Diagnosed straight to stage 4

I can’t believe I am writing this…head is still whirling!! After having an enlarged lymph node in armpit for two years and all my tests showing nothing just before Christmas secondary cancers were found in my bone and liver and now querying lungs and brain. They have now confirmed the primary is from the breast as that lymph was malignant but have not yet been able to locate the cells. I am three days into targeted therapy, Denosumab and Letrozole. Everything I read says all the bad stuff…I keep looking for something that says I will live… I’m afraid and know that I’m at the beginning of a huge journey …I want to fight …I’m just needing to find a way to be able to live with this! Is there anyone in my position here?

Thanks for reading x 

Oh Dawn, I’m soo, soo sorry to hear your diagnosis. Am NOT surprised your head is “whirring” with it all.

I’m NOT understanding why your lymph node went UN-detected all that time, until secondaries showed??? That’s reeally tough for you.

My first boob tumour was Grade 3, 2006 but was caught VERY early on, with no “evidence” of spread to elsewhere (or as far as anyone can tell). 

Could NOT pass your post by, without wishing you WELL with your treatments, darlin girl. AND to send you “mountains” of STRENGTH to “fight” it. Along with heaps of Delly LOVE  

I don’t have any advice Dawn, I just want to send you love. It’s shocking that your diagnosis has taken so long. 

Keep strong and lean on those that want to help you. 

Love Clara xxx

Dear @dawnn74 , I hope you are doing ok today.

It is understandable that you have many thoughts going through your head.

If you ever needed to talk things through with one of our breast care nurses, you can reach us on freephone 0808 800 6000 (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; Sat 9am-1pm), or you can write to them here without leaving the forum - on our Ask Our Nurses boards.

Sending warm thoughts your way

Bernard

Hi Dawn

I am in a similarish position to you, I found a lump in right breast late Sep2022, was diagnosed early Oct as breast cancer but told qt the time it would be a simple op to remove lump, bit of radiotherapy and I would be done and dusted in 6 months…however it didn’t work that way, I had a masectomy in November which showed cancer had moved into lymph nodes, a lymph node clearance in Jan which was clear but now CT and MRI scans have shown secondary cancer in bones in my spine and pelvis which are incurable but can be managed with treatment as a chronic illness. I have an appointment this week to discuss the treatment I will need. There are also questions over my liver but they are unsure whether to perform more scans to clarify and now a lump on left breast, awaiting biopsy results on that though it does seem more likely to be a cyst they think.

So I do understand a little of what you’re going through and how you feel as I have gone from being told it will be over within 6 months to now being at stage 4. 

I really hope you’re doing OK and manage to get some of the answers you need. 

Sending love

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