Hi
I’m new here so wasn’t sure where to post this topic but just wanted to share my story as could be of help to others. I’m 38 now but last year in March I had a sharp, searing pain in my left breast. I had no idea where it came from or why it was there,it came overnight and was that painful that it was difficult to wear even a seatbelt. The pain remained for several months, not always as painful but always there and at night the left breast was always hotter than the right. Then in September I found a lump in the same breast. The lump was about the size of a pea, hard and very sore when pressed so obviously I thought nothing sinister as it pains and generally ‘sinister’ breast lumps are painless.
I then started to get pain in my left armpit aswell. During a week I would say I had pain 5 days in a week, but still thought if there is pain then can’t be anything sinister, also no one in my family has ever had breast cancer and being late 30’s breast cancer unlikely. With work and everything time flies and I got used to having the ache/pain (I know now with hindsight I was stupid).
Always checked the lump to see if anything had changed and by December the lump was bigger I’d say about the size of a 10p, still hot at night and stinging pain when pressed and by now on the other side of the same breast another lump but much smaller and also very painful. So I was now getting worried and made an appointment to see my Doctor, that was an effort in itself as I haven’t visited my Doctor for 20 years, I have never been that ill that I needed to see a doctor. So making an appointment to see my Doctor meant I was ill, I had thought the pain and lump would go away, but it didn’t
So saw my Doctor he examined me, I told him it pained and I had pain in my armpit aswell. He said its probably fibrous tissue and a Fibroadenoma and as mine were painful it’s best to have them taken out, but best for a referal first as they were not mobile.
So during the wait for my appointment at our local breast clinic I looked online. That was the worst thing I ever did, Fibroadenoma said they are mobile, painless lumps. Mine where non mobile, rock hard and painful, so that made me worry. My breast was also hot to the touch, which online said is a sign of Inflammatory breast cancer so by now I was angry at myself for not having gone to see the doctor earlier.
Whilst looking online for conditions that resembled my symptoms, I found other websites regarding breast cancer and diet.
I had decided whatever the outcome my diet was going to change. I read articles about the rate of breast cancer in the UK is 1 in 12, in China it is 1 in 10,000. That is an enormous difference and the possible reason is that Westerners have a mainly Dairy diet and Chinese mainly Soya diet ie Dairy Free. Well that was all I needed.
So the next day after my doctors appointment I threw away all Dairy, all the cheese, cream, yoghurt, milk, butter, everything in my fridge that came from a cow. Aswell as that I cut out all bread, I know it’s not from cows but contains yeast and other additives.
After 3 days, that was all it took, the pain that I had had in my left breast and armpit everyday and night for nearly 9 months had gone. The lump that I had that was the size of a 10p had started to shrink and by two weeks was the size of a pea.
I then had my appointment at the Breast Clinic where I was examined by the specialist nurse and I was sent off to have a Mammogram and after that an Ultrasound. Then I heard the words that I am sure every woman there that day and every other day wanted to hear, it’s not sinister.
I apparently didn’t have fibrous tissue nor a Fibroadenoma but Assymetric glandular tissue, they couldn’t explain how the pain had gone and the lump was smaller, but if it works being Dairy Free and as nothing sinister showed up during the tests, that’s all well and good the Specialist said.
Now I know lots of women on here and at the Hospital when I was there didn’t have such good news, but all I know is that it seems too much of a coincidence that after having constant pain for 9 months 3 days of having a Dairy Free diet the pain had gone and the lump started to shrink. Now 2 months later and still Dairy Free, still no pain and no lump.
I have been told by the Hospital to check for lumps still as Breast Cancer is mainly in glandular tissue, but all I know is that I am sticking to a Dairy Free diet, Soya milk is fine and even if the worst had happened and they had found something sinister I would never go back to Diary as I call it now Cow juice for baby cows and I’m no baby cow!
Furthermore my daughter who is now 20 has had eczema all her life and since we went Dairy free (and bread free) she hasn’t had to use an ounce of hydrocortisone cream, she’s delighted that she has clear skin and all I know it can’t be all a coincidence that within 3 days her eczema and my pain had gone.
I don’t think not having bread had much to do with it, but if you’re not having cheese or butter than not much need for bread.
I’m sorry to be so long winded and I am sure that alot of you have alot to worry about, but I just think beside all the treatment that is needed to beat this, if there is a chance our diets may have an effect anything is worth ago.
If any of you are interested Professor Jane Plant Phd is the academic who had decided after being diagnosed with breast cancer herself to change her diet. I don’t know if I had been diagnosed I would have found the same result with going Dairy Free, but what I do know is that anything is worth a try and there has to be a reason whilst the UK the rate of breast cancer is 1 in 12 and in China 1 in 10,000.
Also I have to congratulate the NHS, I received an appointment within 2 weeks of going to the doctors’ and saw the specialist, had the mammogram and the ultrasound and results the same day, I wouldn’t have had better treatment if I could have afforded to go private.
Good Luck to you all and I wish you all well in any treatment you may be having or any diagnosis you are awaiting.
