going into this!    I see my hematologist next week for any last thoughts regarding my platelet production and coagulation issues, then I meet the new breast surgeon the following week. It rather feels like I'm on top of a steep ski hill and about to launch myself off!   I have just started trying to prearrange to be on short term disability pay as my surgeon is recommending three months off work, and I used all of my accumulated paid sick time having treatment last year!    My dear father, on his own now since Mum passed away last April, is badgering me to come and "convalesce" with him in England. I know he really wants to see me again. and I him, but I've told him I cannot commit, but can always book a flight last minute if the stars are in alignment! 🙂   I feel like this might be the recovery leg of my "journey". Friends have told me it is tough, but they haven't regretting taking this step which feels restorative rather than destructive.   Phew: Remember to breathe! Can I start wishing you all a wonderful Christmas if I don't speak to anyone before then!!!    Hugs to everybody xxxx ... View more

Rhonda, you are absolutely right. That IS the most important thing, but it'd still be nice to at least look a little bit "normal"! 🙂 I have our CIBC Run for the Cure next week. I've actually had a wonderful response to my appeal for donations, and raised $1255, which hugely exceeded my expectations! I find I am still unable to run, due to my Achilles tendonitis which flares up if I try, so I'm walking, alongside my dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors, named Sistership. We have had a wonderful summer of paddling twice a week, and 5 weekend festivals through the season. Although I'm not able to join them, in October the team is attending an international festival of dragon boat races in Florida, which is entirely made up of survivorship teams! If you Google Breast cancer dragon boat Sarasota you'll probably find all about it, if you're interested 🙂 Unfortunately one of my teammates HAS just been diagnosed with a recurrence 😞 ...... but although she is booked for surgery two days after the run next week, I am sure she will RUN the whole 5k! I've never seen her walk anywhere if she can run, and she is well into her 60's! Well, stay well and stay strong my friends, which is what we tell eachother after the Breast Cancer Challenge races at the festivals. It's certainly an experience!!! ... View more

Hi from Canada!   I think it sounds like many of us are in the same situation. I've seen a plastics surgeon last Spring, and he's agreed to prophylactic Mx and bilateral TRAM flap recon. Back in the summer I was originally told DEC 16 as a provisional date. Then I got a call to say they had a cancellation OCT 15 if I was interested? Er, Yes, I said. So they called back a few days later to tell me they couldn't coordinate all the medical staff they need for that date.    Apparently, for my surgery they need a Breast Surgeon/General surgeon (Because the PS is not allowed to actually perform the mastectomy!) and then TWO Plastics guys as it is a bilateral. The date had come up via a cancellation but she had been booked for a single recon.   -Oh OK.  -So, it will be a date in January, but don't worry, you are next on the list! -What happened to December 16? -Ah, we gave that date to another lady who had been waiting longer ...  -!!!???   So then last week they call again: - We have a date, January 6! - OK, that's fine ..... - But it is still reliant on being able to coordinate the three doctors .. I'll call you back to confirm, but if it doesn't work it will be a date in February!   So this surgery is beginning to look like a mirage, always on the horizon. I'm like you Irenee; Starting to think I should just book a mastectomy, which my BS had said she "can do any time", then they only have to get TWO surgeons lined up for recon, as three seems impossible!   Then I think, Hells Bells, that's another surgery, with another recovery time ..... why the hell should I?  I have also wondered if I could put up with just being flat, but symmetrical at least. I'm waiting for an MRI at present, as I'm not convinced that my lumpy scar isn't a recurrence, despite the ultrasound not showing anything suspicious. Most of my original tumour did not show up on imaging!!!   If I DO have something new growing, I would definitely shelve the idea of recon. ..... Not worth the bother. But I think I'd still like the other one off!   Sigh.      ... View more

I have been given a date: December 16! Provisional on them being able to book another surgeon to assist, and if my hematologist agrees, I suppose! Gulp! ... View more

Ok, eagle eyes the moderator has deleted my name from the above post, but if by any chance somebody does want to sponsor me, please pm me, and I'll whisper it to youall! 😉 ... View more

I saw my PS on May 13. He has agreed to a bilateral flap reconstruction, but tells me that I will probably end up with a B cup size. Yay, I'm currently DD/E, depending on who is measuring, and hate my one big boob! He did inform me that the failure rate for flaps was 3-5%, and with my clotting history "it would be reasonable to assume a higher rate" in my case. He wasn't able to quantify that "higher rate", but didn't try to dissuade me, so I signed the consent form. GULP! Now I'm fretting. A failed flap would probably be a worse result than bilat mastectomy with no reconstruction. OMG. But ....... nothing ventured, nothing gained eh? He is planning to discuss my case with my hematologist, who I'm seeing early July. I was happily telling myself that nothing is probably going to happen this year, but a friend who saw another surgeon in the city has been told 4-6 months! I did ask for a rough timeline, but my guy said he didn't really know, and to ask his secretary as "she is in charge of waiting lists". Time we left she had gone to lunch!! Maybe I will give her a call 🙂 Meanwhile m trying to get for and lose some weight. I've joined a BC survivors dragon boat team, and we have several weekends away at festivals around the province and into British Columbia (also "BC"!) We train twice a week, so that is great fun. I've signed up for the CIBC 5k Run for the Cure, in October. I did 5k this morning on a treadmill, but couldn't run. Time was 45 minutes, so I know what I have to try to improve on. Last 5k I did took 40 minutes, but that was in 2003, so if I can reach that or better I will be pleased! 🙂 I'm also accepting sponsors if anybody is interested. Go to the website and look for *************** Donations can be made online ! 😜 ... View more

