Just been diagnosed at 38yrs and have to have single Mastectomy

Public Archive
1

Hi there,

 

I was diagnosed with Breast cancer on 30th April 2015 after 2 biopsy’s. I’m 38yrs old with 2 little girls and I just feel totally stunned. 

I discovered something wasn’t right about 2 months ago when I started getting brown fluid leaking from my nipple and the breast itself felt quite grissely. I just thought it was an infection in my milk ducts that would eventually go away. My partner baggered me that much that eventually I made an appointment at my doctors. Thank god I did as the surgeon said another couple of months and I would be looking at a completly different diagnosis. HE SAVED MY LIFE!!!

I have been told that the cancer itself is quite small but 2 3rds of my left breast is covered in pre cancerous cells and I have no choice but to have a Mastectomy on my left breast. I suffer with fibromyalgia and also have to have regular injections in my spine and SI joint too. Due to this they have said that they don’t think my body could handle reconstruction at the time of doing the mastectomy. So coming to terms with losing my breast and waking up without it after surgery is frightening. My breasts as they are are quite large so it wont be as easy to disguise or for it to not be noticable to my children.

The surgeon said it was very rare for someone my age to catch this kind of cancer but he wouldn’t say what type.

I am going back on Friday to disguss what will happen next. I have decided to have the water balloon thing put in place ready for when i am strong enough to finally get reconstruction.

 

Has anyone else felt a bit fluey and dizzy as I have felt like this for about a month now and getting a bit concerned. Plus since my diagnosis my breast and my arm has been badly aching. Plus for the last few months my hair is starting to fall out. That badly that I keep blocking the plug hole in the bath.

 

Does anyone out there have any great advice on how I am going to get through all this. I am keeping myself very positive and have only broke down once but I am starting to think it hasn’t hit me yet as everyone close to me is finding this a lot harder to cope with.

 

Also should I still be taking the contraceptive pill.

 

I would love to hear from anyone who has gone through this and any advice they might have xxxxxxxxx

 

2

Hi
I too am 38 - mum of three and it’s a big shock to the system!
I found out at the beginning of April and have lived in on a roller coaster of emotions!
My little boy essentially saved my life! He jumped on me playing and caught my right Breast - I felt a lump and left it a couple of days and after it not going decides to get it checked out!
My doctors and the hospital both thought it wasn’t anything to suspect but after ultra sounds, mammograms and biopsies was told I have a 22mm grade 3 tumour- and I’m hers2 positive.
Don’t know what stage as they are saying early stages - looks like they’ve caught it before it caused any further problems. My little man is now my special little man!!
I’m booked to have the lump removed as no signs of any cells anywhere else, looks like chemo afterwards altho they haven’t said when or how much until tumour removal.
Since my diagnosis every ache pain I have felt I feared the worst but after my mri I feel a little better even though only the Breast area but other people been in the position have said it’s the mind playing tricks but always worth mentioning when you go to see consultants.
I have the coil fitted and I’m booked to have it removed before surgery as my cancer is hormone based - id check with your oncologist about the pill - i think each case is different.

This forum has been a god send to me and been able to get some really good info and saved me from googling stuff - as for hair loss I’ve had loads fall out over the last month or so but mine hsent been the same since I had my twins 2 yrs ago - hair loss is normal as it growns I guess we are just imagining allsorts xx

3

Hi 

Im new to the forum but thankfully at the end of my treatment 

just thought id post my experience as im 38 a single mum to a four year old little girl 

 

I was diagnosed sept last year with grade 2, 5 cm idc a couple of lymph nodes involved 

i had a mastectomy and auxiliary clearence in october and started chemo fec-t in december finished 4 weeks ago and

im now waiting for 3 weeks of rads to start in a couple of weeks 

 

Its all doable as u will see from many people on here 

i explained everything from the start to my daughter ive read her mummys lump book on numerous ooccasions which really helped 

she went to the disney store with my mum everytime i had my chemo (definitely  helped!! )

when i shaved my hair she was there i said what do u think she said yeah mummy can i go and play now !!! 

I explained it would grow back after my medicine she is now waiting for cinderella to appear every morning !!! 

I was lucky not to have any sickness on the chemo but did feel tired and achey 

so i napped when i could went to bed early etc and asked for help when i needed it 

im now 4 weeks post last chemo hair is growing back im back at the gym 

energy is slowly getting there feeling much better 

so what im trying to say is there is a light at the end of the tunnel 

the first couple of weeks after diagnosis were hard then i had a plan and just wanted to get on with it 

As for children i did find it really helped explaining everything towards the end she got bored of it and wasnt interested in mummy going to hospital !!! It meant disney store and time with nanny !!! 

Ive just started tamoxifen  as mine was er+ going to be on them for 10 years !!! 

 

Hope that helps and good luck with your treatment and stay positive  definitely  helps

 

Nat x

 

 

4

Hello ladies,

I too have reached end of my treatment had WLE. Now about to start rads and 10 years of tamoxifen and zoladex injections. I am young too at 44. I am at The Royal Marsden in Chelsea any ladies here based in London?

5

Hello, I am new to this forum so hello everyone! I got diagnosed on 30th April… I am 41. With two small girls. Our 10th wedding anniversary! I’ve had a lumpectomy and partial reconstruction using a flap of skin from my back. I have invasive medullary carcinoma, 19 mm and have seen oncologist who has recommended chemotherapy. I am looking forward to some support, and I’m dreading the thought of chemotherapy. I am back at work at the moment, and struggling a bit emotionally. Working seems so pointless but I need the money! Xxx

6

I was diagnosed in march aged 41. I have a 3 and 6 yr old. We decided to tell them mummy had a poorly boob that docs need to take away and fix. We decided not to say cancer. I had masectomy in march and let my daughters see my fake boob (I’m having reconstruction after treatment ) . We then told them mummy needed some some special medicine but would mean mummy’s hair would go for a bit. Again took the girls wig shopping. Have included them so they not scared but at a very basic level. I’m half way through chemo and no where near as bad as i imagined. My biggest advice is drink as much fluids as poss - it really helps the nausea and tiredness. Good luck with it all - I’m sure your children will keep
You strong - my two certainly are x

7

Hello ladies I was diagnosed on 10th June after my two year old knocked me and I found a lump. I have a grade 3 IDC. They did biopsies and fna. I then had a second set of biopsies as they saw another area which had another growth. I find out tomorrow what treatments I will be offered and hopefully given a date for whatever surgery I opt for. We don’t choose to be in this club but it’s good to hear experience of other women around the same age. The support on this forum is amazing. I wouldn’t have coped the last 2 weeks with out it. Good luck ladies xx