Just diagnosed grade 3 ductal cancer

Good morning.....

Welcome to this group although I'm sorry you've had to join us.

You are obviously quite worried otherwise you wouldn't have been Awake now. 

You will find there are a number of people newly diagnosed and with similar treatment plans posting at present. Look on the October chemo thread.....it will be called November from tomorrow and if you just want to chat a bit, laugh from time to time, express your feelings the Awake thread has members of every experience. There are also some other threads with 'new', or ' newly diagnosed' in the title. Virtual friends waiting to be made.......

My treatment, in 2015, was exactly the same as yours. My lumpectomy in November followed by chemo from January and radiotherapy from June. As you can see, it is often very successful.  I have my five year mammogram on the 26th. 

There have been many improvements to treatments even in this short time and there can be lots of personalised tweaks to make it easier. I can't promise it will be pleasant but once you have your lumpectomy next week, my surgeon always maintained the cancer is gone and the rest is stop it returning. 

I wish you well and hope the treatment is successful.  Take care and keep in touch when you feel like it. No question is silly, no feeling that someone won't listen too and understand.........

Now I hope you are asleep....

Love  Karen

I was in your position in April and had a mastectomy on the 6th of May, 2020 - I am now only 3 radiotherapy treatments away from the end of chemo & radiotherapy - it can be hard work but you will get there. The tiredness was my biggest problem, no nausea because of the drugs they give you and nothing hurt (except when they pulled the pic line hook out !) Try to forget all your other problems - concentrate on yourself. If I can get through it with a hospital phobia I am sure you will do great - it helps when you see how many other people are having the same treatment - you are not alone and I for one will be thinking of you Tiger Belle. Good luck lovely xx

Thank you for your reply, it’s so nice to hear from someone who’s nearly at the end. Can I ask why you went for the full mastectomy, at the moment they have said I only need a lumpectomy but I’m a b worried they will leave something behind. I know there are some tough times ahead I’ve been through a chemo treatment with my best friend and she suffered terribly with it. Unfortunately didn’t survive so wondered what’s it’s been like for you. Xx

You go for what they recommend for you. I found one small lump and it felt like there was something else behind it and there was. They started to talk to me about lumpectomy / mastectomy and my immediate reaction was if there is any cancer in there I want the whole thing gone. They said that would probably be for the best but as it turned out when they biopsied the breast tissue afterwards they found a very small 3rd one and all three were different types of cancer so I am so relieved I reacted like I did and got it all gone in one go. My mother in law had a lumpectomy 8 years ago and she is completely fine so don't worry. The lumpectomy will get rid of the cancer and the chemo and radiotherapy will mop anything else up IF there is anything else. I was lucky with the chemo, I had no side effects bar tiredness and one day with a bit of pain in my legs and hips and that was it ! So sorry to read about your friend that died, that must make it so much more scary for you. Chemo varies for everyone, fingers crossed you breeze through it like I did. Funnily enough Wednesday is your lumpectomy and it's my final radiotherapy session! A big day for both of us. I have been shielding from Covid since April - please take every precaution as it can stop your treatment. Let me know how you get on xx

Hi thanks for that, I have a few lumps and a new one since I’ve had my mammogram so a bit worried that they might miss something. But to have a full mastectomy scares me a bit, how do you feel about yours and did you have reconstruction surgery. I’m 54 and happily married with a very supporting husband just a bit decision for me to absorb. Sorry to ask so much but it’s such a big decision and have to decide quickly. 

GOOD LUCK Today XX

I haven't had a reconstruction - you can have that later if you want to. I'm 59 with a brill hubby. I have mastectomy bras with pockets and use a fake boob for now - doubt I will get reconstruction but it's always an option. Some people just have tattoos over the scars - there are some brilliant ones out there if you search. The scar is a bit horrid to look at but it's better by far that the cancer has gone. Stay strong Tiger Belle, will be thinking of you today xx

Sorry you find yourself here Tiger Belle, cancer is hard enough without the pandemic. You sound like you are staying positive. I had mastectomy, then chemo and radiotherapy for grade 3 lobular cancer. Anything you want to know just let me know, keep in touch, let us know how you are getting on. 

Hope everything goes well x

Thanks for your good luck wishes. Just waiting here for doc doing his rounds. Well done on your completion day, hopefully your life will get back to normal xx

I’m just waiting for my surgery, everything happened so quick only got diagnosed last Thursday. I’m down for a lumpectomy but I have found another lump since my mammogram so just going to leave it to the doc to decide what he’s going to do. Don’t think I’ve had time to digest it all. Thanks for your good wishes, it’s nice hearing from people who have already been through it and come out the other side xx

Tiger Belle I had my mastectomy 5 days after confirmed diagnosis so I know how you feel lol. Good luck x x