Hi

i know what you mean- I am HER2 positive and been put on tamoxifen before surgery in a couple of months. I had a wobble last week because of it being HER2 postive and being more aggresssive. I rang my BCN and she said the tamoxifen will be working and stopping the tumour growing. My tumour is 15mm and she said although you are just taking a tablet every day, you are being treated for this now. It does seem to be that a lot of breast cancers that are hormone receptive are being treated with tablets at the moment.

I think anxieties are raised even more so at the moment and it's very difficult to stop your mind wandering- my mind can play awful games with me sometimes!  I suppose at the end of the day we have to trust our consultants are doing the right thing for us, I'm no expert but they must see so many cases they know who needs surgery straight away and who can wait. By the sounds of it you have caught this early, 8mm is small (my consultant said 15mm was quite small). Have you started taking the tablets yet? Hopefully you won't have to wait too long to get the results for the HER2. 
 

Take care xx

Hi

thanks for your comments it good to speak to people going through the same thing.  I have a great support network of family and friends who have been great but sometimes I feel I cannot speak so freely as to what I’m going through.

yes you are right the medical team will definitely know what they are doing so we have to trust them as they see this all the time.  And I’m sure if we needed urgent surgery they would have us in.

ive started the tablets I was started on them when I was diagnosed in fact on the same day.  My side affects are hot flushes and sometimes fatigue but I find yoga and walking seems to help a lot with the tiredness.  They’ve not contacted me about the HER2 result so I’m not sure when the result will come in and whether they will change treatment as a result of this.  What I cannot understand is they say it is non aggressive variety and put me on tabs but yet the HER2 test has not come in.  

You seem really positive and it’s good to be that way and thank u for sharing u comments.

I have just had surgery for this last week. I was given Tamoxifen and told it would be 4 months til operation then I was called in as a private hospital took some of the patients. Bit of a shock when I was expecting to wait.

Had to go to normal hospital for lymph node injection the morning of my operation and then to the private hospital. I was not given wipes to prep prior to the injection so it may be worth asking if you need any.

The surgery itself was ok. It was maybe around 2 hours. I was rather out if it in recovery! The sentinel node wound in my armpit has been more painful than the one beneath my breast. I was given codeine and paracetomol for pain relief and had blood thinning injections to do for the week post surgery. 

If you don't have any I would buy a couple of crop top type bras as they were most comfortable and good for sleeping in. I got a twin pack from Amazon for about £12. 

I have a telephone follow up in about 2 weeks

Best wishes to you all

Andrea xx

Hi

I am doing OK thank you, the post surgery healing is going well, the fact that it is my left side that has had the op has been a great help as it is amazing what you can do with one arm!

I have taken all the dressing and steri strips off now and, to my unknowledgable eye, it all looks good, quite nice and neat.

Time is dragging rather, my next MDT is Tuesday and they will not tell me anything about the pathoolgy results until then, I have a friend who is also a GP and he says that this is standard practice. Even if the results are in the day after the MDT they will wait until the following week to report them. It's frustrating but procedural so I just have to learn to be patient ( I am not very good at it!)

I had a bit of a wobbly day on Wednesday, my worst yet, got myself into a complete pickle about everything but feel a lot calmer now and, finally, I got my HER2 results in this afternoon which are negative so I am very much hoping with fingers crossed that as long as my lymph nodes show clear after pathology the original plan of lumpectomy, Tamoxifen and Radiotherapy will remain in place.

How are you doing? 

xx

So pleased for you in the Her- results!

im glad things went well and that you are happy overall with things.

fingers crossed for the pathology results that you want xxxx

Thanks Izzy

How are you doing? It sounds like you have a bit of a dilemma?

I am a total newbie in all of this so don't feel very well placed to advise on procedures, maybe a call to one of the nurses here would be helpful for you to chat through options and get some advice?

My own situation happened so fast from the first clinic on the 2nd April to op on the 16th that I didn't have chance to question anything much, not sure if that is good or bad?!

My boobs are small too but my lump was on the outside, between my nipple and armpit so I suppose that made it an easier option for a lumpectomy? That said I really hope there are clear margins because, as I said to my surgeon, there is not a lot of room for error!! I'll find out on Tuesday I guess...

I do hope you get some clarity soon, Covid really hasn't made things easier and each area of the country seems to be dealing with things so differently.

Sorry I can't offer much practical help but I am here if you need me and hopefully one of the more experienced ladies will also be able to help. 

Take care xx
 

Thank you. I am meeting with the surgeon again on Wednesday to go through things again.

Hi

Thats good about the HER results! Glad you are feeling ok after the surgery. Hope it all goes well Tuesday - not too long to wait now, but I expect it feels like ages away!

Im ok thanks, I've felt fairly positive over past couple of days but then suddenly out of the blue, it hits me, like it did this morning- a long walk and a tidy up of the house seems to have got me back on track again!!! 
 

Take care xx

Hi

I was diagnosed with stage 2 E+ in Dec last year and was told lumpectomy and radiation seems the way forward. The cancer had not spread to the lymph nodes so it seems straightforward.  My consultant pointed out the treatment decision was down to the oncologist.

First surgery didn't bring clear margins all round so I had 3 surgeries, my consultant say it was the last then masectomy. Thank God I  had clear margins, I was schedule for partial reconstruction but changed my mind after careful thinking (luckily I did as covid would have been an issue getting family to help me as live alone).  I just wanted the cancer out and still have my boob, I decided to keep the small indentation as a reminder of where I have been.

I finished 3 weeks of radiation this Monday and was looking forward to that 'cancer free award'. Last Thursday my Oncotype DX test result came back and it shows a high risk of recurrence.  I will therefore be doing chemo to reduce that risk.  I was always petrified of chemo and livid that I have to do it. After careful thinking I am now calm and actually glad they did that test. The bottom line is they could have told me Monday all was well yet there would be a time bomb ticking inside.

Can't say that I am looking forward to chemo though.

Good luck to all with your treatments.  I didn't know there was a test to tell the risk of recurrence.  That may be a question to ask your oncologist if you need one.  

Radiation was ok, I managed with drinking a lot and using cream on the area.  Having the full dose now I am feeling the tiredness. That I am managing well by listening to my body and responding to it.

Patsqueen, you have been through a lot already and I am sending you positive thoughts and vibes for your chemo xxx