My darling daughter (aged 44) gave me a shopping bag with the slogan ‘I AM NOT AN OLD BAG’. Having given birth to her at age 17 I am quite happy to have the p**s taken out of me and use my bag with great amusement to everyone I meet.
I was 59 when I was diagnosed; I had gratefully used hormone replacement therapy; smoked until the age of fifty and am over-fond of a ‘tipple’ or two… and I also had a much-loved sister who was diagnosed with BC at 42years old and died at age 52. So… I was a prime candidate for BC… probably all my own fault.
I had a WLE and full axillary clearance, followed by revisionary surgery to clear margins. I then had 25 sessions of radiotherapy and have five years of Tamox. I am now aged 62.
I have two daughters - the one who bought me the ‘OLD BAG’ bag and another aged 40.
I had genetic counselling because of my sister but the conclusion was that the disease was NOT genetic. So again… probably MY FAULT!
But… here we are…
Hi
I saw the title and knew I would belong. I am 63 with a son and a daughter in their 30s, divorced and live alone but have a supportive friend/partner. I was diagnosed in Mar 09 with IDC 6cm,grade 3, triple negative, no nodes. Had mx as day surgery (my daughter took annual leave to come and stay for a week), chemo and rads.
I finished treatment exactly a year ago (being TN there’s nothing else available) and decided to retire. My focus now is to stay as fit and active as I can and make the most of feeling well.
I am so pleased you have started this thread Janet- I had thought of doing something similar myself but had decided that there just weren’t many of we oldies out there on the forums. I think the responses so far have shown that there are a number of us who are computer literate even though we are sooooooo…old!
One of the things that has emerged is that quite a few people are on their own; although it is infinitely worse for young women, with or without children, to be diagnosed with BC , there are other issues that we older women have to face - and hopefully we can offer support to one another here.
I do belong to a local BC support group and enjoy the meetings - but mostly they are about probs after mx (bra & prosthesis fittings) or they are on topics such as make-up, hairdoos etc and just generally ‘social’. I rather enjoy some of the more in-depth issues that are sometimes covered on the forums - eg that we don’t all go for the ‘Pink’ campaigns or we don’t all have the same views re routine screening- or the research issues - or how we are treated by the medical profession- to name but a few!
Yes I agree about this thread its useful to get views from others of a similiar age.
I had my Mx in March this year and now finished all my active treatment. I haven’t been referred to a Plastic Surgeon yet and I will push for this now I am feeling so much better.
I am two minds regarding re construction - do I or don’t I? Part of me thinks don’t bother - luckily I have a wonderful supportive husband who is not bothered at all about my ‘one breast’ and to be honest its not bothering me that much - i seem to get along with my prothesis and manage ok. I don’t really want more surgery and I believe that reconstuction is quite intrusive and i will be off work for a while recovering. Also the fact it ‘might come back’ and then I have spent some of my ‘good’ time being in hospital and going through nasty treatment etc etc.
The other part of me, feels I would love not to have to think prothesis again, be able to wear normal bra’s and tops and generally not feel self conscious when going to Gym or swimming or on holiday. I also feel it would almost ‘draw a line’ under my BC, whilst I will never ever forgot what I have gone through I think it will help me move on.
For younger women its probably a no brainer in that they want reconstruction asap - but at my age is it a good idea. I would welcome the views of more mature ladies on this, especially those who have made the decision already.
What a good idea for a thread-we have issues which are so different from those of younger women,it will be good to have a specific thread.However I am coming here less often these days but this thread may change that
I am 66 and was dx at 62,I have just [Oct 6th] passed the 4 year anniversary of my dx.
Like Joss,and unusually for our age group I am triple negative.I had a 2cm grade 2 IDC with no nodes involved.I had WLE,4xfec 4xTaxotere and 15 rads.
I am very happily married with 2 children [40+36]and 3 stepchildren [38,39,41].I also have 9 grandchildren [3mine and 6 ‘his’].
I was a teacher before I retired and still do some exam marking [GCSE].I love kids,cats and books.I hate the disease which brings me here and the fear which is its legacy.
I have just lost over 2 and a half stones[since Feb] and my ambition[sound like Miss World!!Dont look like her :)]is to live long enough for my youngest grandchild [20 months] to have enduring memories of me so I’d wish for another 10years.
