Newly diagnosed breast cancer

Hi Marierose

You won't be alone now you have found this forum.  I have grade 2 also and whilst this may sound alarming, in realty these things grow slowly.  It sounds like yours has been picked up early, given that it didn't show on mammogram,  I am not sure about the endocrine but. I wonder if it means oestrogen positive? I am the same, and this is fairly common.  I would be reassured that you are having a scan as this means the consultant is being thorough.  Having said this though, the waiting around is the hardest thing.  Once you have a plan and know better what you are dealing with you will feel better. Knowing when to tell people is difficult.  When I told my grown-up son it was a big relief.  I had a lumpectomy last Wednesday and am beginning to feel more back to normal.  There are plenty of people here who will support you and answer queries.  We will all get through this together! 

Dear Roisin

Thank you so much for your kind response. I think as my niece and two cousins have all had breast cancer I was particularly as the cousins died, but my niece had a mastectomy 10 years ago and is absolutely fine.

So glad to hear you are feeling much better after your lumpectomy. How long were you in hospital for? 

I have to say that all the staff I saw at my initial appoinment and when I returned for the results of the biopsy were absolutely delightful. I had gone on my own as I was so sure it was nothing!!!

It is good to share as although I have shared with my sister she lives so far away.

Thanks you.

Mx

Hi

I lost my mum, aunt and my mum's cousin all to this disease.  This meant I had a terrible image of how this would play out.  The fact is, treatment is much better now so there is every reason to be positive.  I was due for day surgery but had to stay in overnight as I was quite neasous and dizzy.  I think this might have been because they gave me oromoph before I woke up which dropped my BP. Also I was so anxious I only had one hour of sleep the night before so after the op I was completey wrecked! You are right - all the staff are completely great and can't thank the consultant and breast care nurses enough.  It is such a relief to have the thing out of me.

Like you, I will have a sense of relief when this is out of my body. We lead a very active (retired) life so until I have the surgery I will keep involved with my bowls and bridge friends, and certainly plan to return as soon as is possible.

Have you got to have radiotherapy, which is on the cards for me? There is also the suggestion that they will remove the first two lymph nodes.

That was good just an overnight stay. Did you have someone at home to 'care' for you?

Hi, I was diagnosed 25/5. I'm waiting on second biopsy results pre op next month. Just popping in to say Hi and please don't feel alone, you've come to the right place.

Hi Roisin, I'm newly diagnosed, pre op too. Just popping in to say Hi.

Thank you Spindrift. It doesn't feel real as I feel so well so perhaps this is a good start to treatment. 

Hi Marie Rose.

I'm fairly new to all this as well and haven't a clue what endocrine means but I will say that the more tests they do now gives them that extra information they need to set you on the right path. 

I was diagnosed grade 2 invasive lobular and was told I needed a straight mastectomy due to its size (66mm) so quite large. On the day I had to be there for 7am and was back home after my op by 7pm the same day. I still have to wait for certain results but am doing everything to keep my mind occupied and still feel so much better knowing the main cancer who I call Bob has now gone.  The one thing you can rely on is that you've got the right team doing everything in their power to rid you of yours.

Good luck and hugs coming your way. 

Hi Marierose! I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis and so pleased you have found these forums. You have lots and lots of support now.

I am grade 2 as well, and the endocrine refers to your cancer being oestrogen positive, I believe, which mine is too. I was diagnosed on 31st March and had my surgery to remove the cancer on 5th May, which went really well with clear margins and nothing in my lymph nodes. I had a lumpectomy so was only in for the day, and had a really smooth surgery and no reaction to the anesthetic. I went in in the morning, had my surgery about 1.30pm, was in recovery by 4.30pm and went home at 8.30pm.

Now that it is out and I have the all-clear that they have indeed got it all removed, I have radiotherapy treatment to blast any cancer cells that may be lingering starting shortly, and then 5 years of Tamoxifen (as I am pre-menopausal at 42) to make sure that it doesn't come back. Like you, I am oestrogen positive, and the Tamoxifen stops any oestrogen feeding any cancer, making it harder for it to return. 

My Surgeon and breast cancer nurse are fab, as I am sure yours are too, and if they were at all concerned about the cancer growing aggressively the timeline would be accelerated, but it sounds like things are progressing along at a reasonable pace. The waiting is the absolute worst, and I definitely felt so much better once the cancer had been removed, but it will come around before you know it!

Thank you so much, Tumblebee. It is so good to hear of your positive experience. Although I am having surgery in  our local hospital it seems that I have to go to another hospital some miles away the day before to receive a 'radioactive' injection.

I have to say how wonderful to receive these positive messages from women who have experienced the same. My husband is lovely but just doesn't know what to say!! I think that must be an age thing as he is older than me!!

I am amazed at how quick my GP was in referring me and me getting the first appointment. My CT has been brought forward to tomorrow so things may be more clear after that.

Do hope you continue to recover and feel so positive.