Nervous about next step
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Hi @Schwen - I had the same recommendation and also like @Sister and @Kiwi Angel I am considered cancer free after my surgery.
I had a double mastectomy, no evidence of cancer spread but nodes involved in one side and my tumours were large. I’m 52.
The Chemo that was recommended to me, and that I’m currently going through, sounds like what you’ve been recommended. 4 x AC then 12 x taxol.
As @kmakm says, it was recommended for insurance purposes, to mop up any tiny cancer cell that may be humming around my body undetectable, but looking for a place to land and rear it’s ugly head in the future. Never any permanent guarantee I’m afraid, however I chose to go with it, basing my decision on the decades of medical research that’s been done, faith in my oncologist, the fact that Australia has one of the highest rates of breast cancer survival in the world, and just my own feeling that I want to throw everything at this, to give me a better chance for a long life.
Best of luck with it all and please let us know how you’re doing. Xxxx3 -
Hi there, it always depends on which chemo they choose for you. I had ACT-H regime. The AC was given over 3 months a cycle every 21 days. The T...or taxol was weekly for 12 weeks and the H (herceptin) was every 3 weeks for 12 months. I had a Es+ and Her2+ bc grade 3 but just inside stage 1 and no nodes.
There are other regimes that are 4 cycles over 3 months. What is chosen is depended on your bc and what your oncologist thinks will help best.
My surgeon and oncologist told me my surgery was basically curative but as mine was very aggressive still recommended chemo. I didn't want to have any regrets in 2 years not doing everything to ensure my best chances of cure. I too had complete body workup beforehand due to my aggressive cancer. Mine was clear.
I had a portacath inserted as had one vein they could use. Also as chemo went on I realised my veins were getting harder and harder to access. But I knew i was having 21 chemo treatments. If you are on a different regime it might not be necessary. A picc line as @SoldierCrab mentioned is another option. I've included a basic link about it. Kath x
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/multimedia/picc-line-placement/vid-20084657
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Well today I have my next appointment with my surgeon, been 2 weeks since last operation, so will find out the results after the Lymph node removal (right arm), i have heaps of pain in my right arm that radiates down to my elbow, not sure if that is normal or not, there is a still swelling down my right arm, hopefully nothing to do with lymphoma or anything, also next Thursday the 28th I was suppose to start Chemo, but now I am having yet another surgery to put the port in instead, so Chemo now postponed until the 5th July, wish I could postpone it until the 14th of August lol, that way I could go on my Bali holiday with my partner before hand....Suppose I could ask him today lol....
I would also like to thank you all for your comments etc, helps alot...1 -
You can ask if you can delay it. In theory, so I've been told, the ideal envelope between surgery and chemo is no more than 10 weeks. The longer you wait, the longer any random cells left after excision have to do their dirty work, If you are going to push that envelope to the max, which happens to some of us for reasons beyond our control, you would need to have a frank discussion about the risks which will become a bit more obvious after you get the results from your clearance. Not that you will get a definitive answer given the whole uncertainty about the disease and treatment, but if you want to go, ask.
The weird arm feeling and swelling is very common. Having someone puddle around in your armpit doesn't do your circulation--lymph and otherwise--any good and there are a heap of nerves in there which also come out second best in the tussle with the scalpel. If you have access to a lymphedema team--nurse and physio--its a very good idea to get in touch with them early. They can take some baseline measurements so you know in future if your arm is getting bigger or if it is settling down. They can also show you how to do some massage which is designed to help clear any extra fluid. We all get given a hand out with the exercises on it, but having someone take the time to show you is much better. Mxx
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Well there is some good news and some not so good news, the good news is I am practically cancer free, the biopsy of the lymph nodes came back that only 1 out of 11 was cancerous but it was a large node and large cancer, so the not so good news is, I am now going to have to have the Chemo and then Radiation therapy for 5 weeks after and then onto the hormone treatment, so there goes my Bali trip until probably this time next year....which at least by then some of my hair would of grown back, and hopefully feel alot better... So next week is full of appointments getting ready for the Chemo to start on the 5th July, could of been the 3rd but I have a Pink concert to go to on the 4th and that I am NOT missing out on lol, so Monday I have to have a MRI done to see if i did have a TIA after my first operation, then Tuesday I have my Chemo education session with my breast care nurse, Wednesday I have to have a Echo-cardiogram done, then Thursday I go for my 3rd opp to have the port put in, been told its just a day surgery, which means for me ill be in hospital at least 2 nights in ICU.... Funny before this I had only been in hospital twice before, once to have my son in 1993, and the second to have a benign tumour removed from my neck in 2000....2
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Hello @Schwen thank you for keeping us updated regarding your progress. It must be a relief to have your pathology results and now you have a treatment plan in place. It can be quite overwhelming thinking all the treatment ahead, try and take it bit by bit if you can. Dont hesitate to call our 1800 500 258 number if you would like to speak with a cancer nurse. Take care of yourself0
