Breast cancer and Chemo

Hi Anna  / Annas48

Warm welcome to the busiest Macmillan group, although we don't like seeing so many having to find us :-/

It is always unnerving when things get delayed but as you have already surgery and the cancer has been removed all other follow up treatments are to reduce the risk of recurrence and a couple of weeks delay at this stage isn't going to put you at risk.

Your appointment on Tuesday could be a pre-chemo assessment appointment which everyone facing chemo has. Could be to discuss an option to have a PICC line or Port fitted and to get your BMI figure to work out the chemo dosage levels. If you haven't had a CT scan as yet ? it may even be for this which is common practice pre chemo. Perhaps a blood test to check your liver enzymes which is also common practice before every chemo session.

There are some ladies here who have had 12 weeks post surgery before starting chemo because of healing/seroma issues etc so please don't fret over this.

Hope this is of some help, hugs, G n' J

Many thanks Dreamthief.

I did have the port fitted mid December and the chemo was booked for last week and cancelled by the doctor on the day it was supposed to start.

I did have the CT scan as well so I don't understand what this new delay could be.

Thank you for your kind advice :) xx

Hi Anna  / Annas48

Seems like everything was in place so no wonder you are puzzled ?

At least you don't have too much longer to wait and find out what the issue is. May be something as simple as staffing shortages or the chemo / oncology dept fitting your session in at a really busy period.

Fingers crossed for the 'go ahead' Tuesday. Emotionally tough when you psyche yourself up for chemo and you hit a hurdle.

Good luck, G n' J

Thanks Dreamthief.

It is frustrating because I'm having the chemo done at home so I shouldn't really need to see the doctor again at this stage .

You are right, not long to wait though.

Kind Regards,  Anna :) xx

Hi Annas48

Im not medically qualified in any way but have had chemo - chemotherapy can cause many problems to the liver so it maybe that when you had your blood test something flagged that may be a problem  with your liver health - the scan sound like that will have ruled things out but may still leave some other questions in the drs mind which need assessing ? 
I was told that the surgery is generally the cure and the chemo was to mope up anything stray ,but if it caused adverse effects it would be stopped - before every chemo you will have your bloods checked to ensure that the chemo is not affecting your body in any adverse way and there are many people on here who had their chemo stopped for that reason.
Just as another note I was almost twelve weeks before I started chemo as my lumpectomy failed and I needed two further ops, the guidelines are just that and the change in the process is to make sure we get the best outcomes , guidelines don’t always take into account real life ,although believe me at the time I was tearing my hair out ! 

I know the waiting is sometimes impossible but the dr will be doing what he’s doing to ensure the very best of outcomes for you.

Very best wishes 

Jo x

Hi Annas48

I too had my chemo delayed by about  10 weeks because I had an infection in my operation wound and it wouldn't heal and then had to have a wisdom tooth taken out following a tooth infection!!! I was told that it wasn't a problem as the operation had removed the cancer, the CT scans didn't show cancer anywhere else and the chemo was to just mop up any rogue cells. It is worry when all you want to do is get on with it. Hopefully all will be sorted with this appointment and you can get started.