Is there any one on line that I could chat with. Only just diagnosed and would like to chat with others that have been through this ordeal.

Know what you are going through. I was diagnosed end July last year, have just finished chemo in Jan. so all is fairly fresh in my mind if you want to fire any questions away. Di

Thanks Di , At this stage so very depressed. See my surgeon on Thursday Dr Ralph Gourlay in Newcastle. Was told only last Thurdsay. Was told I have 2 lumps plus lymph gland also came back possitive for cancer cells. Not eating and very sick on the stomach. I am 53 years old. Also have really bad pain down my arm is this normal.?

Hi Debbie, Welcome to the site I'm sure you will find lots of information & support here. . .I certainly have! I am faily new to this too as I was diagnosed 14th Jan & had surgery, right Mastectomy & lymph nodes removed, on 1st Feb. I start chemo this Thursday. It is all a big shock at first & feels very surreal. Everything happens so fast & it is hard to take everything in. Did your Dr give you the guide for women with early breast cancer? I found this to be a great source of information. It is also included in the my Journey kit that you can order from this site. That is also great. Do you have access to a breast care nurse? They are wonderful & can answer a lot of your questions & support you through all this. I don't have any answers regarding your arm but your surgeon should. Wishing you all all the best. Loretta xx

At first it is very overwhelming and the whole world seems to fall apart. Once you see your surgeon and then get a plan, you can take each step as it comes. There is a lot they can do these days for breast cancer and so don't think this is the end of the road. The waiting is the hard part. Your feelings are quite normal, it is such a shock so don't try to be brave. I'm not sure about the arm pain but sounds like you may have had some tests to lymph nodes (which I didn't have until my surgery) so not sure if this has something to do with the pain.

Welcome Debbie..to the network of amazing women..trying to 'digest' all this information can be very overwhelming but hang in there, everything settles down once u get ur treatment plan started..the dizziness of stuff going around in ur head is normal and u think its never going to stop..it will..then u will emerge out the other side of this strong and sure and healthy..there are many women here who can attest to this. Ditto to what has already been said to you here..these are amazing women who truly understand the feelings ur going thru, so come here whenever u like to ask questions (they are NO stupid ones either)..all of us have/had different treatment plans so there will be someone here u can really relate to..u can call the cancer council helpline (13 11 20) direct and they can 'pair' u up with a one on one person for 'live' chat/talk.. Hope to see u here soon..good luck Sam :)

Someone to chat with | BCNA Online Network

JJoy
Member
12 years ago
Hi Vhalvo

The post you replied to is quite old - so incase you haven't heard from anyone - I wish you all the best - I had three years of treatment, and God willing am on the road to recovery, though I wasn't expecting a brain aneurysm (nothing to do with BC) that they discovered by accident so had to travel over 300 k's to the city to have that op - but have put that behind me, so basically you are at the beginnning of your journey, and it's all very scary and you will have times where you are emotional - it is most understandable so don't hesitate to get on here and vent - us ladies have all done it and it helped us through - you will get heaps of support, so hang in there kiddo - sending hugs and lots of love from me (Josie) x x x
Vhalvo
Member
12 years ago
Hi Debbie , I made the choice of mastectomy as the mammogram showed a spindle cell cancer but there were some other possible calcifications closer to my nipple. I didn't want to be forever wondering if they were going to be cancerous so my husband and looked at each other and I made the decision to have a mastectomy. My dr said she always takes three lymph nodes based on a sentinel node mapping test just before my op. This was a needle injected in my breast and a blue dye injected . This shows which lymph nodes are more likely to have any cancer cells travel down them. Much better than taking all. Ended up with five lymph nodes taken and all were clear as with the breast tissue. But my cancer is metaplastic and quite rare so referred to oncologist who said owing the nature of this nasty aggressive cancer she wants me to have 6 sessions of chemo three weeks apart. Start Tuesday. Just had a port placed in my chest as veins are not great. It is all a blur being sent for PET scans, heart scans bone scans but I trust my medical team and have had wonderful support. Hubby has given up work and comes everywhere. Sometimes waiting for four to five hours at a time while I have tests. I'm very blessed. Good luck
Lyn11
Member
12 years ago
You're going well Mona. Each day you are getting further away from the BC. I am over 3 years now and I am feeling the best I have ever felt There is life after BC and I know you will find it too. I found that my support group was crucial to my cure and I can't stress to people enough that you need to have someone to talk to that has been through it all. Family and friends can be really helpful and supportive but they don't fully understand or appreciate what you are going through.

