Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Belinda, I had the honour of taking part in the ad (with my kids on the bed) thank you for your kind words about the campaign. I'll pass on your comments to Alex and some of the other ladies that took part. Take care x x ... View more

I have pm'ed you x x ... View more

That sounds really promising that it's 18mm and clear arm pit. They class early stage bc as less than 20mm I think. Mine was 17mm and like I said I had 3 nodes affected. If you want to know more now you've had time to adjust a bit more. Call your Breast care nurse. She'll have your notes and will answer any questions you have. I had a few more days to adjust to getting the "news" at my scan they didnt reassure me at all. They didn't say they def thought it was bc but they just said we'll know more when the results are back & cancelled my follow up appointment which was over 2 weeks away & said they'd give me a call. That was a Monday on the Friday I called & the receptionist said my results were being reviewed by the multi disciplinary team on wed morning and they wanted to see me after in oncology. That's when I knew! So I went into my appointment with lots of questions. I came out knowing it was grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma and it was triple negative but only 17mm. You need to get onto the group. You'll get so much more support esp as we are all younger, many of us have kids, some are pregnant. But we're all in it together. Set up your pm & pm me. I'm halfway through my chemo now I've had 3 sessions of fec type chemo and im just about to start my tax type chemo which I'll also have 3 sessions of x x ... View more

I think you need to set up private messages. They'll want a whole picture of what's going on before they start your treatment. You'll probably get all of your results in one day (about a week after your scans) theyll have a multi discipline meeting between oncologist, surgeons, radiographers ect and they'll decide the best course of action based on what they are dealing with. Don't be tempted to compare your treatment with anyone else's we are all different. What do you know so far. Have they given you a grade & type. Have they discussed what they already know from your (I'm guessing you had an ultra sound like me & biopsy) ultra sound with regards to tumour size & lymph nodes. don't put anything on here if you don't want to. The feelings you have are perfectly normal we call it scanxiety in the group. I can't say there's no way it's spread but the possibility that it's untreatable is extremely slight. My tumour was 17mm and had spread to 3 of my lymph nodes. Which was fine they whipped the lot out & I'm now halfway through my chemo to mop up any stray bits. Your reassurances will come when you have your scan results until then you have to go through this awful bit of not knowing, believe me when I say this is the hardest bit once you know and you have a plan & you know what your treatment will be you'll feel more empowered x x ... View more

I'm 31 and was diagnosed in October. Grade 3 stage 2b triple negative. I have a 7 year old and my latest addition was only 11 months old at dx. It was a scary time and lots of negative thoughts happen as you don't have any answers. The scans will help find those answers. On the day of my diagnosis I had a mammogram. Then about a week later I had a Breast mri & a ct scan. That's all very normal they need those scans to work out your best course of treatment. Believe me when I say the beginning is the worst part. It all gets easier once you know what you are dealing with. If you click on my profile name it'll give you the option to private message me if you want to. There is a secret group for younger people diagnosed with bc it's been a complete lifeline for me but I can't discuss it on the open forum here ... View more

Hi sunshine2. I'm so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. Rest assured all of this gets easier to bear. I know its all very scary right now. I'm currently half way through my chemo. If there's anything you want to ask me then feel free. You can private message me to if you like ... View more

Hi scotgirl, sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I'm trying to send you a pm. Can you enable private messages and I'll let you know how to sign up to the fb group as we can't do it openly on these pages x x ... View more

Hi Emma I've tried to pm you but you have your private messages turned off. Just trying to point you in the direction of something that may be of interest to you as a younger person x x ... View more

7 days post wle & anc. And I have a seroma which is accumulating in my boob! I sound like a sloshing hot water bottle lol. Pain meds have been increased so hopefully that starts to help. But I have to stop doing my exercises which is actually making me feel worse right now! But I have been reassured this will pass. How is everyone else getting on x x ... View more

I should have been a day case but ended up being kept in over night. The pain is completely bareable. Just got to keep on top of it & remember to do your exercises x x ... View more

Get yourself some open fronted Jammies. Ear plugs (if you have to stay in) lol. & yes a full auxiliary clearance is all the nodes removed x x ... View more

Hi Pam in answer to your question I ended up with a full auxiliary node clearance. All I know at the moment is there was at least 1 positive node and estimated tumour size 20mm. I had a wle (lumpectomy) as I have young kids healing process is quicker. Having reviewed all the options with my surgeon I could have had mx but new evidence shows you are no more or less likely to have a reccurance from lumpectomy or mastectomy. My lump was in the upper left quadrant of my left breast so perfect location for wle & I should end up with a great cosmetic result. Not that that was any way influential in my decision. My recovery so far has been great. I'm uncomfortable but by no means in any pain. I have a drain in till Friday which is causing me more hassle than anything right now. I was told chemo is the first port of call for tumours over 30mm which is why I've had surgery first with chemo to start in the new year x x ... View more

