Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi, When I went I had a mammogram, ultrasound and a biopsy, I felt then that it was definitely cancer, and was pretty sure when they asked me to wait to see the doctor and brought me a cup of tea - nobody else in the waiting area had a cup of tea! As I understand it, from the tests on the day, you can be in one of five categoties - until further confirmation: Almost definitely cancer Probably cancer Might be cancer Probably not cancer Almost definitely not cancer Waiting is horrible - I wish you the best of luck. ... View more

Sorry to butt in with something unrelated. I can't help wondering about your name Vercors. I've seen your name on other threads in the past and often wondered about it. My son worked at Valance in France for a year. We explored some of the beutiful Vercors area when we visited him, so I was wondering if you come from there. I pop into the forum occasionally - I was hooked during active treatment, which finished in May 2011 - am on Arimidex now. I have just read all of this thread - it was entertaining and uplifting. Well done all, it's great to see the way you all support each other. I'm one of those annoying people who was not overweight at the start of chemo and struggled to keep weight on during chemo. I'm the same as pre-chemo now, but all my fat is around my stomach - so not healthy. I look slim but I'm kind of just straight up and down and hide all the blubber around my middle. Best wishes all. Stella ... View more

Hi, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you - it is a very worrying time for you all. Your hubby is probably very worried too, but is doing the typical male thing and is hiding his head in the sand. Many men do this - it is just there way of coping - very different to a women's. That is why the forums are so good you can come along and ask anything or pour your heart out. Good luck with the tests. ... View more

Hi, Sorry you are suffering so much. It really seems never ending once you have had four chemos and 'only two more' sounds a dreadful thought. I had to have the injections - they are really not that bad and well worth having - I had no more problems wgith low white cell count. Ask yourself how you would feel if you ever had a spread or recurrence and you had not had all six chemos. If you can say it would not bother you, then by all means stop, but if you think you would be regretting your decision then give the injections a go and go for it. It will pass - I know it seems a long, long haul at the time. Hope you feel a bit better soon. Best wishes- whatever you decide. ... View more

Hi Charlz, Sorry to hear your mum is having problems with sickness. I was fairly fortunate and was only sick once but felt nauseous and not like eating for a few days each time. People on the chemo thread I was on were recommending Emend (expensive) if the cheaper anti-sickness meds don't work. You need to contact the chemo unit and tell them what is happening - they should be able to help with something now and prevent things getting so bad for future chemos. Hope you manage to get things better from your mum. ... View more

I am so shocked and saddened. I rarely posted on the 'woods' thread but I always read and enjoyed it. I also met Scaco when a few of us met in Birmingham - with an assortment of wigs and scarves. She was such a lively vibrant YOUNG woman. My sincere condolences to her family. I'm not much of a swearer, but this really makes me want to swear -it is just so unfair. ... View more

I didn't have this treatment, but it is standard with tax in America. I took frozen peas with me to the chemo suite and put my hands and feet between the bags. The nurses just asked why and let me get on with it as if I was slightly mad. I felt it was me that was going to have to put up with the problems so I would do all I could to prevent it. I didn't have problems with loss of or painful nails or any neuropathy in fingers and toes. My onc was sceptical, but I had read the research and went ahead. There were others on the chemo thread at the time who tried it as well (started chemo Oct 2010). Hope it works for you. Wishing you minimal SEs. xx ... View more

Hi Rosie, Sorry you need to join this forum. As a nearly 60 year old woman (diagnosed a week before my 58th birthday) I really feel for all you youngsters with or without children. To confirm what others have said - chemo is not much fun, but doable. Take everything a day at a time and make the best of each day - rest when you need to (if you can with toddlers). Make sure you tell the unit about the sickness and ask for Emend next time. They give everyone basic (and cheaper) anti sickness drugs which work for most people, but if you are as sick as you were they can give you Emend which should stop the sickness. Also if you have family/friends who can help, take them up on every offer and if they ask what they can do - tell them. Help with taking children to nursey or looking after them for a couple of hours, help with meals - anything. Long story, but we had my adult son at home with mental health problems and friends would arrive with casseroles/crumbles and cakes. Not to have to worry about feeding the family sometimes is very helpful. Best wishes - you will get to the end. x ... View more

I can't remember how long it took. I just left it on the wig stand. I didn't feel that it took a long time. It will be fine don't worry. they are designed to be washed. I finished chemo 15 months ago. Hair seemed to take a long time to grow properly, but when it did it was like an eighties perm (always had straight hair before). it has gradually become straighter, but has more body and is drier than before. It seems a long haul - but you will come out the other side, feel well and have hair again. Good luck with treatment everyone. ... View more

Hi, I washed my only one and it was fine. I got a bowl of warm water and a gentle shampoo. Washed and rinsed gently - no squeezing or anything. Combed gently and conditioned. It was fine. Good luck with yours. ... View more

