Wondering if this will ever be over

@SuzyG, I can hear your frustration and loss of faith in the system. However I am wondering if the Cancer in your breast is not being picked up due to dense breast tissue? Have they done an MRI which is much better at detecting the cancer in dense breast tissue?

Unfortunately the scans etc can only detect cancer once it is a certain size, so very small areas are pretty much impossible to find. It is frustrating but it sounds like your team are continuing to check which is going to lead to your best outcome eventually. It is such a long process and doubly difficult when things keep changing or additional treatment/surgery is needed. Chanel is right when she says to just focus on the best possible outcomes. That is what your medical team are checking and rechecking for. Sending hugs and strength. xxx

Hi Suzy hope you are feeling a bit better today. I'm in tamoxifen which has been around for 50 years. Can't take the new drugs as I have osteopenia. It's all very daunting and the constant doctors appointments are tiring and never seem to end. Try to just focus on the best possible outcomes and not what if this or that , as your mind will go around in circles creating scenarios that haven't happened and more than likely won't happen . I hope this helps, sending love and hugs x

I totally get you, honestly, I'd be ropeable!!! though I think the body scans are very different to the Breast scans, only from my experience, I remember having a nuclear medicine one that shows absolutely everything. I do remember a conversation with my Oncologist through treatment saying that with all the advances in BC, they still haven't managed to develop a detection of it pre...before it becomes Cancer, all the Scans, tests only pick up once we have it...so frustrating!! xx 

Yes Melinda I will ask but if the cancer is not showing up in the scans it is pretty much a waste of time.

SuzyG OMG!!! I can only imagine how you would be feeling!!! Ive been through a recurrence and I know for me how cheated I felt after being vigilant with aggressive treatment for what I had. I too felt what a waste of time it didnt work!! prior to treatment they did full body scans to see if I had it anywhere else. I didn't, so fortunately it was only in the previous scar tissue of the previous diagnosis. Suzy, I know now 1yr on post chemo I too am facing a mastectomy due to recurrence and not wanting to gamble again. I think I look at it now that with previous treatment, maybe it didnt work for my breast but the meds quite possibly helped the rest of me. Suzy, can you ask for your full body scans to be done pre your Mastectomy? so then you have all the information you need. Hugs Melinda xo

Well ladies it looks like I am up the creek with no paddle.  Surgeon rang me yesterday to tell me that not only did they not get clear margins in the second surgery there was also another small cancer that hadn't shown up on any of the imaging I have had done i.e. CT scans, Ultrasound, MRI.  So now it looks like it will be a mastectomy but my worry is if the cancer is not showing up on any of the scans it is quite possibly all through me and they wouldn't know.  I am rapidly losing any faith in the medical team.  After being told that the chemo had worked well and the tumour had shrunk and now finding out that there was more than they realised - so now I feel that the months of hell I went through with the chemo was a complete waste of time.  Will not be doing that again.  

Hi Suzyg and Lisa50, my results took over two weeks and I gave up trying to read and coloured in instead. All the best Xx Cath

Suzy, Im so glad youve come through the Surgery, keep us up to date with results. Sending a big hug!! for some healing now! Melinda xo

Hi SuzyG!
So glad to hear you got through the surgery yesterday. I agree, you basically hand your life as you knew it over to this BC 'journey'. Not fun at all! I am day 5 post wide lumpectomy & 3 lymph node removal so in a similar boat to you. Apart from the usual bruising, swelling, numbness and discomfort I am improving daily. The nausea for 14 hours post surgery was indeed THE worst bit. No meds helped! This puts me off any further surgery so like you, I hope they got it all! My results are 17th Jan (12 days later!) So the waiting is definitely hard. Trying not to worry is easier said than done. I am trying to read a book but my concentration levels are around zero :smile:
Great words as usual from Melinda & Sheryl ( we all need a coffee)
Thinking of you. Take care and rest up now...
All the best with your results. Keep us posted! XX

Well I survived the surgery yesterday - now we wait for the results which will not be until Thursday week.  Trying not to worry about it and I already told the surgeon that I won't be having another surgery if they didn't get clear margins so hoping they took enough.