Breast cancer 17cm 6lb

Hello

What a time you had had. I'm sorry you are having such trauma. The oncologists and doctors etc are very clever and will do their best to sort you out. 

My hair was also long, past my shoulders.  I loved it but more so I wanted to live and I had everything they threw at me. I had beautiful head scarves and made everything pretty. It wasnt easy losing my hair but a small price to pay. I'm 19 months down the line now and have a Bush of dark thick curls. It will grow back. 

Good luck with everything xxxx

You can never give up. Trust me. You are in very good hands. I had hair down to my bum. Thick blonde and straight. I am low a skinhead. It was the worst part for me as though everyone knows you have cancer now. However getting the best treatment and getting rid of the tumour is much more important than your hair even though it doesn't seem like it right now. Hang on in there and good luck xxx

Hi MT1962

Sorry to hear that you have been through such a tough time of it.  I can understand that the thoughts of losing your hair is hard but it will grow back.  When I was diagnosed with Triple negative breast cancer last September I was told that I would lose my hair during treatment and that I could get a wig for free if I wanted to and I was given a letter from my oncologist to that effect.  However I decided not to go down that route.  I bought myself a couple of turbans to put on my head for when I lost my hair and I got my hairdresser to cut my hair really short in preparation for losing it.  I started losing my hair just after my second treatment so I decided to have it shaven off.  My mother did it for me.  That was a bigger shock than discovering that I had breast cancer and I was upset at first but I soon got used to it. I finished my initial chemo in February and my hair has already started to grow back.

Despite Covid the attention and care I got from my oncologist and her team was second to none.  There is free counselling available if you need it.

While Chemo is not easy at times it is doable and you are given contact numbers for your nurses if you need them.  

As you say some days are terribly hard but you do get through them particularly with the support you get from people on this forum and your family and friends.  Just take it one day at a time.  Wishing you the best of luck with your treatment.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Hi MT1962, 

what a record to hold! And great to lose 6lb without dieting. I understand how you feel about your hair, but it will grow back. Long wigs are much more convincing than short ones too, so the nhs grant is worth thinking about. I wore one for three months with little comment. Only issue was it was very warm, but helps to avoid unwanted questions. Good luck 

Hi, my mum has had something similar. She has found a lump in her right breast which she thought was big ish but when she went to the doctor they've estimated the size to be 11cm by 8cm. I have been besides myself as I personally think a lump this size is huge. I just wanted to reach out as you had a staggering sized lump. I sincerely hope things are going in the right direction  for you now! 

I just wanted to ask, was your lump found routinely by scans or did you notice it yourself first? Despite the size of my mums lump the mammogram and ultrasound both came back clear twice. She also had a core biopsy. I'm scared that because the lump is large that it could be advanced if it is unfortunately breast cancer and if it is will treatment work? How are things going for you at the minute?

I apologise for all the questions I'm just beside myself with worry, just really hopi g and praying that the biopsy is clear but if it isn't I want to be able to be there and be as informed as possible.

Thank you xxx

Hi, 

I'm so sorry to hear about your mum. I first noticed my boob was sore so I thought that's a bit sore and thought I must of knocked myself so I left it another couple of days and it was still sore but I didn't think it could be cancer. So I left it a couple more days but it was still sore so I felt my boob and could feel lumps. So I contacted my doctor. I had a mammogram when I was 50 and nothing showed up. My doctor thought I had cysts but referred me to the hospital. I was seen within 2 weeks. I had a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. They were so quick and efficient. At first they thought the lump was only 2.5cms big but they were wrong. Every result I have had from my consultant has been bad news. Im not doing very well at the moment I'm tired, depressed, I feel ugly and a freak. My wound has come open so I have been on a vacuum machine for the past 3 weeks. My skin is so sore from all the adhesive dressings. I am going to need more surgery to close my wound again. I went for a CT scan last Thursday but they couldn't get any veins to put the contrast dye needle into. So they had to just scan it without. But my consultant said this will not be sufficient as he needs to see if the cancer has spread and also check other Lymph nodes to see if they are cancerous. I already had 3 Lymph nodes removed. But now they are not sure if the scan I had will show up any other cancer. If I have cancer in more Lymph nodes they wanted to remove these whilst closing up my wound for the second time. So tomorrow Is D day again. I am so fed up with all of this. I hope the news for your mum is good. Please keep me posted. 

Hi MT1962

I'm so sorry to hear that you are feeling unwell at the minute. One thing I'd like to say is that you are anything but a freak, or ugly! You are an extremely brave lady and despite how down you are feeling now please remember how brave you are. Thank you for your sincere reply, I really appreciate it. Like I've mentioned before my mums experience sounds very similar to yours in regards to the size of the lump and the clear scans. My mum had her biopsies on 11th May and we were told we would hear within 7 days. Since then I have been overcome with worry and other thinking... for the 1st few days my mum felt poorly and tired bit she's feeling ok now and she is just taking whatever may be in her stride... me on the other am feeling anxious and worried that it may be the worse. After 6 days of waiting to hear about her biopsies I persuaded her to ring them but when she got through they told her they're waiting for all her results to come back and that they would be discussing her on the MDT meeting. 3 days later (yesterday) I persuaded her to ring again... at this point she told she felt bullied by me because the consultant said she'd ring and my mum said she was scared... I felt awful and apologised that I made her feel like that but explained it's just because I'm worried...she understood and decided to still ring them... they told her that a letter has just been sent out to invite her to an appointment with the doctor who saw her initially to discuss results... she goes in this Wednesday. I might be reading into it too much but on the initial fast track letter to invite her in for initial tests said to go to breast clinic but the new letter says to go to surgery and reconstruction at breast clinic... we don't yet know if my mum has breast cancer but the fact she has to go to the surgery unit makes me suspicious...also... the scans were clear so they'll surely need fo do more scans and tests before they're considering surgery? I'm just in total panic mode because I lost my step dad and biological fathers to cancer and it runs on my mums dads side of the family... that's the update on my mum for now... I'm sorry for going on a lot just now... its just that I feel speaking to people who have been or might be in the same position as my family at the minute might be of some comfort... I understand how depressed you must be feeling but you are extremely brave for facing this horrible thing and just by showing up every day and doing what needs to be done makes you beautiful on every level 

I hope your hospital appointment went ok. Sending much love.

Awwww honey. You’ll be ok. The best consultants in the world have your back .. xx