Newly diagnosed Invasive ductal breast cancer grade 3 no staging yet

Hi,

I too have invasive dcis. I'm ER+ and HER2. I'm having a lumpectomy next Thurs and lymph nodes check. Then if everything clear, radiotherapy, targeted hormone therapy and treatment for HER2. I started off very positive and strong but am quite wobbly at the moment. 

Good luck with your mri . 

Thinking of you.

Thank you. I hope your surgery goes well next week, and your treatment goes well. Will keep you in my prayers. Jo xx

Stay strong, positive energy will see you through this difficult times.  We here to support. xx

Hello,

Wow thank you so so much for sharing your story, I am certain that the treatment plan for me will be the same as what you have had, but I am presuming that everyone has different lengths of the chemotherapy treatment depending on hormone receptor results (i still don't have mine) and the exact size of the tumour (i had my MRI yesterday and it will be looked at Monday/Tuesday next week) so I am hopeful to have some sort of plan for my treatment by the end of next week fingers crossed.

I haven't been staged yet for my cancer but I have been graded at grade 3, and roughly 17mm but that could change after they look at my MRI.

Not overly worried about losing my hair, it's short anyway and I have alopeia areata so have a significant bald patch at the back of my head. I won't be wearing a wig I am just going to embrace the shave, think it would be strange for me to don a wig tbh as my hair is so short anyway. I know it will upset me having no hair, even though it's short, I've always had funky coloured short hair and it's a big part of who I am, but it will grow back, and who knows I might even like it....!!!!

I will certainly take all your positives from your journey that you have been so kind to share with us so again thank you.

Love and prayers

Jo xx

Hi Jo.

I never got staged. Just graded. I assumed I was stage 2 because it had spread to my lymph nodes.

Your treatment/cocktail of drugs depends on a lot of things. Your height, weight, blood tests, smoker, drinker, heart rate, fitness level, diet etc etc etc!

That's why it can change on a weekly basis. That's why we are all on our own journey.

If you lose your hair, it will be a shock. I bought lots of jazzy scarfs and bandannas, but found them more of a hindrance than a help. 

Then I went to The Christie and saw all these ladies walking around with bald heads, or little tufts, or spikey regrowth. I thought, wow!!! Look at all of you embracing what you are going through!!!

Some were wearing sparkly ear rings, some had headbands with diamante broaches sewn into them. Some had full make up and blingy knecklaces!!!! It was amazing to see them. It made me feel part of the crowd. My attitude changed to, "this is me, accept it or get out of my way" !!!!

Stay strong, stay positive, kick it's butt!!!!!!

Sending love xxx

Hi Jo, welcome to the club that no one should have to join. I am 35 and have an almost 2 year old daughter. I was diagnosed with grade 3 triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma last Friday following biopsies. It has also spread to my lymph nodes. I had to go for a biopsy on the other side yesterday as they think that side looked suspicious. I had ct with contract today, have a bone scan on Friday and a full body mri on Saturday prior to my oncology appointment to discuss starting chemo. The multi disciplinary team have decided to go for 6 rounds of chemo (starting with 3 of EC) prior to having surgery. My surgery will hopefully be a lumpectomy and removal of all my lymph nodes but they will decide that based on how my tumour responds to chemo and the results of genetic testing that I need to have. The waiting at the start is awful but things started moving pretty quickly for me once the biopsy results were back. 

As I am sure you have already found, everyone on here are amazingly supportive and friendly. Please reach out if you need to. The macmillan helpline is amazing too. 

You will probably find that your emotions are all over the place...I can go from being somewhat grounded to feeling overwhelmed, to upset and numb in the space of minutes but remember you are not alone. Do you have family who can support you? I have been amazed at the amount of support I have been offered when I have told people x

Hi Jo,

Mine is the same, the pain isn't continuous but can be really uncomfortable and sore when it's there. I saw the breast care team yesterday because since the marker was inserted I've been leaking fluid from the wound. My mind went into overdrive because if you Google fluid from breast wound it just comes up with abscess or cyst (which is what the GP initially thought it was) so then I'd convinced myself they'd mixed up my results because I have a very common surname. I was embarrassed to speak to the team about my concern but they were amazing yesterday, they checked and changed my dressing and explained that when you have a biopsy the boob can protect itself with a sack of liquid (like a blister) so when the marker was inserted the sack, in effect, popped. They also showed me my record and confirmed all my details with me and were so patient and understanding when I explained I'd been convincing myself it was wrong. As they said "this is all new to you but to them it's their day job" and said just to contact them anytime. They're so lovely.

I had the MRI yesterday and that was an experience! Normal MRI is bad but that was so uncomfortable and awkward. I've now got a bone scan and CT tomorrow which I'm dreading as I have to travel to a different hospital for the bone scan and the scan can take hours apparently.

Looks like we will be having similar treatment at similar times, mines also grade 3. Mine is oestrogen receptor negative, progesterone receptor negative and Her2 negative but they've still advised me to stop taking the pill in the meantime. 

Contact me anytime, it's comforting to chat to people who totally understand because they're going through the same :) good luck! Sure we will both beat this!

Sam :)

Hi Sam, fellow Sam here also with triple negative grade 3. I had all my scans last week and just wanted to try and reassure you that I didn't find the bone scan that bad. You will be given an injection a few hours earlier and then go back for your scan. You basically lay face up on a table and relax while the plates very slow move over you. They put your arms in this big sleeve thing so that they sit comfortable at your sides rather than dangling. The only bit that was somewhat uncomfortable for me was when they were doing my head area as the plates come very close to your head and I'm a little dodgy in enclosed spaces. It took about an hour in total for mine but I had to have a couple of extra pics of my skull and then a head ct (all done in the same room). As for the CT, its over and done with in about 10 minutes...you just try to lay still and follow the instructions as it will tell you to breathe in and hold your breath every so often. Honestly...the breast mri was by far the worst as it was so uncomfortable - I still feel bruised from the bar! 

I'm due to start chemo in the next week or so (they are requesting mid next week but it may be pushed to the start of the week after as they are busy atm) but if you or Jo want to contact me at all feel free. More than happy to chat x

Hi, 

Thank you! It did go well and I'm feeling a lot better than I expected.