I am so confused and mind blown by the options available after being Diagnosed with Breast cancer on my birthday in December. I am suppose to know by next week what I want to do and finding it extremely difficult. Does anyone have some good advice, websites, podcasts, etc for me Please and Thank you.
Hi CaptnK, I'm so sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis, but glad to see you reaching out for support here in our wonderful community. 💛
While we wait for others to respond, you might like to read Getting through the first few weeks and Treatments for early breast cancer or listen to Just diagnosed - what's next?. If you wish to chat to our Helpline, please feel free to reach out at 1800 500 258.
Hello CaptnK
Big huggs my dear...It is always a challenge to get your head around the multitude of decisions
Perhaps mentioning the diagnosis and treatment options you were given will allow others to give their input
Yes we are given options and in recent times treatment options have become more tailored to include pretreatment therapies before surgery and reconstruction. And these differ due to the diagnosis we are given. With DCIS For me I was an older chic of 56 ..it was the down time tthat could affect my uni studies an travels with possible reconstruction chemo rads made me decide to have a single mastectomy .
All the best Bright in hope
HiCaptnK
I’m very sorry to hear about your diagnosis and can remember being faced with whether or not I had fully considered all options. My GP suggested a consultation after I had seen the oncologist and surgeon, to help me tease out any residual questions.
Some months into my treatment I found this decision aid (by Breast Cancer Trials) and it provides treatment option information, so breast cancer patients can factor in what type of breast cancer they have been diagnosed with.
In a nutshell, recommended treatment really depends on the specific characteristics of your breast cancer diagnosis.
I found it a steep learning curve, but step 1 is to good to get clarity on the “type” of breast cancer you’ve been diagnosed with. In my case I had Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) which was Oestrogen positive, Progesterone positive and HER2 positive (aka Triple Positive). It’s a less common combination, so it was helpful for me to know why my treatment approach and drugs didn’t look the same as the treatment some of my friends had.
Some people also do genomic testing or oncotype testing (I didn't).
I had Neo adjuvant (pre-surgery) chemo and immunotherapy, surgery, radiation and post adjuvant (post-surgery) chemo and immunotherapy. Treatment with “ the lot” :-) over a 15 month timeframe.
And sending positive energy and virtual hugs your way.
I
Hi CaptnK
I found my McGrath Nurses were very helpful and answered a lot of my questions regarding my treatment and timefames. 2 years down the track they are still the first people I speak to if I have any queries or questions about medication and appointments. They have been, and continue to be, amazing.
The early stages of diagnosis can be very overwhelming and scary, with lots of information and decisions that need to be made. It's a good idea to take someone with you to your appointments if you can, it's easy to miss something and another set of ears are helpful.
All the best, Katie
