Really need some advice please

If you trust your oncologist I’d go by her gut instinct as it’s based on years of experience that big studies and research can’t quite pin down. 

I've only had the one appointment with her over teams too. She did say before leaving the conversation if I was to say no she wouldnt loose sleep over my decision,I just really wanted to avoid it and 15% less chance of reaccurance doesnt seem alot. I am on tamoxifen and will be having radiotherapy aswel. I just dont think I can put myself through Chemo.

Hi Strawberry4

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  I wasn’t given a choice I had to have chemo as my breast cancer was triple negative. While chemo isn’t easy it is doable and your medical team will do everything in their power to make sure you have no side effects from chemo. I had very few side effects while undergoing chemo, the biggest side effect I had was losing my hair but it didn’t bother me.

Wishing you the best of luck whatever you decide to do.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Thanks, unfortunately that is one of my main worries loosing my hair I know that might sound silly  but it would effect me alot that and what if I catch something and get really ill and something bad happens. 

Hi 

I was diagnosed October 2018 (Hormone positive HER2-)  and finished treatment (lumpectomy, Chemo and Radio and now on Tamoxifen) in May 2019. 

Like you I had no lymph node involvement and the tumour was small but grade 3. My oncotype score was 27. 
My oncologist- well her assistant actually, was keen for me to have the chemo but again it was my decision. I found it really difficult to decide but ultimately felt that I should throw everything at it to avoid a recurrence. Our age makes it such a low percentage of even getting breast cancer in the first place I felt that anything extra to prevent it coming back was worth while. 
I was also really worried about loosing my hair, I didn’t want to spend any extra time in the Chemo suite however and didn’t even try the cold cap but I know lots of ladies on here have had good results with it. My children were still in primary school at the time and frankly I wanted to keep my diagnosis as private as possible- which I managed with the purchase of an excellent wig! It wasn’t easy but I got through it. 
The Chemo is tough as you would expect and the whole experience is just so draining physically and mentally but it is doable. Although I have had a few issues from having the Chemo I don’t regret my decision, I think I would have found it more difficult mentally had I not of had it.

It is a decision only you can make and I wish you all the very best in your continued recovery.

Feel free to message me anytime

Kelly xx  

Hi, I had Er+her2 -  my score was 20 ,had lumpectomy & 5 lymph removed.only 1 positive. Chemo & radiotherapy was my choice as.I was classed in between.I decided to have both now and hope it stops it coming back.than always think I should have.I had EC chemo and worked through it .

good luck 

 My biggest worry was my hair,but got amazing wig ,most people at work don’t realise I’m wearing one.

Did you choose not to have the cold cap? I have until Monday to let them know my decision. I have looked alot on this page and so many have opted for Chemo. I was told 15% less chance of recurrence with having Chemo which doesnt sound alot. There was no lymph nodes positive after 2 biopsies and removal of 2 still to check which still came back negative. I will be having radiotherapy aswel. I just cant get my head around why still Chemo if I'm honest. 

Hi Strawberry4, 

I had a 15mm lump removed in august and 2 lymph nodes removed that were also negative. Mine was her2 negative, er negative but pr positive. My oncologist said that with chemo it would give me an extra 7-10% chance of the cancer not coming back. I was like you in that i really wanted to avoid chemo and was devastated when they said i would need it. But i was told that it was to kill any micro cells that may have managed to escape from the tumour and got into the blood stream etc. I agreed to have the chemo and i had my  first session of Fec-t chemo 2 weeks ago and i also used the cold cap. I am 36 and not ashamed to admit that i want to try everything i can to try and keep my hair. 
I have a 2 year old daughter and i just needed to know that i was doing everything i can to lower my chances of this ever coming back and i didn’t want to be forever thinking ‘what if’. 
What i find the hardest is that i am going through this chemo and i will never know if it is actually doing anything, its not like when the tumour is still there and you can see it shrinking. 
I am very new to this chemo journey as i have had only 1 session so far and there are a lot of people on here who can probably give you a lot more advice than me but i just wanted to tell you a little bit of my story as it does seem very similar to yours. 
I know the decision you have to make is very hard but you will know what is best for you and your family. Big hugs! 

Thankyou for sharing your story Moomoo mummy, I'm finding really hard to choose what to do its driving me insane and I have to tell them monday.Did you have the oncotype test done?