Love and luck to all of you,
Valxxx
I hvae already posted on this thread and it is good to see so many “more mature” want to share ideas. What do you all think you want from this thread? Just to keep in touch and share worries/problems/good news? Or are there other topics you want to deal with? Love Val
Hello Janet and thank you for starting the thread. I hope your results on Weds will be as good as they can be. It is of course a really worrying time waiting to hear this sort of news.
I like the idea of a thread to talk to women of a certain age LOL but hesitated to join in at first 'cos I have a very long history - like Val (scottishlass) though I suspect mine is a bit more tortuous. I am now 65 like Horace happily married, with a son & daughter 39 & 37 and a very recent grandson (now 5.5months) - such a joy. I have had breast cancer since 1990 (invasive ductal) when I was dx at age 45. My bc is er/pr neg and her2 pos. although that wasn’t known about a few years back it is suspected that mine always have been her2 pos. Thank goodness for herceptin. I have had 2 mastectomies at different times. If I go into too much detail I will go on for pages so suffice it to say that I had a recurrence 6 yrs later which was lobular, then another 6mths on - skin mets, and then the following year in the other breast (lobular this time) and then secondaries in 2002 which included a number of cancerous lymph nodes in the neck & chest area, and extensive bone mets. I have been on bisphosphonates & herceptin for a few years now and have recently had dx a further spread of a soft mass tumour alongside my lower spine and entrapping nerves, which has been causing a lot of pain for 2 yrs now.
I think like many newly diagnosed I remember thinking I was going to miss so much of life’s pleasures and landmarks and can look back now with real joy at how much I have experienced like anniversaries (celebrated 40th wedding anniversary in 2006), children going thru university, collecting State Pension :), weddings & the latest pleasure of my daughter & hubby having the little one :). I hope all of you recently diagnosed have a good few years yet, despite our more mature status.
hi i am 53 had mx last nov have seromas and lymphoedema i am on tamoxifen i am married 3 children 5 grandaughters and a grandson due in jan i would love to come on this thread to keep in touch and to share worries and good news and problems and just have a chat because we all have a lot in common miss messy x
Hi I have not posted for a while but I was wondering if anyone can answer a query for me I will try to explain but please bare with me.
DCIS was picked up on a routine mammo one year ago treatment was lumpectomy times two plus rads and Arimidex I had a check up 5 months ago but just a chat and examination 2nd check up several weeks ago, before examining me I was told I would be recieving a letter to tell me the date/time of my follow up mammogram and I will need regular 6 month check ups instead of yearly as I was a grade 3 DCIS !!! but this I do not understand as I was told this will only be a chat and examination as DCIS can not be felt whats the point why not 6 month mammo’s surely the risk of the radiation is better than getting invassive BC which I was told is quite likely with grade 3 DCIS so up until recently I had no idea of all this.I tried to find out more but others with grade 3 DCIS had masectomies. Sorry about the spelling and for ranting. I will be 61 this month a mother and nanny one husband lol and 2 lovely dogs. thanks for reading and good luck to you all.
Hi Linda. Sorry I cannot help but I am sure someone will come along soon, who can. If no-one does why not call your Breast Care Nurse tomorrow, that is what they are there for, if you do not understand something, or a worrying about something. Hugs, Val
Hi linda I cant help either but bet the BCC helpline will be able to.They are always there in ‘office hours’ and I have found them invaluable in answering queries like this.If that fails then as val says try your bcn though mine is often hard to contact.
Love Val[a different Val!]xx
Hi just discovered this thread what a great idea. Im 57 diagnosed in february this year. Had chemo first 3fec followed by 3tax started herceptin with the second tax and will be ongoing until june next year, if my heart can tollerate it. After the chemo i had surgery removal of left breast and full node clearance. I also had recon at same time, LD flap which ws ok but have to go back next year for more surgery to even things up a bit! Started rads sept 27th and fin oct 26th.
Results from surgery were that the chemo reduced the lump from 4-5cm to 12mm, one pos node and nothing in the chest wall so looks positive. I have worked throught my treatment ( my choice) im a nurse on nights at the moment so things not too bad.
I have daughter 37 and a son 27, grandaughter 18 and grandson 7 months. He was actually born on same day as i started my first chemo, will never forget that day.
Commenced letrozole two weeks after last chemo, was wondering if anyone has experienced the horrendous joint pains worse first thing in the morning, i take co-codamol 30/500 and can take these up to 4 times a day which i am having to do for the pain. I unsure if its side effects from the tabs or the herceptin, or a combination of both.
