Hi Suemum

So sorry to hear of your diagnosis, but it sounds like you've caught it early, even if it's Stage 2.  I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2023 (Stage 2, Grade 3) and had a lumpectomy last year (after 6 months of chemo/immunotherapy treatment) followed by a short course of radiotherapy.  I had my first follow-up mammogram last month which has come back clear.  I was a bit like you when I found the lump.  I was seeing my GP regularly for other reasons and when she asked if there was anything else, I mentioned it really just as a "it's probably nothing".  She did an examination in the surgery and referred me to the hospital for further investigation.  It is very hard not to worry, and that period of not knowing I think is the hardest.  I too had a couple of sentinal nodes removed whilst undergoing the lumpectomy so they could do a biopsy but thankfully they came back clear.  The operation itself is very straightforward.  My surgeon did an amazing job and unless you look extremely closely, you wouldn't even know anything had been done.  They will take excellent care of you and from experience they are very considerate of the aesthetics post surgery. 

I know it must feel like an interminable amount of time between diagnosis and surgery date, but (easier said that done, I know), try not to worry.  It's ok to feel scared and it's ok to feel angry and upset too.  But just try to keep yourself occupied and try to keep positive (though at times I wanted to shoot anyone who told me to think positive all the time!).  I can empathise with how you're feeling.  Take some deep, calming breaths and if you can, try to find some online, short meditation audio clips.  That always helped me and settled my mind when it started to run away with itself. 

We are here if you need to rant and shout and get things off your chest. 

Keep us posted with how the surgery goes.  All the best.

Carol 

Hi, I don’t want to hijack Suemum3’s post but I’m in a similar position but stage 2 and need chemo first before the op and haven’t hit menopause yet so need that to be chemically induced too. Your experience sounds closest to me mine. I’m terrified of chemo, will I be able to work? We’re you able to? Any advice of what is realistically possible and what you can do while having chemo would be super helpful. 

Hi Sue,

How did your results go?

Regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine

Better than we thought.

The Mri didn't  throw up any red flags but my kind of cancer i have i will need Mri ever year instead of a mammogram. 

Its still stage 1 but i will need nuclear injection plus blue dye on the op day.  if it has gone into the lymph nodes it will be stage 2.  If it stays as it is i wil have radiotherapy after and then the tablet for 5-10yrs. I will also have herceptin but not sure how they are giving that yet. Feel a bit more relieved at the moment.  Just waiting for my op day now. Xx

Hi Sue,

This is great news. We all get the blue dye for the op, but it clears from the system fairly quickly afterwards. It's also good news that it still seems to be stage 1, so here's hoping that it stays at that stage for your op.

Do you know what type of breast cancer it is and have you been given any idea of when your surgery is likely to be? - I'm sure that you're keen to get it over and done with now.

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine 

It is aggressive ductal carcinoma  and still waiting for the op date. We are away for a few days this week so hoping it's  the week after. Xx

Hi Sue,

Not the best, but it is all still "doable". I hope that you enjoy your few days away this week and that the good weather continues for you.

Jolamine xx

 I had my lumpectomy  and nuclear injection  and scan yesterday. It was a long day and I was last in at 4pm. My consultant came round at 2pm to tell me they can't  find my sentinel node on the nuclear scan. He will try with a probe and more dye but if he can't  find it he will take out all of  my nodes. I asked when I came round what the consultant had done but they couldn't read his notes. Appointment on the 17th July to find out what they have done plus what treatment I will be having. Glad that it is out now and ready for the next step.in my cancer journey. Sue xx 

Hi Sue,

I'm glad to hear that your op is behind you now and hope that you're not feeling too tender today.  I'm sure that you'll worry about your lymph nodes, until you find out what happened with them. You could phone your breast care nurse and ask her. You shouldn't have to wait until 17th to find this out. You usually have to leave a message for the nurse, but they usually phone back as soon as they can.

I shall be thinking of you on 17th and hope that there'll be no more need for further surgery.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thank you Jolamine.

I have an appointment  to check my wounds on the 11th July so hopefully  they will tell me then xx

Hi Sue,

That's not so long to wait. I hope that it goes well.

Jolamine xx

Hi there - sounds like I had a very similar experience to you, I am almost out the other side now so please know that it will be OK! Mine was a Left Grade 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma ER4 PR 0 HER2 3+, I had chemo first and then surgery, I was lucky in that I got away with having 4 rounds of chemo (doxytaccyl) and then a MRI showed that it had disappeared. In my experience chemo was unpleasant at times but really just a bit fluey and made me feel chemically (I was lucky). Report all side affects to your oncologist and they will give you drugs to help abate whatever problems you have. Stay strong and reach out if you have any questions... I have also been writing a visual diary on substack about my experience that perhaps you might find useful > clingfilm.substack.com/

Hi there - sounds like I had a very similar experience to you, I am almost out the other side now so please know that it will be OK! Mine was a Left Grade 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma ER4 PR 0 HER2 3+, I had chemo first and then surgery, I was lucky in that I got away with having 4 rounds of chemo (doxytaccyl) and then a MRI showed that it had disappeared. In my experience chemo was unpleasant at times but really just a bit fluey and made me feel chemically (I was lucky). Report all side affects to your oncologist and they will give you drugs to help abate whatever problems you have. Stay strong and reach out if you have any questions... I have also been writing a visual diary on substack about my experience that perhaps you might find useful > clingfilm.substack.com/

Hi

Glad you  are on the otherside and treatment has gone well for you. Still a bit of wait to find out what my treatment will be on the 17th July..  Sue x