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Hi @Schwen
Glad to hear that you're path results have come back clear. Definitely a reason to celebrate. I had my mastectomy on Feb 2nd 2017 and immediately began IVF (personal choice). My medical oncologist actually told me it was a waste of time but I dismissed her comment as I found this to be an important part of my treatment. If it was up to her, I probably would've started Chemo 7 weeks post op. It took 7 weeks to have my expander filled and she told me that she wanted to start chemo almost immediately. For the reason of, in case there are any rough cells which may have escaped and can't pick up in scans. Chemo was weekly for 3 months and radio was mon-fri 5 weeks (25 rounds). It's not great but keep your head up high, you got this!1 -
Well had my Chemo Education session with the breast care nurse today..... was fine until we went for a walk around the Chemo ward and i think thats when it actually hit me, for some reason I am having more trouble coming to terms with having to have Chemo, then the whole breast cancer, breast removal thing, I am actually terrified...and today when i seen all the chairs and the few people that were having their treatment, and i broke, I just stood there in tears...felt like a right goose, cause normally i am a very strong person, and I dont cry infront of other people, especially if i dont know them... did this happen to anyone else...does it get any easier.... Thanks Wendy0
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Yes Wendy, it does get better. Just like anything, the unknown is scary. And then you do it, and then you do it again and then all of a sudden it's routine. It's not nice but you get used to it and the time passes. You'll be right. Big hug. K xox
And here's the story of my first chemo (which I've copied & pasted from another post):
Oh gawd yes! The first time I had chemo, I was fitted with the cold cap and then left on my own in the far bed in a two bed room for the freeze to start.
I have four kids at home, including my niece & nephew whose mum died from BC, as well as a father-in-law who lost his daughter to a brain tumour. I have to keep a brave face on.
It was just over a month since I was diagnosed, I'd had two surgeries, thrown an 18th birthday party and hosted Christmas for 13 at my house two weeks before. I was exhausted, and finally in a quiet and neutral space.
The nurse left the room, I covered my face with my hand and burst into tears. I howled, and howled, and howled. It was loud! After a while I heard a noise and uncovered my eyes to see a little old lady in a hospital gown on a walker at the end of my bed. "Are you all right dear?" "Yes. No." And back to sobbing...
She shuffled off to get the nurse but by that time there was a bit of a crowd at the door and someone else had gone to to get the nurse. She arrived, shut the door on the onlookers, held my hand and told me I was in a safe place and to let it out. I bawled non-stop for an hour!
And that's only one of my sobbing stories Wendy. No use bottling any of it up, screams, tears or otherwise. Only leads to an explosion! K xox
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Hi @Schwen - OMG I have always wanted to see Pink in concert! What an amazing night to look forward to!
The anticipation is the absolute worst part. I was so scared before my first chemo - MUCH more worried about that than about my double mastectomy. Operations I could get my head around - been there done that - but pumping poison into my veins? WFT? How was that going to go down? Turned out to be absolutely fine. The oncology nurses were amazing and kind and thoughtful. And what really helped was asking all the people on here, to share their chemo experiences. I knew that everyone had their own, unique story but getting the whole bell curve of experiences in my head gave me a wide range of possible expectations.
For someone like me, who survives on gathering info, that was a godsend. Here’s the link to the discussion:
http://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/18682/chemo-here-i-go#latest
Sending you tons of good wishes and positive thoughts. Please keep in touch and let us know how you’re doing Wendy.
Xxxxx Yvette3 -
hi @Schwen I remember sitting with my oncologist post-op and we were talking about starting chemo etc and I couldn't help but sob in her office. Like you, I was okay with having my mastectomy as I knew why they were doing it but I was so afraid of the unknown. How will my body react? Will I get really sick? What are my other options and I wanted to opt out but I knew this was the best thing for me. I had my partner come with me on my first day and as they fitted me with the cooling cap, the lady I was sharing a machine with comforted me. We spoke throughout my treatment as I cried but after I did it, I knew that it was something I could do and take the side affects as they come. I always ensure that I well prepared for anything that may have come my way so I noted all of my side affects and relayed them onto the nurses/oncologist and they were really great and supportive.
PS. Pink live is AH-MAY-ZING!1 -
Ok so I just read back on my post and realised that my kids would be absolutely on the floor laughing uncontrollably - at me, not with me, if they knew that I wrote WFT insteand of WTF - I mean really mum - get it right!!!4
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LOL! Didn't even pick up on it so it doesn't matterEastmum said:Ok so I just read back on my post and realised that my kids would be absolutely on the floor laughing uncontrollably - at me, not with me, if they knew that I wrote WFT insteand of WTF - I mean really mum - get it right!!!
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Hey @Schwen. I made it out of the doctors office without the tears. Mostly because I was pissed off with her attitude. Once I got out of her office I hit the floor in a blubbering mess in front of all the patients that were there waiting for their chemo appointments. So glad I had my breast care nurse along to catch me and find a quiet place to hide.
It's pretty normal to be floored by that appointment.
xoxoxo1
