No 'kitchen sink' or 'throwing everything at it' for me
When discussing treatment I've heard doctors, women experiencing breast cancer, even concerned friends and family members say "throw everything at this cancer". Usually they mean the full menu ; chemo, radiation, medication etc. While this may be suggested with optimism or at least determination to take control, I decided my own path guided by information I could understand and integrate into my own life. Treatment options present choices and each is very tough, confronting and usually confusing. In view of my additional health conditions and intense consideration all advise and information provided, I didn't choose chemo or radiation. This was my decision and the decisions I make are entirely relevant to my situation. 'Everything & the kitchen sink' is different for each person. I'm throwing everything I know and can PHYSICALLY & EMOTIONALLY MANAGE into benefitting my overall health. Some people may think that it's not enough, but it is everything I can do for me and that's what counts. 'Everything' is relative.
Metastatic de novo diagnosed 20 July
Hello, I was diagnosed on 20 July with grade 2 stage 4 De novo BC. As many of the ladies on this forum have mentioned regarding their own experiences , it’s been a wild roller coaster ride. The diagnosis of BC was confronting in itself, to find out it had already spread to my hip, well I was just gobsmacked. I’m 58 and keep very fit by running and going to the gym. I run around 40km per week and just couldn’t believe I had it in my hip. I’ve absolutely no pain, and ran in a 10km race the day before my diagnosis. Well, I could deny it all I wanted, the fact is, it’s in my hip. The next complete shock was to be told there is no cure. In the interval between the original BC diagnosis and the PET scan(which showed the hip lesion) I’d been reading and researching everything I could on the various treatments etc. and preparing myself mentally for surgery, chemo etc. to then be told that none of it was for me, as it’s metastatic, well that was just devastating. However, I’ve now received some good news. My health team has recommended an aggressive approach to treatment. Since the hip lesion is small and is the only evidence of BC outside of my breast, and I’m young (😂) and fit with no other health issues, they are going to try for cure by starting with hip replacement surgery and radiation, Two weeks post surgery I will start on Chemo for 5 - 6 months and will then undergo a mastectomy. It’s terrifying, but also gives me hope. It’s been 3 weeks now since diagnosis and I just want to get on with it. I see the orthopaedic surgeon on Monday and hopefully have surgery the following week. I’ve found the comments and discussions on this forum to be such a help, inspirational really, so a big thanks to everyone.
Recently diagnosed - Finally reaching out.
Hi friends I was diagnosed at the end of September after my first ever mammogram. I had turned 50 in August & thought I had better have it done. What a shock it was. My tumour was 6cm & I had cancer in 10 lymph nodes. My surgeon said I would have had it for 2 years. What the! Two weeks after diagnosis I had a left Breast mastectomy & 15 lymph nodes removed. It happened all very quickly for me, even though the waiting for results was the worst & longest times I had ever experienced. Oh, & telling my two daughters, that was heart breaking. I am recovering well from the surgery, it will be 3 weeks this Friday. Up till now I have been in denial about the whole diagnosis. Or maybe I have just been plain scared. Not wanting to branch out to you all for support. Silly me. After finally being brave enough to have a look at this wonderful resource we are on & reading everyone else’s journeys & support they have received, I am so annoyed with myself for not jumping on board sooner. i had my first appointment with my oncologist yesterday, & I am starting chemo on the 13th November. The information overload I received yesterday was massive & once again reality hit me head on. I will be having 4 cycles - 2 months of AC (doxorubicin & cyclophosphamide) & then 12 weekly cycles - 3 months of Paclitaxel. Before having radiation therapy & then 10 years of hormone blocker drug. i am giving the cold cap ago. Has anyone else tried it? Was it successful for you? I would love to know. I live in the north eastern suburbs of Adelaide - Dernancourt if anyone knows of any support groups in the area it would be appreciated. Thank you for listening. xxxxx
Bilateral Mastectomy and no further treatment