Implant probably isn't an option due to my having had radiation, but it isn't something I'm at all interested in anyway, for reasons you describe and more ... I know somebody who had an implant 20 odd years ago, and she was never happy with it, so last year had the opportunity to convert to a TRAM free flap recon instead, and she is delighted with the result! If I have recon it'll be DIEP/TRAM most likely. What I'm dithering over is whether to have the second mastectomy (prophylactic) and double reconstruction, or maybe even just go flat I feel quite sure I will develop cancer in the other breast, if its not indeed already there! I don't trust imaging as most of my tumour was not visible on mammo/ultrasound. I think I have several factors that put me at high risk for a second primary 😞 ... View more

Hi Irenee, Have you decided what type of reconstruction you will have? I'm due for my initial consult with a plastics surgeon in May, and I have at least four options as far as I have established. I'm so dithering between them. I keep thinking I've decided on "a", and then the next day "b" feels like the way I want to go .......... mind you, I'm just the same with choosing from a menu in a restaurant! Is there any hope for me??? 😜 ... View more

Well, hello from Canada! Rhonda, I've just got past a huge scare too! Feb 23, I found was felt like a lemon pip near my mastectomy scar. It was under the skin, and felt like it was adhered to the muscle beneath. Very small, size of a small pea maybe? Panicked, I showed it to my doc who assured me that it didn't feel like a malignancy to her, but "we don't ignore these things", so a couple of days later I had an ultrasound. The radiology doc said HE didn't feel it LOOKED like a malignancy, but he agreed it felt like a nodule, and the only way to tell for sure was to biopsy. So I had that March 12, and just got the result two days ago ...... Scar tissue! I am very relieved! I have started my breast cancer survivors dragon boat training "Sistership Calgary", and its going to be so much fun. To play with all these ladies, some of whom are many years out and still really fit and well is a great encouragement too! I do have mild/moderate lymphedema in my forearm now, and have to wear a glove and sleeve more or less fulltime, which is a pain, but I'm back to full time work, and if the past 4 weeks of being scared witless hadn't worn me down so much, I'd say I wad feeling great. I soon will be again. I have an appointment in May with a plastics surgeon to discuss reconstruction, but I'm frustrated that my hematologist won't let me stop warfarin yet (for my blood clots over a year ago now!!) He says I still have too many risk factors going on! I'm hoping to change his mind if I'm still fit and well when I next see him in 4 months! Went bowling last night with a bunch of local "survivors", and I still sing with my singing sisters. Competition first weekend of May. I've never had so many women in my life, and never felt so loved and blessed! It's an ill wind .... as they say!!! Stay well everyone! Rose xxxx ... View more

I attended a deep water exercise class. I started when I was on weekly taxol (but I might have started earlier if I'd known about it). I guess I was lucky that my white cell count hardly dropped below normal limits, and I stayed pretty well as regards infections. I did get a mild infection in my affected arm, but there was no evidence to suggest the pool had anything to do with that .... I think it was connected to some pesky mosquitoes! My s.i.l. who was also on treatment was horrified, but she had a pre-existing germ phobia anyway, and refers to swimming pools as human soup! As for communal hot tubs ... She'd have had a fit at the very thought! 😉 ... View more

Hi Pie! While you are most welcome to post here, this thread was started a year ago, so there is probably another with people who are starting in January 2014. Chemo is manageable, but unpleasant to varying degrees. We have all come through it and are out the other side. Although each of us seems to react with some differences, you will find it helpful to connect with others at the same stage as yourself, I'm sure! Good luck with your treatments! xx ... View more

Ps, they're going to repeat the CT in a year anyway, so I'm happy about that too!! ... View more

Just had a CT chest to check my "indeterminate" lung nodule. Hasn't changed one iota since this time last year, so pretty positive it is b9! This has been worrying me more than I'd realised, I think, because I slept really quite well last night!!! Merry Christmas everyone, and a happy and HEALTHY new year! ... View more

Hi everyone, and welcome Curleychris! I have an appointment with a plastics surgeon in January to discuss possible reconstruction. I had a left mastectomy last December, (followed by 24 weeks of chemo, and 16 rads) and my plan/hope is to have a prophylactic right mastectomy and bilateral DIEP or TRAM reconstructions. My concern is my blood clotting history may make microsurgery problematic, so if recon is not possible, I will consider the proph. Mx anyway, and at least be symmetrical. I had a right mammo and u/s in June, which was negative, but I'm distrustful of imaging as most of my original, (>8cm!!) tumour did not show on mammo/ultrasound! My next anxiety-inducing test is a CT lung to look at an "indeterminate" nodule previously identified! Most of the time, I am feeling very good, and my chorus just won gold in our singing contest in Hawaii!!, but when, as this week, I hear of one of my "BC contemporaries" dying, or being diagnosed with mets or recurrence, I realize how vulnerable I still feel! I'm due to start a phased return to work next week. Mixed feelings about that: a little anxious, and will miss being mistress of my own time in many ways, but I think it will be good for me, on the whole! I wasn't on any follow-on treatment, being triple negative. ... View more

Hi Rhonda, It's a shame there is nothing in your area. I'll bet there's a need for it ..... You could start something up! 🙂 ... View more

Using the mobile version on my HTC android. Ah, I can edit if I open the "full site". ... View more

There is no button shows up on my posts, except "Add Comment". ... View more