Hi everyone, I have just been diagnosed as of yesterday. I had a clear mammogram and ultrasound exactly a year ago ( I am 43 but had a lump in my left breast) I left the appointment with them telling me there was no need for increased surveillance and I just had dense breasts.
Fast forward to this year I had a private ultrasound in February - agreed I had multiple lumps but nothing that showed an issue.
Last Saturday I found a dime in my left breast and the last week had been a whirlwind of appointments and tests.
So far they have told me I have an area of 80mm that is a concern- with multi-focal multi-centric lesions. I have one lymph node they are concerned about - prominent 3.6mm cortex lymph node (A3),
They have told me grade2, HR+, HER2-, KI-67 - 10%,
Tubular Formation- T2
Nuclear Pleomorphism- P3
Mitotic Count- M1
I am waiting for MRI results and PET CT tomorrow.
I am totally freaking out as this has really come out of the blue. Has anyone else had a similar diagnosis or has any tips on how to handle the anxiety.
First of all welcome to the club no-one wants to be in. We are your safe space and we are all absolutely here for you.
There is nothing I can say that will take away your anxiety. I think just knowing you’re in a really supportive community could be of some solace for you right now.
Also, you are in the best possible hands. I know your confidence might be a little rocked right now, but some cancers are really hard to detect, and maybe this is what happened in your case. Not defending it though.
I’m HER2 +ve and there was some other cancery jargon thrown at me way back when I was diagnosed.
You are now in the system. They won’t muck about. You will get treatment. The team will have lots of pathways up their sleeves and they do throw everything at it.
Just come on here and lean on us if you feel you need to rant, cry, scream or just feel held. It’s probably the best we can do, but oh boy, has it ever helped me over this last 8 months.
Thank you so much for such a lovely and speedy reply. I will definitely take your words to heart and I really appreciate you taking time out to message.
Just feels like such a a whirlwind of everything and I have had so much loss and cancer of family and friends in the last six years I don’t think that is helping. In a way I know too much and in another nothing at all.
I am hoping I find some more answers tomorrow, the meetings are literally terrifying but trying to rest and stay calm.
I hope you are doing ok as well and thanks again xxx
Never a problem @minib1. It is terrifying and all I can say is ‘breathe and believe’. It has been my mantra for many years and it has served me well sometimes, and other times it hasn’t.
I’m doing ok, I won’t pretend the road isn’t bumpy, but it is infinitely doable. I’m 8 months in now and feel like I’ve climbed the peak and am on my way back down the mountain.
This sounds just like mine. I was 43 when found a lump on October last year and since then it’s been a rollercoaster of surgery, chemo and radiotherapy. As the others said you are in the system now and they have so much knowledge and they will have a plan to get rid of the cancer.
I found that The time you are in now was the hardest part, the waiting and the unknown. Everything feels out of your control but once you start treatment someone it feels better. I haven’t found it that bad so far, I had a massive meltdown about how I would cope as a single parent - how would I get her places and walk the dog, but actually I’ve done all those things. For a lot of people chemo isn’t like what you see on the tv - the doctors will try to help you live as normal life as possible.
I think I found it not too hard because I was quite for already. If you can I would try to start exercising now (if you don’t already). I also found that good for my mental health - everything else was so out of control but I could control how much I moved and what I ate (which also included chocolate and crisps because fk it!).
This forum is also a godsend, loads of supportive people and great advice, no matter the time of day.
you will get through this and it will go so much quicker than you think
Thank you so much for replying. I am so pleased you are doing so well and all whilst solo parenting! What an inspiration!
I also love your attitude towards the crisps and chocolate. I am hoping to get to this as I have really struggled to eat the last two weeks but am getting there. I’m a total foodie so this lack of desire for food as been a shock to me. I normally live meal to meal
I’m still waiting for some final test results but all being ok from that I am hoping I will feel better when there is a plan’
I do exercise but could do more so that’s a good shout. Especially as recovery from surgery will slow me down for a bit.
I thought I’d post an update as a lot has happened since last week.
I had another two biopsies as well as my scans.
Unfortunately I have one involved lymph node but no other areas of concern from the scans, which is a huge relief.
I am meeting with an oncologist this week as it’s borderline as to whether I need to have chemo or surgery first. I have used the online tool and it predicts I have a 1% difference between having the chemo and not. So lots to discuss and plan for.
They have given me an initial stage of 2b.
Thank you again for all your support, it meant the world last week when I was massively spiralling xx
Hi I read your post and results seem similar to mine. I have her2 negative Er/Pr receptors. I got lumpectomy, 19 radiotherapy including 4 boosts. I was supposed to get 8 rounds of chemo due to 2 lymph nodes being positive. However I am in Scotland and didn’t qualify for the Oncotype score test via NHS funding due to lymph node involvement but I paid privately for it. I was delighted to avoid chemo as score came back as very low at only 6. If I hadn’t paid for test I would have got chemo that would have had no benefits. I was diagnosed as Grade 2 stage 2a. Wishing you all the best for future. Sending love.
