Forum Discussion
Nervous about next step
Hi everyone, I was diagnosed on 13th April with grade 3 invasive breast cancer, had a Mastectomy and lymph node removal/biopsy on the 9th May, on the 25th May I was told that they seem to of got the cancer in the breast with the mastectomy, but it has spread to the lymph nodes so have to have another op on the 6th June to remove them, tomorrow I have to have a whole body CT scan and a radioactive bone scan to see if it has spread anywhere else, I have also been told I will have to have a course of chemo and go onto hormone therapy. Is anyone able to tell me how long a course of chemo is, how often will i have to have it, how long after i finish chemo should i wait to travel, had plans to go to Bali at the end of July. Sorry for the essay lol, any advice etc will be very much appreciated..... Thank you in advance...
63 Replies
- Hi @Schwen
also, before I forget, I had my chest port put in under a local anesthetic and I wanted to go under general but they advised that there's no point and will take a lot longer so there are definitely options. - Hi @Schwen
Glad to hear that you're path results have come back clear. Definitely a reason to celebrate. I had my mastectomy on Feb 2nd 2017 and immediately began IVF (personal choice). My medical oncologist actually told me it was a waste of time but I dismissed her comment as I found this to be an important part of my treatment. If it was up to her, I probably would've started Chemo 7 weeks post op. It took 7 weeks to have my expander filled and she told me that she wanted to start chemo almost immediately. For the reason of, in case there are any rough cells which may have escaped and can't pick up in scans. Chemo was weekly for 3 months and radio was mon-fri 5 weeks (25 rounds). It's not great but keep your head up high, you got this! - Hello @Schwen thank you for keeping us updated regarding your progress. It must be a relief to have your pathology results and now you have a treatment plan in place. It can be quite overwhelming thinking all the treatment ahead, try and take it bit by bit if you can. Dont hesitate to call our 1800 500 258 number if you would like to speak with a cancer nurse. Take care of yourself
- Well there is some good news and some not so good news, the good news is I am practically cancer free, the biopsy of the lymph nodes came back that only 1 out of 11 was cancerous but it was a large node and large cancer, so the not so good news is, I am now going to have to have the Chemo and then Radiation therapy for 5 weeks after and then onto the hormone treatment, so there goes my Bali trip until probably this time next year....which at least by then some of my hair would of grown back, and hopefully feel alot better... So next week is full of appointments getting ready for the Chemo to start on the 5th July, could of been the 3rd but I have a Pink concert to go to on the 4th and that I am NOT missing out on lol, so Monday I have to have a MRI done to see if i did have a TIA after my first operation, then Tuesday I have my Chemo education session with my breast care nurse, Wednesday I have to have a Echo-cardiogram done, then Thursday I go for my 3rd opp to have the port put in, been told its just a day surgery, which means for me ill be in hospital at least 2 nights in ICU.... Funny before this I had only been in hospital twice before, once to have my son in 1993, and the second to have a benign tumour removed from my neck in 2000....
You can ask if you can delay it. In theory, so I've been told, the ideal envelope between surgery and chemo is no more than 10 weeks. The longer you wait, the longer any random cells left after excision have to do their dirty work, If you are going to push that envelope to the max, which happens to some of us for reasons beyond our control, you would need to have a frank discussion about the risks which will become a bit more obvious after you get the results from your clearance. Not that you will get a definitive answer given the whole uncertainty about the disease and treatment, but if you want to go, ask.
The weird arm feeling and swelling is very common. Having someone puddle around in your armpit doesn't do your circulation--lymph and otherwise--any good and there are a heap of nerves in there which also come out second best in the tussle with the scalpel. If you have access to a lymphedema team--nurse and physio--its a very good idea to get in touch with them early. They can take some baseline measurements so you know in future if your arm is getting bigger or if it is settling down. They can also show you how to do some massage which is designed to help clear any extra fluid. We all get given a hand out with the exercises on it, but having someone take the time to show you is much better. Mxx
- Well today I have my next appointment with my surgeon, been 2 weeks since last operation, so will find out the results after the Lymph node removal (right arm), i have heaps of pain in my right arm that radiates down to my elbow, not sure if that is normal or not, there is a still swelling down my right arm, hopefully nothing to do with lymphoma or anything, also next Thursday the 28th I was suppose to start Chemo, but now I am having yet another surgery to put the port in instead, so Chemo now postponed until the 5th July, wish I could postpone it until the 14th of August lol, that way I could go on my Bali holiday with my partner before hand....Suppose I could ask him today lol....
I would also like to thank you all for your comments etc, helps alot... - Hi there, it always depends on which chemo they choose for you. I had ACT-H regime. The AC was given over 3 months a cycle every 21 days. The T...or taxol was weekly for 12 weeks and the H (herceptin) was every 3 weeks for 12 months. I had a Es+ and Her2+ bc grade 3 but just inside stage 1 and no nodes.
There are other regimes that are 4 cycles over 3 months. What is chosen is depended on your bc and what your oncologist thinks will help best.
My surgeon and oncologist told me my surgery was basically curative but as mine was very aggressive still recommended chemo. I didn't want to have any regrets in 2 years not doing everything to ensure my best chances of cure. I too had complete body workup beforehand due to my aggressive cancer. Mine was clear.
I had a portacath inserted as had one vein they could use. Also as chemo went on I realised my veins were getting harder and harder to access. But I knew i was having 21 chemo treatments. If you are on a different regime it might not be necessary. A picc line as @SoldierCrab mentioned is another option. I've included a basic link about it. Kath x
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/multimedia/picc-line-placement/vid-20084657 - Hi @Schwen - I had the same recommendation and also like @Sister and @"Kiwi Angel" I am considered cancer free after my surgery.
I had a double mastectomy, no evidence of cancer spread but nodes involved in one side and my tumours were large. I’m 52.
The Chemo that was recommended to me, and that I’m currently going through, sounds like what you’ve been recommended. 4 x AC then 12 x taxol.
As @kmakm says, it was recommended for insurance purposes, to mop up any tiny cancer cell that may be humming around my body undetectable, but looking for a place to land and rear it’s ugly head in the future. Never any permanent guarantee I’m afraid, however I chose to go with it, basing my decision on the decades of medical research that’s been done, faith in my oncologist, the fact that Australia has one of the highest rates of breast cancer survival in the world, and just my own feeling that I want to throw everything at this, to give me a better chance for a long life.
Best of luck with it all and please let us know how you’re doing. Xxxx - Did your oncologist give you the survival stats with and without chemo?
I had a similar situation - surgeon is quite convinced that the cancer is gone but chemo and radiation was still recommended for my age (54) in case any rogue cells had escaped. - @Schwen
you can ask for Picc line @primek can you explain or link for this ?
