Hi I am Shann and newly diagnosed on the 6th September and waiting for results from a core biopsy.

@shann So glad you're doing much better ! Get it checked ! I got myself in a tizz in november thinking I had a recurrence , but it was scar tissue ,at least a mammogram & ultrasound put my mind at ease . Oncologist appt yesterday ,she was very happy & found nothing out of the ordinary thank heavens xx

Thank you so much ladies for all of your advise and information it is really helpful reading all the different things people have gone through and going through and decisions they have made. All the more information I can take with me to the surgeon next week.

Hi @shann. I am almost three months in to this horror, and the pressure to be the 'good patient' is palpable.My sister died from this bloody disease 20 months ago and I'm raising her two kids along with my two. My 85yo father-in-law moved in with us after his daughter died from a brain tumour in 2015. My husband works 60 hour weeks, 2 - 4 days a week of which is interstate. I have tremendous help and support from friends but the pressure on me to maintain a positive face to everyone is intense and immense. I cry when I'm on my own all the time.I try not to lay my sadness on my clinicians but it's hard and I don't always succeed. I feel like i have had all my choices taken away from me, and feel dismantled inside by the never ending blows. I DREAD the 'new normal' and am quailing at the mountain in front of me.It turns out the only place I can really let loose with my tears is at chemotherapy. One hour of sobbing the first dose, twenty minutes the second. The lovely NUM at the first dose said I was in a safe place and could cry all day if I needed to.I'm seeing a psychologist (community funded and so costs very little) and she is helping I think. She did the depression, anxiety and stress test on me. It said I was severely depressed, moderately anxious and severely stressed. No shit Sherlock... Currently mulling over the concept of anti-depressants.A very good friend conducted the study that proved that being positive has zero effect on cancer outcomes.Get help for the negativity if want/can. But don't let anyone tell you that what you are feeling is wrong or bad. Your feelings are YOUR feelings, no one else's and are in no way wrong. I am no expert but my psych tells me that one in three women with breast cancer get depressed, and that everything I am feeling is bog standard normal. Yes, in addition to everything else I am a cliché!Hang in there.Chemo 3 tomorrow. Will there be tears?! Probably...

its taken at while for me to feel ok in myself..... I used to wake after I have finished treatments in tears having woken up my kids(teens) with crying in my sleep I then began seeing a psychologist who said I had PTSD from my treatments. Now if I get very tired (note 5yrs later) I still will be crying in my sleep with no nightmares just crying... I accept these days that means I am struggling with processing this emotionally and that is a massive thing for us to go through. Hugs Soldiercrab

The pressure to feel positive and move forward is very real. I finished chemo nearly three weeks ago and start radiation in a week. Feel very lost in the pressure to feel 'positive and grateful'. Some days I am good, some days I am not so good and some days I am both good and bad! I swing through panic, sweats, sadness and a weird sort of numbness. It is overwhelming to process. I loved your comments SoldierCrab and it is comforting that you still have moments of crying. I feel I cry 'too much' but there is actually no rules. It is very much like processing through PTSD.

Newly Diagnosed | BCNA Online Network

236 Replies

ShazS
Member
8 years ago
Hi@Romla, Glad your doing okay. Thanks again for the information gives me heads up. Take care of you .
Romla
Member
8 years ago
Hi @ShazS forgot had weekly meetings with radiotherapy oncologist and breast care nurse to monitor my progress and answer any questions I had. At my centre appointment times varied from day to day to ensure everyone had a. chance to avoid peak hour.They should give you heaps of reading material to read at home about treatment. All the best xo PS Am doing ok
ShazS
Member
8 years ago
Hi @Romla, How are you going ? Thanks for all the tips ect . Will keep all in mind when I start radiotherapy . Shaz
Romla
Member
8 years ago
Hi @ShazS I had 16 rounds LHS radiotherapy in May - worst thing at the time was constant travel and trying to find a park.Aboutweek after it ended was enveloped in tiredness and needed some naps. I creamed up 3 times a day for 3 months with Dermaveen - my skin is very fair and was surprised it held up well. In July went to Cairns however and felt I needed to be careful with UV so wore a LS rashie and did not do all day trips to the reef/ Fitzroy island. Other than the mess creaming up made to my tops/ bras was all ok.Visits were quick once I was positioned correctly , staff were great - longest appointment was the planning at the start.
shann
Member
8 years ago
Hi @melclarity
Hope so, I am unable to take most antibiotics as I react to them. I am anaphylactic to most of them which is a bugger.
melclarity
Member
8 years ago
Hi @Shann

I think it's just a coincidence to be honest. Have you see the GP and got antibiotics?
shann
Member
8 years ago
Hi all just a query and it might be just a coincidence but since my core biopsy I have been sick........ I now have a chest infection, skin infection and a UTI. It also might be that my body is fighting one manger infection and hasen't got anything left for the other minor things.
ShazS
Member
8 years ago
Hi I am yet to have surgery the radiotherapy was just curious to what lays ahead . Sharynx
Tm
Member
8 years ago
If you have any specific questions on radiotherapy, I can try and answer them
Tm
ShazS
Member
8 years ago
Hi Tm , thanks and take care Sharynx

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