Likely breast cancer after ultrasound

[spartanrunnergirl]

Hi all after routine mammogram I was referred for an ultrasound, which I had today and the radiologist said it's likely a cancer, thus did a few core biopsies. I did not know that cancer could be detected at ultrasound stage but she was pretty certain it was cancer and said the biopsies were to see what they were dealing with. Has anyone else had this? Thank you

Suzzipad stuff was on Amazon ‘ look for best price deal. You should change the pads after 45 mins they say.

honestly, if I could have seen what I’ve just written above in June I’d have gone into deep despair. Yet I’ve just blithely trotted it out as it’s where I am now and will pass. Making the most of every day and trying not to let cancer eat too much more of me and my spirit.

@dancingwhilstfacingthemusic Thank you ! I’ll go and look , so do you take two lots with you and swap them over ?
Its crazy isn’t it .. one min you know nothing about beast cancer then suddenly know all the terms .. the chemo regimes and your buying Ice packs for your hands and feet 🙈

how are you getting on with paclitaxel ?

So true @Rockschooldropout I think that’s why it can feel lonely (I found anyway) and difficult to talk to people about it sometimes. Like everyone, before my diagnosis I thought BC was just well BC, not all the different types with different treatment regimes, and when people ask me what’s going on, and I start to explain, it becomes too much info very quickly for them, understandably.

i have a bit of a medical phobia and remember completely panicking at that first ultrasound, when I had to have an injection for local anaesthetic! Fast forward six weeks and I’m seriously over that phobia by serious over exposure! I’m taking that as a win, I’m stronger and more resilient than I thought.

@Rockschooldropout we’re just having a chat about it on the general health board cancer thread 95 - pop your head in if you like, as there is an older hand on there at ice packs!

Paclitaxel is going ok, I’m tired but haven’t needed nausea drugs. Having a few nose bleeds though - it’s keeping me entertained!

@StartupRepair I thought I'd gotten rid of all my bras months ago, then found a drawer full of them a couple of weeks ago. I felt very sad about that too. I'm on the fence about reconstruction as I just had a single mastectomy. I've only had one boob since Feb, but it caught me by surprise today when I looked down 🤣

I had Paclitaxel and had no side effects whatsoever. My BCN put it down to the fact that I walked to my treatment and back (six mile round trip). It is a gentler chemo I was told. I'd have been grateful even if I'd felt like shit to be fair!

Blimey !! I’m impressed ! I have long covid so I’m not sure I could do that even without chemo !!

Ive been swapped to nab paclitaxel which is 3 weekly so it will be a stronger dose , Im hoping Ill be ok with it

@dancingwhilstfacingthemusic I can’t seem to find the thread but I’ll have another look . Glad to hear paclitaxel is being kind to you x

@Rockschooldropout I hope you'll be ok too! I think I was just very lucky. They kept telling me it had a cumulative effect and plied me with packs of anti nausea tablets but it didn't happen and I didn't need them. I found the steroids more difficult to deal with and what they did to my skin and how difficult it was to sleep. I know a few people who have had this chemo and they have all coped well. Fortunately things have improved from the dreadfully harsh treatments of years ago (I know this isn't applicable to all chemos).

@Rockschooldropout i hope this is helpful:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/general_health/5143517-cancer-support-thread-95-no-googling-allowed?page=35&reply=139839536

I have to say I’m not looking forward to the steroids 🙈 I went to see the oncologist yesterday who said they don’t routinely give steroids on this regime but changed his mind when I said I had hyperemesis in my pregnancies as apparently it can make you more likely to suffer nausea with chemo - every days a school day !

It’s just one joy after another eh?

I still have steroids with paclitaxel 🤷‍♀️ They have absolutely zero effect on me, don't keep me awake, don't make me want to eat (the dietician would love that they did, as I'm still losing weight!). The antihistamine they give me with the chemo knocks me out like a sleeping tablet though.

My main side effect so far (had 2nd paclitaxel yesterday) is really aching muscles.

Just a heads up that the side effects of paclitaxel can mount up and that if you think you need anti nausea meds you should take them (stares at past self!). Haven’t needed them until today but will certainly heed my body’s warnings next time.

