Newly diagnosed going thru chemo treatments

Sheena08

I was recently diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in November 2014. Stage 3a. ER/PR + Her2 -. BrCa -. Bilateral mastectomy with a 7cm tumor in right breast. 6/16 lymph nodes. I started chemo Feb 2015. Just need some encouragement and/or stories from survivors with similar diagnoses. I'm newly married and have a two year old daughter. I'm 34 yrs old and scared to death.

Lolis197138

Hi Sheena,

Sorry you had to join us.  

I was diagnosed last March with the same diagnoses as you. My chemo regime was FEC-D and it was doable. I am only 1 year out but there is another thread with 5+ and 10 years out success stories. 

Hugs!!!

Moderators

Hi Sheena08, welcome to this wonderful community, although we're sorry you have to be here but, as you can already see, these discussion boards are full of support and guidance to help you on your journey.

Besides this forum, and to help you connect with others who are at the same stage of treatment, you may want to join the Starting Chemo February 2015, under the Chemotherapy forum. Reading previous months' threads can also give you some insight on what members experienced as they went through chemo.

You can also learn more about what to expect from chemotherapy at the main Breastcancer.org site, in the extensive Chemotherapy section.

Hope this helps. Best wishes!

The Mods

lauren32

Hi Sheena it's so awful that us young moms have to go through this dreadful illness. Sorry! I can also totally relate. I had a small tumour but also six nodes which terrify me. Lollis do u feel like it gets a bit easier with time ? I have three more taxol chemos and am starting to feel extremely tired from all the treatment. Then radiation. Then ovarian suppression and aromasin. I am also battling to sleep from hot flushes anxiety etc despite sleeping tabs. I want to try melatonin when I'm finished chemo. I pray daily for us all!!

TectonicShift

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tangandchris

Sheena- ((hugs))

I was dx'd in October 2013 stage 3 with 6 nodes and 2 tumors both about 2mm's. It takes time to get thru the emotions that having bc carries with it, I hate to say this but it is a process. I know there are many stories on this board of survivors with similar dx many years out and that is encouraging. I still struggle with fear but it does get easier to cope with little by little. If you need to talk pm me

Lolis197138

During the treatments I focused on just the treatments and not how my life was affected so I didn't really thought of recurrence. I found that after everything was completed and I was only on tamoxifen I had to deal with my emotions and how bc affected my life and trying to find a new normal as I couldn't pick up where I left. My dx came a year after my wedding day and 3 months after my first miscarriage, so struggled a bit emotionally after all the active treatment was completed. 

I would think that having a young child might help with being distracted and forgetting about the treatments. Talking about the whole process with people that are close to you helps as well. 

Lauren - It does get a bit better as anything time helps but the fear is always there. In my case I wonder about if any cells are still circulating in my body but then I think that there might be none. 

I hear of women that were diagnosed in their 30s and are 30 years survival. 

One day at a time, we don't know what the future might bring so let's enjoy today!! Take time to deal with your emotions and fears and it is okay to feel down sometimes as long as you get up and keep fighting and be positive. 

Post here often as you will come across other ladies that might have the same fears as you and you won't feel alone!!

hugs!!!

Lucca06

Hi Sheena, just to give you some encouragement as I know I sought out good stories when I was diagnosed. It's 4 years today since I was diagnosed, 10+cm tumour 9/18 nodes and my children were 1 and 3 at the time. Today I am happy, healthy and so grateful for each day. You will get there, it takes a while but you will. Take care.

lauren32

Thank you Lucca and to all you ladies who post on here to encourage us newly diagnosed it certainly helps!!! Lollis that is such a tremendous amount to handle with the miscarriage and being newly married I'm sorry! And the waiting now with taking tamoxifen and not being able to get pregnant for a while. It's so tough. Really not an easy journey for any of us but Lucca how true about the perspective and each day being a gift but very hard way to learn these lessons that are forced upon us. Does anymore have any helpful tips on sleeping ?