Hi Anne, I have been on Letrozole since the beginning of the year. I cannot remember if I had joint pain with them at the beginning but know I have no pain in them now. Ask your GP or BCN if there is something else you can take to solve the joint problem. Sorry cannot really help. Love Val
Hi Anne-
Just read your note about joint pains. I thought I was to start on Letrozole so read up about it. It seems the aromatase inhibitors are known for causing joint pain. One of the threads- has alot of discussion about it - check out the thread called -undergoing treatment: hormone therapy. After reading that I was pleased not to be on Letrozole. Some people had it worse than others and some very little so I guess it’s luck of the draw. Hopefully your pains will ease up soon. Al the best Diana
I was DX 2 years ago at age 61 with IBC. I had chemo 4x AC and 4x Tax followed by surgery and then rads. Although the cancer was only in one breast I opted for a bi lateral MX, partly because of family history (Mum and Aunt who both died over 20 years ago) but also because I thought that by the end of treatment the last thing I would want to deal with was recon. I am now flat, well as flat as MX leaves us, and never wear a prothesis.
I have been married for 45 years and my OH has been amazing. Unfortunately last year just as we were coming to terms with the ongoing worry of BC he developed late onset Epilespy so we are now living on another knife edge hoping that his medication will work and keep him fit free.
Because of my family history I had genetic testing which has come back with no mutations found, this doesn’t answer my question of where did this come from but is immensly reassuring as I have three grown up daughters and 3 little granddaughters. Right from the beginning my wish has been to be around long enough for the little ones to remember me when they grow up.
I have been on Femara now for the last 18 months and have found that I have considerable joint pain when I first get up in the morning but it wears off fairly quickly. I also have arthritis so it is sometimes difficult to decide just what is causing the pain.
One of the things I like about this thread is the freedom to acknowledge our hopes and fears without feeling bad because it is worse for younger women.I know so many fear they will not see their children grow up while I,like Andie,want to have my grandchildren know me.I also fear leaving my lovely husband who is 74 and not in tip top health.However I am grateful for all the years when I didnt have bc.
Vxx
I was diagnosed in 2007 when I was 61. I had Grade 3 DCIS with comodo necrosis, but confined to a small area so I had a lumpectomy. SNB (5 nodes removed) all of them clear. Since then I have had to have a repeat biopsy at my 2 year follow-up because my operation side is still very lumpy. That was negative thank goodness, but this year I found a lump in my other breast. All concerned think its a cyst; I had it removed under local last week so am again waiting for results!
This thread is great; I had virtually given up posting as my troubles don’t compare with those of younger ladies; but I would really value a bit of support as I am on my own (widowed 10 years ago, no kids), so would really like to join you all on here.
I’m 58, had lumpectomy and SNB on 8th September. Had been told I would only need rads as well as lump small and ultrasound showed nodes clear. They were right about those two things, but cancer was grade 3, clear margins not quite clear and some vascular invasion, so it was chemo too. 3x FEC and 3 x TAX. Had first FEC on 14th Oct, so just enjoying my last few days before number 2 on Thursday.
Bit worried about the joint and muscle pain with TAX as my hobbies are dancing and walking.
I’m very lucky to have a very supportive OH and many good friends. I also have my two sons back home aged 31 and 29. Sadly the younger one is very depressed at the moment and it is hard to see him so low.
Hope you get your results soon and that the cyst proves to be just that, Jojo.
I am 55, will be 56 on Wednesday and I am definately post menopausal. I had left mx in September 09, followed by 6 FEC-T, 25 rads and I have had 12 of 18 herceptin. I had to have a portacath inserted in December 9 after 3 chemo as my veins gave up completely. I have 3 grown up children who have all flown the nest and have good independent lives for themselves. I lives nearby in Waltham Abbey Essex and is married with 2 under 5s and a new baby due in February 2011. I lives in Oxford and is an research scientist. My youngest lives in Ulverston in the lake district and she has a 16 month old. I am on my second marriage to a toy boy 15 years younger than me who has been a complete diamond during this “journey”. Although I am still very very tired I am back at work and looking forward to the future.
Big milestone yesterday I had my 1st haircut for a year, I loved having my hair washed and when the junior washing my hair said “would you like a head massage”, would I, I was in seventh heaven. I am just so pleased to have hair that needs cutting even if it was only a "little " cut in order to tidy it up. But I still loved the experience.
How did you find the 3 x Tax? I’m very apprehensive about it, still got 2 FEC to do before that though.
I’m at the opposite end of the hair journey, been losing it for 3/4 days, so got OH to shave it off today. How lovely to have a head massage, just right to perk you after a hard year.
