Hi everyone,
So very thankful for these forums to read others' experiences and share our stories to get support and real life advice.
My story in a nutshell so far, though please feel free to read the unabridged version on my profile:
Put on tamoxifen straight away at diagnosis from punch biopsies stage 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma HER positive (I think?*) late September. Original plan was lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node removal followed by 5 days of radiotherapy once surgery healed and all would be well.
I had right breast lumpectomy and sentinel nodes removed 2nd November. By the time surgery performed, a 2nd one had started growing behind the original, both successfully removed and tissue clearance was good, but all 4 nodes removed had cancer cells. Change of treatment plan would now include chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy.
So back for 2nd surgery on 30th November for auxiliary node clearance. Of the further 10 nodes removed, only one had cancer cells. Sent for CT Scan week before Christmas which showed all organs clear, but some 'fuzzies' on my spine. Sent for bone scan (Wednesday a week ago) I had spinal surgery for scoliosis in 1980 when I was 12, so we were really hoping it was scarring from that.
Breast cancer care nurse phoned late last week to say appointment with oncologist should be this coming week, possibly tomorrow. She also said report on bone scan has come back which shows secondaries on spine, pelvis and a left rib.
Can I ask what questions I should put to my oncologist when I meet with her? Feeling a little "lost in the woods" about where to start.
My mother had mastectomy in 2001 and radiotherapy for her hormone receptive cancer, which finally took her in 2007. My mother in law had surgery for ovarian cancer primary in 1997 and had full chemo regimen after surgery and a few further sessions with relapses between then and 2004 when we lost her. I know medical science, particularly with regard to chemo and cancer treatments have moved in leaps and bounds in the last 20 years or so, so I shouldn't take my mum and mum-in-laws' experiences as an indication of what I might be facing...
Feeling rather battered (though healing well finally) and a little scared.
* since found out it's HER2 negative.
Hi Brainybunch and a very warm welcome to the online community
I can't share any experiences with you about what questions to ask your oncologist, as I had a different type of cancer, but I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet.
I hope you don't mind me suggesting that you also join and post in the secondary breast cancer group as it's generally a more active group than this one and I'm hopeful that you'll get a reply there. If this is something that you'd like to do clicking on the link I've created will take you straight there.
I hope your appointment goes well
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Thanks Latchbrook. The oncologist appointment went well. Questions (so far) answered. Also found out my cancer is HER2 negative, so will update my post.
I hope you're well and any treatment you're currently receiving is keeping you well too 
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When you're going through hell, don't stop!
Glad to hear things went well 
I'm well, thanks for asking. Just coming to the end of my 5 years of check ups so might be discharged soon which is a bit of a scary thought!
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