Hey everyone! I've only just got the notifications from this post....how annoying. I'm 2 days post op right now. Wle but they found the bloody stuff in at least one of my nodes so my sentinel biopsy turned into an auxiliary clearance & I find out the full results on the 23rd. How are you feeling now Brewster x x ... View more

Hi, I'm 31 from Southampton grade 3 idc triple neg. dx 22/10/14. How are you all getting on now x x ... View more

Hi jodiebeee. I'm 31, 2 kids. Dx 22/10/14 grade 3 idc triple beg currently awaiting my surgery. Right here with you hun x x ... View more

Awaiting my op date any day now. It'll be before dec 5th so only a couple of weeks left to wait. I take it your mass is quite large then is it? I haven't discussed a chemo plan yet only that they'll throw everything they can at it and I'll be expecting to be on it for 6 months. Not sure how many rounds that is. Is 3 weekly the norm. We had a further development at home on Saturday when my husband and daughter came down with hand foot & mouth as a result of my sons eczema herpeticum!!!! So we are all on anti viral meds now (me as a precautionary measure so as to not delay my surgery) so we are all hauled up at home with the washing machine on boil wash overtime & the place stinking of dettol lol so still no time to think of me. Still at least with the kids it gives me something to keep going. Have you lost your hair if so how long did it take if you don't mind me asking. I want to donate mine to charity before it makes it to the bin and I don't know wether to have a bob or just go for a really short pixie style and just be done with it. I'll go with the latter if it happens pretty quickly. So glad your ct was clear. It's a weird kind of celebration isn't it x x ... View more

Oh woodview it can be completely overwhelming at times but believe me when I say b4 my diagnosis I was beside myself with worry and fear. I truly hope they have good news for you but if it isn't you'll be surprised at just how strong you are and have to be. When I got my dx everything came into perspective after the fog of awaiting results. Try not to worry so that you can go into your appointment with a clear head. Take someone with you who you know will keep it together for you so they can listen to what's being said. Thinking of you & fingers crossed x x ... View more

Aw sharbansh! Some days are rotten. Don't think ahead to if you'll enjoy christmas. Take one day at a time and then reflect on the day, I've started writing a diary. You will find something positive from every day and believe me I've had my fair few rough days ESP with my 2 kids & husband being really poorly. I've been the healthiest one in the house hold lol. If you worry about not enjoying it you won't be able to. Cancer doesn't deserve worry or fear. Some one said to me there are a few things cancer cells can't invade, your courage, your faith & your soul. I hope you start feeling more positive soon x x ... View more

Good luck & let us know how you get on x x ... View more

Flossie!!! I'm so glad you posted this, I've been feeling exactly the same. I asked my friend the other day if there was some sort of diagnosis etiquette that I wasn't following lol. I was a nervous wreck leading up to my dx (grade 3 idc triple neg 22/10/14) my mind was conjuring up all sorts, I was walking around in a haze, the minute the (my) oncologist said "I'm so sorry it's cancer" everything came into sharp focus. My mind said "right you have to listen to exactly what he's saying" I knew my husband was going to pieces next to me I could feel it eminating from him. He cried his heart out when they left the room to give is a minute. I didn't cry & I wasn't completly shocked if I'm honest I just thought right what have we got to do to beat this. I went for bloods and joked with the guy (which I feel a little bad for) he said I had to keep still that I was shaking. I said you'd be shaking to if you'd just been diagnosed with cancer. I called my mum on the way to my mammogram I thought I would cry but I didn't even tho I could hear the tears in her voice. We got home & my mum & husband broke down and I told them they had to man up that I needed them to be strong so that I could be. I must admit i held on to my (then 11 month old) son for dear life & my husband picked my daughter (7) up from school. He broke the news to her I just couldn't do it but I know I wanted her to know straight away. I called everyone I could think of and told them and I was fine & I kept thinking should I be fine? In the days leading up to my appointment I thought I would fall apart if it was bad news but I wasn't I was being stronger than everyone. The next day I posted a fb status it was wear it pink day the next day and I thought something good has to come from this so I've kind of made it a mission to raise awareness to my friends (if it gets them talking about it to their friends that's got to be good right?) I've updated my progress the whole way so far (I had to have a ct for stomach pain as they thought the cancer may have spread but luckily the ct was clear) and the support has been amazing. I've fallen to pieces twice since my dx once 2 days after when I got a letter in the post to say is lost my job. Never in a million years would I have thought I would be scrambling around trying to claim here there & everywhere but there you go. And just this Saturday when, after a week of treating my son for eczema herpeticum and finding out on Friday he has egg, nut, wheat & gluten allergies, my husband & daughter have caught a strain of it and both have hand, foot & mouth (it never rains!!!!). On the whole I have been stronger than I've ever imagined I could be so far. Awaiting my surgery date at the moment x x ... View more