Two questions?

Try not to worry too much. They know what they're doing. If they say the cancer is gone then it is gone. Chemo is to prevent it coming back like an insurance. If you're really worried give them a ring and tell them but my feeling is everything is ok. Best of luck

Thanks Wicklow Lady.

difficult not to worry.

Relative isn't - she is taking it all in her stride.

Thing between op and doc appointments there was alot to do, not it is all waiting.

We were delighted thy said they got it all, but we are now wondering 'what if?'

Good for her. The key is to be positive. You could beat yourself up daily wondering what if etc and that doesn't do anyone any good. They deal with hundreds of patients they are well used to dealing with it and I can assure you from experience they are very protective of their patients. They wouldn't just leave them. Please don't worry there is absolutely no need xxx

Thanks for the reassurance.

I sometimes think accepting what you cannot change or have control over is the toughest. I like to be in control!

I'm afraid this is one of the times when you have to put your trust in the medical profession who in Ireland are the best in the world. Where is she attending?

It's Cork, wicklowlady.

Thankfully she lives close enough to the city so the travel too and from treatment isn't an issue.

Know someone who had to travel up from the most rural part of Cork for treatment. It was terrible during icy, cold, rainy winter months.

Another question (apologies)

I have known others who have had cancer to have full body scans to see if there is a spread

My relation has not had this mentioned to her, I would have thought this was normal procedure before starting chemo.
There was mention of a chest CAT scan but I think that is because she will be taking Herceptin?

No problem ask as many questions as you wish. No it's not normal to have a full body scan. Normally you have a bone scan , ct and mri of the breast. She will have an echo done on her heart which is related to herceptin. Trust the doctors, seriously they are dealing with this every day of the week. Relax she'll be fine xx

They will usually only scan if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes, as this is the usual route of spread out of the breast. Mine was found in lymph nodes and I had ct scan and bone scan to check for further spread, which were clear thankfully. I started chemo 7 weeks after surgery, they will want to make sure wounds have fully healed before chemo as healing ability is compromised on chemo. I second the advice from Wicklowlady, try to stay as positive as possible. It's a scary time but actually it goes really quickly and your relative will be through it in no time at all. Also, I was told the surgery was my main treatment, the chemo and rads were precautionary really. Sounds the same for your relative so don't worry about spread in these few weeks, although cancer cells divide rapidly, they don't go that quickly usually. Best of luck

Thanks.

They only found 'traces' (doctor's words) in 1 lymph node, so I don't know if that is regarded as a true spread or not???

Did she have any more lymph nodes removed? I had clear node but still had bone scan, ct and Mri. That's very good if it hadn't spread to nodes

I think they took 2 or 3? but he said 'traces' in just one.

That's excellent. Some people have 20/30 removed. That's very positive. Crack open the champagne. I did lol

Yeah. I go from thinking OMG she has cancer to well at least they got clear margins the first go and it is preventative.

It's a rollercoaster

My relative starts ACT Chemo today.

Hoping it won't be too tough on her.

Any info on people's experiences with this type of chemo would be great

Hi there, my chemo was AC T on what is called "dose dense" schedule every 2 weeks. It's an aggressive way of giving chemo but effective. 4 cycles of AC and then 4 of T. The AC is harder, but my advice is to take all medication offered and let them know if anti sickness meds aren't working. I found it ok, really just like being hung over, I thankfully didn't suffer nausea and was able to keep working through although I know many choose not to or are not in a position to do this. The key is to listen to your body, when tired have a nap, eat little and often and keep as active as possible getting out for walks whenever possible. The time will fly by, I know it seems like a mountain right now but your relative will be through it in no time. She will lose her hair unfortunately so it is good to have wig/head scarves at the ready. Ask any other questions you like.

Thanks

I need to stop reading google

Yesterday I was reading about recurrence

I am convinced because it is triple pos that it will recur

I am also concerned because at diagnosis she didn't have a scan...therefore how do they know it isn't elsewhere?

Worried relative please go back on my replies to you. STOP GOOGLING!!! You are going to end up sick. I was three years diagnosed yesterday and I'm doing great. I didn't have a full body scan. They know from the tests they do especially blood tests what they are dealing with. You'll have no quality of life if you continue worrying about whether it's somewhere else or if it's going to come back. Relax and enjoy life and support your relative with POSITIVITY!!!