@BatshitCrazyWoman I had to go into hospital for 48 hours of steroid shots when I was pregnant (was diabetic so needed to be on an insulin drip ) and don’t remember feeling any different on steroids 🙈

@spartanrunnergirl crazy how we are just so familiar with this cancer thing now .. yet when I try to explain about regimes and her2 to other people they look at me blankly 🤣 I could definitely do without this exposure !
how are you feeling after surgery ? I’m 8 weeks post surgery now and still get the odd electric shock pain and it’s still numb under my armpit .

@dancingwhilstfacingthemusic Don’t worry .. I want every anti sickness they can throw at me !
Went for my pre chemo bloods and dead is kicking in now

@Rockschooldropout I was the same but was better than I thought I would be once I’d sorted out the claggy mouth issues of week 1 with mouthwash. I had a background of mild nausea but hadn’t needed tablets, so being poorly on Saturday was out of the norm.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s to take each day (hour?!) at a time. We’re all cheerleading you and each other.

Hiya all, Post op x 3 weeks here @Rockschooldropout

Wounds recovered v well. Like you I am numb to the touch back of upper arm, with some pain there on and off and weird tingly electric shocks every so often. Hard lump where surgery was in my boob, which is still tender.

Started taking tamoxifen this week and I've got my radiotherapy planning appt this week also.

Tamoxifen is freaking me out as I've read so much about side effects and I'm stressing about the impact of that before I get any side effects which is silly I know.

Feeling very emotional about it all at the moment. Keep just bursting into tears randomly, everything has happened so quickly and I don't think I've been able to begin to process it all until now and this breather between surgery and next step of treatment.

Hope everyone else is doing ok xxxx

The physical feelings are normal, I'm still quite numb around the armpit and upper breast but not AS numb. I still get the odd electric shock feeling too. I was told that this is nerves repairing. It will settle but may increase with radiotherapy before that. The hardness also settles down. I rub Vaseline Intensive Care into my boobs every day and that helped soften everything.

In terms of Tamoxifen, I had no choice but to take it so chose not to read too much. To be honest, every leaflet in every medication contains horrors. My only side effects were joint pain. That has gone now too. I've got another five years of it ahead. There are other medications available if you don't get on with it. So one step at a time.

My MacMillan unit arranged for me to have a few sessions with their psychologist. That was very helpful so maybe see if that's an option for you. It does get better and everything you're feeling is normal!

@spartanrunnergirl the pain and tingling wears off but 5+ years post surgery the back of my arm remains numb. No big deal in the great scheme of things but they don't warn you. My surgery was 6 weeks after I found the lump. I was supposed to get chemo first but I was ill and in the end they judged it better to have surgery asap.
Some 6 months later I found a small informal group of local women who all had BC. We still keep in touch and meet up occasionally.
If definitely helped me talking to others, I would have benefited from meeting them earlier. Though there were also some awesome women on the MN cancer thread.

Oh @Skap and @TheFormidableMrsC thank you for this very reassuring reply re Tamoxifen and also the physical recovery. I have some counselling set up for Thursday this week and hoping that will give me some helpful talking therapy.

I think I'm also struggling as I can't yet go running and that really has been my therapy, plus social through my club. I've been walking a lot etc but it's no sub for the buzz of running. Hoping to get gentle jogging again in the next week but instinctively I know my poor boob is not ready yet even with the sturdiest running bra 🤣

Can you speed walk instead for now? I was told I could do yoga and walking but no running or weight lifting for at least six weeks. So I signed up to do a CRUK fundraiser and walked 20k steps a day. It was during lockdown so easy to do and weather was good. You don't have to sit around and walking at least will help.

@spartanrunnergirl I really should read things properly. I'm juggling currently! I see you're walking. It won't be long before you can run. When I started doing more high impact cardio I wore two bras for a while. It was fine! It's not far off for you!

I'm now 6 weeks post dmx. Still lots of swelling, numbness and bits of fluid. I am seeing a specialist physio who is very helpful. I am feeling a strong unspoken pressure to return to work, even though I am still very tired and bursting into tears randomly. Start letrozole next week.

Hi @StartupRepair where are you based? I have been reading and listen to info about return to work. In uk cancer is classed as disability (for life) so comes under the equalities act. I have found the Liz O'Riordan podcast on returning to work very helpful

open.spotify.com/episode/0nU8tAtigzxQFLjkBYHNCK?si=5KvjSW4oQd2323ppnQLBbg

I am learning cancer has a huge tail .. and the trauma rears its head at random moment and more frequently than I had imagined. I genuinely thought I'd be retuning to work two ish weeks after my op. but emotionally I am not in a state to do that at all. Sending love xx