Take care,

Lynne
Lyn11
Member
12 years ago
You're going well Mona. Each day you are getting further away from the BC. I am over 3 years now and I am feeling the best I have ever felt There is life after BC and I know you will find it too. I found that my support group was crucial to my cure and I can't stress to people enough that you need to have someone to talk to that has been through it all. Family and friends can be really helpful and supportive but they don't fully understand or appreciate what you are going through.

Take care,

Lynne
Lyn11
Member
12 years ago
I have bought my swimmers!!! I went shopping Thursday night and bought a lovely black and white pair. They haven't seen water yet but that is the next step. I haven't had togs for many, many years and this year my grandkids can go swimming with me for the first time! I love my new shape even with the scars! Sop there is life after BC
Christine_Denni
Member
12 years ago
Good for you Lynne,

Just in time for swimming. Excellent.

Chrissy
Lyn11
Member
12 years ago
Hi Chrissy. I , very unexpectedly was called in on a last minute cancellation so have had my reconstruction. I had a few problems with the piece under the breast dying off so i have a weenie sausage hard bit inside but overall I am so happy. It is quite a bit smaller than the left side but I dont mind. I just love my new shape and I even intend buying a pair of togs!!!

I hope your op goes well. All the best,

Lynne
Christine_Denni
Member
12 years ago
Hi Lynne,

I live in Bundaberg. I am about to go to my GP to request a refereal to my breast surgeon to remove the other breast. I asked my McGrath Nurse about it and my Oncologist and they both said because I have a size F breast I am very lopsided and the breast surgeon should not have a problem with removing it. It will probably be November this year. I am looking forward to it actually because I have a lot of pain in my back for compensating for the weight of the other breast.

I hope this is a help to you.

Take Care

Chrissy D xoxo
Custard
Member
14 years ago
Hi Debbie,

I was almost 53 when I was diagnosed with 2 tumours and invasion into the lymph glands. I had a total mastectomy of the left breast and chemotherapy. It is not the way I would have like to celebrate my son's wedding but I attended bald. (Wore a hat to the service and the wig to the reception). Seven years on this week and going strong.

If you send me your email address I can send you a few pics of then and now.

It is very energy sapping, but take all the assistance and help offered. You will see another side of people, and accept that you need a bit of help just now! That was hardest thing as I am very independent and a "super woman"- or so I thought ha ha. I felt guilty for my family and betrayed by my body.

We really have no choice but to go through whatever surgery and treatments they offer and DO attend counselling/psychological sessions if you feel the need. Also Look Good Feeling Better was amazing!!

You are not alone, and the gilrs in BCNA, and there are many thousands of us, are here!!

Thinking of you, chin up,

Mandy
TonyaM
Member
15 years ago
I had a lumpectomy and full node clearance back in 2003,followed by 6wks radiation.I was supposed to take Tamoxifen but it didn't agree with me then.I tried for 10wks and also tried other drugs but they made me feel dreadful.I was only 47 and hadn't hit the menopause yet and that might be why I couldn't tolerate Tamoxifen.So after 7yrs cancer came back in the same spot.Even though they got clear margins in 2003, must have been a stray cell lying around.I really didn't think I'd be in the unlucky 8%that gets it again.Even with a mastectomy there is a 1% chance of it coming back on the scarline apparently.I've had some chemo and am now on Tamoxifen since last August.It seems to be agreeing with me this time.I'm not having reconstruction for the time being cos I'm paranoid about a recurrence along my scar.But don't let my insecurities influence you!

Tonya xx