I am aged 30 and have known about my PCOS since I was 19 so I am prepared should I never get pregnant, I don’t want IVF if it happens I wasnt it to happen in as natural way possible. My partner and I have been trying for a baby for almost 3 years and I have just had surgery to remove my breast cancer lump - all being well (from results on Weds) I should start Radiotherapy and be done by Xmas - or at least thats my plan!!! Has anyone else had a similar combination who have successfully had a baby, or know if the PCOS is somehow linked with getting breast cancer at this early age when there is no family history?
I understand that I should not try to get pregnant until 2 years after Radiotherapy?!
Poor you - what a lot to contend with. I’ve been toying how to answer your questions as you are so newly diagnosed and I don’t want to scare you more than you have been with getting bc so young but at the same time I think there aresome questions you should ask your onclogist or surgeon when you go and get your pathology results from analysing your lump after removal as that will influence what they say about intentions about pregnancy.
I think you need to wait and see what the pathology report says about your lump before you can make plans - even long term plans - about pregnancy.
Do you know if your bc is hormone sensitive or herceptin positive at present? Do you know if you will be offered chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy. Quite often younger women are offered chemo as well as radiotherapy as cancer can be more aggressive in younger women than older women so often oncologists take a ‘belt and braces’ approach to treatment. Probably not what you wanted to read on a friday night or a saturday - sorry if I’ve worried you.
Like you I knew at 19 that I had PCOS and due to not marrying till I was 33, I started ovulation stimulation treatment then but it took 15 months to become pregnant and the when I did, I developed a very unusual form of hyperstimulation syndrome - in 1996, only 50 women worldwide had developed the syndrome I did so am ‘famous’ in that part of medical history!!
I know this issue was raised in the forums probably in the archived part as it was bout 2-3 years ago. quite a few women answered that they hadPCOS or had fertility treatment and then developed bc.Go through the search function on site. I’ve been told there isn’t really any connection.
BC is so multifactorial, no-one seems to know exactly what causes bc (there are known ‘risk factors’ though. During the years, women on this site have asked if various things like ‘are gallstones linked to bc, is fertlity treatment, mastitis’ etc and as so many people use this site, there are always women who will have had certain medical conditions and then gone onto develop bc. Unfortunately, it is not as cut and dried as that.
You could try emailimg or telephoning the ask the nurse service here on BCC. They’ve always been very helpful. knowledgeable and sympathetic and willing to find out things for you so I would contact them.
Hope you get good news when you get your results back from your surgery and I hope all goes according to your plan. Whatever news you get or treatment worries you have when you start, you know when you can always post here and you will get lots of support.
Hope all goes well for you
Kate
As Kate has kindly suggested, you are welcome to call our helpline where you can talk your concerns through with one of our specialist breast care nurses, the number is 0808 800 6000 weekdays 9-5 and Sat 9-2. The ‘Ask the Nurse’ service is an email service whereby you can send in your queries and one of the team will reply to you within 5 working days, you can access this via the following link:
Thank you for that, thats is very useful. Obvioulsy now I have had my op and the road to recovery is underway I have had chance to think about things to ask… as I’m sure you will understand, when you are diagnosed and told you have Cancer to develop deafness and can’t hear anything beyond that! Well I did anyway. I will ask on wednesday when I got to get the results from my op, failing that I shall email the nurse on this site.
I am quite a strong person, and have had over 10 years of believing would never get pregnant, I just said to my partner, this is the sutuation, gave him plenty of time to do a runner,but he stuck with it. If we are blessed excellent, if not we have already discussed adoption as there are plenty of children in need of loving homes. On being diagnosed with BC along with the possible side effects of PCOS I am moving towards the adoption road, for what could be considered as selfish reasons as I don’t need any further problems.
Thank you again - its so helpful talkig to other people!!
Mands x
I too have PCOS but only found out this year after trying for a baby for the last 2 years, I had been on the pill since I was 19 (I’m now 33) so only knew there was a problem when I stopped taking it and since then I’ve never had another proper period (some would say I was lucky!), I never really had regular ones before I went on the pill but I never really thought much about it. I was put on Metformin and had ovarian drilling (sounds worse than it is) earlier this year to try to make me ovulate but it didn’t seam to help, I then had one round of clomid (drug to start ovulation) at the start of October, I had my internal scan on the same day I had my doctors appointment about the lump, the good news was everything looked normal and the fertility doctor said I had a high chance of conceiving that weekend, the bad news was the lump was BC so had to put all baby making plans on hold.