Just wondering if there is anyone out there who has had either a mastectomy or bilateral mastectomy who then didn't need any further treatment at all? I had this earlier this year but everywhere I look everyone talks about treatment following surgery.Mine required none which is fabulous but I have this feeling I don't quite fit anywhere. It seems there was this sudden rush of activity after diagnosis, a quick surgery and then a sudden stop it all. I was never sick, another thing to celebrate.Optimal care pathway for people with breast cancer
The BCNA Member Support team would like to share the link to the quick reference guide Optimal care pathway for people with breast cancer CC QRG Breast 2021.pdf (cancervic.org.au) The optimal care pathways describe a model of cancer care that puts the patient at the centre of care decisions. They describe a national standard of high-quality cancer care that all Australians should expect. The aim of the model is to improve patient outcomes through promoting quality cancer care and ensuring that all people diagnosed with cancer receive the best care, irrespective of where they live or receive cancer treatment (Cancer Council VIC, 2021). The Cancer Council are in the process of refreshing the consumer version of the optimal care pathways. You can find more information in relation to the optimal care pathways on the Cancer Council website Optimal cancer care pathways | Cancer Council References Cancer Council VIC. (2021). Optimal care pathways for people with breast cancer. https://www.cancervic.org.au/downloads/health-professionals/ocp/CC%20QRG%20Breast%202021.pdf
Hi I have just been diagnosed
What a shock on the 7th Feb to find out the news I had my surgery on the 14th Feb, soooo lucky to be done so quick, not a lot of time to dwell on things. I have been told I have a grade 2 IDC and only 1 lymph was involved. I have seen the radiologist oncologist yesterday and lucky I had joined this group thanks to the BC nurse, and had done some research before I went to the appointment. Wow the charges. I did ask about public for this bit and was told that you have to wait, don't get a specialist etc etc,like to know more from anybody who has had it done on the northern Gold Coast. I asked her about the survival rate for my age, and as I had surgery it was 82% , with chemo only another 2% hormone therapy is 3% at 5 years, My question is are all the side effects worth it to have chemo if that is suggested to me, as I am not a well person anyways, have other health issues. I see the chemo oncologist on Tuesday, then doing more research before making a decision. Any feedback would be extremely helpful. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and good luck with your journey. what are the show popular tags mean ?? at the bottom
To reconstruct with mastectomy or wait
Hi, I'm a new member, diagnosed with High grade DCIS in the right breast. I'm a fairly big breasted woman and need to decide quite quickly to have one breast removed or both, as the left breast is ok at the moment, also to have reconstruction at the time of the mastectomy or to wait a while. The surgeon tells me that if I wait for reconstruction - because she doesn't do reconstruction she can't save any skin and this will be an issue for reconstruction at a later date. I live in a regional area and would have to go to Melbourne if I want both done at once. I would like to talk to anyone who found themselves with this dilemma as making the decision is doing my head in!!Anyone “sacked” their oncologist?
Hi there, I just heard a wonderful ABC radio podcast by Tim Baker, who has stage four prostate cancer. He’s an author. While it might seem to have nothing to do with breast cancer, I found much of what he says resonated so strongly with me. Firstly, like some women with breast cancer, he was put on hormone therapy which resulted in big mood swings and feeling suicidally flat. He says, like me, that he was given no warning of this by his oncologist and was just handed several sheets of paper listing possible side effects. He also says that after four years of seeing his oncologist and feeling fed up with the lack of support and empathy, he sacked him and found another. I am not at that stage but I might be one day… Is this something you have contemplated too? If so, how did you find one who did more for you?
Treatment decisions
Hi everyone! I was diagnosed with early stage, grade 3, ER/PR+ breast cancer in early April shortly after my 28th birthday. I had a lumpectomy early May and it came back with clear margins and clear lymph nodes (but not without a good infection and some extra fun in hospital!) I'm currently in consult with my team on my next stage of treatment. Radiation is a given and I'm yet to see my medical oncologist but chemotherapy seems to be highly recommended for me but ultimately it's a decision I must make myself. I'd love to hear other people's decision making processes in a situation like this and the reasons why you may or may not have gone down that route? Stay strong x