Hello, Sorry you have to be here on these forums. I don't have the same diagnosis as you, but hopefully I can shed some light on your situation. The forums are a bit difficult at the moment, but I'm sure someone with your diagnosis will be along some time. Your cancer is negative to the hormone oestrogen - ie oestrogen is not helping your tumour to grow, so there is no point in having tamoxifen which reduces the amount of the oestrogen in your body. However you are positive to a protein called HER2 which can be treated with herceptin. This is usually administered every three weeks for a year often staring part way through a course of chemotherapy. Tumours can be positive or negative to oestrogen, progesterone or HER2. This can be in any combination. If you are negative to all three then this is often described as triple negative. These tumours are probably positive to something as yet undiscovered. A few years ago there was no herceptin treatment for your diagnosis. There is lots of information about different diagnoses etc on this site. You can also contact your BCN and ask her to explain your disgnosis and treatment to you. Things will get easier as your treatment plan unfolds. It's a long haul, but take each day and stage at a time and you will get there and out the other side. Best wishes. ... View more

Hi KB, Everything is a worry whatever your diagnosis. Remember that the oncs base their treatment plan for you and your prognosis on many things. Node involvement is just one of many factors. Grade of tumour, vascular invasion, response to hormones and HER2 etc are all taken into consideration. And, as has already been said, many people with node involvement continue their lives with no further problems, while some without have further recurrences etc. We none of us know what the future will be, so try to make the best of each day and not worry too much - not easy, but it helps. Best wishes. Stella ... View more

Hi Yvonne, Sorry you need to join the forum, but welcome and I'll see if I can post on this new version. I just wrote a long reply to you - don't know where it is now! Things will improve and you'll get some control as soon as you know what your treatment plan is. Waitlng and adjusting to the news is the hardest bit. The take each day at a time and each stage of treatment at a time. try to plan treats around your treatment and accept all offers of help from family/friends. I was diagnosed in Aug 2010. I had lumpectomy and SNB. Unfortunately the tumour, although small, was grade 3 and with vascular invasion, so I had to have chemo (with a break in the middle to have my appendix out!) and radiotherapy. I was a fairly fit 58 year old at diagnosis. I tried to walk every day during treatment (even if only a crawl round the block at times). I finshed active treatment in May 2011 and gradually improved my fitness, so that by September I had regained my fitenss so that I was back walking, cycling and dancing. So yes you will get there, even if it's a bit of a long haul. Best wishes. Stella ... View more

PS - I meant to say that you have a much bigger decision to make than I had - and I found that hard enough. Sx ... View more

Hi, I had a smallish lump and had to decide whether to have WLE and radiotherapy or mastectomy - I also had chemotherapy, but that was because it was a grade 3 cancer. I felt like you - that it was a massive decision and difficult to decide. I chose WLE and radiotherapy and really feel now that that was the best choice. Mastectomy is a much bigger and more traumatic operation. The snb had more after effects and you would have that in either case. Only you can decide which you will feel happier with mentally. Incidentally, it's a bit of a pain going to hospital every day for radiotherapy, but other than that I didn't find it a problem. Best wishes for your decision making and your treatment. You will get there - just take a day at a time. Stella x ... View more

Hello, I don't think you should worry about the length. There is usually more than one sentinel node - usually 1 to 4. I had 7! - all clear fortunately. Probably the sentinel nodes were just spread wide apart. Waiting for results is always a worrying time. I had a small tumour like you, but it was grade 3 so chemo, rads etc. Hope you find that your nodes were clear and the cancer low grade. Whatever the results they will tell you your treatment plan and at least you will know what you are dealing with. Best wishes. Stella ... View more

Hello, I was told on the day at the one stop clinic. I understand from what I have read on this forum that after ultrasound etc they have 5 scenarios; definitely cancer, probably cancer, 50/50, probably not, definitely not. I was told on the day to decide during the following week whether I wanted lumpectomy and radiotherapy or mastectomy so that they could book the op when I went back for confirming results the following week. It is such a worrying time. I am sure you will be a big support to your mum. Stella x ... View more

Hello, Sorry you have to have chemo at all. I'm sure your onc has chosen the best chemo for your particular case, but it might help if he/she could explain their reasoning to you so that you aren't wondering about the whys and wherefores. I had FEC-T - no nodes but grade 3 AND vascular invasion so very aggressive - Also only weakly +ve to oestrogen, so hormone tablets not as much benefit as if strongly +ve. Basically they weigh up all the factors - not just node involvement. Best of luck with the treatment, hope you don't suffer too much from SEs. You will get there. Stella xx ... View more

Hello, Sorry to read all the problems you young ones with babies and toddlers have to face - it's hard enough anyway. I'm just wondering if there is a WI near you. If so, there might well be some ladies who could make a rota to help you out. If you don't know how to get in touch with them, let me know where you live and I'll try to find out if there is a WI near you and contact them. Hope you manage to sort things out. Stella xx ... View more