Chemo before surgery????

So it looks like I'll be joining you all soon. New to all this and to the boards specifically. I'm 39, mom to 2 boys (7 and 4). I was diagnosed with IDC in early June, but delayed going to the doctor until July since we had a wonderful family vacation already planned - so glad we did that. I decided to go to Moffitt even though it's a four-hour drive away. Just felt that the care there would be what I need. Turns out I'm triple-negative. I'm waiting for the BRCA results - have a phone consult scheduled for next week. I had an MRI and a lymph node biopsy done last week and the lymph node came back positive, so they recommended going with chemo before any surgery. They're scheduling some more tests and then will come up with the treatment protocol. I'm having a hard time processing this all right now. Just 2 months ago, my biggest health concerns were losing weight, improving my diet, and clearing up my skin!

Peabrain Thanks for asking. Apparently I'm BRCA negative. One small sliver of good news there, especially for my sister and our kids. All my tests are tomorrow (today?). It's 2 am now and insomnia has become quite frequent. At least no panic attacks with tonight's bout. That started a few days ago and I got some anti anxiety meds from the doctor but I've don't want to take them when I don't need to. And I forgot to take plain benadryl for sleep too. Boo! Right now, the biggest battle is my own thoughts.

Theatrgal- my ex cancer responded very similiar to yours! I lost quite a few toenails and fingernails as well, more than once for each. I figured the chemo was very effective on me and only did 4 doses of each. I have Ehlers Danlos syndrome as well, the one where your skin feels like velvet and my joints are hyper-flexible. It's never given me much issue until chemo.

I too suffer from terrible joint and bone pain to this day. I can just be sitting and I feel like my bones are trying to contort. I will always feel the pain is worth the cure as I still am cancer free.

BUT

My Dr.s keep saying I should recover from the pain, but it lingers. I have fought the Drs and remain on painkillers as needed. When they tell me I need to come off of them, I ask them what else in the Arsenal of meds will help me walk my dog, walk up the stairs, and climb into bed without whimpering? As long as I medicate, I can work out, sit in a car for a trip, do my high stress finance career and continue to pay my bills. We shouldn't have to suffer with pain. If you are and your Drs are not helping you get your quality of life back, it might be time for new Drs who believe that quality of life is just as important as surviving.

I've had 3 surgeries since the chemotherapy to get rid of some of the side effects. For me, my cartelidge seems destroyed in my fingertips and toes, ankles, knees, hips and neck, which caused mucous cysts in my digits. Had those removed and a surgery to correct overgrowth of bone in my shoulder. Theses are things That only a small percentage of patients suffer from, post chemo.

I'm very happy that my Drs now help me control the pain so I can live the life I fought for