MRI confirmed that my early stage breast cancer diagnosed in 2015 is now harboured in one of my vertebrae T-9. Will be seeing Oncology team on Tuesday. I am so scared. Cannot sleep, eat, think of anything else but dying. Would like encouragement from those who have been in my position and have been able to recover the joy of living again. I am in a dark place right now. My husband is my pillar and he too is devastated.
Hi 4748,
My primary was 2008 and in October 2019 I was diagnosed with secondaries. It is an absolute sledge hammer, totally unexpected because mine are in my lymph nodes and I was expecting to be told I had lymphoma, had no idea that it could go to lymph nodes in abdomen and groin. I also have a pulmonary embolism so it is difficult for me to breathe, also diagnosed in October. It felt like an immediate death sentence but it is not, although we are all different, people do survive for a number of years even.
Once my treatment plan was in place, I felt a lot better mentally and determined that my attitude would be to live with cancer.
However, I am not in a joyful place as we lost my Mum on Friday (nothing to do with bc).
Let us know how you get on on Tuesday.
All the best
Kinden x
Hi 4748, I was diagnosed with BC in January 2017, and had a WLE in February. Halfway through my rads I was told that my blurred CT scan was actually 4 lung mets!! I was devastated, and to hear my Onco burble on about how he was going to treat it/ them/ me and how there were loads of options in his little black bag was a bit preposterous…or so I thought. However, bless that man, he was absolutely right. I think I’m fitter now than in my whole life as I try to exercise everyday in order to cope with SEs. I’m, dare I say this, happier with life as I appreciate every minute of everyday. Even the mundane is wonderful! Let me make a meal, or dust a surface and I’m like a piggy in poop. Maggies centre has been my go to place for support, both mental and physical. As we say, at Maggies, we’re living with cancer, not dying from it. There’s a great support network for us SBC girls there, some of which have been attending since it opened its doors in 2013. New meds are coming along all the time, and although it’s not an easy path, no way are you dying, well, not today. Well all go at sometime, though. Sending hugs and positive thoughts to both you and your husband. I think that the posts on the seven year cancerversary thread are very uplifting. I hope that your hospital appointment goes well. My friends with bone mets got rid of their pain once a suitable treatment was found.X
Hi 4748
I was diagnosed in 2013 with primary breast cancer and found out last Christmas that it had spread to my spine, namely T12. I’ve had more radio and chemo and now receive Herceptin and Perjeta every 3 weeks and Denosumab every 4 weeks. All is going ok so far. ? It’s devastating to be told it’s come back and I think the natural thought is about dying but as mentioned in another post you are ‘living’ with cancer. It has taken me up until now to accept what is happening and since I have I seem to be coping much better. Take each day as it comes and try your hardest to enjoy every moment. Wishing you the best of luck at your appointment. Xx
Hello,
I was diagnosed with extensive mets to bones 5 years ago. They are everywhere including skull. Apart from one vertebrae which collapsed ( I had Vertebroplasty to rebuild it) I can say they haven’t given me much trouble. I work, travel, socialise.
You have have every reason to be hopeful.
Lets hope this new decade is good for us all xxx
Hi4748
You have come to the right place for support and advice. We have ALL been in the situation you find yourself I , when you are told that your primary has now returned as secondaries. However there is life a after this diagnosis as we have all found in our own time, It takes time to adjust and it is not always the death sentence we all believe it to be when we are first told. I have been living with bone mets for nearly 12 years now and with liver mets for the past 6 of those years. It is such a shock when you have heard that your primary has now reappeared as secondaries so do give yourself time to recover from the shock and adjust to the new normal. Over the years I have fairly unintrusive treatment, such as hormone treatment where I have barely seen the insides of a hospital for months at a time and also spent some times being there for treatment every 3 weeks. It doesn’t mean every treatment is as bad as the next and only last year, after an extensive operation to my liver, I spent the year blissfully away from hospital . I agree with what has already been said about how, in some ways, my life has been enhanced as I do relish every treat or occasion I thought I would miss. A lot of people who have no brush with a major disease/condition don’t know how lucky they are but still keep complaining about the little annoying things in life so I feel they are missing out at times. One of my mottos is don’t sweat the small stuff!
Once you have a treatment plan in place you should feel more able to cope, as most of us have, and know what you a are dealing with, which helps a huge amount.
Come back on here for advice and support, that’s what we’re here for and we do all understand, unlike people who haven’t had this diagnosis.
Nicky x