hi I was diagnosed with Angina in Sept 2020 I had 1 stent placed and have 3 other narrowing..In May 2022 i was diagnosedwith stage 3 advanced breast cancer .. I have been told by consultants that my option is a mastectomy and hormone treatment which i've already started.. My question is that there is soo many risks involved this surgery in beginning of think is it worth it .. I'm not scared of the actual surgery it's all the complications that come with it afterwards..My consultant isn't very helpful in giving me answers , and neither is my cancer nurse so I'm at a loss .. what I really want know is has anyone else with heart problems had a mastectomy and what was their outcomes ? I'm booked in for surgery in 2weeks time and I feel I'm running out of time to make this huge decision..
Angina and breast cancer: hi I was... - British Heart Fou...
Angina and breast cancer
Hello Benji2020,
I am so sorry that you having to face both heart disease and breast cancer at the same time.
There is a growing awareness about how cancer treatments can affect a person with heart disease.
I know my heart condition can be made worse by some chemotherapy medications.
There is a new sub speciality CardoOncology. I am not sure where you are based. Barts and the Royal Brompton in London offer a specialist service for heart patients who are also cancer patients.
Perhaps ask your Cardiologist, Breast Surgeon or Oncologist to contact them.
uclh.nhs.uk/our-services/fi...
rbht.nhs.uk/our-services/he...
I hope you are able to access the support you need.
I wish you well for your up coming surgery.
Thank you for your reply..My consultant is working alongside the cardiologist but they still don't tell me everything..I have sleepless nights worrying about all this , but it does seem to be that the risks are heavily outweighing the benefits at the moment..I could have surgery and all could go well then I could go home and die from heart attack the next day or any day during recovery..as you probably are aware of all the other risks involved.. with the anesthesia being another big risk, and major surgery on top of it all is all too much I don't feel my heart or my body is strong enough to deal with it all... I just feel lost I have asked all the questions but not getting answers.. my consultant just says "oh u could die , but you'll be fine" my cancer nurse just says " you'll just have to put your trust in us".. so still no questions answered.. I would just love to hear an outcome of somebody with the same problems whose fine thru all this to put my mind at rest, but even in the macmillan chat forum I can't find anybody..Does that mean they've all refused it..I don't know I'm just so scared and alone and very conflicted in what to do for the best x
My heart absolutely goes out to you 🫂
I completely understand the importance of wanting to be in contact with others who have been through your experience.
I know how special it is to be in contact other people living with my rare heart condition.
Have you tried putting your question on the HU Breast cancer community?
originalText
Do you have anybody you can talk to about how you are feeling at the moment?
There are some very kind and compassionate forum members, I am sure they will be along to offer their support to you too.
I have my family to talk to and friends and also my kids that are older, but my kids I find it difficult to talk to them as they just see it in black and white like go have surgery think if the benefits..they don't see the in-betweens and I don't think they quite understand the complications and impacts this will cause.. I've recently lost my brother who died in June this year from lung , bowel, and brain cancer , he survived for 2 years after being diagnosed.. he had pre existing heart problems but he had every treatment available other than surgery..so I just think they're must be other options for me ..
Hello 
I am sending you a big hug what a lot you are dealing with and no wonder you feel so worried who wouldn't !
You have been given a lot to deal with
I am no expert but a couple of things I can think of
When they weigh up about doing these things they always go on the benefits
I would have thought they have made this decision on the fact if you do not have the op you may not have that long to live the cancer could spread but even though you have heart issues your heart is strong enough to cope with this op and then you could have years ahead of you
You say your Cardiac Consultant is working closely with your Breast cancer consultant and they will have weighed everything up and I do not think between them they would have given you this option had they not thought it was the right one there job is to save life's not to lose them
Even though your other arteries are narrowing your Cardiac Consultant must feel it is safe to go ahead or they would have said no and the stent you have must be doing a good job to make them feel confident enough this is the best way to go
I can imagine how worried you must be and only you can make the choice if to go ahead but as they have said even though more help would have been nice trust them
They are so good at what they do and look at the fact you have not one but two Consultants looking after both your health issues at the same time together you cannot be safer than that
I know it is easy for someone else to say all this but we are here to support you the best we can , we will listen to you and be here for you
I know and not the same but when I was having or waiting to have my Bypass operation I just focused on all what could go wrong and the what if's and I lost focus on the positives and that was the fear which looking back I can see more clearly now
You have to do what is right for you but having a tooth out can cause a reaction some people have had heart attacks , even though very rarely but it has happened
I really do not think they would be considering even doing this if they thought the outcome would not be a positive one
Stay in touch with us and we will try and help the best we can x
Thank you so much for your reply.. I'm not so worried about the operation itself just the complications afterwards..I did ask my nurse how long would I have if I didn't have the surgery..she couldn't answer me , if I have surgery once I'm home in recovery that's what I worry about ..