I’ve since had the lump & lymph’s removed (in Oct), luckily no sign of spread but as not hormonal and HER +ve I start my 1st of 4 lots of AC chemo on 8th December followed by radio and then 1 year on Herceptin, so basically I will have to wait at least 2 years before trying for a baby again.
I do feel quite sad and down about the whole thing but also count my blessing that I hadn’t conceived that weekend as to go through all this whilst pregnant would be so much more difficult so I am lucky in one way.
I still hope I can start a family but if I cannot I will just have to think it was not meant to be for me. Not sure if I could consider adoption but who knows how I will feel in 2 years time. Its an amazing thing to do if that’s what feels right for you.
Fingers crossed for all of us and hope that we might be blessed with some good news after this is behind us, but like you said you need to consider yourself first.
Hi Claire… Lets hope we all get blessed!!! I think like you in that if it happens it happens we have to think about what we have and not dwell on what we haven’t. I am triple neg which apparently is a recipe for disaster with the PCOS in terms of getting pregnant. Too late to freeze eggs and I probably don’t have any or many anyway!! Just got told that if I am Genetic then it may hinder adoption which frankly I think is stupid - but I have posted about that separately. I should start Chemo just before you, so If you don’t mind I would like to keep in touch as we both have similar circumstances.
Speak soon
Mands xx
Sorry to hear that, I don’t really know what the triple neg affect will have on your PCOS as I’m still learning what affect my HER + will have (its all so confusing, I just thought cancer was cancer but how wrong was I!)
What type of chemo are you having and when is it due to start, I’m lucky to be going skiing (on the 13th December) and then have x-mas with our family in Yorkshire (we live in Cornwall) after my first one (I’m crossing my fingers that the side effects wont be too bad, I’ve done a separate post on this topic!) but then I have to be back by the 29th December for my second (I need 4 lots) so New Years eve will be a quiet one this year.
I too have not enough time to freeze eggs so just have to go through the chemo and hope for the best but I’m not too hopeful but we’ll see.
I cannot believe that your situation would hinder adoption as who can guarantee they’re not going to get ill after adopting, as if you’ve not gone through enough without being penalised for having BC!
Hope your chemo goes as well as possible, let me know how you get on.
Hi Claire…
Had my first bit of good news yesterday - They got all the cancer from my recent Mastectomy so I am officially Cancer Free… Yay Me!!! CT and Bone scans also clear and lymph glands clear. I start Chemo on 28th November which is purely to give me more of a chance of it not comming back - so I’m all for that! 2nd one on 19th December just before Xmas! I will be on 5FU, Epirubicin, Cyclophosphamide and Docetaxel the first 3 I will have X3 every 3 weeks, and the last one for teh remaining 3 weeks so 6 sessions in all. All being well and not having any delays I have worked out my last one will be on 13th March - Still don’t know despite my good news if I need rads afterwards that is down to my Onc so will ask when I next see her.
Now I have a bit of a clearer head I shall do a bit of research into adoption in our circumstances as its not something I have looked into properly. I will of course be sensible about it and won’t do anything for at least 5 years when my prospects are more hopeful.
Hope your Chemo goes well too - what drugs are you on?
Take care and do happy things!!!
Mands xxxx
Great news Mands
Hope all goes well with your treatment.
I’ve got AC chemo starting on the 8th, only got 4 rounds as luckily my lymphs are also clear (phew), I think the rads should be a walk in the park after the chemo but see how you get on.
Might be worth getting your chemo out of the way before taking on too much as you dont want bad news to bring you down during your treatment, concentrate 100% on getting yourself better, as my BCN says ‘now is the time to be selfish’.
Good luck & fingers crossed.
xxxx
Claire
Too right!!! :-)… And yes you are right about getting better - Thats the PA in me - always planning ahead - for once I am not in control and I keep forgetting that!. My outlook on life as changed already - from now on I do what I want to do already making a list of things I want to do - and at first the idea of losing my hair was just the worst thing ever - now I have bought a nice wig, which is blonde - and I am a brunette!! Havn’t been blonde since I was 3!! I realised chatting to the girl in the shop that there are loads of people who wear wigs and hair peices who don’t “have to” and just do it coz they like them, I’m thinking now is a good time for an image change - new clothes, new hair, new me, new life - Don’t get me wrong having BC is horrible and I’m glad to see the back of it, but if something good came from it - it has given me the kick up the bum I needed to make changes. Good luck with you chemo and Rads, do let me know how you get on with it, I’ll let you know how mine goes Friday - Not looking foward to it!
