I am 39 and was diagnosed back in July with oestrogen positive HER2 negative Grade 2 invasive ductal cancer.
It came as a really shock. I had found a lump and went to the GP straight away who referred me the the breast clinic. The lump I had found turned out to be fibroadenoma but during the ultrasound, the cancerous lump was found. I keep thinking if hadn’t had the fibroadenoma then I would never have known about the cancerous tumour hiding behind it.
I then had a lumpectomy and 3 lymph nodes which all came back clear. I was so so delighted about that.
I’ve been on Tamoxifen for 5 weeks and so far have had no side effects other than bloating.
I have one more session of radiotherapy to go which I have found quite easy. Other than some tiredness and skin feels a little sun burnt, it’s been manageable.
I really thought I would feel totally relief at this point but I am now anxious at being out on my own treatment is finishing. I keep thinking about it recurring constantly. Is there anyone who feels like this? It’s driving me mad.
The way you are feeling now is completely normal for the stage you were at.
I was exactly the same , you think you should feel relieved and happy to get back to some sort of normality - which is actually about finding a new normal , but instead you’re going back over things in your treatment and diagnosis that have left you feeling unsettled and worried. And now instead of being able to look forward to the future you’re stressing about risk of recurrence and worried that you don’t have a safety net . For months now you will have been concentrating on getting to the next stage and not thinking about what you’re going to do afterwards
Firstly your BCN is available to you for the next few years and they do occasional routine calls with you and you should have the means to contact them. I’ve had 2 non- routine appointments in the last 18 months at their clinic. If there’s a local Breast Cancer Support Group that you could join I would recommend that.
I found the Moving Forwards Course very helpful - I did it about 3 months after starting hormone therapy and finishing radiotherapy . At the start of it I was still all over the place emotionally but at the end of it I was ready to go back to work. In some areas the BCNs seem to recommend waiting longer before you do it which is understandable if you’re going through chemo but if you’re on the surgery / radio/ hormone pathway then the active treatment phase is shorter and I think it makes sense to be able to do it at the stage you are at now.
Hello @booby12
I really can’t add anything more to what @JoanneN has already said, unfortunately your membership of “the club no-one wants to join” is a life membership.
Support will always be there if you need it from any of the services offered by BCN and Maggie’s
There is an account on Instagram called get me back which promotes finding life after breast cancer particularly through exercise which has lots of really helpful advice, and also Sarah Lynage the lady behind ticking off breast cancer (another Instagram account) has recently brought out a book “After Cancer: A recovery handbook” which looks really helpful
I didn’t feel like ringing any bells at the end of my treatment which was pretty much the same as yours
Wishing you all the best with your final treatment and life beyond.
AM xx
Welcome to the forum, you have had some excellent advice from the other ladies on this site, I can’t add anything further, only to say I was feel like you, lost my comfort blanket.
So pleased to read your treatment went well. Wishing you health and happiness going forward.
I can see you have already received some excellent advice from other forum users and just to add that our that our nurses are always here for you any time even outwith active treatment over the phone on 0808 800 6000.
