Anxiety-surgery next week
oreochiu
Member Posts: 2 ✭
Dear all,
Just needing some support after reading a lot of stories on here.
I was diagnosed with BC back in June 2020- triple negative breast cancer with 3 lymph nodes involvement. I started chemo very shortly after with the AC/Taxol-Carbo combination and the keytruda immunotherapy every 3 weeks and is still going. I am 37 yo and also have the BRCA2 gene. I finisjed chemo on the 3rd of December and since then my anxiety has really increased. On the last day of my chemo i also had a scan and while at the scan the technician told me the size of the tumour and it appeared to have increased in size since my mid chemo scan which frightened me. After the scan the technician told me that the dr has said chemo has worked.
I called my surgeon after who then said to me the scans are good and i shouldnt worry about it and she also said that the scans are as good as it can be post chemo. Even though she said that it hasnt seemed to have managed my anxiety. I feel my lump bigger compared to middle of chemo and the last two days i feel like i can feel the lymph node lumps in my armpits which i didnt feel since mid way into chemo which has been freaking me out.
Throughout my chemo my surgeon and oncologist has indicated im doing well the mid way us have indicated the tumour is shrinking but my final scan seemed to have indicated an increase since the midway scan and i had reassurances from my surgeon and that hasnt made me feel better. Now im freaking out and need some feedback on how everyone have done and experiences with neoadjunct chemo as im hoping for the best outcome at surgery.
Sorry long message. Thank you.
Just needing some support after reading a lot of stories on here.
I was diagnosed with BC back in June 2020- triple negative breast cancer with 3 lymph nodes involvement. I started chemo very shortly after with the AC/Taxol-Carbo combination and the keytruda immunotherapy every 3 weeks and is still going. I am 37 yo and also have the BRCA2 gene. I finisjed chemo on the 3rd of December and since then my anxiety has really increased. On the last day of my chemo i also had a scan and while at the scan the technician told me the size of the tumour and it appeared to have increased in size since my mid chemo scan which frightened me. After the scan the technician told me that the dr has said chemo has worked.
I called my surgeon after who then said to me the scans are good and i shouldnt worry about it and she also said that the scans are as good as it can be post chemo. Even though she said that it hasnt seemed to have managed my anxiety. I feel my lump bigger compared to middle of chemo and the last two days i feel like i can feel the lymph node lumps in my armpits which i didnt feel since mid way into chemo which has been freaking me out.
Throughout my chemo my surgeon and oncologist has indicated im doing well the mid way us have indicated the tumour is shrinking but my final scan seemed to have indicated an increase since the midway scan and i had reassurances from my surgeon and that hasnt made me feel better. Now im freaking out and need some feedback on how everyone have done and experiences with neoadjunct chemo as im hoping for the best outcome at surgery.
Sorry long message. Thank you.
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Comments
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Dear @oreochiu
Most technicians are reluctant to
discuss what they see with the patient. There is an excellent reason for this. They are not qualified to do so. You are now worried and anxious and doubting your surgeon’s reassurance. You can do a number of things - you can go back to your surgeon, explain your anxiety and ask him/her to go over your scans with you. You can seek a second opinion from another surgeon or oncologist. Or you can trust in your team to know more than the technician. What you can’t trust is your own feelings, especially around the armpit. Practically everyone who has had cancer treatment experiences the weird feelings, lumpy bits and funny twinges that manifest before a scan or test, that definitely weren’t there before and amazingly vanish after the scan/test was completely clear. Most of all, remember that anxiety is not your friend and seek to allay it. Your surgeon and oncologist will
understand. Best wishes.6 -
I am So sorry to see you here, @oreochiu - as @Afraser says - there is a reason why technicians are not supposed to reveal or try to interpret results - and sadly you are now on the receiving end of increased anxiety & even doubting the outcome of your treatment.
If you continue to be anxious & sad with any part of your treatment and surgery, please ask your GP for a referral to a a psychologist or other professional who may be able to give you coping mechanisms, to help.
Whack up any questions you may have here & we'll do our best to give you an honest answer.
Try not to overthink everything - put your faith in your team - they are doing the best they can for you xx
take care xx5 -
@oreochiu Hello. I completely agree with the ladies above. The technician is NOT qualified to give you results and so therefore shouldn’t. Your surgeon and oncologist are. And as @afraser said, the anxiety around this whole thing is now making you fear the worst, and nothing seems like something. Believe me, I know. I’m the queen of anxiety. While anxiety is good sometimes as it can alert you to possible danger, it can go into overdrive in already anxiety-inducing situations like this one. So the ‘danger’ is the technician telling you info they shouldn’t have, as they it’s not part of their job description. A very qualified surgeon and oncologist know much better. The anxiety is not just going to disappear however, so def get on top of controlling it while it’s still under control. As @arpie suggested, ask to see a psychologist. You can usually see one for free if you ask your GP or specialists. And have another honest discussion with your specialists on why you’re so worried. They’ve been through this many times, they understand. I had massive anxiety at the beginning too, and called my surgeon a few times to help me. I also started seeing a psychologist who helped me a lot. Not overnight, but she calmed me enough to help me think clearly and make better decisions. In the end I changed surgeons, got answers I needed, and my anxiety disappeared. So take these steps and you should def feel better soon. It’s hard, I know, but you’ll be fine. Trust in your medical team and yourself to do what’s right, and whenever you need help - seek it! Good luck darl 🍀♥️.5
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Thank you everyone for responding. I appreciate the feedback and advice.As an update: I had my surgery and also biopsy outcome. I didnt get a complete response and still had some residual cancer left in my tumour and 3 of my nodes. The surgeon said while it wasn't the response they hoped for it wasnt the worse. I was told that i would most likely be given an oral chemo drug to ensure that any other microscopic traces of the cancer are being targeted.I am scared and sad as i was joping for a complete response but at the same time hoping for the best into the future. I still have radio to do too.I would love to hear some positive tnbc stories.Thank you.2
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Well done on getting thru your surgery. As I understand it, TNBC is a strange beast and may require ongoing treatment/chemo.
Try not to overthink it ... put any questions you many have to your Onc and/or Breast Care Nurse (or the BCNA Nurse) .... they should be able to allay your fears xx
take care, rest up and heal from your surgery. I hope you have good support at home xx1
