Just diagnosed Breast Cancer

Hi all, 

I have just been diagnosed with Oestrogen Receiptive breast cancer. Caught by pure chance. It was picked up when I went to the clinic about another lump, which was a cyst and drained. The cancerous one I could not feel at all but feel suprisingly lucky it was caught early.

All I know so far is that it is very treatable with lumpsectomy, radiotherapy and tamoxifen for 5 years. Waiting to get an MRI to do further checks so hoping that will be clear and I wont need chemo. Chemo is the thing I am most worried about because of hair loss and feeling crap.

I am due to get married in March. Now thinking of putting the wedding back until later in the year as I have alot of family travelling in for it and dont want to cancel 2 months before and they are all out of pocket. Can any of you ladies give me some advice on how long your treatments lasted and how you felt with side effects? I am feeling a bit emotional just now as it is all very new and raw and not sure if I will be fit by March. I am trying to remain positive but my trigger words seem to be 'kids' as I have 2 and 'wedding'.

Thanks x

  • Hello there, firstly what a relief to have this picked up...phew....

    my lumpectomy was straight forward....I was told all the way along it was highly unlikely I would need chemo ( I was her2 pos) then...I needed chemo ( as a flush) 

    hang fire until you know for definite....I also had 23 sessions of rads, I was completely exhausted but of course I had the effects of chemo still in my body...

     

    do you have node involvement? I'm keeping everything crossed for you...let us know how you get on? X

  • Hi Marlyn,

    Thanks for the advice.

    Do you mind me asking what her2 pos is? Is that that a hormonal type of cancer?

    Think I will put the wedding off. Dont think I would be able to focus on organising it anyway.

    Not sure about node involvement?? I have to get an MRI but dont have date yet.

    I presume all your treatment was successful. Do you mind me asking how long it all took.?

    Sorry for all the questions and thank you x

  • Yes, it's oestrogen driven, I had no node involvement but my onco said he couldn't guarantee a stray cell....hence the chemo flush...from the lumpectomy to end of rads it took around 6 months, I'm still going every 3 weeks for herceptin.....

    im still left with fatigue but I suppose that's to be expected....

    i think you're very wise to postpone the wedding for now, concentrate on the surgery for now and deal with things as and if they pop up...

    oh yes, and all good with me, although I'll know for sure at my first mammogram in January....eek! Xxx

  • I suppose better to be safe than sorry with the chemo. That is a long time. My surgeon said he hopes (MRI result dependent so could wll change) that I am through everything before Christmas. I work full time, although haven't gone in today and plan to log in tomorrow from home. Work very accommodating with me which is good. Do you work? Were you able to keep working?

    What is herceptin? Sorry all very new terms to me.

    Praying your mammogram ok in January. Ask for ultrasound too as apparently mine was so small  6mm it didnt show up on mammogram.

  • Hi glasgowgal. I was diagnosed in February , Tumor was er positive but her2 negative. Had a lumpectomy in March with 1 lymph node removed then a 3 week wait for results. Luckily no node involvement , mass was 4.2cm but because of my age (46) it was sent for an oncotype dx test so another 2 weeks waiting on those results. Luckily didn’t need chemo so just 15 sessions of radiotherapy and 5 years on tamoxifen. I had 3 weeks off after surgery but was up and about the day after. Worked through radiotherapy but did short days. My work are really supportive so that helped. Total treatment time was just over 3 months. I have 2 kids aged 14 and 8 so wanted as much normality as possible for them. The waiting is the worst time but once you know your plan it becomes easier. Happy to answer any questions. Sending big hugs. Nicky xxx

  • I worked throughout, I'm the warden of a small residential home for the elderly, it wasn't demanding, I was ok....

    herceptin is a targeted therapy for her2 pos , it helps mop up oestrogen as we need to get rid of that wee hormone! 

    Yrs, I get the ultrasound too as I have dense breast tissue....let me know how you get on? Xxx

  • Hi Nicky 453,

    Thanks for the advice. Your lump sounds big. Mine is only 6mm. Not sure about positive or negative chat. All very new to me. Just remember him saying estrogen receptive and hope to have all treatment done by Christmas, depending on MRI results. Sounds very similar to your timescale.

    I am actually same age as you, kids 13 and 10. Work very supportive so hoping to work as much as I can to keep things normal.

    Yes waiting is the hardest part. Once I have MRI and  know full treatment plan I will feel better. 

    Good to hear a sucess story x

  • Hi I couldn’t feel the lump but he did say 2cm on mammogram but was larger when they did the surgery which is not uncommon . Hopefully you will just have lumpectomy, I didn’t even tell my 14 year old until after surgery so I could say I had a lump but now it’s gone. Didn’t tell my 8 yr old anything as I was up and about the next day so he wouldn’t understand. When is your scan? Let us know how you get on , sending positive hugs xxx

  • Wow that is a big difference in size. Didn't  know it could change like that, but all new to me just now.

    I haven't told kids just yet. Daughter goes to Disneyland Paris with her Girl Guides tomorrow, so didn't want to spoil it for her. Will see how it goes with MRI. Nurse calling me tomorrow to tell me if it will be this Monday or next then get result and full plan 2 days later. Apparently everything will move quite quickly xx

  • Hi Glasgowgal,

    it's very early days for you so hardly surprising you feel the way you do bless.

    First of all just to say evvveryone is different. I was always surprised at how many people seemed to have the same thing but got different treatment plans. Even hospitals seem to have different timescales and processes. 

    with this in mind... I was diagnosed just over 2 yr ago aged 60. 2 lumps same breast found on routine screening. Both invasive ER+ her-  13 mm & 12 mm. first step ... MRI ( of breasts only) to check no others lurking there- there wasn't. My treatment plan was lumpectomy and sentimental nodes ( to check nodes clear), 15 sessions of radiotherapy and 10 yrs of hormone medication (letrozole). I was at shops nd pub for lunch day after lumpectomy. Didn't have any pain but didn't want it knocked either. I was very fortunate in as much as I was well with no side effects post op or radiotherapy. From date of diagnosis to last radiotherapy session was 13 wks and 2 days. 

    That was 2 yrs ago. I now see my consultant annually and have annual mammograms for 5 yrs ( just had yr 2 and all well). Long may it last. Cosmetically- the scar for the lumpectomy has faded so much you have to look really close otherwise you can't tell I have one. Where the lymph nodes were taken under my arm can be seen but looks like a crease line. My breast is smaller but... not enough difference to need a filler in my bra. 

    remember everyone is different - I hope your treatment plan as good as possible me dear. ️