Hi, I have just been diagnosed with Stage 1 Breast Cancer. Im so scared, wanting so many questions answered.....
Does anyone know if I'll need Radiation or Chemo? How will it effect my husband and my children?
Id really love to talk to someone...x
I was diagnosed in September last year and my initial reaction was how to explain to my husband and two adult sons that I had breast cancer but that it was all going to be ok due to early detection. The fact that I had worked a stint in the Breastscreen Perth office a number of years ago meant that I was comfortable with the knowledge I had gained on the subject and also with the expertise of the medical fraternity who would be involved in my "journey". I decided to completely avoid the temptation of surfing the net on the subject and to be honest I haven't even bothered to read much of the material supplied to me thus far. In other words, I am just going with the flow!
To this point in time I have had two breast conserving surgeries with the second involving sentinel node biopsy during the procedure which showed no spread. My specialist decided I should start on a course of Tamoxifen to put balance into my hormone situation and this I commenced two months ago. Apart from the odd hot flush side effect I have had absolutely no problems with taking it. In fact I believe that it has worked so well that I am no longer experiencing migraines which I now believe were related to menopausal hormone issues. I have now commenced a 6 week course of radiation therapy and apart from the inconvenience of travelling back and forward to the treatments I am feeling great. I go to the Perth Radiation Oncology facility in Wembley for my treatment and because it is for private patients I find that my appointments are on time and I am in and out within half an hour. The staff there are wonderful.
I've experienced many emotions in my journey so far including fear, severe anxiety and even anger but what helps me is to keep busy and make sure to catch up with friends for a coffee and chat and spoil yourself every once in awhile.
Sending lots of good vibes your way!
Vicki
Hi, I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I was diagnosed in October last year with a very large area of DCIS in my right breast. I had a mastectomy and at the same time a sentinel node biopsy which actually found Grade 4 in my lymph nodes. I went back in for a second op and had a left mastectomy (to be absolutely sure) and a right axillary clearance. Scary yes... but a lot less scary than thinking it may not have been found. I am extremely grateful I am still here to tell the tale and see my daughter grow up.
From my understanding you have chemo if they find invasive cancer cells. You have radiotherapy if they find more than three lymph nodes that have cancer in them.
I am having both chemo and radiotherapy at exactly the same time. I am almost at the end of the radiotherapy and hopefully starting my second course of chemo today.
The radiotherapy is all very easy - just like an xray - just a pain having to go to the hospital every day Monday to Friday.
The chemo is also really quite easy although has more side effects. I have nearly lost all my hair and have had some nausea, but that's all for now. I think the symptoms might get worse as you go on. We'll see.
Don't worry too much. Look towards the positives. They have found the cancer and they are treating it. It's also Grade 1 which is great news. It hasn't developed too far.
Which hospital are you going to? I'm being treated at Sir Charles Gairdner. They have been fantastic.
Good luck with your journey! x
Hi, I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I was diagnosed in October last year with a very large area of DCIS in my right breast. I had a mastectomy and at the same time a sentinel node biopsy which actually found Grade 4 in my lymph nodes. I went back in for a second op and had a left mastectomy (to be absolutely sure) and a right axillary clearance. Scary yes... but a lot less scary than thinking it may not have been found. I am extremely grateful I am still here to tell the tale and see my daughter grow up.
From my understanding you have chemo if they find invasive cancer cells. You have radiotherapy if they find more than three lymph nodes that have cancer in them.
I am having both chemo and radiotherapy at exactly the same time. I am almost at the end of the radiotherapy and hopefully starting my second course of chemo today.
The radiotherapy is all very easy - just like an xray - just a pain having to go to the hospital every day Monday to Friday.
The chemo is also really quite easy although has more side effects. I have nearly lost all my hair and have had some nausea, but that's all for now. I think the symptoms might get worse as you go on. We'll see.
Don't worry too much. Look towards the positives. They have found the cancer and they are treating it. It's also Grade 1 which is great news. It hasn't developed too far.
Which hospital are you going to? I'm being treated at Sir Charles Gairdner. They have been fantastic.
Good luck with your journey! x
Hi,
Feeling for you, having been diagnosed 6 months ago. For me the unknown was the scariest thing of all. Once I had met with my team and knew my staging and the plan, I started focusing on each step and not looking any further than that.
i am stage 2, with 5 nodes involved. Had an axillary clearance and lumpectomy, which ended up not having clear margins , so a partial mastectomy was performed. I have just finished 6 cycles of chemo and thankfully had minimal side effects. I start rad on Monday (30 days!) and will begin hormone therapy.
Def get the BCNA kit, helped me alot to in the first few weeks of diagonisis. When you go for your appointments, take a pen and p
Hun, take each day as it comes, let the tears flow (better out than in) and be kind to yourself.
Focus on surgery and getting over that.
Sending massive hugs to you and know I'm thinking of you and here for you anytime.
xxxxxxxxxx
Thank-you so much.
Im having a mascetomy, so does that mean ill have radiation? Gee I cant even think about chemo, that just scared the heck out of me. Im 36 2 young children and the most amazing husband in the world. My mum had a double mascetomy at 38 year of age, and now me.....we just cant believe it.....when will my tears stop. Cant even look at my children without crying....Am i going to die? Am i going to be really sick? Are people going to treat my differently?
So so scared...
Ohh, 3 tumours in my right breast only... 8mm, 8mm and 5mm in size.
xx
Hey, five months in from my diagnosis, I so know just how you feel. Shock, gut wrenching fear, shock, did I mention shock?!
Really sorry to hear you've had this crap card dealt...but on the good news front, a stage 1 diagnosis is as a good as it gets -- well apart from the no cancer at all of course!
What treatment you will need will depend on all sorts of things -- the size, whether it is hormone receptive, whether it is HER2 positive or negative, whether you have a mastectomy or a lumpectomy.
Happy to hold your hand through this as much as I can, but do you have any other information on what they've identified at this stage? Do you know what the results of the biopsy found (this usually tells you the hormone status though it is subject to confirmation once surgery pathology is done).
That you've found your way here is a fantastic first step. If you doctor has not given you one yet, the next great thing to do is register to obtain a my journey kit from this fantastic BCNA site (if you do a search for my journey kit in the search area at the top right hand side of the page it will take you to the link). It is full of really useful information that I clung to, patricularly in the first three weeks post diagnosis when shock was the a constant, and it really helped to calm me down.
Breathe. Breathe. You have to try to breathe.
Hugs.
x
Hey, five months in from my diagnosis, I so know just how you feel. Shock, gut wrenching fear, shock, did I mention shock?!
Really sorry to hear you've had this crap card dealt...but on the good news front, a stage 1 diagnosis is as a good as it gets -- well apart from the no cancer at all of course!
What treatment you will need will depend on all sorts of things -- the size, whether it is hormone receptive, whether it is HER2 positive or negative, whether you have a mastectomy or a lumpectomy.
Happy to hold your hand through this as much as I can, but do you have any other information on what they've identified at this stage? Do you know what the results of the biopsy found (this usually tells you the hormone status though it is subject to confirmation once surgery pathology is done).
That you've found your way here is a fantastic first step. If you doctor has not given you one yet, the next great thing to do is register to obtain a my journey kit from this fantastic BCNA site (if you do a search for my journey kit in the search area at the top right hand side of the page it will take you to the link). It is full of really useful information that I clung to, patricularly in the first three weeks post diagnosis when shock was the a constant, and it really helped to calm me down.
Breathe. Breathe. You have to try to breathe.
Hugs.
x