Thanks Wicklowlady.

I know, I know. I need to stop worrying.

I am looking at going to speak to someone at the local cancer support group, just to speak about worries etc. think it might help me.

Great idea. Cancer support groups are fantastic. You're doing no one any good by constant worrying.

I know.

I'm a worrier anyway, but I'm a sane adult yet I am worrying like a child.

I think it's just so new and scary.

So far so good with the chemo

Everything will be fine. Believe you me I'm a much better person post cancer. I've retired, doing all he things I wanted to and enjoying life. It's not all bad. If I hadn't got it I'd be trudging to work wishing he years away until I retired.

That's true Wicklowlady.

A friend of my Mum's had cancer a number of years ago. She underwent treatment etc and retired from work

She said she is a much stronger person now - before hand she would have been a bit of a walk over where people were concerned. Now she just says what she feels and as it is and it's very liberating for her.

Oh absolutely true and you don't moan about little things and don't tolerate people who do

That's exactly what she said. Her exact words word 'I no longer suffer fools gladly'

When I was googling stuff I see from alot of American sites that patients seem to get very indepth reports on their cancer....this doesn't seem to be done here.

For example, they knew the % they were ER+ or PR+ etc.

Too much information is a dangerous thing. We don't need to know all this

True.

I'm sure my relative was barely even told stage/type of cancer.

They seem to do it on a need to know basis, which isn't any harm I suppose?

As I say too much information can be a bad thing. Especially to take in all at the one time. You said she was triple positive did you?

Yes Wicklow lady.

She sure doesn't do things in halves went and got the whole lot 3 positives.

I think that is the thing that was making me worry the most. If it was either 2 or 1 pos I don't think i'd be worrying as much

Well apparently people worry when they're triple negative as they're getting nothing to stop it recurring where with the others you are on hormone tablet or you get herceptin. Works both ways. I really think it's just a 'type'. They have the great medicines to sort them. Her2+ was a whole different ball game before herceptin came along.

True.

Think it's so soul destroying though that you can go through all that treatment "belts and braces" as the doc calls it - for it all to rear its ugly head again.

Look I've seen many down since I got it. They looked at me and wouldn't have swapped places with me, feeling sorry that I had cancer and the next thing wham, they got aggressive cancer and were dead in a few months so no one is exempt

That's true.

I was talking to someone the other day - a GP - and he said once treatment is over, it's back to what it was like before you had it almost - you could get it, you might not get it, but you're the same as the general population.

Yes that's the way I think it is. No one knows when it'll hit them. Thing is you're monitored more closely when you've had it

Hi worriedrelative
Just thought id let you know i too was triple positive and am now coming up to 4 years diagnosed .i am healthy (probably more so than pre cancer) happy and getting on with life.i had 6 rounds of chemo ,mastectomy and recon and a year of herceptin.followed by hormone therapy.,and as wicklowlady said we are monitored closely .
Leave dr google alone you wont do yourself or your relative any favours.feel free to pm me if you have any questions id be happy to help.

XxW

Wilmaone,

Thanks for that. That is good to know.

She just got an appointment today for a thoraic, pelvic and abdominal CT scan.

Anyone know what this is for?

Is it before she starts Herceptin or is it to see if cancer has spread.

One question my relative does have - can they tell from the blood tests that they take whether you have cancer cells present in your body?

They're doing what you want them to do. Just checking everything is clear. I had a ct scan. It's all routine. As I said to you before blood tests show a lot. She will have a heart echo before herceotin. Stop worrying!!!

Yes heart tracing booked for a few weeks time getting it in early as Herceptin probably won't start until November if all chemos go as per scheduled (please God they will).

oh wicklow lady with your CT scan how long did it take. Her letter didn't say just that it was thoraic, abdomen and pelvis I think.

did you have a bone scan or head scan?

Just 15/20minutes. They usually have results fairly quickly. Herceptin will be given same time as chemo and continue on after. I had a bone scan.

She has an appointment with oncologist in mid September, so will probably get the results then. Don't know if they call you in before hand for results or not. No mention of bone scan yet, but that could come....