Hi my name is Anna and I am 28 year’s old.I have just been diagnosed with breast cancer and I am waiting to see my surgeon again on the 13th April 2016.Since I have been diagnosed I keep on crying all the time and I am really scared and don’t know what treatment option to go down although I have discussed having a single mastectomy. I was just wondering if there are any younger people that can offer advice or talk about their experience. Thanks
Hi Anna, I’m so sorry you have been diagnosed and especially at such a young age, there are quite a few young ladies on the forum at the minute and if you search through the just diagnosed section you should find them, it’s such a frightening time and your emotions will be all over the place, I hope you have plenty of support at home and we will do all we can here to help you ? Try to just take one step at a time and not look to far ahead in to your treatment, trust the team looking after you and ask plenty of questions if you are not sure about anything, things will get a little easier the more you know about your diagnosis and once treatment starts you begin to feel a bit more in control, go easy on yourself and take things as they come Xx Jo
Hi Anna, so sorry to hear that you have this to struggle with so early in your life. I am older, but do have friends either your age or even younger. I am not a fossil yet, lol. It will take time for you to adjust, and it is ok to be scared. Sometimes it helps to find out as much as possible about your specific diagnosis - I personally think - that the more I know - the more I can think through what I might have to deal with. However, this is not for everyone. You are now on a roller coaster of emotions and will have better and worse days. It is important to understand your diagnosis, the type, the stage and grade, as well as knowing what receptors it has. The exploration of your lymph nodes and whether it has gone there yet, will be very important, too.All of these will be the basis on which decisions can be made as to your type of operation and follow on treatment. Following the operation you will get a more detailed diagnosis, as they will send all to the lab. In my case - and I am just over two weeks past my op - I had a mastectomy with immediate re-construction. It will depend on your diagnosis and likely treatment, whether this is an option for you. Reconstruction can be done at a later stage, so please don’t lose heart, if this is not an option for you straight away. I am back driving and have full use of my arm again, too. Healing beautifully and scarring will be minimal. Yay! I am over the moon with my reconstruction, thankfully I have reasonably small boobs and the surgeon was even able to construct a skin bud to look like a nipple. So when all healed and through follow on treatment will have it tattooed to be the same colour as the other one. You are not a victim, just unfortunate, but your life has been turned upside down. I am glad you reached out, we are all here to support you through this challenging time. You did not say whether you are in a relationship, have children or may have to consider working throughout your treatment. I hope you don’t mind - I have added you to my friends. This will allow us to message and mail directly to each other without it appearing in the forum/s. Please feel free to contact me - I am here for you. x
Hi Anna, sorry that you have ended up here but it’s a lovely forum and has helped me with any worries. I’m 27 and was diagnosed in February with grade 3 IDC er+ tumour was 10mm at biopsy. I had lumpectomy and 2 lymph nodes removed on the 25th March and got my results for that yesterday. Lymph nodes were clear but as I suspected I’ve to get more surgery as they have found some dcis, but they got the bad bit out which is good news. I’ve to go back in within 3 weeks to have the surgery and hopefully that’s it all out! Next step is the treatment which I will be honest is the part I am not looking forward to, specially taking herceptin and tamoxifen… They both sound ? sending a cyber hug x
Thanks Jobey68 and Sue H-S.I am single and I a cat called Patch and live on my own although I am getting support from the mental health team as I have Autism.At the moment I don’t know what stage my cancer is but the tumour is 12mm.It’s great to know that they can do so much and reconstruction straight away.I have small boobs too as I have lost 5 stone in weight. I have a family member supporting me to see my surgeon next week as I find the appointment’s quite upsetting. Thank you so much for your support. I am just trying to take 1 day at a time and not do too much. I am on Facebook please pm me if you want to add me.(((hugs)))
Cara0165 I am sorry that you ended up with this diagnosis so young too it’s really scary. You are so brave going through the surgery that’s what I am dreading and I hope you are having a good recovery. You sound to be doing great so far and the next 3 week’s will seem like a long time. Let me know how you are sweet (((hugs)))
Hi Anna, just wanted to send you a big hug. I was diagnosed approx 2.5wks ago which was a real shock as at the time of ultrasound they didn’t think it was anything to worry about. I’m 35 so a bit older than you but can still appreciate the awful time you’re going through. I found that the first week after diagnosis was the worse and that you do unfortunately just get use to the idea and learn to accept it. I’m starting chemo at the end of next week and will have a mastectomy after that. I just really want to get started now! If you are struggling with anxiety then your GP can give you some tablets for this. I got some beta blockers for anxiety & sleeping pills from my GP the day after receiving my diagnosis as didn’t feel I could actually function without my heart pounding through my chest. Nobody really wants to be here but you are in good company & it really does help to talk about it. I usually foster kittens and their mums for the blue cross but have had to put this on hold for a while! I’m sure it will be a great comfort to have Patch by your side throughout the process xxxxx
Hi Bex1980 that sounds like a big shock.I was in a similar position where I didn’t know what to do so I asked to see a female GP who diagnosed a lump and sent me for test’s that was just 3week’s ago and it has been a huge bombshell as I don’t know any of my biological history due to been adopted at a young age. Luckily I am already on Diazepam for anxiety and Zolpidem to help me sleep although since the diagnosis I get my anxiety worse than I did before. You are amazing going through what you are going through so quickly and I never realized there was this much support.Your kitten’s sound lovely. My cat Patch has known something isn’t quite right and is with me a lot more than he was.I really hope that your chemo goes well and I know what you mean about just wanting to get everything started a few day’s seem to be a lifetime in very slow motion.((((big hugs))) and wishing you lots of good luck x
Thank you Magical_Moon if I do get any hassle off people I don’t know that’s fine but I would hope that men wouldn’t be cruel enough to contact someone with breast cancer that they don’t know. I forgot and thought that cos I had to sign up that this forum would be monitored in some way. I didn’t know that you could send private messages through here but I will have a look into it.Thanks
Thank you Charys and Magical_Moon that’s awful that people would lie about having breast cancer it’s far from easy.I have worked out how to follow people and sorry I take thing’s literally a lot x
Anna, welcome to the forum and I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this at your age,. I am a bit of an oldy at 48 but there are many younger members here (unfortunately) for support also. As people have said the beginning of the journey when you don’t have all the answers is one of the hardest times and it does get more manageable when there is a treatment plan in place. Sending a cyber hug x