Hello
I understand your worry and again I know it is not the same but I can understand
When you have Bypass Surgery I found out the first 6 weeks are crucial and things can still go wrong and I can tell you I was a mess a complete mess , I just counted the days the weeks and when it got to the 6 week the relief I could have burst
Then the goal posts changed and I heard it was the first 6 months again I started living every day in fear until I made it to 6 months but I did start to get angry with myself and say you have had the op because I was actually told I would only have 2 years if I didn't and I had to keep remembering that and tell myself I have just had the best surgeons I am on the right medication I am in a better place than I was
I am sure you will be closely monitored the aftercare will be there but what are your choices if you do not have this done how would you feel just waiting to see how long it takes this cancer to spread could you live with that thought ?
I feel so angry that they have not given you more support you could have done with some Counselling before all this but you could try and get some put in place for after ?
We all worry when we are in recovery but a day at a time we slowly start to feel less worried and you would to
Everything you are feeling is a normal reaction but I hope you can find some aftercare support so you can get the help you deserve while you go through this
Not sure how good your own Doctor is but this is something you could ask them if they can put something in place for you
I wish I could take your fear away but I can tell you we will be here to help you the best we can x
It sounds like you've been through the mill and thank fully you got through it and I wish you all the best moving forwards..Honestly...My consultant is not much good all he says is " you could die, but you'll be fine" and my cancer nurse doesn't give me much hope either all she says is " you'll just have to trust us" ..so none of my questions are ever answered ..I revived a letter today from the consultant, on the letter it states there's a risk of my stent thrombosis with the risk of infraction or life threatening arrhythmia..I was so angry when I read that, because that wasn't discussed at the meeting at all and it is just another high risk added to the list that I hadn't even thought of...I have no support from the oncology team..they don't tell me much all my questions go unanswered all the time or they shrug it off.. Since taking the hormone therapy tablets I now have irregular heartbeat another problem that can cause complications.. I'm not alone , but I feel so alone if that makes sense ..
Hello
I am sorry for the late reply for some reason it is not letting me know I have replies so I just have to keep looking
It sounds an awful set up here and these Consultants well I am shocked how blunt they are
I do know however before you have the Bypass operation the forms they go through does say you can die , have a stroke and a few other things to which I did think great so I either have 2 years or take this risk but then it was explained this is very rare it happens but of course like anything they have to tell you even if it is just 1% chance
It is a shame when he said that you did not ask what percentage was this that you could as her may have in a dreadful manner just have meant like all operations there is a 1% chance
I think you have to go with what you feel is right for you
Maybe make a list of all the questions that you feel have not been answered and contact the Consultant's secretary and request a call explain you are struggling to make a decision as there are so many unanswered questions that you need answering
You could also try calling the BHF Nurses on here and see if they have any advice always worth a try
It would be worth calling them to see if they can either give you advice or sign post you to where you may get some x
Heart Helpline team on 0300 330 3311
Thank you for your advice I will definitely be ringing around tomorrow to try get some answers..
What I found was whenever I have had surgery they all say you could have a stroke or a heart attack. But have to weigh up the benefits. Best try to find out as much as you can. It sounds that if you dont have it your time is short.
