Just diagnosed

Hi

Welcome to the forum (albeit you obviously didn't want to be here in the first place!!)

I have found this post from a few years ago where someone has some good advice re fibromyalgia and having breast cancer.

 Grade 1 is good news as it is slow growing.  Do you know what stage you are? This will naturally make a difference as to whether you need chemo or not as well as they type of IDC you have.  ER+ (oestrogen positive) seems by far the most prolific type of breast cancer.

I had  ER+ 15mm IDC (grade 2) and 54mm of grade 3 DCIS (pre-cancerous area - for want of a better description) and I had sentinel lymph nodes and lumpectomy, radiotherapy and tablets.  I was stage 1.  I didn't need chemo. and it's now 4.5 years since I was diagnosed and it really helped to know that as breast cancer is so prolific there are new treatments coming along all the time -  and it has a massive survival rate. 

You might want to put your personal diagnosis into this Predict Tool from the NHS as it may help to reassure your family that you're not going anywhere any time soon

Best wishes, Lesley

Hi Daisy, sorry to read your news.
I'm a bit further down the line than you in that I had my lumpectomy and lymph node op last month. Like you, I put a lot of energy into helping other people deal with my diagnosis and found the only occasions I cried were those in which I was let down by the support nurse not contacting me when she said she would. I found I could function on automatic pilot until those days when waiting for a call when I couldn't actually ignore the diagnosis.
If you are used to dealing with the awful pain of fibromyalgia, unless the op actually affects your condition, I don't think you have anything to worry about pain wise. I was discharged with dihydrocodeine, ibuprofen and paracetemol but actually only took the ibuprofen for its anti-inflammatory effect and did not need any analgesia at all.
I hope someone who is used to your kind of pain sees your post and responds.
Good luck with the op - hope it goes smoothly for you.

Hi Daisy,

on 20th September I had a lumpectomy and lymph node removal and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised that I only used paracetamol afterwards. 

Like you I was not sure how I was feeling but kept a positive attitude on the outside most days and never cried. It was not until my husband dropped me off on the morning of the op and I felt I had hit that wall and the flood gates opened, the nurses were brilliant and left me to process what they were telling me.

Just a bit of advice I don't know if you have been advised to wear a vest top, which I did for the first week, at night. But once the dressings were off I then used an after surgery bra, M&S do them, but once I felt that I needed more support I took the bones, under wire out of an old bra to sleep in at night.

I hope that this is helpful. 

I hope someone with fibromyalgia can also contract you re pain and how you might feel afterwards. 

All the best for the future and take a deep breath and do each day as they come and only do what you feel is right for you and your family. 

Hi Daisy,I am not sure if the opp itself will cause you any problem related to the fibromyalgia,but after the opp you will be given arm exercises to do,nothing strenuous but important to do,so with your condition and depending how bad you fibromyalgia is,these might be a bit tender for you to do,there all about stretching and would probably help the muscles anyway.Do you swim to help your condition,or do yoga,have any massages  to help?

Your cancer is the same as mine I think,grade 1A invasive,ER8 PR8 Try not to over think the opp,you take care of your head,they will take care of everything else,think positive in moving forward you will be absolutely fine re.opp.I was in and out the same day,home by tea time.No pain at all afterwood,was all very straight forward.

The breast care nurses are great,answering any concerns you might have,and there for you husband too if he chooses to use them.x

Thanks Lesley. I have a small tumour, 2cm and which is oestrogen and progesterone responsive but is HER2 negative. Thanks for the link to the fibro post  which is helpful.  Thanks also for the Predict Tool which I will have a look at.  Will check back in once I’ve had surgery. Take care and thanks again.

Mary x

Thanks so much for your reply.  I just had a call from my breast care nurse who reassured me that how I feel is normal and that at some stage it will probably hit me.  I am exactly like you were - remaining positive and cheerful while the family have had tearful episodes.  I already wear non-wired M & S post surgery bras as my fibromyalgia gives me very sore ribs at times and I was recommended to use them for that reason so I’ll have them ready.  Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. I hope your recovery continues well.

Take care. X

Thanks for your reply. I imagined I would probably feel any pain that comes a bit more but I’m so familiar with it that maybe using the paracetamol plus together with ibuprofen will do the job for me. I’m really glad it was straight forward for you - are you going to have radiotherapy too? I was told there is tablet medication to come as well. I’m sure it’s different for everyone and each has their own experience.   I think I’m more worried about sleeping in a hospital bed (as I have rotten back and hip pain and get very stiff). Hoping I’ll be out the same day too.  
Hope you’re recovery goes well. Take care x

Yes have to have radiotherapy ,go this Mon.to be marked up,just a couple of blue dots like a tattoo,which is permanent they have told me,they are also giving me a CT scan which is normal procedure,then start the radio on 15Nov.thankfully just 5days worth so hoping the after effects won,t be as harsh as what others have had to endure,You will be absolutely fine ,you have a tiny lump which is good,mine was 10mm which they classes as small.

good luck,stay well x

Sorry you’ve had to join the club. You may well not need to stay in hospital. I had a lumpectomy and lymph node clearance as a day surgery case. Apart from waiting to go to theatre and around 3 hours after I wasn’t in the bed long. My surgeon recommended day surgery as being better that hanging around in hospital with diseases. He is fantastic and had been seriously ill with COVID last year. 

Hi. I have to go in the day before to have a marker inserted before surgery next morning. Will be hoping to get home asap. How have you felt since? Are you having radiotherapy? Hope you’re recovering well x