Micropapillary

I can already see those big girl undies heading north! You are tougher than you think, and we're all here for you. K xox

Thankyou Ladies, 
I appreciate you sharing your experiences and have taken your advice on board.
The natural path is a gamble I hear what you are all saying. My 12 year old daughter last night said she didn’t want me to gamble as it’s too important and she just wants me to be here. ‘You can’t leave me with dad!’ She said. Bless her. I have to man up face the side effects like you all have and just have faith in the doctors. I’ll compromise by having my Goji berries on the side though!!!!

@Kerry-Lee47 I don't have any experience of micropapillary cancer but I'm in the middle of chemo for lobular cancer which had just escaped to the nodes.  Chemo is a very blunt instrument and it's crap but it's what we've got at the moment.  I'm taking my best chance at long-term survival.  While an unhealthy lifestyle certainly appears to contribute to the likelihood of getting breast cancer, being healthy certainly doesn't seem to prevent it as a number of women on this site could testify.
@AllyJay originally posted this when I first came on the site and it helped me to see things more clearly so I like to show it to other newbies:

 "Purely on the statistical side, for me, when faced with the same decision as you now are, I looked at it from different angles. One of the scenarios for me was this. I was in a room with 1000 women who were told that they had been diagnosed with my type and grade of breast cancer.  We were all told to have such and such surgery, which  we did. We were then taken back to that same dreaded room and given a card with a number. Then 830 numbers were read out, and those women were  allowed to leave the room  and go next door  for a celebratory cup of tea and slice of cake....considered cured  (10 years). The other 170 shocked women looked at each other with dread. Just then the compere said...."Oh sorry, I  forgot, I have another 70 numbers to draw, that is the women who had additional chemo, they can pick up their bags and join the  others". If, perchance I was one  of the 100 left behind to the future of stage four, would I  wish that I might  have been one of the other 70, or would I go "Que Sera  Sera..." and accept it? For me the answer was "Fuck no" bring it all on, and if  the wheels still fall off, at least I would have given it my best shot, and not have been left with the perhaps..." Each of us has to weigh it all up, make our decisions and then go forward. As Afraser says, having started chemo, you can always stop. But it doesn't work the other way. Best of luck."

Use your skills and knowledge to complement your treatment but don't feel guilty about taking your best chance at life.

Hi @Kerry-Lee47, I had pure micropapillary breast cancer, stage 2a, grade 3 nearly 4 years ago. I believe that surgery, radiotherapy and chemo helped me to survive cancer free and be living a great life. There are side effects, but being alive is a big bonus for me. Natural therapies have been useful, but in addition to the other treatment. 

Survival rates for micropapillary cancer are the same as for some other types of breast cancer, but treatment is essential as it is usually aggressive and can travel into the bloodstream due to the structure of the cancer, even microscopic amounts.

The doctors can only give you advice, it’s up to you to take it or not. All the best with your treatment. If you google it, make sure you look at recent studies as the stats have improved a lot. It’s important to ask questions. Trust your doctors, be informed and use your knowlege to make the best decisions for you. x

Hi Kerry-Lee. I'm sorry that you've found yourself here but I can see that you're already discovering how warm, supportive and helpful it is.

I had an element of choice about chemotherapy. While my stats on the page said I could have gone straight to radiation from the lumpectomy, my family history of this disease, some other diagnostic issues and my responsibilities warranted serious consideration for this course of treatment. I followed this path and did an oncotype test (very expensive and generously paid for by my dad), which very clearly established that if some tiny cells were off looking for somewhere else to roost in my body, chemo would have a curative effect.

I had a full on panic attack in bed two nights before chemo started. I bawled for an hour during the first infusion. But the big girl undies were yanked right up to my chin and I made it through.

It wasn't easy or pleasant, but it wasn't the end of the world either. My medical team advised it but ultimately the decision was mine. It's seven weeks since my final dose so it's early days, but I have absolutely no regrets. I know I did the right thing for me, my family and all those that love me.

Everything gets easier when your treatment, whatever it may be, gets underway. Hang in there. K xox

I knew from the beginning I had an aggresive cancer. Mine was a her2 and even without a positive node chemo was recommended and targeted therapy. But even though I knew this...I was still in a mess once I was told that it was recommended. I didn't hesitate to go along with the treatment plan...but it didn't mean I liked it. I was a sobbing mess the day I started chemo...big ugly sobbing in the shower that morning. But then I put on my big girls panties on...slapped on a smile and off I went. 

Australia has some of the best worldwide statistics for breast cancer survival. Trust your team. They really wouldn't recomment chemo unless they thought you needed to have it. You get one go at cure. So I say jump in feet first.

Use your knowledge of natural therapy to assist in recovery once chemo complete. It will very likely help. (Never use during...we don't want any of those mutant cells surviving )

Take care. Kath x

Hi kezmusc,
Thankyou for your lovely welcoming message.
I have felt very isolated the past couple of weeks and struggling to come to terms with the prospect of Chemo and the side effects.
Thankyou for sharing your experience, your positive attitude is really inspiring and your message has really helped me come to terms with it.
I need to tackle this head on and not look back. 
This forum is great as I no longer feel alone.
I hope you are doing well
Lots of love 
xxx

Hi @Kerry-Lee47,

Welcome to the forum. You will find a wealth of information, support and warmth here.  Exploding head is par for the course as well I'm afraid. 

 I think everyone goes through a similar thought process at the beginning when the word chemo is mentioned.  It scares the living heck out of all of us.  Yes, at times, it does feel a bit like you have to do things and feel totally out of control of the situation but really at the end of the day it is your choice.  Nobody can hold you down and make you do things.

The whole thing is confusing on what to do for the best.  Long term side effects may or may not occur. The same as it is with side effects throughout treatment. You may get some, none or all.  No body really knows. 

You should not feel like a loser by any stretch and I am sure some of the people in that industry could possibly change their opinion if it was actually them that had been diagnosed. The beliefs we have held strong and steadfast can be very confusing when diagnosed and nobody who hasn't been in that position should really make any judgments.

Every time I thought, nope, I'm not doing this,  I would get out my pathology report, read it again and then march of to treatment to pulverize the thing into oblivion.

  I am sure your team has recommended the best course of treatment for the best possible outcome for your type of cancer. 

We are all held to ransom a little I suppose.  What if I don't do this and it comes back, can I live with my decision? That's the million dollar question that only you can answer.

Hugs xoxoxo