Got told today chemo failed

Geez that sucks but I am seriously glad you're feeling a little better this morning.  I've just finished Radiotherapy (getting zapped or, toasted) every day so I've got a small idea, very small, of how you might be feeling.  The chemo may have stopped it getting bigger of course. Time to get it whipped out and then make another plan when the Pathologist has had a good look.  F@ck cancer, stupid, stupid disease!!! Hugs to you.

Thank you to all of you ladies that have replied, it means so much and this morning I feel better about things. I know I can't change what is and nothing is guaranteed in life.
Basically my surgeon said my tumor is the same size and chemo hasn't worked on it. It hasn't shrunk really at all. When I asked him if there was any stray cancer cells elsewhere would it have taken care of those, he said given it hasn't worked for the tumor it  is unlikely. 
I mean how qualified is a surgeon to say that?. I know they are doctors but surely he can't definitely know for sure.
My oncologist is on holidays til next  week anyway, so on Tuesday I  will go over what was said and see if she agrees with him.
Thanks again to all of you wonderful ladies. It really is invaluable to be able to come here and talk firsthand to others that have already or are going through the same. It's just great we can all be here to support others facing this shitty bloody journey.
Hugs to all 
Lisa xo 

Im sorry to hear that Chemo hasnt done anything to shrink your tumour but I guess of you look at it from a refillable cup perspective, although the chemo hasnt shrunk the primary it hasnt continued to spread either.  As for the lymphodema, 6 years ago I had mastectomy, 26 lymph nodes removed plus radiation with boosts to my tumour site and clavicle. No lymphodema. I now have mets (we wont go there) and am again having radiation to clavicle and still no lymphodema. Never had to wear a compression bandage either. Hang in there. Have your surgery and take each day a step at a time. We are ALL here for you.

@LMK74 what crap news. Surgeons and Oncologist look at different things so hopefully as the other ladies have said, the Chemo has killed off any strays and the rest is removed by surgery.

I would love to see how some Drs received the news they dish out. My two favourites so far are my surgeon suggesting a break from chemo by having a double mastectomy(?!); and my GP telling me I would get to keep the outside of breasts (skin) when I told her they were my favourite body part.

I hope the oncologist has better news for you. Jen xx.

@LMK74 what a shit of a bit of news, far too bluntly put. I would feel exactly as you describe if I was told that.
But how do they know it didn't work?
Was it that it didn't shrink the tumour, or are they basing it on something else?
I thought chemo was to kill stray cells so they didn't start up somewhere else. 
I didn't know they could test for that to see if it was successful. Can they?
I was told the same things as AllyJay by my Oncologist.
I am going in for mastectomy and Lymphnode clearance too, hoping not to get lymphodema, wearing a sleeve would be totally impractical for my work.
I hope you prove them all wrong and you are cancer and lymphodema free after your surgery.

What a shitfest for you!! Sounds like your surgeon is somewhat lacking in people skills..... When I questioned my oncologist at my very first appointment why I was having chemo first and then surgery followed by hormone therapy and so on, and not the surgery first, then the other, she explained it thus. It was for a twofold reason, an attempt to shrink the two tumours in my left breast, but....most importantly....to deal with any stray cells which might have gone walkabout already. She said to me that the cancer in my breast wouldn't kill me, it would be any cancer that went elsewhere from that primary in the breast which was the danger and that chemo first was my best option. Without trying to sound patronising to you with this hellish news, I hope that the chemo has at least flooded through your body and zapped any fuckers that might have been setting up shop elsewhere.

@Lmk74, Awwwww CRAP!!!! That stinks!!! I think all of the lovelies have said it all but I will just add - throw a full blown tantrum!!! Make sure you scream, yell, cry, throw some things (preferably non breakable - so you don't have to clean up), anything just get really angry, make sure you exhaust yourself and then re-read some of the comments as they are spot on!! Sending you a huge hug and best wishes. Xx 

@LMK74 what choice did you have. Time was not wasted. Chemo does work in many cases but not this time. You can only try and do the best.... you can you did. 
As to radiation I had lympth nodes out warned I would probably get lymphodema well I didnt.  
An operation to rid you of cancer . Then I think they will dream up another angle to knock cancer out of your body. 
I would feel so let down if it happened to me. Time to see rainbows instead of gloomy skies.You have very right to feel angry and gloomy.

@LMK74 , what a really crap thing for your surgeon to say without explanation! I bet you feel completely devastated and angry and you have every right to feel that way! my treatment was similar to yours and @primek is really on the mark with her thoughts. Chemo may have done alot more than you think but just didn't do what or as much as the Surgeon needed. Try to see your Oncologist sooner and get their take on things, this is a really fucked thing to have to go through and now you're also being made to feel like treatment hasn't worked. You asked me why I was having radiation before my surgery and it is because the Chemo didn't do as much as my surgeon had hoped for, relating to there still being skin involvement. It has done alot though, just not always exactly what they need as far as surgical viewpoints go.  Don't give up on things, it's fucked that we have to keep rolling our sleeves up and facing everything that gets thrown at us with this crappy disease but hey that's what we have to do to get our lives back!
thinking of you
Kat xx

@Zoffiel, you have it in a nutshell!