Stage 1 Breast Cancer

[Jalea]

I’m newly diagnosed stage 1 breast cancer. It’s been 3 weeks since surgery and I start radiation shortly. My prognosis is really positive and I know I will get through this but I have a horrible fear already of it returning.  Is there any advice on how to deal with this? I’m worried that every ache or pain or tiredness will send me spiraling into hypochondria. 

[Ernest]

I think we will just have to live with the thought of our cancer returning.  I see the surgeon Monday so I will probably know what my treatment will consist of.  Right now all I know is I have stage one NSSLC.

[Nic1]

Hi Jalea

I’m where you are at when you wrote this back in December... start radiotherapy beginning of April, also good prognosis but worried about it coming back and having to live with it in the back of my mind for the rest of my life... it also feels trivial given the good prognosis, and feeling this way makes me feel guilty as it could already be so, so much worse...

did you find a way to manage? How did you respond to treatment and are you on any medication? I’ll start on tamoxifen after radio...

hope you are doing ok,

N

[Jalea]

Hi,

Ive finished radiation and am now taking tamoxifen for the next 5 years.

I had 16 rounds of radiation and ended up with some pretty bad burns towards the end, but I found it pretty easy apart from that.  I had a lot of fatigue which has improved a bit, but this is what i struggled with mostly.  Im sick and tired of being tired all the time.

I had some nausea, and joint pain at first with the tamoxifen but that has now eased.  The hot flushes are horrible and embarrassing though and havent slowed down.

I am still struggling with the fear of cancer returning and im really sorry that i cant give you any advice on that.  Ive been told it gets easier after every check up.

Im a little sick of people telling me how lucky I am to have not needed chemo.  Some days I feel like I got off easy and I feel genuinely guilty about it.  None of what we go through is a walk in the park, and I know that, but I sometimes find it hard and think Im not worthy of being grouped with others who have had cancer treatment.  It doesnt help that even throughout treatment I never looked like what people thought a cancer patient looked like, and assumed it wasnt that bad.

I hope you are doing well. Reach out if you need someone to talk to.

[Nic1]

Thank you @Jalea for sharing your story, it gives me a better idea of what I’m in for...I’m finding that the better prepared I am, the stronger I feel, even though I also know that everyone’s experience is different...

I too struggle with the mixed emotions, on a good day I’m feeling grateful I don’t need chemo, feel guilty like you as it doesn’t feel like ‘I have cancer’...on a bad day I’m  so angry that I need radiation and drugs that muck up my hormone system... and that I’ll be worried about the cancer returning for the rest of my life....

And if one more person says ‘but you look so well’ .... arghhh (I haven’t started treatment!! And I should be looking well, shouldn’t I???)

Anyway, thanks again for sharing your experience- sounds like I’m on a similar path to yours.

take care

Nic

[Lovedogs77]

Thank you so much for your post. I know the post is years old, but I can so relate as I feel that same way. I was diagnosed in Dec 2023 and just had the lumpectomy and will be starting radiation soon. I hope you are doing well.