Dear Mands
Hope its all gone well today I’ve been thinking about you and hope its not been too bad.
I’m like you and have to plan ahead (like you said its the control freak in me), I’ve just got my new wig today (from e-bay), its quite nice actually, really soft & a bargin @ £22, I’ve also had lots of my long hair cut today so that when it starts coming out its not as much of a shock. I’ve also bought false eyelashes & an eyebrow pencil. I’ve stocked up on lots of natural pills & potions that will help fight of infection so pretty much got everything sorted except my emergency overnight bag but I will pack it this weekend. I’ve been working from home this week as well and that has helped keep my mind off things, I will work from home next week as well but taking it easy as well. I’ve got an aromatherapy massage booked as I think I deserve a treat, like you said its nice that you can get something positive from it. I’m always on a diet & worrying about my weight but now I think as long as I’m healthy & get some regular exercise (which I normally do) then it does’nt matter that I’m not nor will I ever be a size 8 and should be happy with being a normal healthy size 12-14!
Got lots of x-mas parties to look forward to and will be with all our friends & family soon so everything is looking positive.
Glad you are doing ok. First Chemo (FEC) was ok I suppose. After a few hours of being at home I felt tired so I went to bed at 8pm. Then took a mild anti sickness but then was sick, Same thing happened again this morning so my boyfriend rang the hospital and it turns out that because I hadn’t eaten much the tablets where making me sick, so I have eaten a bit and tried the tablets again and managed to keep everything down. I’ll know for next time. So apart from feeling a bit fragile I’m actually not too bad. Only down side is that they don’t think my veins will hold out for he treatment so they are putting a line in before the next one, hopefully that won’t be too bad as I hate canulas anyway.
The cold cap was bareable although I havn’t brushed touched or done anything with my hair since the nurses wet it and smothered it in conditioner so you can imagine what I look like!!!
I got another wig on the NHS yesterday, if I had have known they were that good I wouldn’t have travelled all the way to Sheffield to buy one - so much for being organised eh! Might wear it at my work xmas party purely as I am too scared to do anything with my own - assuming I still have it!
I too am gathering a collection of lotions and potions and I really must prep an emergency bag just in case.
If I don’t speak before I hope yours goes well on the 8th, let me know how you get one.
Mands x
Glad it went well and wasn’t too bad, hopefully you are still feeling OK. What does it do to your veins?
Did you take your own conditioner as I’ve not been asked to, might just stick some in my bag just to be sure. Since I had my hair cut short I can not seam to do anything with it so sick of it at the moment, plus I’ve had to stop wearing my contact lenses and put my glasses back on as I’ve got a inflamed eye, so feeling really unattractive at the moment but spent a fortunate on new clothes & make up yesterday to give me a boost, worked temporarily as feeling a bit low again, sure I will snap out of it again soon, just sick of waiting all the time, I’ve got a busy week which should help the time pass and really looking forward to skiing in just over a weeks time but just want the chemo over with.
Did they offer you the wigs or did you have to ask about them, i really like the one I got off ebay but its similar to my own hair so may do like you have and get something completely different?
I’ve got my work x-mas do on Friday but don’t think I will wear my wig as my head will be too hot and somebody will probably try to wear it!
Hya sorry its taken so long to reply I have not had a good week. Was sick again Tuesday, I have lost a stone (although some of that would have been after surgery) feel a bit beter today, and might venture out for some fresh air as I have literally laid on the sofa for 7 days! I just feel lithargic all the time, and I have no apetite which isn’t helping. So while I am easonably ok today I will try and build some strength up. You just have to take it day by day and do what your body tells you, don’t try anything you don’t feel you can do.
They said that Chemo make your veins weak - thats not to say they will disapear or anything like that it just makes it harder to find one, which is why they want to but a line in to save poking a prodding to find one.
As for wigs, when they said I would need chemo, my BCN gave me a pack of brochures and contacts of places that do wigs which you have to buy yourself, but she also referred me to the wig people at the hospital. If they havn’t already mentioned it to you, I would give her a ring. You only have to pay a prescription fee which is about £ 59.20 - don’t know if you have a health scheme with your work but I was able to claim this back through that - I was impressed with what they had, but obviously everywhere is different but it can’t hurt to have a look. I was seen on my own, so you don’t have to wory about it being like a salon with loads of people around when you have a pair of tights on your head!!! LOL. Hope it all goes ok for you next week. Take care Mands xxx