Hi Sandra,

Welcome to Cancer Chat. I am sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis.You are doing well by trying to cope one day at a time.The first letter you received today wasn't so bad.. It is going to remove the cancer in your breast and give you the chance to live a normal life once all this treatment is over, so the sooner you start the sooner you'll be finished with it all. The second was a definite bonus.

What surgery are you going to have - a lumpectomy or a mastectomy?

I have had 2 bouts of primary breast cancer. The first was diagnosed 7 years ago and the second the following year. Have you got a treatment plan in place post-surgery?

Please stay in touch. Remember, there is always someone here whenever you feel like talking.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine.

Thanks for the reply. 

I have 2 small lumps in my R breast (no one can feel them nor is there any outward change to be seen nor pain. Caught on routine screening).

They are grade 1 and grade  2 both invasive cancers. On MRI my lymph nodes look clear.

I am having a lumpectomy on the 21st as a day case. They are hoping to make 1 incision to get to both but will re assess on day. They are also taking 2 sentinel nodes for biopsy just in case. 

After the op all things being equal I am to have radiotherapy mon to fri for 3 wks.

Wow how matter of fact does it all sound in the written word when it is so not.

7yrs post diagnosis - I tip my hat to you Jolamine. When we are first diagnosed it's like our lives ended in that moment. This is so not true "living with Cancer" never a truer word.

take care Jolamine 

Sandra x

Mines on the 17th mine was found early and its only small so I'm lucky but still coming to terms with it is hard x

Macmillan are quite good with this kind of stuff. See if you can contact them. 

I'm going to ring my nurse and ask about what I can do about benefits thank you xx

It's a bit of a shock isn't it. I've had outbreak of eczema in places like my eye lid of all places since diagnosis. I'm trying to focus on normal daily life until my op and take a day at a time. Mine is early too so am very positive for the future.

I try not to think about it to much working keeps me busy hopefully I'll get more hrs but the last few days I've been so tired and just want to sleep and cry about the most simplest things x

Hi Nikki,

I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis and remember well how I felt at that time. It is a scary time when you don’t know what to expect, but let me assure you that it’s not nearly as bad as where your imagination is taking you. With regard to how you feel now, allow yourself to sleep as much as you need to. Also let yourself cry, as this is a good relief valve for stress.

I have had 2 bouts of breast cancer. The first was 8 years ago and I had a lumpectomy followed by Tamoxifen. I had the second bout a year later and had a double mastectomy followed by Letrozole. Fortunately you have caught things early and this should give you a better chance. I was stage 1 with no lymph node involvement both times.

Ask your cancer nurse if there is a facility at the hospital to help you with financial benefits. I have a group which I think is run by MacMillan in my hospital. It is helpful to have someone who knows the drill to fill out your forms with you. Having it done from a cancer perspective, it is useful to have it filled in by someone who fills out your form based on this. Your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau will also be able to help you out, but maybe not so much from a cancer viewpoint.

Some benefits are means tested, but others are not, so again advice on what you are likely to qualify for is helpful. If you want help, the sooner you apply the better, as it can take some time to get payments through.

I haven’t had radiotherapy, but I’m sure that you won’t receive this until your wound has healed. I was exhausted, even without this. I am self-employed so felt duty bound to get back to work ASAP. With hindsight, this was not a good idea, as I just felt more and more tired. I eventually developed side-effects to my medication and had to stop doing the day to day work, although I still manage the business.

Try not to torment yourself with the ‘why me’ question. We all do it, but it gets us nowhere. Instead, think of how lucky you are to have caught it early and look to the future with positivity.  Try to keep yourself distracted from the wait by keeping yourself as busy as possible meanwhile.

I hope that all goes well for you on 17th April. Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you whenever you need us.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Ah I’m so glad u nd cornishpastie have connected:-) You are both practically running parallel to each other in this club no one expected to join. X

I think it's easy talking to someone who has been or is going through the same has me and I can talk to strangers more than I can family they no know me personally but when I found this site and see what other ppl are going through or have been through you can relate thank you xx

Hi Cornishpastie,

I am glad to see that on the face of things you are coping with all that is happening. It’s a real hit between the eyes when you are told your diagnosis and emotions are all over the place. Logic goes out the window and fear, anger, depression, tears, worry for family, etc, all creep in instead.

I have had 2 bouts of primary breast cancer. The first was 8 years ago when I had a lumpectomy followed by Tamoxifen.  A year later I found another lump and had a double mastectomy, followed by 6 years of Letrozole. Fortunately, both of mine were stage 1.

I hope that all goes well for you on 13th April and look forward to hearing how you get on after the operation.

Don’t forget that we are always here for you whenever you need us.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Did you suffer from fatigue at any time 

Did you suffer from fatigue at any time 

Yes and still do!

Can you take anything for it I'm new to all of this 

Not really. It’s recovery, your mind and body takes a battering during treatment. When it’s done, if everything has gone according to plan, is when the recovery really begins as you’ll be flying solo, ie at home, no regular hospital trips. This is how it was for me anyway but every one goes through this in different ways. You might not have any major problems and sail through it. 

I just fall asleep when I'm sat down when I finish work I'm so tired just want to sleep my op isn't till next month x

It’s hard. It’s not just what’s happening to your body, it messes with you head as well. I found sleeping at night was a problem so was nodding off at strange times as well. 

Ye I'm finding it hard to sleep on a night to then wake up weird times of the morning doesn't help when I'm on late shifts at work x

Ouch

Morning peeps 

re yr query about fatigue:-

I don’t know if it was because I was retired so work wasn’t hanging over my head ( and more importantly the financial implications that went with it) but I never felt particularly tired or fatigued. 

Don’t get me wrong when 1st diagnosed I felt like - well....,like someone had suddenly removed all the bones in my body.

I found this site the next day. Everyone was saying don’t google, don’t think ahead, live each day as it comes, keep busy..... they were right. I followed this this brilliant advice and....it really and I mean really helped. Pretty much there nd then thought ...ok let’s look this in the eye nd stare it down!

Everyone is different of course but for me this attitude to it “all” worked for me.

Each day when I went for my radiotherapy while in the waiting room I always chatted to the others sitting waiting for their turn ( only occasionally saw the same people). At some point I always asked how they were feeling. Some said tired, some a bit tired, some fine no tiredness at all ( this one was me too even by the end of treatment  I was... fine). So...everyone is different- it’s why we always say “well for me - or my experience was”. Here’s to your experience being as positive as possible me dear. We are here for the good days and of course the darker bad days. Just know however u feel we are here for you . X

Hi Nikki,

Oh boy did I feel tired!

I didn't sleep well at night.  Between night sweats and, my mind going into overdrive in the early hours of the morning, I felt as if I was walking in a trance. However I fell asleep on any form of transport, or when trying to watch TV.

Eight years on I am still tired, but not as totally exhausted as I used to be and can now manage a short journey without falling asleep. I still have to pace myself if I want to do anything on a particular day.

It's a drawback, but it's liveable with.

I wonder how others feel. Has the tiredness stayed with you, or did you eventually get rid of it?

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

I have been through so much for this past year. Diagnosed twice with breast cancer in both breasts. 2016 September had a partial mastectomy and 5 weeks of radiotherapy. September 2017 diagnosed again with invasive cancer in the second breast and had a complete mastectomy.  Age 63 and so tired