Hello
You have sent me your reply and I am not the poster easily done I have done it to sometimes just thought I would let you know as the poster will not be alerted you have replied
Hope you are keeping well x
I have been through a similar decision as yourself in 2018 and then again in 2020. (I had invasive BC in right ,2018, then left, 2020, partial mastectomy's in both followed by radiation and drug therapy. In 2018 I had a mild heart attack and two stents 10 months after right breast issues. In 2021 I had another HA just over a year after left breast issues. What I learned is that doctors cannot possibly give 100% certainty that you will be complication free, they must tell you that surgery has risk but it will be your best chance to remove the cancer from your body; they cannot know how your body will respond. Statistics indicate you will stand the best chance with surgery and have the cancer surgically removed from your body. It is a scary decision been thrust on you, but in my opinion you have no choice but to trust they will do what is necessary to keep you, an individual not a statistic, going and have decided the best way forward.
Thank you for your reply.. its awful what you have gone through but glad your still with us..Yes I do agree that they have to tell you the worst possible outcome, and I also agree with any surgery there can be risks I accept that.. its the fact that I wasn't told all the outcomes I could have and had to do alot of research myself.. I still feel questions need to be answered as consultant doesn't answer my questions.. He told me my stent will be fine and cause no problems, then sends me a letter to say that he has explained that the stent could thrombose, which can cause life threatening arrhythmia I record all my meetings with consultant.. just in case I've misheard or forgotten something.. He didn't say any of that only that my stent wouldn't cause a problem and I'll be fine.. don't get me wrong I am grateful this has been offered is not the surgery I'm worried about it is the afterwards..Its not just a heart attack that could go wrong, I have a whole list as long as my arm that the surgery can cause, . That's what I'm worried about
I totally understand how you are feeling! I stopped a drug after my second event because I was so worried about thrombosis, ultimately it was a high anxiety decision I had to make. I was looking for somebody in the medical community to validate my concern. I got the same non committal rebuttals to my questions as you are getting. They gave me risk/reward statistics and that is their job. I doubt you could find an oncologist that will tell you removal of the breast is not worth the risk of surgical and/or post surgical complications. The unique thing about breast cancer is that if your cancer is contained to the breast you have a great chance of survival, your brothers treatment options would have been different. I am so sorry for your loss and I am with you in spirit. I wish you well.
Also I want to add that everything I have found out so far is either through my own research or reading other people's stories the only risk the consultant has told me is I could die on the table, and that's it..
I have said above, but each time I have had surgery I have had that and have had to sign a form to say I fully understand.
Sounds as if you have a really dilemma at the moment. I do not have heart problems but I did have breast cancer that had spread to my lymph nodes so had to have all the treatment for it and yes it is tough. However my father had non Hodgkin's lymphoma and had had a stroke previously he was unable to tolerate the chemo so they could not offer him any more help. The fact that they are offering you an operation and treatment is good although it might not feel that way. If it was not treatable they would not offer it to you. I know that because I have seen it happen to family members and people I know. I was told by someone who had lost his wife to breast cancer take everything they offer as he had begged for treatment for his wife and they refused as she was not strong enough and too ill. Sorry to sound so morbid but they would not be offering you surgery etc., if they did not think it would help you as they out weigh the risks themselves. Hope you can get more advice and take care
Try phoning Marue Curie. I found they have far more knowledge than most consultants.
Thank you for your reply.. I have finally spoken to my cancer nurse today and we actually had a proper conversation about everything I was concerned about.. She told me it would be spread within the year without surgery and your right I wouldn't have long at all..She admitted that the hormone therapy tablets aren't doing alot to either shrink, control, or halt the disease.. Surgery is my ONLY option, there is no other treatments for me..I think of my brother and would he would do if he was here, and I know he would fight to live as long as he could as he did whilst he was with us..My nephew took his life in 2018 and then my other brother took his life in 2020, then my recent brother in 2022. .So yeh your all right..In respect of my kids, and parents it wouldn't be fair for them to lose another ... I have decided to go ahead with the surgery , and if I die afterwards, hey at least I'd have died trying ..x
you have made a brave decision and my thoughts are with you and you are doing the right thing all the best.
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