Longterm survivors of lump/rads/tamox only?

Stacy7

I had lumpectomy for 2.1 cm grade 1 , oncotype low, er+pr+ her- node neg. I am 45 years old and i am very scared. My surgeon, onc, rad onc and second opinion all gave me excellent prognosis and i started my rads.. On my second out of 33 ... Im new to this board and i need comfort , i dont know how i am going to fade away some fear of recurrence ... Best wishes

Hopeful82014

Stacy, I'm sorry you're here in this group but I hope you will find at least some of the support you need among us.

It's natural to be scared - we all are. In time that may fade somewhat. In the meantime, try to keep in mind that you have MANY factors in your favor, really. There are no guarantees with cancer, of course, but your outlook seems pretty good.

There is a thread under "Radiation" for those uf us who are currently going through radiation (Summer 2015 Radiation). You might want to check in there for not only tips to make that go as well as possible but also a LOT of support on an ongoing basis.

This DOES get easier to handle in time but in the meantime, it's ok to be scared or angry or concerned. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Just don't let it completely take over your life all the time, ok?

Take care.

Anonymous

stacy,, my mom is a long term survivor (over 28 years!) of ILC; had lumpectomy, radiation and tamoxifen. Has never had a recurrence of bc. (although she has had colon cancer since).

Anne

Moderators

Hi Stacy-- We hope our wonderful members were able to help put you at ease! How is radiation therapy going?

--The Mods

Stacy7

So far so good )))

On my 6th rad and everyone in here is fabulous and helpful but i cant help feeling hopeless still .. Im confident that this feeling will go away .. Seems like more and more recurences to later stages after early stage and im scared

queenmomcat

Stacy: what Hopeful said--there are a range of "normal" reactions to this, and anger, hopelessness, fear are firmly in that range. Everybody kept telling me "It does get better with time, but don't be shy about asking for help." I didn't believe them at first.

How long since you've been diagnosed? Have you someone in your life who can help you emotionally as well as physically? Would you feel comfortable going to a support group or talking to a psychologist? There's no right answer to any of this! Just "Can you manage?"

Hopeful82014

Stacy, I sure wish there were a good answer for you. All I can say is that most of us here truly 'get' what you're feeling and going through. If you can find a support group that's a good fit, that could help. The social workers in the hospitals can be a big help too, even helping you find a counselor who's good with cancer patients, if that would help. I found that talking with people who have been through it helps. You might check with the American Cancer Society and see if there's a local mentor who is a longer term survivor.

I'm just throwing as many ideas at you as I can, hoping that something clicks for you. Please know that all of us ache for what you are feeling and that we feel it, too. It's one thing that isn't discussed very much in regard to breast cancer awareness, etc., so it can be pretty lonely when you're hit with it and no one else around you understands.